A new report reveals that more than one-third of all U.S. bird species stand in high or moderate conservation danger. Additionally, there are 112 “tipping point” species that have seen half or more of their populations vanish in the past 50 years.



The tipping point groups identified in the report include 42 red-alert species such as Allen’s Hummingbird, Tricolored Blackbird, and Saltmarsh Sparrow. These species are facing a high risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-bird-species-face-extinction-risks-in-the-neotropics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extinction</a> unless swift interventions are made.



“Birds tell us that we have a full-on emergency across all habitats,” said Marshall Johnson, chief conservation officer at the <a href="https://www.audubon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Audubon Society</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-state-of-the-birds-report-nbsp">State of the Birds report&nbsp;</h2>



The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report was unveiled at the 90th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.&nbsp;



Compiled by a coalition of top science and conservation organizations, the report documents sustained widespread losses in American bird populations across mainland and marine habitats, highlighting 229 species requiring urgent conservation measures.&nbsp;



The findings follow on from the influential 2019 study that found the loss of three billion birds in North America over five decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-america-s-birds">Significance of America's birds</h2>



In defending birds, the report emphasizes not just the ecological arguments but also the financial rewards for local economies. 



Nearly 100 million Americans take part in bird-related activities, from casual backyard birding to dedicated expeditions. 



The total economic output connected to bird watching activities is $279 billion, while birding related activities support 1.4 million jobs, the experts argued, referencing the latest <a href="https://www.fws.gov/program/national-survey-fishing-hunting-and-wildlife-associated-recreation-fhwar" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation</a> data.



The study emphasizes that birds are also central to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-americans-have-lost-years-of-time-to-poor-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental health</a> benefits. By citing existing research, the authors explain that daily or weekly encounters with birds and nature help relieve stress and diminish symptoms of anxiety and depression - an added incentive to strengthen conservation programs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-trends-in-bird-habitats">Disturbing trends in bird habitats</h2>



In analyzing bird populations across America, the authors warn that nearly every type of ecosystem is witnessing declines. Even ducks, which had been a bright spot in past reports, are trending downward in more recent tallies.



“The rapid declines in birds signal the intensifying stressors that wildlife and people alike are experiencing around the world because of habitat loss, environmental degradation, and extreme weather events,” noted Amanda Rodewald, faculty director of the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>’s Center for Avian Population Studies.&nbsp;



“When we see declines like those outlined in the report, we need to remember that if conditions are not healthy for birds, they’re unlikely to be healthy for us.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cause-for-both-alarm-and-hope">Cause for both alarm and hope</h2>



“There is no doubt that the 2025 State of the Birds report is cause for alarm, but it is also cause for hope. Public interest in birds and the economic benefits from birding are at unprecedented levels, as is the information available about the status of each and every one of our bird species,” said Jeff Walters, conservation committee co-chair at the <a href="https://americanornithology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Ornithological Society</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/bird-populations_united-states_rapid-decline_graph_credit-Cornell_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/bird-populations_united-states_rapid-decline_graph_credit-Cornell_1s.webp" alt="Long-term population trends for America's birds. Credit: State of the Birds long-term population trends, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology." class="wp-image-1962322"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Long-term population trends for America's birds. Credit: State of the Birds long-term population trends, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.</figcaption></figure>



Strategies for reversing these declines emerge throughout the document. The authors highlight conservation success stories and methods that have proven effective for waterfowl, waterbirds, and other avian groups, indicating that more robust action could yield results on a larger scale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effective-conservation-approaches">Effective conservation approaches</h2>



“Many bird populations are struggling. But a proven blueprint for success is science-based planning and collaborative investment in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitat-and-evolution-shape-the-unique-sounds-of-birds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> conservation,” said Steve Adair, Ducks Unlimited chief scientist.



Beyond this, practical measures - like private lands programs, ranching partnerships, forest renewal projects, coastal restoration efforts, and seabird translocation - have all shown promise in reviving bird populations under stress.&nbsp;



Adair cited the strong cooperation among hunters, landowners, agencies, and corporations as having historically benefited waterfowl numbers, at least where suitable weather conditions apply.



“Decades of strategic and aggressive wetland habitat conservation from hunters, landowners, state and federal agencies, and corporations has boosted numerous waterfowl and waterbird species when weather conditions are favorable. We’ve shown it works. And we must do more,” Adair said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-america-s-bird-life">Protecting America's bird life</h2>



At the same time, the report makes clear that bird conservation has ripple effects for human communities and broader ecosystems.



“Fortunately, many of the actions that are good for birds are good for us. When we protect the habitats that birds rely upon, we also protect the ecosystem services that sustain us,” Rodewald said.



In other words, robust protections for wetlands, coasts, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/every-bird-song-can-help-scientists-make-smarter-forest-decisions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forests</a>, and other key habitats not only safeguard bird life, but also maintain carbon storage, preserve water quality, and buffer cities and towns against natural disasters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-toward-effective-solutions">Looking toward effective solutions</h2>



Michael J. Parr, President of <a href="https://abcbirds.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Bird Conservancy</a>, praised ongoing research but emphasized that more support is crucial:



“We have clear evidence that conservation works in halting declines,” said Parr. “What we now need more than ever are programs and funding that match the scale of the greatest challenges birds face today. The science is solid on how to reverse the damage done, but to succeed, these issues need to be taken seriously.”



Marshall Johnson of the National Audubon Society reinforced this need for prompt and inclusive measures. 



“Birds unite us across the hemisphere and across the political spectrum - there should be no hesitation as we move to protect them today and in the future,” he said.



Ultimately, the 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report highlights a stark warning but also underscores the possibility for saving countless bird species if deliberate policies and robust support meet the urgency of the crisis.&nbsp;



Humans stand to benefit economically and culturally from an environment where bird populations thrive, reminding all stakeholders of the vital connections between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-era-in-wildlife-conservation-how-ai-will-help-protect-elephants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife conservation</a> and broader social well-being.



The report can be found <a href="https://www.stateofthebirds.org/2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Saving America's birds: Scientists declare a 'full-on emergency' in the US

A new report reveals that more than one-third of all U.S. bird species stand in high or moderate conservation danger. Additionally, there are 112 “tipping point” species that have seen half or more of their populations vanish in the past 50 years. The tipping point groups identified in the report include 42 red-alert species such as Allen’s Hummingbird, Tricolored Blackbird, and Saltmarsh Sparrow. These species are facing a high risk of extinction unless swift interventions are made. “Birds tell us that we have a full-on emergency across...

As female elk get older, they also get wiser about avoiding hunters, a new study found.

By the age of 10, female elk are ”nearly invulnerable” to human hunters, according the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a> study.

Henrik Thurfjell and colleagues fitted 49 female elk, aged 1 to 18 years old, with GPS radio collars and tracked them for 2-4 years. The data collected included distance traveled with time, terrain ruggedness (slope), and forest cover. 

The researchers found that older female elk reduced their movement rates, thereby lowering their detectability and the likelihood of encountering human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunting-reduces-populations/">hunters</a>. 

Older female elk also increased their use of safer grounds -- rugged terrain and forest -- when they were near roads, where the likelihood of being spotted by hunters is highest. 

The study also found that elk could differentiate between bow and rifle hunters. Older females used rugged terrain more during the season for bow hunting than during that for rifle hunting, presumably reflecting the fact that bow hunters need to stalk their prey closely and this is more difficult on slopes.

Rifle hunters, however, can shoot over distances of up to 300 meters.

The results could have have implications for managers trying to influence animal behavior through learning, the authors said. Even a low risk could induce avoidance behavior in more experienced animals, the researchers said.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>

Image Credit: Mark Boyce

Female elk learn to avoid hunters over time

As female elk get older, they also get wiser about...

A new study in ACS’ journal <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a> of hair samples of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears has shown a significant drop in mercury in recent years.

“Great!” you’re probably thinking, “because mercury is bad, right?” Well technically yes, but researchers think this may actually be a worrying trend. Melissa McKinney and her colleagues think this decrease in mercury levels may be an indication of how climate change has affected their foraging habits, which in turn has affected their diets and body mass.

Previously, other research has found that mercury in the environment – which may be either naturally occurring or come from industrial activities such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kentucky-coal-mining-museum-solar/">coal</a> burning – accumulates in the hair and tissue of the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear. These mercury levels have been found to be at concentrations known to cause harmful effects.

Polar bears are also exposed to mercury through their diets, which mostly consist of seals and whales. However, other research has shown that with the decline of seasonal sea ice, polar bears’ diets have changed. In their study, McKinney and colleagues investigated how this shift might affect polar bears’ mercury levels.

The scientists collected hair samples from these polar bears between 2004 and 2011, analyzing the samples for mercury. Their data revealed a decline in mercury levels among adults of about 13 percent per year.

Through analysis of the bears’ body mass and food sources, they reasoned that the drop in mercury was likely due to the change in the polar bears’ diet and their increasing BMI. Specifically, they believe the polar bears are eating more bowhead whales and bearded seals, which contain less mercury than the ringed seals that the bears used to prey upon more often.

As we attempt to understand the countless impacts of climate change, it’s important that we track our world’s flora and fauna on a micro level as well as a macro level. Changes as significant as enormous loss of sea ice can have effects as tiny as levels of mercury in polar bears.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html">American Chemical Society</a>

Declining mercury levels in polar bears due to climate change?

A new study in ACS’ journal Environmental Science &amp; Technology...

A jawbone fossil uncovered at a dig site in central Mexico is giving researchers new insight into the intercontinental immigration of animals millions of years ago. The remains, which turned out to be those of an ancient sea otter, are evidence of an unanticipated migratory path across America. 

Jack Tseng of the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University at Buffalo</a> examined the jawbone which contained several teeth. The molar was strikingly similar to a tooth from an ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-otters-dolphins-smartest/">sea otter</a> fossil recovered in Florida. 

"We compared it to the original tooth from Florida, based on the cusps and the size, it couldn't be anything else," Tseng said. 

Ancient otter remains had been previously found in Florida and California, yet researchers did not know the path the animals took across the continent. Fossils found in Florida are older than those in California, which led scientists to believe the animals migrated from east to west. It was theorized that this trip may have been taken through Northern Canada or south across Panama. 

The location of this six-million-year old fossil in central Mexico is a breakthrough. It indicates an unpredicted migration route through Mexico during the Miocene Epoch, which occurred 23 million to 5 million years ago. The researchers believe this otter was making its way from east to west along the northern edge of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

The findings of this study, published in the journal Biology Letters, suggest that fossil sites in Mexico may produce more records from the Miocene Epoch. This area may also give scientists a new look at The Great American Biotic Exchange, a historical event in which animals interchanged between North and South America by way of land bridges in Central America. 

"Compared to the U.S., Mexico is a blank slate in terms of paleontology," Tseng said. "Now that we have this evidence of these animals moving through Mexico, we can now look for evidence of other animals doing the same."

[caption id="attachment_451571" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-13-at-2.58.07-PM.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-451571" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-13-at-2.58.07-PM-300x121.png" alt="" width="300" height="121" /></a> Image Credit: University at Buffalo[/caption]

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University at Buffalo</a>

Image Credit: University at Buffalo

Otter fossil suggests ancient mammals migrated across America

A jawbone fossil uncovered at a dig site in central...

The Internet is full of stories about heroic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-dogs-understand-inequality/">dogs</a>, cats, sea animals, goats and potbelly pigs, among other lifesaving species. We’ve come up with a few extra special real life stories where animal heroes went out of their way to protect or save people with little regard for their own safety.

One of many heroic pooches -- When you think of pet heroes, your mind goes to dogs. Or it should. We can’t think of too many lifesaving ferrets, goats or parrots (but they’re out there). So here’s one of our favorite canine stories.

Eve and Norman Fertig were octogenarians who owned a wildlife sanctuary -- and a huge German Shepherd - wolf mix named Shana. In 1999, they stepped outside their door without coats to feed their animals and got caught in a freak snowstorm. It downed trees in such a way that it trapped the couple, who huddled to stay warm, for hours, too exhausted to climb over or under the barrier. Shana came to the rescue, spending hours burrowing a snow tunnel to them, then two hours guiding them through the tunnel to freedom, with Eve Fertig on her back. <a href="http://www.rd.com/advice/pets/heroic-dogs/2/">Here’s the Reader’s Digest story</a> about Shana and three other pooch heroes. 

Oceans’ worth of life saving dolphins -- Those of us of a certain age remember Flipper, the here bottlenose dolphin. If Lassie was the good-doer of terra firma, Flipper benevolently ruled the seas. You’ll find several good stories on Dolphins-World, <a href="http://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphins-rescuing-humans/">here</a>. 

Another favorite dolphin story stars Filippo, who saved from drowning a small boy who’d fallen off a boat. <a href="https://mom.me/pets/9933-10-life-saving-animals/item/saved-drowning/">Read more here</a>.

Tara, the dog-hating cat -- The Los Angeles chapter of the <a href="https://www.aspca.org/">American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Animals</a> grants an annual Hero Dog Award to a deserving pooch. But in 2015, they had to change the award to ‘Cat’ after Tara stepped into action.

When a neighborhood dog grabbed her family’s four-year-old off his bike and began to drag him away, the fur flew. There’s a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzpvziYnBBk">YouTube video</a> that captures the action on surveillance cams. Sure, it might have just been a good excuse to attack a neighborhood dog that really got Tara’s goat, but she did punch out a much bigger bully to save a pre-schooler. So, whatever her motivation, Tara is a doggone hero in our book. 

A chatty warning from a parrot -- We all know parrot’s can talk. But they’re really only, well, parroting sounds. They don’t really know what they’re saying. Except for that one time <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1164490/Mama-baby-How-hero-parrot-saved-little-girl-choking-breakfast.html">Willie</a> got the job done. The bird’s 19-year-old owner, Meagan (known as “Mama” by Willie), was watching her roommate’s two-year-old daughter when she stepped out of the room briefly. “Mama, baby! Mama, baby!” the bird shrieked. Meagan rushed back to find the little girl choking on food. She successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver on the child and credited her pet parrot -- who, curiously enough, had never before used the word “baby” -- with sounding the lifesaving alarm. 

Yes, another dog story -- What would we do without man’s best friend? <a href="http://dogtime.com/dog-health/dog-behavior/18381-dog-saves-baby-from-abusive-babysitter">Killan</a> was a black lab and German shepherd mix who loved everyone -- except seven-month-old Finn’s babysitter. The dog’s snarling and growling when around the sitter caused Finn’s parents to leave a smartphone audio recorder behind the next time they left the child with the woman. They were shocked to hear the sitter cursing and apparently slapping their baby. The sitter was later convicted of child abuse and sentenced to three years in prison. And Killan hopefully got a dog bone as long as his tail.

Porcine pet squeals on fire -- Sure, this is another pet-warns-family-of-smoke story, and yes, we’re reluctant to include such stories in this roundup since we believe the pet might be trying to save its own hide, not necessarily that of its family. But…this is about a pet pig, so cut us some slack.

<a href="http://time.com/2852984/hero-pig-saves-family-from-fire/">Lucky</a> woke up its human family at 4:40 am as its mobile home started filling with smoke. The homeowner and her two grandkids got out alive, thanks to the obnoxious but heroic grunts and squeals of this little piggie. We think it’s worth a squeal-out. 

Last dog story -- History has many tales (tails?) of lifesaving dogs, but <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2014/05/dogs_of_war_sergeant_stubby_the_u_s_army_s_original_and_still_most_highly.html">Sgt. Stubby</a> is our favorite. The pit bull mix found himself on the field of battle during World War I with the 102 Infantry, Yankee Division. He took his sniffer to the front by barking poison gas warnings in time for his comrades to don masks. On another occasion, Stubby alerted to the presence of a German spy, an action that earned him a promotion. Sgt. Stubby is the only dog to have attained the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Army for combat heroics. He’s sort of the Sgt. York of the canine population. 

--

By <a href="mailto:DSearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth.com presents: Animal heroes

The Internet is full of stories about heroic dogs, cats,...

Scientists have discovered a new way to count fish by listening to their mating calls.

The research team from <a href="https://utmsi.utexas.edu/">The University of Texas Marine Science Institute</a> and <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> used underwater microphones to estimate how many fish are in a spawning aggregation, based on their mating calls.

Each spring, the entire adult population of Gulf corvina, totally more than 2 million fish, migrates to a small area at the northern tip of the Gulf of California, the study said. Male mating calls reach 192 decibels, enough to damage human eardrums if it were on land.

"It's louder than a rock concert," said Brad Erisman, assistant professor at UTMSI and co-author of the study. "It's louder than standing less than a meter from a chain saw."

The noise leads fishers to the corvina spawning aggregations. Over about 20 nights each spring, they can harvest more than a million fish with minimal effort. Because the entire species spawns in one place, they are extremely vulnerable.

Accurate data on when and where fish spawn, as well as how many there are, would help <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/late-bloomer-dolphins-risk/">fisheries</a> design effective management practices and monitor the ongoing health of a fishery, the authors said.

"Our work opens an acoustic window into these exciting spawning events," Erisman said.

The researchers developed the method specifically for the Gulf corvina but it can be adapted to any fish that make courtship sounds. This includes cod, groupers, croakers, and the endangered totoaba, a species that is also endemic to the Gulf of California, the study said.

The new acoustic method for monitoring spawning populations could help ensure that corvina fishing is sustainable in the long run, the authors said.

"The fishers are by no means the enemy here," said Erisman. "They're actually the ones who have provided us with all the information and access to the resource, and they're the ones most interested in sustainability."

Nearly a third of the world's fish stocks are being harvested faster than they can reproduce, the study said.

Species that spawn seasonally in large groups are especially vulnerable because they are easier for fishers to locate and are plucked from the water often before they've seeded the next generation, according to the study, which is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-03383-8">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a>

How listening to fish mating calls could help protect them

Scientists have discovered a new way to count fish by...

Most U.S. travelers can’t identify bed bugs but they hate them all the same, a new study found.

Just 35 percent of business travelers and 28 percent of leisure travelers correctly identified a bed bug in a lineup of other common insects, the <a href="http://www.uky.edu/">University of Kentucky</a> study found.

In the survey, 60 percent of travelers said they would switch hotels if they found evidence of bed bugs in a guest room. But no more than a quarter said they would switch hotels for factors such as signs of smoking or dirty towels or linens, the survey found.

"Considering all the media attention paid to bed bugs in recent years, the fact that most travelers still have a poor understanding of them is troubling," said Michael Potter, professor in <a href="https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/">UK's Department of Entomology</a> and co-author of the study.

For the hospitality industry, bed bugs are particularly problematic given the central role online reviews play in selection of where to stay. More than half of survey respondents said they would be very unlikely to choose a hotel with a single online report of bed bugs.

"From a hotel industry perspective, it's worrisome that a single online report of bed bugs would cause the majority of travelers to book different accommodations, irrespective of whether the report is accurate,” said Jerrod M. Penn, postdoctoral scholar in UK's Department of Agricultural Economics and lead author of the study. “Furthermore, the incident could have involved only one or a few rooms, which the hotel previously eradicated." 

The public's lack of understanding of bed bugs "contributes to their spread throughout society as a whole," Potter said. “But the hospitality industry must deal with both the pest itself and consumers' strong, if ill-informed, attitudes about bed bugs.”

Hotels and others in the hospitality sector should develop a reputation management plan to prudently respond to online reports of bed bugs in their facilities the study says. 

Hotels should also train their housekeeping and engineering staffs to recognize and report <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bed-bugs-increasingly-resistant/">bed bugs</a> in the earliest possible stages, when infestations are more manageable, according to the study, which is published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ae">American Entomologist</a>.

Similarly important is training front desk and customer service employees to respond promptly and empathetically when incidents arise within the hotel," says Dr. Wuyang Hu, professor in UK's Department of Agricultural Economics and senior author of the study.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.entsoc.org/">Entomological Society of America</a>

Travelers have strong feelings, little knowledge about bed bugs

Most U.S. travelers can’t identify bed bugs but they hate...

Genes determine the music of songbirds. Genetics explains why songbirds learn the tunes of their own species rather than those of other birds, according to a new study.

Researchers at <a href="https://www.uu.se/en/">Uppsala University</a> in Sweden swapped eggs from two species of flycatchers so that they were raised completely by <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/parents-addicted-smartphones-kids/">parents</a> from the other <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=species&amp;cvid=ad7d11c04be44789aed27070cf07ca68&amp;pglt=43&amp;FORM=ANNTA1&amp;PC=HCTS">species. </a>

The young birds discriminated in favor of their own species' songs, even though they had no experience with their own species. This demonstrated that song choice is not a result of early learning, the study found.

The researchers also found that hybrid birds, with parents from each species, discriminated in favor of the songs of only one of the species, the pied flycatcher. Genes determine the music of songbirds

“A genetic basis for song discrimination in early life may help explain how song differences are maintained in a noisy, diverse world,” said David Wheatcroft, researcher at the Department of Ecology and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/genetics-will-show-which-corals-can-resist-bleaching/">Genetics</a> at Uppsala University and co-author of the study.

The song learning process in birds and the language learning process in humans “share remarkable behavioral and neural parallels,” the authors said. “One of the longest standing problems has been to determine how the brain encodes the vocal memories that underlie learning.“

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.uu.se/en/">Uppsala University</a>

Genes determine the music of songbirds

Genes determine the music of songbirds. Genetics explains why songbirds...

A recent study performed by an international team of researchers has presented the first global analysis of established alien species – that is, species that have become established outside of their natural habitat (not actual aliens).

The research was led by <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">Durham University</a> and is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>. It incorporated analysis of data from eight different groups, which included amphibians, ants, birds, freshwater fish, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-nosed-moles/">mammals</a>, reptiles, spiders, and vascular plants found in 186 island and 423 mainland regions. 

Through their analysis, the researchers determined that hotspots of these alien species occur mostly in island and coastal regions. "Our research shows that, islands and mainland coastal regions contain higher numbers of established alien plants and animals, and this may be because these areas have major points of entry like ports,” says lead author Wayne Dawson of Durham University's Department of Biosciences.

The top three hot spots for alien plants and animals were the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand’s North Island, and the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. In fact, about half of New Zealand’s plant life is made up of established alien plants.

Interestingly, the UK – and England especially – has more established alien plants and animals than many other global regions. The U.S. state of Florida was also a top hotspot, as it has become home to many non-native snake and ant species. 

The study found that a region’s wealth, population density, and climate are major factors in the number of established alien species. “In general, regions that are wealthier, and where human populations are denser also have more alien species, but these effects are stronger for islands,” explains Dawson.

This research can help scientists understand how to lessen the impact that some alien species have on their non-native habitats, and possibly prevent further introduction of other alien plants and animals. While many species don’t have negative effects on their new environments, this type of data analysis will help scientists know what areas to focus on in the future.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">Durham University</a>

Photo Credit: Pablo García-Diaz

Non-native plant and animal species target global hotspots

A recent study performed by an international team of researchers...

Looking for a coronavirus? Check some bat colonies and you’re sure to find at least one strain, according to a new five-year study.

Researchers studying bat populations on three continents found that bats harbor a diverse collection of coronaviruses. 

Working with local governments, a team of researchers led by scientists from <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> and the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a> tested more than 19,000 bats, other animals and humans. They focused on areas where animal-to-human transmission of coronavirus is a higher risk, such as new areas of deforestation, animal sanctuaries, and ecotourism regions.

The researchers discovered more than 100 different strains of coronavirus. They also found that the vast majority of animals harboring coronaviruses – more than 98 percent – were bats.

The findings shed new light on the collection of viruses, which are linked to everything from the common cold and mild respiratory infections to dangerous diseases like <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sars/index.html">severe acute respiratory syndrome</a> (SARS) and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html">Middle East respiratory syndrome</a> (MERS). 

"This study fills in a huge gap in what we know about the diversity of coronaviruses in animal hosts," Dr. Simon Anthony of Columbia University said in a press release. "Charting the geographic and genetic diversity of coronaviruses in animals is a critical first step towards understanding and anticipating which specific viruses could pose a threat to human health."

Since the study looked at only 282 bat species – not quite a quarter – the researchers estimate that more than 3,000 strains of coronavirus may be found in bat colonies worldwide.

The researchers are now isolating each strain of coronavirus and using genome sequencing to get a better look at those strains that resemble the ones that cause dangerous human illnesses.

Their initial findings seem to show that coronaviruses in Latin American bats are less likely to jump to human hosts than viruses found in Asian and African bat colonies.

Their findings shouldn’t lead to a “culling” of bat populations, the scientists warned. The vast majority of the coronaviruses found in bat colonies are not a threat to humans, and the furry flyers play an important role in ecosystems, they said. 

Studies of rabies or Marburg virus transmission have shown that culling bat populations can actually lead to higher rates of disease transmission, they added. 

The study will be published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ve">Virus Evolution</a>, and is part of the global PREDICT project to track disease outbreaks and transmissions from animals to humans. Funding was provided by the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/">U.S. Agency for International Development</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Bat colonies harbor coronavirus, study finds

Looking for a coronavirus? Check some bat colonies and you’re...

Thousands of square miles of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-sea-ice-record/">sea ice</a> melted prematurely off the coast of Alaska this year due to an unseasonably warm Arctic winter. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> and the <a href="http://www.uwyo.edu/">University of Wyoming</a> explored the challenges that the thinning, faster-moving ice is creating for polar bears.

Researchers have previously documented a decline in abundance, health, and reproduction of polar bears. A new study, published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2486">Global Change Biology</a>, provides an unprecedented account of the effect that accelerated sea ice drift has on polar bears.

Rapidly-moving sea ice is creating a need for the bears to access more food so that they have more energy to navigate treacherous terrain. At the same time, hunting opportunities are becoming more limited.

Dr. George Durner is a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and lead author of the report.

Dr. Durner compared the shifting ice to a treadmill picking up speed with the wind and ocean currents. The findings of the study revealed that polar bears will have to consume 1-3 more seals per year to compensate for the extra energy expelled as they make their way across the faster-moving ice. To make matters worse, the thinning ice becomes less and less suitable for hunting seals and the polar bears must walk further.

“Increased sea ice drift rates likely exacerbate the physiological stress due to reduced foraging opportunity already experienced by many polar bears in the warming Arctic, adding yet another ‘straw to the camel’s back’,” said Dr. Durner.

The researchers tracked adult female polar bears using radio collars in Alaska's Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea. They paired this information with sea drift data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, which was the result of complex analyses that produced ice drift values of over 77,000 bear locations.

The data had been collected over two time periods from 1987-1998 and 1999-2013. In the second time period, ice drift had sped up and sea ice was becoming more brittle and less abundant. Compared to the previous time frame, adult female bears needed significantly more calories to survive.

“For the polar bear, the Arctic is becoming a more expensive place to live in,” said Dr. Durner.

According to the U.S. polar bear recovery plan, it is unlikely the polar bears will survive if climate change is not addressed. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>

Accelerated sea ice creates serious challenges for polar bears

Thousands of square miles of sea ice melted prematurely off...

Emperor penguins may not survive the loss of their breeding and feeding grounds from climate change, a new study said.

The 54 colonies that exist today will face “devastating declines” by the end of this century, according to the study by <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a>, which recommends listing of the Emperor penguin as an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/endangered-species-location-data-risk/">endangered species</a>.

“Based on this study, we conclude that the prospects look grim at the end of 2100, with a projected global population decline as low as 40 percent and up to 99 percent over three generations,” said Stephanie Jenouvrier, WHOI biologist and lead author of the study.

Projected melting of Antarctic sea ice through 2100 will strip Emperor penguins of their breeding and feeding grounds and put populations at risk, the study said. The penguins may not be spared by moving to new locations, the researchers concluded.

In order to determine whether migration will ultimately help Emperor penguins defend against population decline, Jenouvrier worked with mathematicians to develop a sophisticated demographic model of penguin colonies based on data collected at Pointe Géologie, one of the few places where long-term Emperor penguin studies have been conducted.

The model tracks the population connectivity between penguins as they take their chances moving to new habitats offering better sea ice conditions. 

"It's like we've added roads between the cities the penguins live in and now get to see what happens when they travel between them," she said.

A range of model inputs were used, including penguin dispersal distance, behavior and rate of migration. The model also factors in end-of-century sea ice forecasts from climate projection models to predict the fate of each colony.

In some cases, dispersal boosted populations whereas in other cases, it led to dramatic declines.

"We saw sustained populations through 2036, at which point there was an 'ecological rescue' that reversed the anticipated decline expected without dispersion for about a ten-year period," Jenouvrier explained. "During that time, the penguins made wise choices in terms of selecting the highest-quality habitat they could reach.”

But the “rescue” was only short-lived, and started plummeting in 2046, the study found. 

When the scenarios were averaged, the model painted “a very grim picture through 2100, regardless of how far penguins travelled or how wise their habitat selections were," Jenouvrier said.

The new modeling technique is key to informing policy around "much-needed protections" for the Emperor penguin, the authors said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a>

Study paints bleak future for Emperor penguins

Emperor penguins may not survive the loss of their breeding...

Soft shelled turtles, considered a delicacy in China, are likely spreading cholera, a new study said.

The research was motivated by discovery that consumption of cholera-carrying soft shelled turtles had caused outbreaks of the disease in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/japan-china-fossil-fuel-sea-floor/">China</a>, said corresponding author Biao Kan. 

"Cholera is a life-threatening diarrheal disease," said Kan, professor of Pathogenic Biology and Infectious Disease control, at the <a href="http://www.chinacdc.cn/en/">Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention</a> in Beijing.

Researchers inserted genes producing bioluminescent proteins into Vibrio cholerae enabling them to directly observe the pathogens colonizing the turtles. Investigators dipped the the turtles into a phosphate-buffered saline solution containing the now bioluminescent bacteria, serogroup 0139.

Over the next four days, the researchers checked the turtles at 24-hour intervals. They first detected light signals at 24 hours. At 96 hours, the entire dorsal side of the turtles' shells was emitting bioluminescence. 

During the last decade, China has seen less than 200 cases of cholera annually, according to Kan. But he said that of the 39 diseases surveilled under China's Law of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, cholera is in the most dangerous category, along with plague.

He also noted that the O139 serogroup, the major strain spread by the turtles, is an emerging disease in China.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://aem.asm.org/">Applied and Environmental Microbiology</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.asm.org/">American Society for Microbiology</a>

Soft shelled turtles likely spreading cholera in China

Soft shelled turtles, considered a delicacy in China, are likely...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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