Invasive species pose a significant challenge to ecosystems and agriculture, often spreading unnoticed until they have caused considerable damage. Conservationists and growers now have an unusual new ally in the fight against the invasive spotted lanternfly - trained dogs.



A recent study published in the journal Ecosphere highlights how these detection dogs outperform humans in identifying lanternfly egg masses in challenging environments, offering a novel strategy to curb the pest’s spread.



"Preventing the introduction of invasive species is championed as the most cost-effective and efficient strategy for avoiding negative impacts on systems," noted the researchers.



"However, once a species has been introduced, the next best option is to detect the population and eliminate it before it becomes established and spreads more widely across the landscape."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spotted-lanternfly-infestations">Spotted lanternfly infestations </h2>



First detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly has now infested 19 states, including New York. This invasive insect feeds on woody plants like grapes, apples, hops, and various trees, causing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/growing-threat-of-invasive-species-requires-immediate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">widespread destruction</a>.



“A spotted lanternfly infestation in a vineyard can cause 80% to 100% mortality of the vines in one growing season,” said study co-author Angela Fuller, a professor in Cornell’s Department of <a href="https://cals.cornell.edu/natural-resources-environment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural Resources and the Environment</a>.



Fuller also noted the financial burden of infestations. “Infestations also increase the amount of insecticide that growers need to use, which can increase costs by up to 170% in a growing season.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-training-dogs-for-invasive-species-detection">Training dogs for invasive species detection</h2>



In collaboration with the <a href="https://www.nynjtc.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York-New Jersey Trail Conference</a> and <a href="https://wd4c.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Working Dogs for Conservation</a>, researchers trained a Labrador retriever and a Belgian malinois to sniff out the lanternfly’s egg masses.



These organizations have previously trained dogs to detect invasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-have-become-one-of-the-worlds-most-invasive-predators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> and pathogens, making them well-equipped for this task.



The study compared the efficiency of human and canine detection in 20 vineyards across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 



The researchers mapped transects in vineyard rows and adjacent forests, where egg masses are likely to overwinter. Humans and dogs surveyed the areas on separate days to prevent cross-contamination of scents.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-outperform-humans-in-forests">Dogs outperform humans in forests</h2>



While humans excelled in detecting invasive egg masses in vineyards, dogs proved superior in forested areas. In vineyards, humans detected 1.8 times more egg masses than dogs, finding 31 egg masses per hour compared to the dogs’ 24. 



Fuller attributed this to humans’ ability to systematically search vines and poles, whereas dogs relied on scent and conducted more random searches. In forests, however, dogs excelled, finding 3.4 times more egg masses than humans. 



“The dogs find egg masses by smell,” Fuller explained. “In a very <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unseen-crisis-37000-alien-species-have-been-introduced-by-human-activities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complex environment</a>, it’s easier for a dog to smell something than it is for a human to see something that is small and cryptic.” 



Dogs located 7.6 egg masses per hour in forests compared to humans’ 6.7 per hour.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-invasive-species-detection">Importance of invasive species detection</h2>



The study emphasizes the importance of early detection in managing the lanternfly’s spread. Dogs performed exceptionally well in areas with low egg mass densities, making them invaluable for rapid response efforts. 



Fuller noted that while dogs take more time to search than humans, the added time is worth it. 



“The extra time that dogs take to find them is not as important as it is to find them in the first place, because you need to detect the egg masses in order to eradicate them,” she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-lanternfly-behavior">Insights into lanternfly behavior</h2>



Using computer modeling, the researchers identified patterns in lanternfly egg mass distribution. They found higher occupancy rates in vineyards than forests, particularly on metal poles. 



Vineyards near forests had higher lanternfly populations, likely because the insects don’t disperse far and often migrate from nearby trees.



“If you’re searching in a vineyard close to the forest, that’s more likely where they’re going to be,” Fuller said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-combating-invasive-species-with-dogs">Combating invasive species with dogs </h2>



This innovative approach offers hope for combating invasive species like the spotted lanternfly. 



By combining human surveys with trained detection dogs, growers and conservationists can strengthen their defense against this destructive pest.



The integration of canine detection into pest management strategies represents a significant step forward in protecting vital ecosystems and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-native-species-are-spreading-at-an-exponential-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agricultural resources</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.70113" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecosphere</a>.



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Trained dogs can sniff out invasive pests in forests

Invasive species pose a significant challenge to ecosystems and agriculture, often spreading unnoticed until they have caused considerable damage. Conservationists and growers now have an unusual new ally in the fight against the invasive spotted lanternfly - trained dogs. A recent study published in the journal Ecosphere highlights how these detection dogs outperform humans in identifying lanternfly egg masses in challenging environments, offering a novel strategy to curb the pest’s spread. "Preventing the introduction of invasive species is championed as the most cost-effective and efficient strategy for avoiding...

A team of researchers led by the University of Washington and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources has recently discovered an isolated and genetically distinct population of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-bears-are-forced-to-hunt-for-food-on-land/">polar bears</a> in Southeast Greenland. 



Unlike other polar bears that rely on rapidly disappearing sea ice for survival, these bears hunt during the entire year on the freshwater ice near marine-terminating glaciers, in sea-ice conditions close to those projected for the High Arctic in the late 21st century. These findings offer reasons for optimism regarding polar bear resilience in the face of climate change.



Previous studies have shown that the Arctic is warming at an unprecedented rate, more than twice as fast as the rest of the planet. This phenomenon is threatening a variety of animal populations, among which polar bears are particularly vulnerable, since most of them rely upon sea ice to hunt seals. 



However, recent forecasts of reduced polar bear populations and geographic distribution are based on broad-scale climate projections that fail to take into account the crucial role of small-scale habitat features which could serve as climate refugia for endangered polar bears.



By combining 36 years of genetic, movement, and demographic data, the scientists discovered and described a genetically distinct, isolated population of polar bears in Southern Greenland. 



Moreover, through sophisticated habitat analysis, natural history observation, and traditional ecological knowledge, they also managed to identify a previously unknown polar bear behavior in this population: the use of fresh ice at the marine terminal glacial fronts (known as “glacial mélange”) as a platform for seal-hunting. While other polar bear populations are forced to move on land or migrate with receding sea ice into less productive regions during the ice-free season, this adaptation allows the Southeast Greenland bears to thrive in rather inhospitable conditions.



These findings have important implications for polar bear conservation, suggesting that marine-terminating glaciers – which are uncommon in most of the Arctic, but can be found in places such as Greenland or Svalbard – may serve as previously unrecognized climate refugia.



The study is published in the AAAS journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abk2793">Science</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Distinct population of polar bears found in Greenland

A team of researchers led by the University of Washington...

According to the largest ever DNA-based study of domestic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-most-beloved-cats-are-more-likely-to-be-destructive/">cats</a>, thirteen genetic variants linked to disease in cats are present in more pedigreed cats than previously thought. However, the experts from the <a href="https://www.wisdompanel.com/en-us">Wisdom Panel</a> in the United States and the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a> in Finland who conducted the study have found that these variants are declining in frequency in breeds that are regularly screened for the genetic markers.



The scientists genotyped more than 11,000 domestic cats - including 90 pedigreed breeds, and 617 non-pedigreed ones - for 87 genetic variants associated to diseases, physical appearance, and blood type. The results revealed that there was more genetic diversity in the non-pedigreed cat population. While three variants associated with disease were only found in non-pedigreed cats, the researchers also identified 13 disease-associated variants in 47 breeds in which these diseases were not previously found.



Fortunately, the frequency of some markers appeared to have declined since they were first identified. For instance, PKD1 – a genetic variant linked to Polycystic Kidney Disease and previously found to affect over 40 percent of Persian cats – was identified in none of the 118 Persians, but appeared in Scottish Straights and Maine Coons.&nbsp;



Genetic markers for specific coat colors and patterns, such as colorpoints in Siamese cats, seemed to be responsible for the same traits in other breeds. Finally, the analysis revealed that the rarest color variant was the Amber coat color specific to Norwegian Forest Cats, which was also detected in one of the non-pedigreed cats.



According to the scientists, genetic screening for disease variants, together with the information on all breeds’ genetic diversity, can reliably inform breeders decisions. Moreover, these tools can also help establishing well-balanced breeding plans that maintain genetic diversity and avoid breeding disease-prone kittens.



“This information can help support sustainable breeding goals within the cat fancy. Direct-to-consumer genetic tests help to raise awareness of various inherited single gene conditions in cats and provide information that owners can share with their veterinarians. In due course, ventures of this type will enable the genetics of common complex feline disease to be deciphered, paving the way for precision healthcare with the potential to ultimately improve welfare for all cats,” the authors explained.



“This study demonstrates the clinical utility and importance of comprehensive genetic screening of feline variants in supporting domestic cat breeding programs, veterinary care and health research,” concluded lead author Heidi Anderson, an expert in Feline Genetics at the Wisdom Panel.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1009804">PLOS Genetics</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Disease-triggering variants found in new cat breeds

According to the largest ever DNA-based study of domestic cats,...

Oil slicks are microscopically thin layers of oil that float on the surface of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whiskers-help-seals-hunt-in-the-darkness-of-the-deep-ocean/">ocean</a> and are a form of marine pollution. They are the result of oil spills from ships or oil and gas platforms, and from natural seeps that occur at the bottom of the ocean. Oil slicks also emerge when industrial runoff is channeled to the sea. In previous research, around 50 percent of ocean oil slicks were said to be attributable to human activities, but new research has found that this is an underestimate.&nbsp;



A team of U.S. and Chinese scientists has used satellite imagery to map oil pollution across the Earth’s oceans. Since oil slicks are continuously being shifted around by winds and currents, and broken up by wave action, it is not easy to identify their source or origin. The scientists used artificial intelligence to examine more than 560,000 satellite radar images collected between 2014 and 2019 to determine the location, extent and probable sources of the ocean’s oil slicks.&nbsp;



Their findings, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>,&nbsp;indicate that up to 90 percent of the oil slicks in the ocean derive from human activities. Study co-author Ian MacDonald is a professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science at <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a>.



“What’s compelling about these results is just how frequently we detected these floating oil slicks – from small releases, from ships, from pipelines, from natural sources such as seeps in the ocean floor and then also from areas where industry or populations are producing runoff that contains floating oil,” said Professor MacDonald.



Oil slicks are dangerous for marine life, from large mammals like whales down to microscopic plankton. Air-breathing organisms such as whales, porpoises and turtles can be affected when they surface in the oil and attempt to breathe. Sea birds get coated in oil and are unable to swim or forage, which leads to their rapid demise. For these reasons, it is imperative to be able to monitor the extent of oil spills in the ocean and try to limit their effects.



“Satellite technology offers a way to better monitor ocean oil pollution, especially in waters where human surveillance is difficult,” said study co-author Professor Yongxue Liu of Nanjing University. “A global picture can help focus regulation and enforcement to reduce oil pollution.”



Using this technology, the researchers found that most oil slicks occur close to the coast. About half of them were located within 25 miles of the coast, and 90 percent were within 100 miles. This indicates an anthropogenic origin for most of them.&nbsp;



Interestingly, the researchers found relatively fewer oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico compared to elsewhere on the globe, suggesting that government regulation and enforcement, as well as compliance from oil platform operators in U.S. waters, reduces leakage.



“If we can take those lessons and apply them to places globally, where we have seen high concentrations of oil slicks, we could improve the situation,” MacDonald said.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Majority of the world’s oil slicks caused by human activity

Oil slicks are microscopically thin layers of oil that float...

The 2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDGs) recommend that adults increase their consumption of seafood in order to obtain adequate quantities of two specific omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Ideally, adults should eat fish twice a week as this is a rich source of these fatty acids, as well as being a good source of protein and of important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-threatens-vital-micronutrients-from-fisheries/">micronutrients</a>. However, a new study shows that nearly 90 percent of American adults do not eat seafood twice a week.&nbsp;



The study, published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>, explores how socioeconomic and racial/ethnic factors, along with seafood affordability, influence seafood consumption overall, as well as affecting the choices people make concerning which specific seafood items they eat. The researchers considered the diets of adults in three income categories, namely low, middle and high, as well as in four racial/ethnic groupings, namely Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic Asian.&nbsp;



Dietary data was collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES), which relied on self-reported dietary records from participants during the years 2011 through to 2018. In total, dietary information from 17,559 individuals was collected, but only 3,285 of these reported consuming seafood. The NHANES dataset was also used to analyze seafood intake by species, including those species high in omega-3 fatty acids.



The two omega-3 fatty acids involved in human physiology, EPA and DHA, can be obtained from eating fish and algae. Marine algae and phytoplankton are primary sources of the fatty acids, which accumulate in the fish that eat these marine producers. Also known as long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in humans, although many of the previous research studies have produced conflicting results. It remains true, however, that seafood is rich in micronutrients and that protein from seafood has a more balanced amino acid profile than protein from most plant sources.&nbsp;



Data on the costs of different types of seafood were accessed from NielsenIQ (using an average from 2017-19 prices) by seafood type, as well as data from the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies. This enabled the researchers to assess nutrient values for seafood in relation to price. They also investigated the different methods of seafood production (e.g., wild caught or farmed) as well as the habitat from which the seafood came, in relation to people’s dietary choices.



Analysis of the data showed that, on average, consumption of seafood is lower than that recommended in U.S. dietary guidelines. These guidelines suggest a consumption of 227–283&nbsp;g per week of a variety of seafood, whereas the current study found people in the low-income group consumed an average of 120.2 g per week and those in the high-income group consumed an average of 141.8 g per week. People with low incomes ate 18 percent less seafood every week than those with high incomes, but even those in the high-income group ate less seafood than recommended.&nbsp;



Furthermore, the researchers found a strong association between income and the price of seafood that people chose to include in their diets. The seafood most commonly consumed by people with low incomes was shrimp and fish, but not the fish species high in omega-3 fatty acids. People in the middle-income category favored salmon and canned tuna (which do have high levels of omega-3s), while those with higher incomes selected salmon in particular. Fresh, wild-caught salmon was the most expensive seafood, while canned tuna was less expensive and freshwater fish, shrimps and mussels were the least expensive.



Fish species with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids only made up 18 percent of all seafood in the diets of people with low incomes, 28 percent for those with middle incomes, and 33 percent for those with high incomes. Seafood high in omega-3s, such as salmon, also costs more at retail outlets than species low in omega-3s, such as cod, tilapia and catfish.



Analysis of seafood consumption by race/ethnic grouping showed that seafood consumption by Hispanics, non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks increased sharply as income increased. However, low- and middle-income Asians were the only groups on average to eat the recommended amounts of seafood; among higher income Asians, consumption decreased. Among the other groups, only the diets of non-Hispanic blacks with higher incomes approached the recommended amounts.



“Although seafood is nutritious, the higher cost of seafood poses a barrier to Americans with lower incomes,” said study lead author Dr. David Love, a senior scientist with the John Hopkins <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future">Center for a Livable Future</a>. “Eating seafood twice a week can be challenging on a tight budget, but it can be done – for example, by buying seafood that is frozen or canned instead of fresh.”



Nearly 3,000 species are categorized as seafood. Lower-priced species with favorable nutrient profiles – those with omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals – include mackerel, herring, mussels, octopus, and eel. Of these five species, only mussels are eaten with any degree of frequency, comprising 2 percent of the seafood consumed by adults with low incomes and 1 percent by adults with high incomes. The researchers note that many Americans consume only a limited range of species that includes mostly shrimp, salmon, canned tuna, tilapia, and cod.



The researchers found that Americans consume a mix of farmed and wild-caught seafood, and that the majority comes from the ocean, rather than from fresh water localities. Farmed fish can have different nutritional value from wild-caught fish because their feed includes soybean meal and oil and other crops, instead of or in addition to the species’ natural diets.&nbsp;



“More research is needed to explore the cultural differences that exist within the race and ethnicity groups as defined by the NHANES dataset,” said study senior author Martin Bloem. “Culture plays a vital role in shaping our individual dietary choices, so future recommendations should account for and reflect these differences.”



Because culture plays such an important role in people’s dietary choices, specific policies and interventions may be needed to enhance the consumption of seafood by different groups of American adults.



The authors conclude that their study helps fill an important gap by describing the seafood consumption patterns of groups of different incomes and ethnicities in the United States. This information is needed to design and implement policy and interventions that aim to enhance seafood consumption among specific income and race/ethnic groups and&nbsp;to identify and promote sustainable and affordable diets crucial for planetary health.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nutritious seafood is too expensive for most Americans

The 2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDGs) recommend that...

A fossilized jaw is the discovered remains of what paleontologists from the Natural History Museum of Basel are calling a type of "bear dog" (known scientifically as Amphicyonidae) found in the Pyrenees. These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-different-types-of-animals-see/">animals</a> which could weigh up to 320 kilograms emerged 36 million years ago before going extinct 7.5 million years ago.



Bear dogs belong to carnivores, a diverse group that includes cats, dogs, bears, seals and badgers among others. During the Miocene, some 23 to 5.3 million years ago, bear dogs flourished - with many species living spread throughout Europe. The group was varied, weighing between 9 and 320 kilograms.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



A team of scientists led by paleontologist Bastien Mennecart described the jaw as belonging to a species new to science. The bone itself comes from 12.8 to 12 million-year-old marine sediments near Sallespisse in southwestern France.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



What makes the jaw unique from most other bear dog jaws is the presence of a fourth lower premolar tooth. This tooth is important in determining the taxonomy of the mysterious jaw, making it probable that the jaw belongs to not only a new species but a new genus as well.&nbsp;



The scientists named the genus Tartarocyon after Tartaro, a dangerous one eyed giant of Basque mythology from the region in which the jaw was discovered. The mythological monster is similar to the more familiar Cyclops of the Odyssey. In reality, Tartarocyon probably weighed about 200 kilograms (about 440 pounds) and lived the life of an active predator.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Fossil discoveries from the Miocene are rare in this part of France. The discovery of something that sheds light on the diversity and evolution of bear dogs is even more rare. This discovery helps scientists understand the history of bear dogs in a changing European landscape.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.



Image Credit: Denny Navarra



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Extinct "bear dog" found in the Pyrenees

A fossilized jaw is the discovered remains of what paleontologists...

To preserve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-pass-on-gut-microbes-to-urban-wildlife/">wildlife</a>, habitat and mitigate climate change effects, protecting land and water is essential. Many countries, as well as the U.S. federal government and state of California, have pledged to protect 30 percent of all land and water by 2030, also known as the “30x30” initiative.



Achieving this target at the global level will require most countries to rapidly expand protected areas.&nbsp; A team of researchers at the <a href="https://spia.princeton.edu/">Princeton School of Public and International Affairs</a> and the National University of Singapore investigated how this ambitious target will benefit conservation and reduce climate change effects.



The researchers modeled several scenarios by which the 30x30 target can be achieved. Using a “scenario analysis” model, different ways of protecting lands were compared, factoring in conservation, climate change, and nutrient regulation.



Their research found that protecting 30 percent of global lands by 2030 will yield huge environmental benefits:



<ul><li>Protection of 2.8 million hectares (equal to nearly 7 million acres of land)&nbsp;</li><li>1,000 animal species will be safeguarded because they inhabit these spaces.</li><li>Half of these species are considered critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, or near-threatened by wildlife experts.</li></ul>



However, the researchers state that while 30 percent is already an ambitious target, 50 percent would be even better.



“We show the environmental benefits nearly double if 50% of global lands are protected. With careful planning, this can also achieve multiple targets across important global policies found in the Paris Agreement and other frameworks," said Yiwen Zeng.



“For decision makers concerned about the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, and sustainability, the single best tool they have to address these issues is to protect nature," said Professor David S. Wilcove.



To reach this goal, establishing new protected areas will be driven by differing goals and objectives across the world. However, the researchers state that creating protected areas is key to maximizing multiple goals at once.&nbsp;



This research was supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under its NRF Returning Singaporean Scientists Scheme (NRF-RSS2019-007).



The paper is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Protecting land is the best tool to address the climate crisis

To preserve wildlife, habitat and mitigate climate change effects, protecting...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> were curious about the development of altruistic behavior in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybee-virus-has-a-new-strain-that-is-even-more-lethal/">bee</a> colonies. While it is well known how altruistic behavior in bee colonies is maintained, the evolution of this behavior has been a mystery until now.&nbsp;



To explore this question, the researchers studied Amphylaeus morosus, a bee species that inhabits montane forests in their native Australia. What's unique about this species is that they are the only ones in their family that recently transitioned from individual reproduction to “selfless” social colonies. This quality made them perfect for studying the beginning of altruistic evolution.&nbsp;



The experts found that these bees do not exhibit the typical morphological distinctions between queen and worker bees seen in more advanced social species such as honeybees.&nbsp;



Using data from DNA, the researchers determined that a typical A. morosus nest is small and usually contains two females. One egg-laying female and another closely related female who guards the nest but does not reproduce. These findings came as a surprise.



"This kind of extreme reproductive skew and high relatedness is very unexpected and challenges our theories about how social complexity evolves," explained study senior author Professor Michael Schwarz.



According to the experts, the findings indicate that the evolution into a "selfless" community can happen more quickly than previously thought. "It seems that some species can quickly skip multiple rungs of the evolutionary 'social ladder," said Professor Schwarz.



The researchers say this study sheds light on the evolution of worker bee sterilization. "This provides some of the first evidence that kin selection can promote worker sterility at the initial transition from solitary to social living," said Professor Schwarz.



According to study lead author Dr. Lucas Hern, the knowledge gained from this study goes well beyond bees. It could possibly inform the evolution of all life on Earth.&nbsp;



"The existence of life as we know it can be broadly separated into the major transitions that define changes in complexity," said Dr. Hern. "This includes the evolution of multicellular life from single-celled organisms or, the origin of sophisticated communication in the form of human language. The ramifications of this understanding are very far-reaching."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



Image Credit: James Dorey Photography



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bee altruism may be key to understanding social evolution

Researchers at Flinders University were curious about the development of...

A new study in the journal <a href="https://cgejournal.biomedcentral.com/">Canine Medicine and Genetics</a> suggests that the breed standards for English bulldogs should be changed for the health of the dogs themselves. The study authors warn that without such changes, breeding of the iconic English bulldog may be outlawed - even in the UK - for the welfare of the dogs.&nbsp;



The English bulldog was originally bred for athletic ability in fighting bulls. Over time, this breeding standard changed towards a more purely aesthetic standard. Modern bulldogs have short snouts, folds in their skin and squat, heavy bodies.&nbsp;



The standard characteristics of modern English bulldogs have led to many health issues. In response, some nations such as Norway and the Netherlands have restricted breeding of these bulldogs.&nbsp;



The authors of the new research from the <a href="https://www.rvc.ac.uk/">Royal Veterinary College</a> compared the health risks of English bulldogs compared to the health of other dogs. To carry out the study, the scientists used VetCompass, an online database of veterinary records from across the UK from 2016.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



A random sample of 2,662 English bulldogs and 22,039 other dogs was analyzed. The study showed that these dogs were twice as likely to develop some health disorder than other dogs.&nbsp;



English bulldogs were 38.12 times more at risk for developing dermatitis, 26.79 times more likely to develop "cherry eye." They were also more likely to have problems with their jaws and breathing problems due to their shortened snouts.&nbsp;



“These findings suggest that the overall health of the English Bulldog is much lower than that of other dogs," said study co-author Dan O’Neill. "However, what is most concerning is that so many of the health conditions that English Bulldogs suffer from, such as skin fold dermatitis and breathing problems, are directly linked to the extreme structure of their bodies that has been selectively bred for."&nbsp;



"Given the continued popularity of the breed, the body-shape of the typical pet English Bulldogs should be redefined towards more moderate physical characteristics. Doing so will not only improve the dogs’ health, but could also enable the UK to avoid following other countries in banning the English Bulldog on welfare grounds.”



Unfortunately the overall results suggest that English bulldogs live shortened lives due to poor breeding practices. If these practices are changed, it could mean a better and longer life for the dogs.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

English bulldogs are suffering from poor breeding practices

A new study in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/digging-sea-otters-promote-eelgrass-genetic-diversity/">Eelgrass</a> is a coastal species of seagrass that is vital as a habitat for a diversity of fish and other aquatic creatures. Moreover, it provides shoreline protection and carbon sequestration. By combining ecological field methods and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), a research team from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> has detected eelgrass wasting disease – caused by a pathogen called Labyrinthula zosterae – at nearly three dozen sites along a 1,700-mile area of the West Coast, from San Diego to southern Alaska. According to the experts, eelgrass wasting is linked to warmer-than-normal water temperatures, especially in early summer.



The researchers developed an AI system called Eelgrass Lesion Image Segmentation Application (EeLISA) which, when properly trained, can quickly analyze thousands of pictures of eelgrass leaves and reliably distinguish between diseased and healthy tissue. This computer program works 5,000 times faster than human experts, with comparable accuracy. As the application is fed more data, it gets increasingly “smarter” and can produce more consistent results.



“That’s really a key component,” said study co-lead author Brendan Rappazzo, a doctoral student in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at Cornell. “If you give the same eelgrass scan to four different people to label, they’ll all give variable measurements of disease. You have all this variation, but with EeLISA, it’s not only faster but it’s consistently labeled.”



“In traditional machine learning, you need large amounts of labeled data up front,” added study co-senior author Carla Gomes, a professor of Computing and Information Science at the same university. “But with EeLISA, we’re getting feedback from the scientists providing the images, and the system improves very rapidly. So, in the end, it doesn’t require that many labeled examples.”



The study involved a network of 32 sites along the Pacific coast, allowing scientists to investigate eelgrass wasting disease in different climates and environments. The findings suggest that warm-water anomalies were the key drivers of the disease, regardless of what normal temperatures were for each particular location. This proves that studying the complex connection between disease and climate change is necessary for all conditions, instead of only for eelgrass meadows located in warm regions.



“We have invested a decade developing the disease recognition tools to monitor these outbreaks at a large spatial scale because our early studies suggested eelgrass could be sensitive to warming-induced outbreaks,” said study co-senior author Drew Harvell, a professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. “Eelgrass is an essential marine habitat, and a critical link in the chain of survival for fishes such as salmon and herring.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lno.12152">Limnology and Oceanography</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Warming water is driving eelgrass wasting disease

Eelgrass is a coastal species of seagrass that is vital...

Prolonged exposures to stressors can have a negative impact on children’s health, well-being, learning, and behavior. Experts have explored several approaches to alleviating stress in school, including yoga, mindfulness, meditation, physical exercise, teaching style interventions, and animal-assisted interventions (AAI). A new study led by the <a href="https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/">University of Lincoln</a> in the United Kingdom has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeding-your-dog-once-a-day-may-improve-its-health/">dog</a>-assisted interventions can significantly lower stress levels in children both with and without special needs.



The scientists tracked levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the saliva of 105 eight- to nine-year-old children in four UK mainstream schools, as well as 44 similarly aged children from seven special education needs schools. The participants were randomly assigned in one of three groups: a dog group, a relaxation group, and a control group. While in the relaxation group, children had to meditate for 20 minutes, in the dog group, they had to interact for 20 minutes with a trained dog and its handler. These sessions were carried out bi-weekly for a month.



The findings reveal that dog interventions led to significantly lower cortisol levels in children in both the mainstream and special needs schools, compared to their peers in the relaxation and control groups. While mainstream school children from these two groups had increases in the mean salivary cortisol during the school term, those who interacted with dogs had no statistically significant increases in cortisol. Moreover, their cortisol levels were lower immediately after each dog session. Similar results were found in the case of children with special needs. Thus, dog-assisted interventions appear to be very effective in attenuating stress levels in school children.



“Future work will need to investigate further questions of group dynamics, social pressure, individual differences and dosage, as well as differences in children’s ability and the role of physical touch among other questions to refine advice and guidance on best practice for AAI. As this work investigated AAI effects in everyday school settings, it is innovative in integrating typical and hard to reach populations and in finding best ways to administer AAI,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269333">PLoS ONE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dog-assisted interventions reduce stress in children

Prolonged exposures to stressors can have a negative impact on...

Children all over the world are being affected by air pollution and the consequences of climate change. This is the finding of a review article published today in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/">New England Journal of Medicine</a>.&nbsp;



The article, written by Frederica Perera&nbsp;of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and&nbsp;Kari Nadeau&nbsp;of the <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> School of Medicine, looks at evidence of the multiple different ways in which air pollution and fossil fuel-driven climate change harm the health of children.&nbsp;



The experts cite dozens of research studies that find children’s health to be compromised by the consequences of air pollution and climate change. They state that all children are particularly vulnerable to health impacts from these sources as they are still in developmental stages. This applies to the fetus, infant, and child.&nbsp;



In addition, although all children are at risk, the greatest burden falls on those who are socially and economically disadvantaged. The authors allude to the existence of significant inequities between different income groups and races. As one example, risks from heatwaves are greatest in low-income communities of color where discriminatory policies such as redlining created urban heat islands (characterized by heat-trapping asphalt, few trees, dense buildings, traffic, industry and highways), and where resources to protect children from heat are fewer.



Some examples of instances where climate changes have been linked to negative outcomes for the physical and mental health of children are as follows:



<ul><li>Extreme Heat.&nbsp;Exposure to heatwaves in utero is associated with increased risk for preterm birth and low birth weight, hyperthermia and death in infants, heat stress, kidney disease, and other illnesses in children.</li><li>Climate-Intensified Extreme Events.&nbsp;Globally, climate-related events have already contributed to more than 50 million children being forced to leave their homes. In the U.S. over 900,000 displacements, many of them involving children, occurred in 2020 as a result of disasters.&nbsp;</li><li>Air Quality.&nbsp;An estimated 7.4 million children in the U.S. were exposed to lung-damaging wildfire smoke every year between 2008 and 2012. This number has risen in recent years as large forest fires have become more frequent.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Food and Water Supply and Safety.&nbsp;In developing countries, climate-change-related food insecurity has led to a sharp increase in malnutrition, resulting in stunting of physical and mental development. Infection risk from waterborne pathogens like Salmonella is also exacerbated.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Change in Disease Vector Ecology.&nbsp;Infection with Zika virus in pregnancy can cause microcephaly, severe brain malformations, and other birth defects. The U.S. has also experienced a marked increase in Lyme disease, with the highest rates in children.</li><li>Air Pollution.&nbsp;One billion children worldwide are exposed to very high levels of air pollution. Air pollution is strongly associated with increased risks of infant mortality, adverse birth outcomes, asthma and other respiratory illness, developmental disorders, and lifelong health problems, including reduced cognition, mental health problems, and autism.</li></ul>



Action on two fronts is required in order to deal with the alarming health impacts on children, according to the authors. Firstly, children need to be protected from climate hazards, a strategy that the authors term “adaptation.” This could involve measures such as providing clean water to children and families facing drought and water contamination, early warning systems for flooding and air pollution, training and evacuation planning for families and children, shaded areas where children play, live and go to school, and mosquito nets to protect children from insect-borne pathogens such as malaria and dengue.



Secondly, the root problem of high greenhouse gas emissions and dwindling natural carbon sinks needs to be addressed. The authors term this aspect of dealing with children’s health problems “mitigation.” They stress that solutions are available and being implemented by governments around the world to address air pollution and mitigate climate change, and that these will hopefully reduce the harms to children’s health in the future.



The experts also suggest that clinicians are in a position to help identify and guide individuals who are at particular risk from the effects of climate change or air pollution. Identification of vulnerable individuals may be based on the presence of an underlying illness (e.g., asthma), on geographic location (e.g., proximity to air pollution, urban heat island or flooding), and on mental health burdens (e.g., anxiety after being forced to relocate after a wildfire). Guidance could be in terms of how to manage or change the situation for a vulnerable child, and the clinician could be the source of advice, education and information in such circumstances.&nbsp;



Given the cumulative impacts of fossil fuel on children’s physical and mental health, the researchers are calling upon health professionals to use their power to protect children "by screening to identify those at high risk for associated health consequences; educating them and their families about these risks and effective interventions; and by advocating for strong mitigation and adaptation strategies.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children’s health is increasingly affected by climate and pollution

Children all over the world are being affected by air...

New research has found further evidence of the relationship between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teens-should-use-entertainment-related-technology-in-moderation/">teenage</a> well-being and online engagement. The study, from <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/">Trinity College in Dublin</a>, contributes to mounting international evidence on the dangers of high levels of social media use.&nbsp;



However, the opposite end of the spectrum isn’t all that better. In today's connected world, a low social media presence is also associated with poor mental health among adolescents.



These findings support the goldilocks hypothesis - there is a point between low and high social media use that is "just right" for young people. This is the first time the goldilocks theory has been examined in Irish teenagers and young adults.



“Evidence is mounting internationally that online engagement among adolescents may be damaging for mental well-being but the evidence is mixed," said study co-author Professor Richard Layte. "Our work provides fresh insights on the impact of digital engagement at the age of 17/18 and the results provide worrying evidence of real harms that require urgent action."



“There is a simple narrative out there that more is worse. It is important to emphasise that online engagement is now a normal channel of social participation and non-use has consequences."&nbsp;



"Our findings also raise the possibility that moderate use is important in today’s digital world and that low levels of online engagement carries its own risks. Now the questions for researchers are how much is too much and how little is too little?”



The researchers analyzed the association between adolescent use of online engagement and mental well-being in over 6,000 young people between the age of 13 and again at the age of 17-18.&nbsp;



Participants reported their time spent online, and what they engaged in, such as online messaging, school or college work, watching movies and listening to music. A young person’s online behavior was characterized by the length of time spent online and online behaviors they engaged in.&nbsp;



The results showed that high engagement in digital media strongly predicted worse mental health outcomes for both boys and girls. While low use of digital media was associated with worse mental health for both boys and girls and was also predictive of peer problems for girls.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This study is novel in that it considers the importance of both time and online behaviors when examining associations between digital media and mental wellbeing," said Dr Ross Brannigan, lead author of the study and a former postdoctoral researcher in Trinity’s Department of Sociology.



"We found clear distinctions between groups spending similar time online, but differing in their behaviours online. This indicates the importance of considering both time and behaviours online as well as the quality of these behaviours, for example passive compared to active behaviours, or the types of behaviours such as social, educational, entertainment.”



The research team hopes that their work will be further expanded upon to investigate why exactly online activity is related to mental well-being.&nbsp;



The study is part of the TeenPath Project, a collaborative project between the Department of Sociology in Trinity College Dublin and the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology in The School of Population Health, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563222001121">Computers in Human Behavior</a>



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

"Goldilocks amount" of social media time may protect teens

New research has found further evidence of the relationship between...

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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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...