New research has revealed that biofluorescence is widespread in birds-of-paradise, a group of tropical birds famous for their spectacular courtship dances and colorful plumage.&nbsp;



The study shows that 37 out of the 45 known species exhibit biofluorescence, which appears to be especially prominent in males. This hidden glow may be used to attract mates and establish dominance.



The research was conducted by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History (<a href="https://www.amnh.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMNH</a>) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-a-glow-to-mating-rituals">Adding a glow to mating rituals</h2>



Birds-of-paradise inhabit regions in eastern Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. For generations, they have intrigued scientists with elaborate feather displays and acrobatic dances that males use to court females.&nbsp;



Bioluminescence is a phenomenon in which an organism absorbs light at one wavelength, then emits it at another



The new evidence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-glow-in-the-dark-fluorescence-found-to-be-very-common-in-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biofluorescence</a> suggests that these dazzling birds might have yet another visual trick: a layer of fluorescent signals invisible to humans without specialized instruments.



Rene Martin is the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>.&nbsp;



“The unique <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-shark-mating-behaviors-observed-for-the-first-time-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mating rituals</a> and displays of birds-of-paradise have fascinated scientists and spurred a myriad of studies focused on trait evolution and sexual selection,” said Martin. “It seems fitting that these flashy birds are likely signaling to each other in additional, flashy ways.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-fluorescence-in-birds-of-paradise">Detecting fluorescence in birds-of-paradise </h2>



The research draws on specimens collected since the 1800s, held in the <a href="https://www.amnh.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Museum of Natural History</a>’s extensive ornithology collection.&nbsp;



A decade ago, Museum Curator John Sparks - an ichthyologist by training - noticed that certain bird species, including some birds-of-paradise, glowed green-yellow when exposed to specific wavelengths of light. This led him and colleagues to begin a deeper exploration of avian biofluorescence.



“Despite there being over 10,000 described avian species, with numerous studies that have documented their bright plumage, elaborate mating displays, and excellent vision, surprisingly very few have investigated the presence of biofluorescence,” Sparks said.



Martin, who conducted this work while a postdoctoral researcher at the Museum, and Emily Carr, a PhD candidate in the Museum’s Richard Gilder Graduate School, took Sparks’ initial findings and broadened the analysis.&nbsp;



Using ultraviolet (UV) light, the team discovered that the birds not only glow under blue wavelengths but also fluoresce strongly under UV exposure. 



This effect was mainly observed on male plumage patches crucial to courtship, such as the head, belly, and neck, as well as mouth and bill linings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biofluorescence-is-most-pronounced-in-males">Biofluorescence is most pronounced in males</h2>



The researchers found that this fluorescence is especially vibrant in males, often concentrated in areas highlighted during mating rituals.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, females also exhibit it, though to a lesser degree - primarily on their chests and bellies. The study suggests that the equatorial environments in which these birds live offer abundant and varied light conditions, possibly enhancing the visibility and function of biofluorescence.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bird-of-paradise_Paradisaea-guilielmi_biofluorescense_credit-Rene-Martin_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bird-of-paradise_Paradisaea-guilielmi_biofluorescense_credit-Rene-Martin_1s.webp" alt="Biofluorescence is seen on an emperor bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea guilielmi) in the American Museum of Natural History's collection. Credit: Rene Martin" class="wp-image-1959700"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Biofluorescence is seen on an emperor bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea guilielmi) in the American Museum of Natural History's collection. Credit: Rene Martin</figcaption></figure>



“These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-extinctions-shatter-the-harmonious-balance-of-nature/">birds</a> live near the equator, where there is an abundance of bright solar light year-round, and they live in forests where the complexity of light is significantly affected by differences in the canopy and where biofluorescent signals may be enhanced,” Carr said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-bird-fluorescence-matters">Why bird fluorescence matters</h2>



Recent studies in closely related species indicate that birds-of-paradise have eye pigments aligned with the fluorescence peaks measured in this study - meaning they can likely perceive these glowing patches.&nbsp;



In a species group already known for visually striking performances, these fluorescent signals may offer an even finer scale of detail for courtship and territorial displays.



When a male bird-of-paradise performs an intricate dance, the green-yellow glow from certain feathers might act like a hidden spotlight, contrasting sharply against the bird’s darker plumage. This could help catch a female’s attention or signal social status among competitors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-avian-research">Implications for avian research</h2>



Although birds-of-paradise are among the best-studied avian groups for behavior and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-and-why-tropical-birds-are-so-strikingly-colorful-and-iridescent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coloration</a>, the discovery of broad-scale fluorescence suggests that birds may have more complex signaling systems than previously realized.&nbsp;



The presence of fluorescent patches in so many species raises the possibility that other bird lineages, especially those with striking plumage or elaborate displays, could also exhibit biofluorescence.



Moving forward, the researchers plan to investigate how environmental factors - like canopy cover, seasonal light availability, and even habitat degradation - might affect these glowing displays.&nbsp;



Understanding how birds-of-paradise perceive biofluorescence could also inform broader questions about the evolution of sexual selection and signaling in avian species.



Ultimately, this study reshapes scientists’ understanding of the “secret language of light” that these flamboyant birds use to communicate.&nbsp;



With improved imaging technologies and heightened awareness of avian fluorescence, researchers may soon discover that a hidden glow permeates many corners of the bird world, especially in those known for their spectacular visual allure.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241905" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Birds-of-paradise use secret biofluorescence to attract mates

New research has revealed that biofluorescence is widespread in birds-of-paradise, a group of tropical birds famous for their spectacular courtship dances and colorful plumage.&nbsp; The study shows that 37 out of the 45 known species exhibit biofluorescence, which appears to be especially prominent in males. This hidden glow may be used to attract mates and establish dominance. The research was conducted by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Adding a glow to mating rituals Birds-of-paradise inhabit regions in eastern...

Northern elephant seals occur in the eastern Pacific and commonly breed on islands off the coast of California. They have been recorded diving to great depths in order to forage for their favorite <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robots-reveal-how-fish-hunt-down-unpredictable-prey/">fish</a> and squid, and scientists have long wondered how they locate their prey in the blackness of the deep ocean.&nbsp;



Sunlight does not penetrate very deeply into ocean water so elephant seals that dive deeply will not be able to see their prey. Some marine organisms do emit bioluminescence, and it has been postulated that the large eyes of the seals are adapted for detecting this source of light. However, not all potential prey species are bioluminescent, and this form of light is very feint in the great dark abyss anyway.&nbsp;



Toothed whales make use of echolocation or biosonar to detect prey in the darkness, but elephant seals do not have these adaptations. They do have spectacular whiskers, however, that have been studied in the past in order to understand their function. Known as “vibrissae”, these thick,&nbsp;mobile facial whiskers are powerful sensory organs used to detect vibrations. The word “vibrissae” comes from the Latin word “vibrio” which means “to vibrate.”&nbsp;



Previous studies have investigated the functioning of isolated whiskers, proposed artificial models, and observed whisker use on captive animals. But until now, researchers have not understood the movement and function of the mammals’ facial whiskers in their natural environment because of the challenges of observing the seals when they forage in the dark depths. In a new study, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, researchers have now used tiny video loggers to record exactly what goes on with a seal’s whiskers as it searches for prey in the depths.



The researchers placed small video loggers on free-ranging female northern elephant seals, choosing elephant seals in particular because of their highly sensitive whiskers. These seals have the highest number of nerve fibers per whisker of any mammal. The researchers mounted the video loggers on each seal’s cheek to observe how the seal moves and uses the whiskers in front of its mouth as it searches for food in the dark ocean. Northern elephant seals feed mostly on pelagic fish and squid, but will forage on the ocean floor as well.



Each data logger had an LED red/infrared-light flash that enabled the researchers to see in the dark depths, and to observe what the seal did with its whiskers as it searched for and approached its prey. The light was not visible to the seal and so the procedure did not disturb the animal in its quest to find food.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The cameras showed that the seals moved their whiskers forwards and backwards a lot as they approached prey. With their whiskers extended forward, ahead of the mouth, they were able to detect very slight movements of the water and locate prey in this way. They performed rhythmic whisker movement, extending and retracting their whiskers, to search for hydrodynamic cues in the water just ahead of their mouths. Terrestrial mammals do a similar thing when they are searching their environments for odors and information.



The team took into consideration the possibility that light provided by the bioluminescence in some prey might help the seals in their hunt for food. But their findings reveal that, while bioluminescence is important, the seals’ sensitive whiskers are the primary method the mammal uses to find its prey.



The seals’ whiskers allow them to search for, pursue, and capture prey. “Our findings solve a decades-long mystery about how deep-diving seals locate their prey without the biosonar used by whales, revealing another mammalian adaptation to complete darkness,” said Taiki Adachi, project researcher at the National Institute of Polar Research / Assistant Project Scientist of University of California, Santa Cruz.&nbsp;



This research complements earlier whisker studies conducted on mammals in captive conditions, and it propels forward the field of sensory ecology of foraging. “The next step is conducting comparative field studies on other mammals to better understand how whisker-sensing shapes natural behavior in each mammalian species under different environments,” said Adachi.



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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

Whiskers help seals hunt in the darkness of the deep ocean

Northern elephant seals occur in the eastern Pacific and commonly...

A study from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> has utilized new technology to help determine the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/assisted-migrations-could-help-species-survive-climate-change/">migration</a> patterns of mastodons. By analyzing isotopes from a mastodon's tusk, the researchers determined that he died in northeast Indiana, nearly 100 north miles from his cold season home territory.&nbsp;



Study first author and paleoecologist at the University of Cincinnati, Joshua Miller, explained why this study is special. "The result that is unique to this study is that for the first time, we've been able to document the annual overland migration of an individual from an extinct species."&nbsp;



To explore the migration patterns of the mastodon, they used new isotope technology and a new model developed by Miller and colleagues, to analyze the growth rings found in the mastodon's tusk. They were able to extrapolate where the animal was during adolescence and the last few years of his adult life before his death at 34 years old.&nbsp;



"You've got a whole life spread out before you in that tusk," said study co-lead author Daniel Fisher."The growth and development of the animal, as well as its history of changing land use and changing behavior - all of that history is captured and recorded in the structure and composition of the tusk."&nbsp;&nbsp;



So, about 13,200 years after his death, the Buesching mastodon still had a story to tell. The researchers believe he stayed close to the matriarchal herd in central Indiana until he became an adolescent.&nbsp;



Once on his own, he traveled more, covering around 20 miles per month. The mastodon also seemed to move with the seasons, including his summer range in what is now northeastern Indiana. Here, they believe he sought mates.&nbsp;



"Every time you get to the warm season, the Buesching mastodon was going to the same place - bam, bam, bam - repeatedly. The clarity of that signal was unexpected and really exciting," explained Miller.&nbsp;



The researchers aim to get their hands on more mastodons in the hopes of learning more about these ancient giants.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



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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

Chemical analysis sheds light on mastodon migration

A study from the University of Michigan has utilized new...

In a recent analysis of seawater, scientists found microplastics in almost all of the samples, including those from very remote areas of the world’s oceans.&nbsp;



To truly understand the global distribution of microplastics, researchers at <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> targeted areas of the world's oceans that had not been previously sampled. The team collected samples&nbsp; at 177 locations across a 46,100km voyage, including areas of the Southern Hemisphere not previously tested for microplastics.



Lead researcher and Professor Kliti Grice said the analysis provided the first accurate measure of the presence of microplastics in unique ocean environments. The source of these particles may include vehicle tyre dust, pellet spills, textiles, building debris, cosmetics, and packaging materials, said the researchers.



“Our analysis found microplastics were present in the vast majority of the waters sampled by Jon, even in very remote ocean areas of the Southern Hemisphere," said Professor Grice.



“The vast majority of the seawater filters used by Jon were found to contain microplastics however some areas of ocean, particularly the Pacific, had several consecutive sampling locations not near any major islands where no microplastics were observed."



“Microplastics were found all along the eastern and southern seaboards of Australia including the Southern Ocean in the Great Australian Bight. While there were no ‘hot spots’ of contamination, two sampling stations, approximately 600km off the coast of Brazil, recorded relatively high numbers of microplastics at about 250 particles per cubic meter of seawater.”



The analysis detected several types of microplastic such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene and synthetic rubber, which are used in products such as drink bottles, packaging and tires. However, no particular type of plastic dominated.



“Many fibres collected were too small for us to properly analyze and therefore the numbers reported are likely to be an underestimate of the actual number of microplastics present in the oceans," said study co-author Dr. Alan Scarlett.



“On average, water sampled during the voyage contained 33 particles per cubic meter of seawater, which is consistent with other studies of remote areas of ocean. Disturbingly, other studies also suggest there are far greater numbers of microplastics present at a greater depth than sampled during our study.”&nbsp;



The researchers believe their findings have demonstrated the impact of plastic pollution and may help inform the preservation of the ocean and marine environment&nbsp;



The full report is available online <a href="http://wa-oigc.curtin.edu.au/research/environment/ocean-microplastics/">here</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

Even the most remote oceans are polluted with microplastics

In a recent analysis of seawater, scientists found microplastics in...

In 2018, a spacecraft called Hayabusa2 landed on a moving asteroid named Ryugu and collected particles from above and below its surface. One and a half years later, it returned to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-proof-that-the-earths-inner-core-oscillates/">Earth</a> with a sealed capsule containing five grams of dust and rock from this asteroid. Analyses of this sample have now revealed that the asteroid may be part of the matter that coalesced into our Sun four and a half billion years ago.



“We previously only had a handful of these rocks to study, and all of them were meteorites that fell to Earth and were stored in museums for decades to centuries, which changed their compositions,” said study co-author Nicolas Dauphas, a geochemist at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a>. “Having pristine samples from outer space is simply incredible. They are witnesses from parts of the solar system that we have not otherwise explored.”



By studying the chemical and isotopic composition of this sample, the scientists found that Ryugu is similar to a class of meteorites known as “Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrites,” which have a similar chemical composition to the Sun and date back to the very beginnings of our solar system, before the formation of the Sun and planets. At the beginning, all that existed was a gigantic, rotating cloud of gas, which was later on pulled into the center, forming the star we know as the Sun. The remnants of the gas cooled down and transformed into rocks, which still float around our solar system. According to the scientists, Ryugu appears to be one of them.



Although today the asteroid is relatively dry, the fragments showed evidence of having been soaked in water about five million years after the solar system formed. “One must picture an aggregate of ice and dust floating in space, that turned into a giant mudball when ice was melted by nuclear energy from the decay of radioactive elements that were present in the asteroid when it formed,” Dr. Dauphas explained.&nbsp;



These findings may hint at similar formation conditions among comets and other asteroids, and can be used to clarify conditions under which such astronomical objects formed and changed over vast expanses of time.



The Hayabusa2 space mission is the first of several international missions that aim to bring back to Earth samples of other asteroids, as well as from unexplored areas of the Moon, Mars, and other planets.



“It has been very much under the radar for the public and some decision makers, but we are entering a new era of planetary exploration that is unprecedented in history. Our children and grandchildren will see returned fragments of asteroids, Mars, and hopefully other planets when they visit museums,” concluded Dr. Dauphas.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn7850">Science</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

Asteroid Ryugu may be a leftover from the Sun's formation

In 2018, a spacecraft called Hayabusa2 landed on a moving...

Metamaterials – artificial composites made out of metals or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-the-most-remote-oceans-are-polluted-with-microplastics/">plastics</a> that are engineered to have properties not found in naturally occurring materials – have attracted extensive attention from many fields due to their extraordinary physical properties, and have provided scientists with innovative methods of designing multifunctional artificial materials. 



Recently, their two-dimensional counterparts, called “metasurfaces,” have been found to offer even more amazing opportunities, by providing unprecedented freedom in manipulating electromagnetic waves. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://elight.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s43593-022-00016-0">eLight</a> has now outlined the first step toward real-time, remote, and wireless mind control of these metasurfaces.



Programmable metasurfaces (PMs) with multiple or switchable functions can be realized through on-site programming, and be further integrated with sensors or driven by pre-defined software. Until recently though, the switches among the different functions of PMs relied on manual manipulation, and their operational framework was wire-connected and non-real-time switched. However, a team of researchers from the <a href="http://www.afeu.cn/web/afeu/index.html">Air Force Engineering University</a> and the <a href="https://www.nus.edu.sg/">University of Singapore</a> has now proposed the concept of remotely mind-controlled metasurfaces (RMCM) that can use human brainwaves collected in real time and transmitted wirelessly from the users in order to control these materials.



“The power of controlling objects with mind has been a popular fascination of human beings. One possible path is to employ brain signal collecting technologies together with emerging programmable metasurfaces (PM), whose functions or operating modes can be switched or customized via on-site programming or pre-defined software,” the study authors wrote.



The scientists used Bluetooth to transmit brainwaves wirelessly from users in order to control the electromagnetic response of PMs. Such a design offers users a groundbreaking way of manipulating electromagnetic waves by means of their brainwaves, thus coming extremely close to telekinesis – a phenomenon that, until recently, belonged solely to the field of science fiction.&nbsp;



In future research, the scientists aim to combine this innovative technology with intelligent algorithms in order to improve the efficiency of these processes. RMCMs could find applications in a variety of fields, including health monitoring, 5G/6G communications, and the development of smart sensors. &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

New technology paves the way toward mind control

Metamaterials – artificial composites made out of metals or plastics...

A research team led by the <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/">Eötvös Loránd University</a> (ELTE) in Hungary has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-dogs-become-mans-best-friend/">dogs</a> are capable of creating a multi-modal, or multisensory mental image of their familiar objects. When thinking about an object, dogs imagine the object’s different sensory features, such as the way it looks or the way it smells.



The scientists’ starting hypothesis was that the senses dogs use to identify objects, such as their toys, reflect the ways these objects are represented in their minds.&nbsp;



“If we can understand which senses dogs use while searching for a toy, this may reveal how they think about it,” explained&nbsp;study lead author Shany Dror, a doctoral student in Ethology at ELTE. “When dogs use olfaction or sight while searching for a toy, this indicates that they know how that toy smells or looks like.”



In a previous study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93581-2">Nature</a>, scientists discovered that only a few gifted dogs were able to learn the names of objects. “These Gifted Word Learner dogs give us a glimpse into their minds, and we can discover what they think about when we ask them - Where is your Teddy Bear?” said study co-lead author&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;Andrea&nbsp;Sommese, a postdoctoral researcher in Comparative Cognition at ELTE.



In their new study, Dr. Sommese and her colleagues trained three Gifted Word Learner dogs and 10 regular family dogs – which are incapable of learning the names of their toys – to fetch a toy associated with a reward. During the training, the dogs received treats and were praised by the experimenters when choosing that toy instead of a few other distractor toys. In a next step, the researchers observed how the dogs searched for the toy, both when the lights were on and off. While all dogs managed to successfully select the right toy in both light and dark conditions, it generally took them longer to find it in the dark.



In a second experiment, in which only the Gifted Word Learners participated, the scientists aimed to find out what these dogs thought about when hearing the name of the toy. “Revealing the senses used by the dogs to search for the named toys gave us the possibility to infer what these dogs imagine when they hear, for example, Teddy Bear,” said study co-author&nbsp;Claudia&nbsp;Fugazza, an expert in Cognitive Ethology and Dog Behavior at ELTE.



The Gifted dogs were successful in finding the toys named by the experimenters in both the light and dark conditions, suggesting that, when they hear the name of the toy, they can recall the object’s different sensory features and can use this “multisensory mental image” to identify it.



“Dogs have a good sense of smell, but we found that dogs preferred to rely on vision and used their noses only a few times, and almost only when the lights were off,” explained study co-author Adam&nbsp;Miklósi, the head of the Department of Ethology at ELTE. “Dogs sniffed more often and for longer in the dark. They spent 90 percent more time sniffing when the lights were off, but this was still only 20 percent of the searching time.”



These findings suggest that, when dogs play with a toy, even just briefly, they pay attention to its different sensory features and register this information using multiple senses.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-022-01639-z">Animal Cognition</a>.&nbsp;&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

Dogs create multisensory mental images of their toys

A research team led by the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE)...

During the time of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-largest-megaraptor-discovered-in-argentina/">dinosaurs</a> in the Late Triassic, variations in the abundance and diversity of plant and vertebrate animal species cannot be causally related to the climate changes that occurred during that period. This is the conclusion of a new study led by the <a href="http://www.conicet.gov.ar/">National Scientific and Technical Research Council</a> in Argentina (CONICET) and the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> in the United States.



By analyzing multiple independent lines of evidence drawn from sedimentology, clay mineralogy, and geochemistry, the researchers explored changes in paleoclimatic conditions, such as mean annual temperatures and precipitation, within the Ischigualasto Formation – a collection of fossil-rich sedimentary rocks deposited by rivers and streams during the late Triassic period (about 231 to 226 million years ago) in what are now the San Juan and La Rioja provinces in Northwestern Argentina. Although the scientists managed to identify a clear change from warmer and drier to more temperate and humid conditions, no concurrent major changes could be identified in the fossil record.



“We conclude that variations in the abundance and diversity of species, as recorded by their first and last appearances in the fossil record, are better explained by preservation and sampling biases than by changes in climate,” said study lead author Adriana Mancuso, a paleontologist at CONICET.



“What we see is that how many specimens collected from each interval of the sequence, and the chemical and physical characteristics that allow greater or lesser preservation of the remains of animals and plants, were significant factors. These two factors, collection and preservation, have more influence on the increase or decrease of abundance and diversity than the climate changes recorded.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, Dr. Mancuso and her colleagues managed to identify a relationship between climatic variations and two groups of reptiles: the rhynchosaurs, a group of herbivorous early archosauromorphs, and pseudosuchians, a type of crocodilian-line archosaurs. “We did find that the abundance of rhynchosaurs and extinction of a few pseudosuchian species appear to coincide with a climate shift,” said study co-author Randall Irmis, a paleontologist at the University of Utah.



This study highlights the importance of an explicit framework for testing hypotheses about the correlation between the fossil record and climatic changes. “In addition to the contribution on the relationship of biotic and climatic events in the Ischigualasto Formation, the work provides a methodological framework to test climate-biota associations, highlighting the data gaps that must be filled, and makes new testable predictions that can be tested in future studies,” Dr. Mancuso concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.883788/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</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

Climate did not impact dinosaur abundance in the Triassic

During the time of dinosaurs in the Late Triassic, variations...

A new study has revealed that one in seven rhinoceroses in a South African national park has been infected with a pathogen that causes bovine tuberculosis (bTB), known as Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis).&nbsp;The study is the largest ever conducted on free-ranging rhinos. 



The findings demonstrate the potential for diseases to disrupt conservation efforts. If unaddressed, this could lead to increased risks to human health.&nbsp;The study tested samples from 437 rhinos, collected from 2016 to 2020 in Kruger National Park. 



The results revealed the presence of M. bovis infection in an estimated 15.4 percent of rhinos. These results are crucial to supporting conservation efforts that protect the already vulnerable rhino population.&nbsp;



To aid conservation efforts, scientists with the Animal TB Research Group in SU’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, developed a novel diagnostic test to detect M. bovis infection in rhinos.



These results are also relevant in the United States, where bovine TB is occasionally found in domestic cattle and other livestock. It can travel by carrier species such as white-tailed deer, and it has reached endemic status among deer, bison and elk in parts of North America.



“There are examples of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife systems throughout the world,” said study senior author Dr. Carmel Witte. “In the United States, spillover of infection from cattle has spread to white-tailed deer in Michigan. This, in turn, can create spillback of infection into livestock, and carries a risk of spread to other wildlife and people.”



The presence of infection however, does not mean animals are diseased or dying. Professor Michele Miller, who leads the Animal TB Research Group and is the National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chair in Animal TB, said most rhinos can contain the infection if they are otherwise healthy. Much like when humans are infected with COVID-19 and are asymptomatic.&nbsp;



“The infected rhinos are harboring the bacteria, but their immune system is keeping it in check. They are not losing weight or coughing, and if you looked at a group of 400 rhinos, you wouldn’t be able to pick out those that are infected. They can potentially live for years with infection if it is contained," said Professor Miller.&nbsp;



“Tuberculosis tends to be a disease that manifests over long periods of time, and when you compound an infectious disease with events such as climate change and unprecedented mortality due to poaching of endangered animals, it is cause for concern."



Monitoring rhinos, as well as other animals, can help understand long-term impacts of the infection and prevent further disease spread among wildlife.&nbsp;



This research is just as important from a human health perspective. For example, to help avoid the next pandemic, livestock and wildlife should be monitored for pathogens that could spread to humans.



The findings did not surprise the research team, as bovine TB is prevalent in at least 15 other species in Kruger - one of Africa’s largest reserves.



&nbsp;“While this pathogen may not appear to drastically impact the health of rhinoceros individuals, it has significant implications for conservation management decisions,” explained Rebecca Dwyer, lead author of the study.



“For example, tuberculosis testing in KNP rhinoceroses that are earmarked for translocation for conservation reasons can increase confidence of minimal risk of spread to other susceptible individuals at their destinations.”&nbsp;



South African rhinos face other threats such as poaching, habitat loss and drought. This makes it important to translocate them where they can be kept safe.&nbsp;



“But bovine TB is a controlled veterinary disease, so once our research group, in partnership with SANParks, found bovine TB in Kruger rhinos in 2016, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) imposed movement restrictions to prevent spread of infection to other populations.” said Professor Miller.&nbsp;



By doing so, a barrier was created to prevent the rhinos from moving to other national or private reserves. Additional benefits were realized, such as conservation, as Kruger has historically been an important source population of rhinoceros for other conservation strongholds in South Africa and other African countries.&nbsp;



These findings are important for the conservation of all species, as the spread of pathogens has important consequences for many species, and the ecosystem as a whole.&nbsp;



Follow this link to the full article in PNAS: <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2120656119">https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2120656119</a>&nbsp;



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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

Rhinos show that diseases can disrupt conservation efforts

A new study has revealed that one in seven rhinoceroses...

Scientists <a href="https://asm.org/Magazine/2022/Spring/beware-the-plastics">estimate</a> that between 5 and 13 million metric tons of plastic pollution enter the oceans each year, ranging in size from large, floating pieces to microplastics with a massive combined surface area. Microbes easily become attached to the surfaces of this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/superworms-capable-of-eating-through-plastic-waste/">plastic</a> debris and form floating or suspended ecosystems that are rich in biomass. But, since space for attachment is limited on the plastic fragments, it is likely that competition will exist between microbes. Under such conditions it is not uncommon that microbes produce antibiotics as a means of gaining competitive advantage. 



To investigate whether these tiny inhabitants of the plastisphere produce antibiotics that might be of interest, a student-led research study was set up under the auspices of the National University and in collaboration with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The researchers modified the&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyearth.wisc.edu/">Tiny Earth</a>&nbsp;citizen science approach (developed by Dr. Jo Handelsman) to marine conditions. They incubated high and low density polyethylene plastic (the type commonly seen in grocery bags) in water near Scripps Pier in La Jolla, Calif., for 90 days, and then cultured and tested the microbes in the laboratory.



The researchers isolated five antibiotic producing bacteria from the ocean plastic, including strains of&nbsp;Bacillus,&nbsp;Phaeobacter&nbsp;and&nbsp;Vibrio. They tested the antibiotics produced by these bacteria against a variety of Gram positive and negative microbes, and found the antibiotic isolates to be effective against bacteria commonly used in the laboratory, as well as against two antibiotic resistant strains.



“Considering the current antibiotic crisis and the rise of superbugs, it is essential to look for alternative sources of novel antibiotics,” said study lead author Andrea Price of National University. “We hope to expand this project and further characterize the microbes and the antibiotics they produce.”



This project was part of a STEM education project funded by the National Science Foundation. The results of the research will be presented at the&nbsp;<a href="http://asm.org/">American Society for Microbiology’s</a>&nbsp;conference in Washington, D.C., to be held between June 9 and 13, 2022.



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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

Plastic debris in the ocean may produce useful antibiotics

Scientists estimate that between 5 and 13 million metric tons of...

New research shows that healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-memories-of-fear-are-seared-into-our-brains/">brains</a> fluctuate a lot more in temperature than what was previously known. The study has also revealed that brains are generally warmer than other parts of the body. While normal oral temperatures run around 37°C, the average brain temperature can be 38.5°C, with deeper brain regions sometimes more than 40°C. The brain is particularly hot among women throughout the day, according to the study.&nbsp;



Previous temperature data relied on numbers from intensive care patients, where brain monitoring is essential. Recently, a technique known as magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has led to non-invasive monitoring in healthy individuals and new data on "normal" brains. For the current investigation, the experts used MRS to monitor how brain temperatures change throughout the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“To me, the most surprising finding from our study is that the healthy human brain can reach temperatures that would be diagnosed as fever anywhere else in the body," said Dr. John O’Neill, group leader at the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology. "Such high temperatures have been measured in people with brain injuries in the past, but had been assumed to result from the injury.”



“We found that brain temperature drops at night before you go to sleep and rises during the day. There is good reason to believe this daily variation is associated with long-term brain health - something we hope to investigate next.”



The scientists used 40 volunteers from the ages of 20 to 40 whose brains were scanned in the morning, afternoon and late evening. The study participants were also given wrist worn monitors to take into account activity levels and individual variations in each person’s "body clock."&nbsp;



The results showed that there is an overall higher temperature in the brain with age. The scientists hypothesize that it might be harder for the brain to cool off as we grow older.&nbsp;



The researchers were able to compare the data from the volunteers to previous medical data and create a map of the human brain, though they say more data is still needed.&nbsp;



“Using the most comprehensive exploration to date of normal human brain temperature, we’ve established ‘HEATWAVE’ - a 4D temperature map of the brain. This map provides an urgently-needed reference resource against which patient data can be compared, and could transform our understanding of how the brain works," said Dr. Nina Rzechorzek, MRC Clinician Scientist Fellow from the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology who led the study.



"That a daily brain temperature rhythm correlates so strongly with survival after TBI suggests that round-the-clock brain temperature measurement holds great clinical value.”



The scientists hope that their research may be used in the future to better understand and treat brain disorders.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/brain">Brain</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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

Surprising study reveals that healthy brains run hot

New research shows that healthy brains fluctuate a lot more...

A new survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of <a href="https://www.orlandohealth.com/">Orlando Health</a> finds that men are likely to be skipping a simple yet critical step in a healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-cannot-maintain-an-energetic-lifestyle-at-high-altitudes/">lifestyle</a>: an annual checkup with their doctor.&nbsp;



The survey found a third of men (33%) don’t think they need annual health screenings and almost two-thirds (65%) believe they are naturally healthier than others in general. This is statistically impossible, argues Dr. Thomas Kelley, a family medicine specialist at Orlando Health Physician Associates.&nbsp;



“Even if you think you’re healthy and you’re not experiencing any symptoms, there can be developing issues that often go unnoticed and can also be life-threatening if left unchecked. Some of those include rising blood pressure that can be a ticking time bomb for a heart attack or stroke, as well as colon cancer, which is one of the most deadly yet preventable cancers that exist.”



As a primary care physician, Dr. Kelley has heard many excuses from his male patients as to why they skip appointments. He believes the underlying reason is often fear.



“If you're a man and you haven't been to the doctor in a while, you don't really know what to expect.” said Dr. Kelley. “One of the big things that makes it less scary is having that great relationship with a primary care physician, and most men find the process to be easier than they thought. It takes about half an hour and by the end of the appointment you have the big picture about where you stand, what you’re at risk for and what you need to do for your health in the future.”



Kelley says building trust with your doctor can reduce nerves and help make conversations comfortable, which often creates confidence in returning.&nbsp;



But first, doctors need to get patients in the door. The survey found that 38 percent of men often get medical advice from social media, which can be extremely problematic without reputable medical sources.&nbsp;



Nearly two in five men admit that they focus on their pet’s health more than their own. This wasn’t surprising to Kelley, who argues that taking care of yourself first and foremost is how you can provide care to the others in your life.&nbsp;



It’s never too late to get caught up on routine appointments and screenings. However, starting as soon as possible is key to taking control of your health.&nbsp;



Combining annual exams with regular exercise, a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and finding ways to reduce stress can make a big difference in your overall health.&nbsp;



“It’s much easier to go to the doctor once a year for a wellness checkup and make certain that you’re not developing diabetes, high blood pressure or a heart problem, than to find yourself in an intensive care unit needing heart bypass surgery because you didn't look into those things,” said Dr. Kelley.



This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Orlando Health from May 9 - 11, 2022 among 893 U.S. adult men ages 18 and older.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Most men think they are naturally healthier than others

A new survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of...

According to new rules proposed by the Biden Administration on June 9, 2022, electric vehicles charging stations should be placed along Interstates every 50 miles, leading to half a million public charging stations by the end of the decade. These stations should be able to recharge cars quickly, and be located no more than a mile from a major highway. Moreover, they will be prohibited from requiring customers to have a membership or be part of a club in order to use them. 



“EV drivers should be able to count on finding a place to recharge easily wherever they go,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Everyone should be able to find a working charging station when and where they need it without worrying about paying more or getting worse service because of where they live.”



These proposed regulations outlined by Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm are part of the Biden administration’s efforts to incentivize widespread use of zero-emissions vehicles, with the goal of having half of all new vehicles sold in the United States electric by the end of this decade. If this initiative turns out to be successful, the country’s dependence on foreign oil will be reduced and emissions contributing to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-viruses-may-help-slow-climate-change/">climate change</a> could be significantly curbed.  



Each state will be required to provide at least four of the fastest types of recharging ports (known as “DirectCurrent fast chargers”)&nbsp;in order to allow multiple drivers to recharge their cars at the same time. Moreover, companies that build charging stations should provide a standard facility which can accommodate all models of electric vehicles.&nbsp;



These standards will apply to federally funded charging station in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and are designed to ensure that rural areas and communities would have equal access to electric charging stations as urban regions.



The government promised that it will provide $7.5 billion to create this nationwide network of charging stations until 2030. “If we’re going to build out infrastructure like we haven’t done since the Eisenhower era, we have to do it right,” said Mrs. Granholm.



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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

Biden lays out plan for electric vehicle charging stations

According to new rules proposed by the Biden Administration on...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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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...