Glp-1,Receptor,,Inactivated,And,Surrounded,By,An,Agonist,(semaglutide,,Red)

Sugar holds a strong place in many people’s diets, especially when stress runs high or snacks are within easy reach. While sugar’s appeal may feel irresistible, excessive consumption can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. 



Scientists may have discovered a natural way to regulate blood sugar and curb cravings, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-could-save-an-enormous-number-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">akin to drugs like Ozempic</a>. They've been investigating the relationship between sugar intake, gut signals, and hormones that help control appetite.



Reducing sugar intake can be challenging, but experts emphasize that managing blood sugar lowers the risk of diabetes complications. 



Health guidelines suggest limiting added sugars to 9 teaspoons per day for men and 6 teaspoons per day for women. 



Though this might seem difficult, research points to gut microbes as a potential secret weapon against persistent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/americas-tide-of-obesity-is-rising-with-75-already-impacted/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cravings and obesity</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-glp-1-the-basics">Understanding GLP-1 - the basics</h2>



GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone your body naturally produces in the gut. It plays a big role in managing blood sugar and appetite. 



After you eat, your intestines release GLP-1, which signals your pancreas to pump out insulin. At the same time, it tells your liver to slow down glucose production, keeping blood sugar levels steady. 



But GLP-1 doesn’t stop there - it also slows digestion and sends signals to your brain that make you feel full, which helps prevent overeating.



Drugs like <a href="https://www.ozempic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ozempic</a>, <a href="https://www.wegovy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wegovy</a>, and <a href="https://www.victoza.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Victoza</a> mimic GLP-1’s natural actions, helping control blood sugar and curb cravings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gut-signals-and-sugary-foods">Gut signals and sugary foods</h2>



Dr. Li from <a href="https://english.jiangnan.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jiangnan University</a> in China has been examining how gut signals might shape a person’s preference for sugary foods. 



In a recent publication, the authors state, “A growing body of research has revealed that our cravings for dietary components originate from signals sent from the gut, a key organ in transmitting dietary preferences.” 



This highlights the dynamic interaction between diet and gut microbes.



They also note, “However, which genes, gut flora, and metabolites in the gut microenvironment are involved in the regulation of sugar preference is currently unclear.” 



To understand this better, some studies have explored the role of hormones in sugar cravings, especially in individuals with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/type-2-diabetes-heightens-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">type 2 diabetes</a>. 



There is also evidence suggesting that those with certain genetic variations tied to FGF21 are about 20% more likely to consume high amounts of sweet foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glp-1-and-gut-microbiota">GLP-1 and gut microbiota</h2>



One surprising discovery involves Ffar4, a receptor that influences gut microbiota composition. When Ffar4 levels decrease, the abundance of a gut microbe, Bacteroides vulgatus, may shift. 



Researchers at Jiangnan University have found that increasing this microbe in diabetic mice can “orchestrate the secretion of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-could-save-an-enormous-number-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glucagon-like peptide-1</a> (GLP-1).” 



This microbe produces metabolic compounds that send signals linked to sugar cravings and energy balance.



Bacteroides vulgatus is known to produce pantothenate, a form of vitamin B5. Scientists report that pantothenate helps release GLP-1, a hormone tied to satiety and blood sugar regulation. 



GLP-1, in turn, triggers the release of another hormone, FGF21. When these signals function properly, the body manages sugar more effectively, ultimately reducing the urge for sweet foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



People with type 2 diabetes often have impaired GLP-1 function, prompting researchers to explore ways to improve or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/olives-may-be-a-powerful-weapon-in-the-fight-against-obesity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mimic its activity</a>. 



GLP-1 agonist drugs, such as semaglutide, have proven effective in lowering blood sugar and controlling appetite. 



While these medications work, some scientists are investigating whether natural methods can stimulate the same hormonal pathways. The authors suggest their study “provides a strategy for diabetes prevention.”



This approach brings the gut microbiome into focus, as small changes in microbial makeup might have broader implications. 



If further research confirms similar outcomes in humans, it could influence how doctors approach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neurons-discovered-that-tell-us-when-to-stop-eating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sugar cravings</a> and early diabetes management. 



Emerging studies indicate potential benefits in boosting beneficial gut microbes, but it remains unclear how soon this concept will translate into practical medical solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glp-1-microbiomes-and-the-future">GLP-1, microbiomes, and the future</h2>



Many questions remain about how gut microbes shape individual dietary choices. Researchers continue exploring whether manipulating these microbes could regulate sugar intake without drastic measures. 



Adjustments in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-microbiome-trillions-of-bacteria-unique-like-your-fingerprint/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut microbe populations</a> might not only help balance blood sugar but also support overall health.



Evidence linking intestinal bacteria to hunger-regulating hormones is growing, raising hopes that these discoveries may curb sugar cravings before diabetes develops. 



Some might compare this to a helpful chain reaction: the gut microbe produces specific compounds, those compounds activate the body’s natural signals, and the result is steadier blood sugar control. 



While the future direction of this research is uncertain, ongoing discoveries about microbes and hormones provide valuable insights into maintaining health - and possibly preserving a sweet tooth in moderation.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-024-01902-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Microbiology</a>.



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Natural Ozempic alternative may soon be available for humans

Sugar holds a strong place in many people’s diets, especially when stress runs high or snacks are within easy reach. While sugar’s appeal may feel irresistible, excessive consumption can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Scientists may have discovered a natural way to regulate blood sugar and curb cravings, akin to drugs like Ozempic. They've been investigating the relationship between sugar intake, gut signals, and hormones that help control appetite. Reducing sugar intake can be challenging, but experts emphasize that managing blood sugar lowers the risk...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> (UB) reveals that the rapid diversification of squamates took place during the Jurassic era, which is much earlier than expected. Squamata is the largest order of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-in-five-reptiles-is-currently-at-risk-of-extinction/">reptiles</a>, and includes lizards and snakes.



All squamates are cold-blooded, and their skin is covered by scales. Despite the fact that lizards and other squamates have an enormous diversity of more than 10,000 species, the history of this group's evolution has remained a mystery.



"The explosion in squamate diversity has been tracked back to the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution, 100 million years ago, the time when flowering plants began their takeover of terrestrial ecosystems, associated with diversification of coevolving insects and insect-eating predators such as lizards, birds, and mammals," wrote the study authors.



"Squamates arose much earlier, but their long pre-Cretaceous history of some 150 million years is documented by sparse fossils. Here, we provide evidence for an initial radiation of squamate morphology in the Middle and Late Jurassic (174–145 Ma), and show that they established their key ecological roles much earlier than had been assumed, and they have not changed them much since."



According to the researchers, the scarcity of fossil remains of squamates through the Jurassic suggested that the main burst of squamate evolution happened in the Cretaceous when their fossil record dramatically increased.&nbsp;



But now, research led by paleontologist Arnau Bolet challenges this theory. The new study suggests a much earlier radiation of squamates.&nbsp;



The experts have found evidence that this group of reptiles probably achieved a diverse array of adaptations in the Jurassic between 201 and 145 million years ago.&nbsp;



“Even though Jurassic squamates are rare, reconstructed evolutionary trees show that all the main specializations of squamates evolved then, and it’s possible to distinguish adaptations of geckos, iguanas, skinks, worm lizards, and snakes some 50 million years earlier than had been thought," explained study co-author Michael Benton.



The scarce fossils from the Jurassic suggest an early burst in evolution because of their anatomy - the specimens do not show primitive morphologies as would be expected.



“Instead of finding a suite of generalized lizards on the stem of the squamate tree, what we found in the Jurassic were the first representatives of many modern groups, showing advanced morphological features," said Bolet.



The results of the study indicate that the apparent sudden increase in diversity observed in the Cretaceous could be related to an improved fossil record that was capable of recording a larger number of species. The heightened presence of asqumate species in the Cretaceous may also be related to the new kinds of forests and insects.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</a>.



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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

Lizards and other squamates rapidly diversified during the Jurassic

A new study from the University of Bristol (UB) reveals...

Experts at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> have discovered that when coronavirus jumps from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jack-russell-terriers-live-the-longest-lives-of-uk-dogs/">dogs</a> to humans, the virus goes through a transition. The researchers have identified a change that occurs in the spike protein during the transfer of canine coronavirus to humans. The research may provide new insight into how coronavirus is transmitted from animals to humans.



"The ongoing coronavirus (CoV) disease (COVID-19) is the third documented animal to human CoV spillover to have resulted in a major epidemic," noted the researchers.



In 2017, a new canine coronavirus was first identified in a human - a Malaysian patient who developed pneumonia. In 2021, a team of experts isolated and sequenced the canine coronavirus.



Now, in collaboration with researchers at Temple University, the Cornell team has identified a pattern that occurs in a terminus of the canine coronavirus spike protein, which is the part of the virus that allows it to gain entry into cells. 



The experts found that the virus shifts from infecting both the intestines and respiratory system of the animal to infecting only the respiratory system in a human.



“This study identifies some of the molecular mechanisms underlying a host shift from dog coronavirus to a new human host, that may also be important in the circulation of a new human coronavirus that we previously didn’t know about,” said study co-author Professor Michael Stanhope.



For the analysis, the researchers used state-of-the-art molecular evolution tools to investigate how pressures from natural selection may have influenced the evolution of the canine coronavirus.



The same canine coronavirus variant found in Malaysia was also reported in a few patients in Haiti in 2021.



Stanhope believes that further research is needed to understand if the viral shifts and jumps to humans occurred spontaneously in different parts of the world or if this coronavirus has been circulating for perhaps many decades in the human population without detection.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses">Viruses</a>.



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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

Canine coronavirus behaves differently in humans

Experts at Cornell University have discovered that when coronavirus jumps...

Orange,Butterfly,On,Orange,Cosmos,Flowers

Experts at the <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh</a> are developing a system to track the migrations of monarch butterflies. Each fall, millions of monarchs migrate to a specific region of mountains in central Mexico. The researchers plan to investigate how the butterflies navigate, and how climate change may alter the path that they take. 



Professor Inhee Lee is part of a team that has created a tiny sensor that can be carried by monarch butterflies along their journey. The sensor will transmit data throughout the three-month migration.&nbsp;



“Tracking animal migration is a critical ecosystem indicator,” said Professor Lee. “Migrators travel long distances across entire continents, and it can give us unprecedented insight into their migratory paths, how the environment around them is changing, and how species interactions are impacted by changing movements and distributions.”



The tiny chip is part of a new wireless sensing platform called mSAIL. The sensor, which will be attached to the butterfly’s back, can simultaneously measure light intensity and temperature. Using a machine learning method, the experts will be able to use data from the chip to reconstruct the butterfly’s migration route.



"The proposed system is designed to record and compress light and temperature data during the migration path while harvesting solar energy for energy autonomy, and wirelessly transmit the data at the overwintering site in Mexico, from which the daily location of the butterfly can be estimated using a deep learning-based localization algorithm," wrote the researchers.



The sensor was tested on a monarch butterfly in a botanical garden. The test revealed that the chip did not impede the monarch's ability to fly or open and close its wings.&nbsp;



According to the experts, the next step of the project is to mass produce over 100 mSAIL sensors that can reliably operate over the three-month migration. The researchers plan to tag butterflies at various locations in the United States.



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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

Tiny sensor will track monarchs on their long migratory journey

Experts at the University of Pittsburgh are developing a system...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-is-a-powerful-weapon-in-the-fight-against-climate-change/">Seagrasses</a> are some of the most efficient carbon sinks on Earth: one square kilometer can store nearly twice as much carbon as forests on land, and 35 times as fast. Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.mpi-bremen.de/en/Home.html">Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology</a> in Germany has found that seagrasses also release massive amounts of sugars into their soils (the so-called “rhizosphere”), during the process of photosynthesis.&nbsp;



While under average light conditions, the plants use most of the sugars for their own metabolism and growth, under high light conditions, such as at midday or during the summer, they produce much more than they can use, releasing the surplus into their rhizosphere.&nbsp;



“To put this into perspective: We estimate that worldwide there are between 0.6 and 1.3 million tons of sugar, mainly in the form of sucrose, in the seagrass rhizosphere,” said study senior author Manuel Liebeke, the head of the Metabolic Interactions group at the Max Planck Institute. “That is roughly comparable to the amount of sugar in 32 billion cans of coke!”



Knowing that almost all microbes thrive on sugars, Dr. Liebeke and his colleagues have pondered why is the sucrose not consumed by the vast population of microorganisms from the seagrass rhizosphere.&nbsp;



“We spent a long time trying to figure this out,” said study first author Maggie Sogin, who conducted the study during a postdoctoral fellowship at Max Planck.



“What we realized is that seagrass, like many other plants, release phenolic compounds to their sediments. Red wine, coffee and fruits are full of phenolics, and many people take them as health supplements. What is less well known is that phenolics are antimicrobials and inhibit the metabolism of most microorganisms.”&nbsp;



However, a small set of microbes seem to be able to thrive on sucrose. According to Dr. Sogin, these creatures are not only able to digest sucrose and degrade phenolics, but might also produce essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, which help seagrass grow. “Such beneficial relationships between plants and rhizosphere microorganisms are well known in land plants, but we are only just beginning to understand the intimate and intricate interactions of seagrasses with microorganisms in the marine rhizosphere,” she said.



Since seagrass meadows are among the most threatened habitats on the planet and are rapidly declining in all oceans, scientists worldwide fear that their disappearance will release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, thus exacerbating global warming.&nbsp;



“Looking at how much blue carbon – that is carbon captured by the world's ocean and coastal ecosystems – is lost when seagrass communities are decimated, our research clearly shows: it is not only the seagrass itself, but also the large amounts of sucrose underneath live seagrasses that would result in a loss of stored carbon. Our calculations show that if the sucrose in the seagrass rhizosphere was degraded by microbes, at least 1,54 million tons of carbon dioxide would be released into the atmosphere worldwide,” concluded Professor Liebeke.&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

Massive amounts of sugar found under seagrass meadows

Seagrasses are some of the most efficient carbon sinks on...

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2115231119A">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> has investigated a period of rapid global warming from 300 to 260 million years ago, when the Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-accelerating-the-water-cycle/">climate</a> went from a glacial icehouse to a hot, ice-free greenhouse. According to the scientists, within about 300,000 years, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels doubled, oceans became anoxic, and biodiversity dropped significantly both on land and in the seas.



Although several other hyperthermal or rapid warming events are known in our planet’s history, this appeared to be one of the fastest ones. Moreover, it was the first such event identified in an icehouse Earth, when the planet had a variety of ice caps and glaciers, comparable to today’s situation. Experts argue that an icehouse climate may be more sensitive to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels than warmer conditions, when the levels of this gas are already higher.



In this study, the scientists homed in on a transition 304 million years ago, known as the Kasimovian-Gzhelian boundary, or KGB. By using multiple proxies, such as carbon isotopes and trace elements from rocks and plant fossils, they estimated that about 9,000 gigatons of carbon were released in the Earth’s atmosphere just before the K-G boundary.



This period of massive carbon release also led to marine anoxia, or a drop in the levels of dissolved oxygen in the oceans. Since melting ice caps release fresh water onto the ocean surface, they create a barrier to deep water circulation and cut off the supply of oxygen, leading to the extinction of many marine species. By measuring uranium isotopes in carbonate rocks from present-day China, the scientists managed to get a proxy for the amount of oxygen in the ocean when the rocks were laid down. They estimate that 23 percent of the seafloor worldwide became anoxic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-tides-and-dead-zones-threaten-floridas-west-coast/">dead zones</a>, leading to high losses of biodiversity.&nbsp;



According to study co-author Isabel Montañez, a paleoclimatologist at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>, the effects of carbon release on ocean anoxia were significantly greater than those observed in other studies of rapid warming during “greenhouse” conditions, in which the baseline level of atmospheric carbon dioxide was already higher. “If you raised CO2&nbsp;by the same amount in a greenhouse world, there isn’t much effect, but icehouses seem to be much more sensitive to change and marine anoxia,” Professor Montañez said.



The researchers concluded that this massive carbon release may have been triggered by volcanic eruptions that tore through carboniferous coal beds and started a large number of wildfires. The rapid warming caused by these events may have melted permafrost, leading to the release of even more organic carbon in the atmosphere.



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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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earth endured rapid global warming 300 million years ago

A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the...

Corals,,Anemone,And,Clownfish,In,Red,Sea,,Egypt

Coral reef <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salt-pollution-threatens-freshwater-ecosystems/">ecosystems</a> around the world are characterized by supporting large numbers of marine species, as well as providing livelihoods for more than half a billion people. They are a source of food and jobs,&nbsp;are used for recreational purposes and provide coastal protection against damage from the sea. This is why the destructive effects of marine heat waves that bleach living corals are a matter of grave concern.&nbsp;



As global temperatures increase, marine heat waves are likely to become more frequent and intense, causing lasting damage to coral reef ecosystems. Warmer water can cause corals to expel the algae living in their tissues, which results in the corals turning white. When corals bleach, however, they do not necessarily die, but may become more vulnerable to other stressors, such as water pollution, which then increase the rate of mortality.



Previous research has shown that many reefs harbor corals that survive ocean heat waves, indicating that the issue of bleaching and its impact on coral mortality is a complex one. Understanding this may be key to conserving coral reefs under conditions of global warming.



For the first time, scientists have now been able to map the locations of living corals before and after a major marine heat wave. Arizona State University researchers were able to take to the sky on the&nbsp;<a href="https://gao.asu.edu/">Global Airborne Observatory</a>&nbsp;(GAO), and use the advanced spectrometers and visual equipment to get images of coral reef sites around eight different Hawaiian Islands just before, and again after, a heat wave event in 2019. The GAO aircraft is equipped with advanced remote sensing technologies that enable the mapping of ecosystems both on land and beneath the ocean surface.&nbsp;



The results of the surveys, published today in&nbsp;Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that coral species and local environment are important factors in determining the likelihood of survival when ocean temperatures rise. They also demonstrate that the GAO approach to visual mapping provides an unprecedented opportunity to monitor coral reefs and assess changes in coastal ecosystems over time.&nbsp;



“Repeat coral mapping with the GAO revealed how Hawaii’s coral reefs responded to the 2019 mass bleaching event,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://isearch.asu.edu/profile/3398779">Greg Asner</a>, lead author of the study and director of the ASU Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science. “We discovered coral ‘winners’ and ‘losers.’ And these winning corals are associated with cleaner water and less coastal development despite elevated water temperatures.”



The surveys identified more than 10 potential coral refugia – habitats that may offer a safe haven for corals facing climate change. In these areas, there was up to 40 percent less coral mortality than on neighboring reefs, despite the fact that the warm water infiltrated all the areas, causing similar temperature conditions. The results also identified that reefs near heavily developed coasts are more susceptible to coral mortality from heat waves. Development on land is associated with increased pollution that enters coastal reef systems, creating even more stress for coral reefs already fighting to survive the warming water.



According to Brian Neilson, study co-author and head of Hawaii’s Division of Aquatic Resources, “This study supports Hawaii’s&nbsp;<a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/30x30/">Holomua Marine 30x30 Initiative</a>&nbsp;by not only identifying areas impacted by ocean heat waves, but also areas of refugia. These findings can be incorporated into management plans to aid in building a resilient network of reef regions and sustaining Hawaii’s reefs and the communities that depend on them into the future.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



The Holomua 30x30 initiative aims to establish marine management areas across 30 percent of Hawaii’s nearshore waters. Coral reefs in Hawaii are integral to life on the islands, and are tied to culture and livelihoods. Understanding which corals are surviving, and where, is key to achieving conservation that is targeted and effective.



“Previous approaches have failed to deliver actionable interventions that might improve coral survival during heat waves or to locate places of heat-wave resistance, known as coral refugia, for rapid protection,” said Asner, who is also director of the Global Airborne Observatory. “Our findings highlight the new role that coral mortality and survival monitoring can play for targeted conservation that protects more corals in our changing climate.”



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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

Experts map coral reefs before and after marine heat wave

Coral reef ecosystems around the world are characterized by supporting...

Chenanisaurus,Was,A,Large,Abelisaurid,Dinosaur,,A,Predatory,Carnivorous,Theropod,

In March 2020, just a few days before the lockdowns in response to the Covid-19 pandemic were instituted in Argentina, a team of paleontologists led by the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.conicet.gov.ar/">National Council for Scientific and Technical Research</a> (CONICET) made an amazing discovery. In Estancia la Anita in the Province of Santa Cruz (an area located 1,677 miles from Buenos Aires), the experts found the bones of the largest megaraptor known to date. Measuring almost ten meters in length and weighing over five tons, Maip macrothorax was a fierce predatory dinosaur, roaming the territory of today’s Argentina about 70 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous Period.



This new species’ name was chosen by study lead author Alexis Aranciaga Rolando, a paleontologist at CONICET. According to Rolando, the name Maip “comes from an evil being from Tehuelche mythology who lived in the mountains and killed using the cold. Precisely, Maip’s finding took place in south El Calafate, from where the lavish Cordillera de los Andes can be seen, a place with very cold temperatures. Besides, for the Tehuelches, Maip represented the shadow that death leaves in its wake, while we imagine that during the Cretaceous, this great predator with its enormous size would have caused something similar.”



This dinosaur’s spine was made up of huge vertebrae, connected by a system of muscles, tendons, and ligaments allowing the massive creature to stand upright on its hind legs while walking or running.&nbsp;It had a long tail and legs, as well as enormous claws measuring 13.7 inches in length, which it probably used as its main weapons.



“The bones of Maip helped us to better understand the anatomy of megaraptors. They belong to a family whose skeleton was not like that of a tyrannosaurus, large but heavy, but rather light animals. In other words, their bones were not solid, but rather had a large number of internal voids that made them much lighter, something like a hollow brick compared to a solid one,” explained Rolando.&nbsp;



According to the scientists, the area where Maip lived 70 million years ago – before the Andes mountain range had risen - was a warm ecosystem, with a variety of puddles, lakes, and streams that provided an optimal habitat for animals such as frogs, fish, turtles, small birds, and mammals. “From all those organisms that lived back then we were collecting fossil remains, and now, with Maip, we have added a super predator, which allows us to complete the food pyramid,” said study senior author Fernando Novas, a paleontologist at the <a href="http://www.macnconicet.gob.ar/">Bernardino Rivadavia Museum of Natural Science</a> in Buenos Aires.



Although the discovery of this dinosaur’s skeleton helps us shed more light on the features and behaviors of megaraptors not long before the catastrophic event from 66 million years ago that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs, many questions still remain unanswered.



“Megaraptors are quite enigmatic predators, and although Maip helped us to tie up several loose ends, especially their kinship relationships with other carnivorous dinosaurs, aspects of their hunting behavior still remain to be elucidated, for example what their favorite prey would have been, among other things,” concluded Rolando.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-09272-z">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



&nbsp;---



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

The largest megaraptor discovered in Argentina

In March 2020, just a few days before the lockdowns...

Protected areas such as nature reserves, national parks, or wilderness regions are crucial for conserving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-single-gene-could-control-biodiversity-in-an-ecosystem/">biodiversity</a>. However, due to climate change, many plant and animal species from specific protected areas will need to change their habitats, in order to find more favorable conditions.&nbsp;



A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/64206">Environmental Research Letters</a> has provided new insights for developing climate-smart conservation strategies. By investigating the global network of protected areas, the researchers have evaluated the potential for shifts in where plants and animals live due to climate change. Their findings suggest that there is a need for strategic conservation plans that transcend international borders and protect endangered species.&nbsp;



“As the planet continues to warm, we expect a number of species to move out of some protected areas and into others as they shift their ranges in response to climate change,” said study lead author Sean Parks, a research ecologist at the USDA Forest Service <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/">Rocky Mountain Research Station</a>.



Dr. Parks and his colleagues have found that some species that are currently in protected areas may soon need to cross international boundaries in order to find more suitable climate conditions. During such migrations, they might face both physical and non-physical barriers, from border fences to inconsistent conservation policies in different regions and countries.



Under a scenario of 2°C warming above pre-industrial levels, climate conditions are expected to change in over a quarter of the current land-based global network of protected areas. Better understanding these climatic shifts and the ways in which they will impact the plants and animals from these areas will help the international conservation community efficiently forecast planning needs and make more strategic investment decisions for the limited funding that is currently available for conservation initiatives.&nbsp;



“The Rocky Mountain Research Station is committed to addressing the threat of climate change, by providing research needed to support new strategies for stewarding protected areas and other wildlands within the United States and internationally,” concluded&nbsp;Jason Taylor, the Director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/research-labs/aldo-leopold-wilderness-research-institute">Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute</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 change impacts biodiversity in protected areas worldwide

Protected areas such as nature reserves, national parks, or wilderness...

A new study led by the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California, San Diego</a>, has found that a plant virus called “cowpea mosaic virus” could be of significant help in fighting cancer. The experts have shown that, when this virus infects cancerous cells, it signals to the immune system and activates a powerful anti-cancer response in the organism. Moreover, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-activate-immune-defenses-against-pathogens-in-rain/">immune</a> response this virus helps build up appears to be so strong and long-lasting that it may possibly prevent other cancerous tumors from forming.&nbsp;



The researchers have studied the cowpea mosaic virus – which generally infects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-legumes-and-their-symbiotic-bacteria-revealed/">legumes</a> – in the form of nanoparticles that they injected directly into cancerous tumors in animal models such as dogs and mice, in order to serve as a bait for their immune system. Once the lure was set, immune cells immediately detected the viral nanoparticles and sent alarms to the rest of the immune system that there was a foreign invader in the organism. While rallying up to fight the intruder, the immune cells started eliminating the cancerous cells containing the virus too.



“This study helps validate the cowpea mosaic plant virus nanoparticle as our lead cancer immunotherapy candidate,” said study senior author Nicole Steinmetz, a professor of Nanoengineering at the UC San Diego. “Now we have mechanistic data to explain why it is the most potent candidate, which further de-risks it for clinical translation.”



Professor Steinmetz and her team were surprised to discovered that this virus not only helps get rid of existing tumors, but also triggers a systemic immune response against any future tumors. Differently from other plant viruses that they tested (such as the cowpea severe mosaic virus or the tobacco ringspot virus), this particular virus activated additional toll-like receptors on the surface of immune cells that led to the production of more pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines, while also significantly extending the duration of the cytokine response.



“We don’t see this with the other two plant viruses. The cytokine levels peak quickly, then go down and are gone,” explained study lead author Veronique Beiss, a former postdoctoral researcher in Professor Steinmetz’s laboratory. “This prolonged immune response is another key difference that sets cowpea mosaic virus apart.”&nbsp;



Further research is needed to clarify the precise mechanisms through which this virus leads to such an impressive response, and to assess its viability as a cancer immunotherapy treatment in humans.



“We’ve shown that it works, and now we need to show what makes it so special that it can induce this kind of response. That’s the knowledge gap we’re looking to fill,” concluded Dr. Beiss.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00058">Molecular Pharmaceutics</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

A plant virus could help cure cancer

A new study led by the University of California, San...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The fungus that causes white mold in more than 600 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-the-timing-of-water-that-matters-to-plants/">plant</a> species has a protein that allows it to evade plant defenses, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/">U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service</a>. This breakthrough may ultimately help experts control the deadly fungus, which can cause billions of dollars in damages in a year with bad outbreaks.



The Sclerotinia sclerotiorum fungus infects potatoes, soybeans, sunflowers, peas, lentils, canola, and many other broadleaf crops with white mold. The fungus secretes lethal chemicals called polygalacturonases (PGs) that degrade the plant’s cell walls.&nbsp;



In 1971, scientists discovered that plants had evolved a protein called PGIP that inhibits the fungus. In response, the fungus evolved its own protein to overcome PGIP. Until now, this protein had not been identified.



“What you have is essentially a continuous arms race between fungal pathogens and their plant hosts, an intense battle of attack, counterattack and counter-counterattack in which each is constantly developing and shifting its chemical tactics in order to bypass or overcome the other’s defenses,” said research plant pathologist Weidong Chen, who led the study. He explained that the key to identifying the fungal protein SsPINE1 was looking outside the fungi cells.



“We found it by looking at the materials excreted by the fungus,” said Chen. “And there it was. When we found this protein, SsPINE1, which interacted with PGIP, it made sense.”



“I got goosebumps when we found this protein,” said study co-author Professor Kiwamu Tanaka of Washington State University. “It answered all these questions scientists have had for the last 50 years: Why these fungi always overcome plant defenses? Why do they have such a broad host range, and why are they so successful?”



Identifying SsPINE1 is an important first step toward controlling white mold stem rot pathogens. Going forward, experts may even be able to use targeted breeding to make plants naturally resistant to sclerotinia diseases.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.



Image Credit: ARS-USDA



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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

How the white mold fungus evades plant defenses

The fungus that causes white mold in more than 600...

Bat flight has been studied for a considerable length of time, but there have been some serious missing pieces in the research. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/mammalia-2021-0139/html">Mammalia</a> shows how little we have actually known about the distances that bats may fly.&nbsp;



Previously, the longest recorded distance that a bat had flown was 2,224 kilometers from Latvia to Spain - certainly an impressive distance. Now, the scientists report that another bat has beaten this record by about 260 kilometers.&nbsp;



In 2009, a pipistrelle bat was ringed with an information tag by biologists in Russia’s Darwin Nature Biosphere Reserve. Sixty-three days later, the same bat’s body was found in Lully, a village near the French Alps. The shortest distance between these two points is 2,486 km. It’s quite possible that the little bat traveled even farther. Bats are often found along the Baltic coast during migration season and scientists suspect the record-setting bat may have traveled this coast as well. If the bat did follow the Baltic coast, it means that the mammal would have flapped for at least 3,000 kilometers, or 1,864 miles.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“It’s a very big surprise,” said study lead author Dr. Denis Vasenkov of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences. “We thought that our bats were migrating to countries in south-eastern Europe and other neighboring countries, not France.”



The scientists are not sure why the bat traveled so far, thinking it may have lost its way during what was intended to be a much shorter migration. It could also be that these long distances are traveled more commonly by bats than previously suspected.&nbsp;



Either way, the researchers feel that further research is necessary, especially with the creation of more wind farms on the horizon. Future studies could include using GPS trackers on bats and watching with more detail where they travel.&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

A tiny bat has set a surprising new flight record

Bat flight has been studied for a considerable length of...

Perito,Moreno,Glacier,,El,Calafate,,Argentina.

As climate change accelerates, glaciers are melting faster, and experts fear that many will collapse by the end of the century, drastically raising sea levels and flooding coastal cities and island nations. Whyjay Zheng, a geophysicist at the University of California, Berkeley, has recently developed an improved model of glacial movement that could help identify the glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic that are most likely to rapidly slide downhill and fall into the oceans.



Glaciologists have long thought that the speedup and slowdown of glaciers are related to what is happening at their front – the “glacial terminus” - where ice merges with the oceans’ increasingly warm waters. Observations have shown that for many marine-terminating glaciers, when the fronts melt or calve into then ocean, the remaining ones tend to speed up. However, in his new model, Professor Zheng has incorporated another major factor determining glaciers’ speed: the effect of meltwater that percolates to the base of the glaciers and lubricates its downward flow. 



Warmer weather causes meltwater lakes to form on many glaciers, which punch through to the bottom of the ice during a process called hydrofracture, or drain to the bottom through crevasses nearby. This basal lubrication by meltwater is then creating a feedback loop that accelerates glaciers that have already sped up for other reasons, such as changes at the terminus.



“Basal lubrication creates a positive feedback loop. The faster glaciers are more likely to respond faster to basal lubrication, and the following speedup makes them more prone to future lubrications,” explained Professor Zheng. “For example, if a glacier is flowing three kilometers per year, and basal lubrication suddenly happens, it will react so fast that you can see the fluctuation of the speed, probably just a few days later, compared to another glacier that would be flowing at 100 meters per year.”



The findings indicate that thick, fast-moving glaciers around the Arctic and Antarctic should be monitored frequently to anticipate discharges of large icebergs into the ocean that could affect sea levels. For this, better, more accurate ways of measuring basal lubrication are needed.



“The model suggests that thick and fast-flowing glaciers are more sensitive to lubrication than thin and slow glaciers. The data from Greenland glaciers support this new finding, indicating that those fast and thick glacier beasts might be more unstable than we thought under global warming,” concluded Professor Zheng.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/1431/2022/">The Cryosphere</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

New model can identify glaciers at risk of collapse

As climate change accelerates, glaciers are melting faster, and experts...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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...