Every living organism relies on a genetic blueprint encoded in its DNA, yet the amount of DNA - or genome size - varies dramatically across the tree of life.&nbsp;



In animals alone, genome sizes range from the minuscule genome of Intoshia variabili, a marine parasite - which is about 200 times smaller than the human genome - to the massive genome of the marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) - which is over 40 times larger than ours.&nbsp;



Plants exhibit a similar range, with the fork fern (Tmesipteris oblanceolata) setting the record with a genome size over 50 times larger than that of humans.



This diversity in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genome-mapping-completed-for-dozens-of-common-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genome</a> size reveals the vast variety of life forms on Earth, but it also raises a fascinating question: If smaller genomes lead to faster, more efficient growth, why do some species have larger genomes?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-of-smaller-genome-sizes">Advantages of smaller genome sizes</h2>



The replication of DNA is essential for cell production and growth, making smaller genomes more efficient as they require fewer resources and time to replicate.&nbsp;



Smaller genomes demand fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/excess-nutrients-are-creating-ocean-dead-zones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nutrients</a>, especially the DNA-building elements nitrogen and phosphorus, making them ideal for rapid growth and reproduction.



Because of these advantages, it’s not surprising that most species have evolved with relatively small genomes.&nbsp;



However, large genomes persist in some organisms, suggesting that these genomes may confer certain benefits in specific environments, where the costs of carrying extra DNA are outweighed by unique growth advantages.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-large-genome-benefits-in-grasses">Exploring large genome benefits in grasses</h2>



A research team led by the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sheffield</a> has recently studied the potential benefits of large genomes in grass species. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fairy-circles-kill-all-newly-planted-grasses-deepening-their-mystery/">Grasses</a>, a vast plant family found worldwide from arctic tundras to tropical savannas, vary in genome size, making them an ideal group to examine how genome size affects growth in different conditions.



The study, published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.20150" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Phytologist</a>, examined the growth of various grass species under conditions mimicking their natural environments - high temperatures, low nutrients, and drought. 



The scientists compared growth rates to each species’ genome size and observed that while grasses with smaller genomes generally grew better across most conditions, larger genomes provided advantages in two specific scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-genomes-thrive-in-nutrient-rich-environments">Large genomes thrive in nutrient-rich environments</h2>



The first scenario where larger genomes proved beneficial was in nutrient-rich soils. While low nutrient levels slowed down large-genome grasses, those with large genomes thrived in high-nutrient environments.&nbsp;



Here, the extra DNA content meant larger cells that produced more biomass, such as leaves, which allowed these plants to outgrow and overshadow neighbors with smaller genomes.&nbsp;



In nutrient-poor areas, however, the demands of replicating additional DNA outweighed these benefits, making smaller genomes more favorable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-seasons-and-genome-sizes">Growing seasons and genome sizes</h2>



The second advantage for large-genome grasses occurred in cooler environments, such as temperate regions with lower growing season temperatures.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-grow-more-branches-and-become-bushy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plant growth</a> typically has two stages: cell division, where new cells are generated, and cell expansion, where cells swell with water to help the plant grow taller or spread. 



Cool temperatures significantly slow down cell division, but they have less impact on cell expansion.&nbsp;



Consequently, grasses with larger cells, which accompany large genomes, can expand more rapidly by cell enlargement even in cooler weather, outpacing smaller-genome plants that rely on faster cell division in warmer temperatures.



This cell expansion process explains the early spring growth of plants like daffodils and bluebells, which also have large genomes.&nbsp;



These plants perform much of their cell division in warmer months, allowing them to use cell expansion to grow quickly in early spring, well before smaller-genome plants begin to compete for light and nutrients.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genome-size-diversity">Genome size diversity</h2>



The diversity in genome sizes among grasses may be one reason for their global success, as it allows them to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions.&nbsp;



While smaller genomes typically support efficient growth, larger genomes offer unique advantages in specific environments, enabling certain species to thrive where others cannot.&nbsp;



This genetic diversity in grasses underscores the importance of variation in supporting species’ survival and adaptability across ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genome-size-and-evolutionary-success">Genome size and evolutionary success</h2>



The relationship between genome size and survival is not limited to plants. Our own medium-sized genome has supported humanity’s adaptability, though we don’t face the same nutrient limitations as stationary plants.&nbsp;



Unlike grasses, humans can move to seek out food and resources, which may allow us to bear the metabolic costs associated with our DNA without significant limitation.&nbsp;



This mobility highlights how different species leverage their genetic make-up in conjunction with unique behaviors and environmental interactions to thrive across diverse habitats.



In summary, the role of genome size in evolutionary success is nuanced and complex.&nbsp;



From the efficient replication of small genomes to the adaptability enabled by larger ones, genome size continues to shape the ecological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asian-forests-proving-resilient-both-climate-change-human-actions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resilience</a> and global distribution of life on Earth.



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How does genome size impact evolutionary success?

Every living organism relies on a genetic blueprint encoded in its DNA, yet the amount of DNA - or genome size - varies dramatically across the tree of life.&nbsp; In animals alone, genome sizes range from the minuscule genome of Intoshia variabili, a marine parasite - which is about 200 times smaller than the human genome - to the massive genome of the marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus) - which is over 40 times larger than ours.&nbsp; Plants exhibit a similar range, with the fork fern (Tmesipteris oblanceolata)...

Under President Trump’s newly proposed budget, wild horses captured throughout the U.S. West would be sold without guarantee that the animals won't be resold for slaughter.

The proposal, designed to save $10 million, would gut nearly a half-century of protection for an icon of the American West and could send thousands of free-roaming mustangs to foreign slaughterhouses for processing as food.

“This is simply a way to placate a very well-funded and vocal livestock lobby," Laura Leigh, president of the nonprofit protection group Wild Horse Education, said about the plan.

Livestock interests don't want the region's estimated 59,000 mustangs competing for precious forage across more than 40,000 square miles of rangeland in 10 states managed by the <a href="https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/bureau-of-land-management">U.S. Bureau of Land Management</a> (BLM), according to critics of the proposal.

For years, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and other interests have been urging the BLM to allow sales of wild horses for slaughter to free up room in overcrowded government corrals for the capture of more animals.

Doug Busselman, executive vice president of the Nevada Farm Bureau, blamed the stalemate on the "emotional and anti-management interests who have built their business models on preventing rational and responsible actions while enhancing their fundraising through misinformation."

Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama also grappled with the spiraling costs of managing the nearly 60,000 horses on the range and 45,000 others in U.S. holding pens and contracted private pastures.

Over the past eight years, the BLM's wild-horse budget has more than doubled - from $36.2 million in 2008 to $80.4 million in 2017.

Trump's proposal anticipates the $10 million savings would come through reducing the cost of containing and feeding the animals. The savings also would include cutbacks involving roundups and contraception programs.

Suzanne Roy, executive director of the American Wild Horse Campaign, said the plan could put the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/domesticating-wild-horses-genome/">horses</a> on the brink of extinction.

"America can't be great if these national symbols of freedom are destroyed," she said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TRUMP_BUDGET_WILD_HORSES?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-05-25-13-49-02">AP</a>

Trump budget plan would end protection for wild horses

Under President Trump’s newly proposed budget, wild horses captured throughout...

Report: Magic mushrooms are the safest recreational drug to use. As public opinion surrounding the benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chili-peppers-marijuana-stomach/">marijuana</a> continues to increase in favorability nationwide, another recreational drug may deserve a second look as well. A new report from the <a href="https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com/">2017 Global Drug Survey</a> has found that 'magic' mushrooms are the safest recreational drug to take. 

The study found that only 1 in 500 people will be taken to the hospital as a result of taking psychedelic mushrooms. 

“Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world,” Dr. Adam Winstock, founder of the survey, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/23/study-hallucinogenic-mushrooms-safest-recreational-drug-lsd">The Guardian</a>.

According to Winstock, the biggest risk associated with hallucinogenic mushrooms was people picking and eating the wrong kinds.

“Death from toxicity is almost unheard of with poisoning with more dangerous fungi being a much greater risk in terms of serious harms,” Dr. Winstock added.

Mushrooms were found to be significantly safer than MDMA, LSD, and cocaine. Interestingly, the report also found that synthetic cannabis was the riskiest drug.

Only .2% of 12,000 people surveyed who had taken “shrooms” in the past year reported needing any medical attention. 

Psychedelic mushrooms have also been used to treat depression and anxiety.

That said, Dr. Winstock warned against combining mushrooms with other drugs.

“Combined use with alcohol and use within risky or unfamiliar settings increase the risks of harm,” he told told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/23/study-hallucinogenic-mushrooms-safest-recreational-drug-lsd">The Guardian</a>.

-

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com/">2017 Global Drug Survey</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/23/study-hallucinogenic-mushrooms-safest-recreational-drug-lsd">The Guardian</a>

Report: Magic mushrooms are the safest recreational drug to use

Report: Magic mushrooms are the safest recreational drug to use....

When Donald Trump announced his presidential bid in June of 2015, he pledged to build a “great, great wall” on the southern border and make Mexico pay for it. Mexico may not be paying for it, but Trump is now asking Congress for a budget to start building the border wall. Researchers are evaluating the threats that the wall poses to many species of animals that will suffer from the fragmentation of their habitats. 

Science journalist Lesley Evans Ogden, a reporter for <a href="https://www.aibs.org/bioscience/">Bioscience</a>, has written an article addressing the potential impact that a U.S.-Mexico border wall will have on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/endangered-status-giraffes/">wildlife</a>. 

"If the wall is completed, it will create a considerable biodiversity conservation challenge--one unlikely to disappear anytime soon," explained Ogden.

There are already 650 miles of steel posts that form a barrier across the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. It is not clear if this hardened border successfully prevents illegal immigration and smuggling, but it is clear is that it has disrupted the natural habitats of many species.

The proposed border wall may prevent migration that is vital to the survival of some species that live along the Mexico border. The threats to many of these local populations urgently need to be considered before the plans for the Mexico wall are put in motion. 

"Local populations blink on and off like Christmas lights," says the University of Arizona's Aaron Flesch, who was interviewed for Ogden’s article. Without the freedom to access their continuous habitats, experts believe some species may disappear forever. 

"Even when there isn't a physical wall or much of a barrier, [border agents] are actively engaged in enforcing the law through patrols," explained David Christianson of University of Arizona. Such patrols, which may alter the behavior of many animals, often consist of off-road trekking "right in the middle of this endangered species habitat," added Christianson. 

Information included in the article by Ogden suggests that extensive border barriers may prove ineffective in preventing humans from crossing the border. Jamie McCallum, a consultant at Transfrontier International Limited, teamed up with scientists from the Zoological Society of London. The team set up cameras to detect motion along the existing steel barrier in order to observe both human and animal activity.

The images revealed the absence of some animals such as pumas, which was expected by the researchers. Human activity at the barrier, however, was not deterred. This suggests that a wall is simply not going to keep humans from crossing the border. 

“I thought it would have at least some kind of trace of an effect, even if it wasn't a statistically significant finding. But it didn't appear to,” said McCallum.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.aibs.org/bioscience/">Bioscience</a>

Photo Credit: Matt Clark/Defenders of Wildlife

Mexico border wall would hurt biodiversity, wouldn’t deter humans

When Donald Trump announced his presidential bid in June of...

Great apes and humans split several hundred thousand years earlier than previously believed, and it happened in Europe not Africa, two new studies say.

Until now, researchers assumed ape and human lineages diverged five to seven million years ago and that the first pre-humans developed in <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/dusty-winds-western-africa/">Africa</a>.

Research by Madelaine Böhme of the <a href="https://www.uni-tuebingen.de/en/university.html">University of Tübingen </a>in Germany and Nikolai Spassov of the <a href="http://bas.bg/bulgarian-academy-of-science">Bulgarian Academy of Sciences</a> outline a new scenario for the beginning of human history.

The researchers analyzed the two known specimens of the fossil hominid Graecopithecus freybergi: a lower jaw from Greece and an upper premolar from Bulgaria. Using computer tomography, they visualized the internal structures of the fossils and demonstrated that the roots of premolars are widely fused.

"While great apes typically have two or three separate and diverging roots, the roots of Graecopithecus converge and are partially fused - a feature that is characteristic of modern humans, early humans and several pre-humans including Ardipithecus and Australopithecus,” said Böhme.

The lower jaw has additional dental root features, suggesting that the species Graecopithecus freybergi might belong to the pre-human lineage.

 "We were surprised by our results, as pre-humans were previously known only from sub-Saharan Africa," said Jochen Fuss, a Tübingen PhD student who conducted this part of the study.

Graecopithecus is several hundred thousand years older than the oldest potential pre-human from Africa, the six-to-seven million year old Sahelanthropus from Chad.

The researchers dated the Graecopithecus fossil sites in Greece and Bulgaria with physical methods and got a similar age for both fossils - 7.24 and 7.175 million years.


"This dating allows us to move the human-chimpanzee split into the Mediterranean area," said David Begun, a <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a> paleoanthropologist and co-author of the study. 

At about the same time that the Sahara desert formed in North Africa, a savannah biomed formed in Europe, the research found.

"The incipient formation of a desert in North Africa more than seven million years ago and the spread of savannas in Southern Europe may have played a central role in the splitting of the human and chimpanzee lineages," said Böhme.

The findings are described in two studies published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

[caption id="attachment_450700" align="aligncenter" width="225"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/140912.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-450700" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/140912-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> Photo: Wolfgang Gerber, University of Tübingen[/caption]

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a>

Photo: Wolfgang Gerber, University of Tübingen

Human-ape split occurred in Europe, not Africa

Great apes and humans split several hundred thousand years earlier...

A dozen earthquakes were recorded over the weekend in Oklahoma, the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> said.

A 2.9 magnitude quake was recorded at 2:24 a.m. Sunday near Red Rock in northern Oklahoma and a 2.5 quake was recorded at 4:22 a.m. near Seiling in northern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oklahoma-earthquake-wastewater-injection/">Oklahoma</a>.

There were 10 quakes on Saturday, including a 4.2 magnitude temblor near Waynoka. The others were magnitude 3.1 or less. 

No injuries or damage have been reported.

Many of the thousands of earthquakes in Oklahoma in recent years have been linked to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and natural gas operations. State regulators have directed the companies to close some disposal wells and reduce the volume of others.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_MALAYSIA_MADAGASCAR_TORTOISES?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-05-15-06-23-11">AP</a>

A dozen earthquakes hit Oklahoma over the weekend

A dozen earthquakes were recorded over the weekend in Oklahoma,...

Authorities have seized 330 exotic tortoises from Madagascar that were being smuggled into Malaysia, <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_MALAYSIA_MADAGASCAR_TORTOISES?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-05-15-06-23-11">AP</a> reported.

The live tortoises, valued at $276,721, were packed into five boxes and labeled as stones, said Deputy customs director Abdull Wahid Sulong. He said 325 Indian Star tortoises and five Ploughshare tortoises, usually kept as pets, arrived via Etihad Airways from Antananarivo Airport in Madagascar on Sunday.

Acting on a tip, customs officials found the boxes at the Kuala Lumpur <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rhinoceros-horns-malaysian-airport/">airport</a> cargo warehouse on the same day, Abdull Wahid said.

Importing exotic tortoises requires a special permit from Malaysia's Wildlife Department. No arrests were made and the case is still under investigation, Abdull Wahid said.

Airport customs officials two weeks ago seized African pangolin scales worth $2.1 million at the airport cargo warehouse. Last month, they confiscated 18 rhino horns worth $3.1 million believed to have been flown in from Mozambique and declared as art objects.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_MALAYSIA_MADAGASCAR_TORTOISES?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-05-15-06-23-11">AP</a>

Malaysia seizes 330 exotic tortoises at airport

Authorities have seized 330 exotic tortoises from Madagascar that were...

High-level officials from the world's eight Arctic nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, are meeting in Alaska as the Arctic Council amid President Donald Trump’s call for more oil drilling and development.

Key issues such as climate change, development, and oil drilling will provide a backdrop as the chairmanship of the Arctic Council council passes from the U.S. to Finland.

"We are unsure what the Trump administration thinks about the Arctic region in general, about the Arctic Council in particular and about its role," said Victoria Herrmann, president of <a href="http://www.thearcticinstitute.org/">The Arctic Institute</a>, a Washington, D.C.-based group that provides research to shape Arctic policy.

The Arctic Council is an advisory body promoting cooperation among member nations and indigenous groups and focusing on sustainable development and environmental protection of the Arctic.

Protesters gathered in a city park nearby to denounce the presence of Tillerson, who was CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp.

"My message for Rex Tillerson is: Alaska shouldn't be for sale for what's in our earth," Hannah Hill, 36, who works at a Fairbanks soup kitchen, told the <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ARCTIC_COUNCIL?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-05-11-05-27-15">AP</a>. "This place is beautiful, and this place is delicate, and what already is happening on in the Arctic will affect the rest of the Earth. And that is science."

Pat Lambert, a retired <a href="https://www.alaska.edu/">University of Alaska</a> math professor, attended the rally because he believes climate change is a serious problem. He told the <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ARCTIC_COUNCIL?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-05-11-05-27-15">AP</a> he thinks Tillerson "should get away from his cronies in the oil business and start listening to the people of Alaska, for instance, and the people of the world who are so interested in these issues."

The United States - an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-loss-antarctic-peninsula/">Arctic</a> country because of the state of Alaska - is joined on the council by Canada, Russia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

The U.S. began chairing the council two years ago. Much of the council's work during that time stemmed from the policies of President Barack Obama, who made climate change and the Arctic priorities of his administration.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">AP</a>

Arctic council meets in Alaska amid drilling controversy

High-level officials from the world's eight Arctic nations, including U.S....

President Donald Trump is procrastinating a resolution on the Paris agreement. The White House previously stated that a decision would be made before President Trump attends the G7 summit in Italy at the end of this month. Now, White House spokesman Sean Spicer says the announcement will come after the summit.

The historical deal is the world's first comprehensive climate agreement which was arranged by 195 countries in 2015 during the Obama administration. All countries participating in the deal have pledged to significantly reduce carbon emissions over the next decade. During his campaign, President Trump vowed to renegotiate the terms of the deal, yet his current stance on the agreement remains unclear.

President Trump was expected to meet with top officials to get advice on the issue Tuesday, but the meeting was postponed for the second time. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scott-pruitt-doubts-global-warming/">Scott Pruitt</a> was scheduled to attend a meeting with Ivanka Trump which was also canceled. 

Pruitt has conveyed the opinion that the Paris agreement is not a good move for America and will result in the loss of jobs. The former attorney general of Oklahoma has a history of suing the EPA over restrictions that do not favor big oil and gas companies. 

Through a series of executive orders, Trump has indicated he is not willing to make the regulation of climate change a priority. He has expressed more interest in protecting American jobs by lifting restrictions on energy. However, Spicer said that Trump will “continue to meet with his team” to determine what is best for both the economy and the environment. 

While President Trump has not announced whether or not he will withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement, U.S. Diplomat and environmental expert David Balton suggested Trump’s decision will not make a difference. 

"The U.S. will remain engaged in the work that the Arctic Council does on climate change throughout," said Balton.

Companies like Apple, Google, Walmart,  and Tiffany and Company have expressed unwavering support of staying in the Paris agreement. Ted Halstead is the president of the Climate Leadership Council. Halstead said that "there is a nearly unanimous position on the part of big business."

George P. Schultz, Secretary of State during the Reagan administration, co-authored a piece for the New York Times with Halstead that said, “American business leaders understand that remaining in the agreement would spur new investment, strengthen American competitiveness, create jobs, ensure American access to global markets and help reduce future business risks associated with the changing climate.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">AP</a>

Trump pushes back decision on Paris Climate Agreement

President Donald Trump is procrastinating a resolution on the Paris...

Life existed in hot springs about three billion years earlier than scientists believed, raising the possibility that life started on land, not the sea, a new study says.

Evidence of life was discovered by <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales </a>scientists in 3.48 billion year-old billion old hot spring deposits in the Pilbara of Western Australia, the university said.

"Our exciting findings don't just extend back the record of life living in hot springs by 3 billion years, they indicate that life was inhabiting the land much earlier than previously thought, by up to about 580 million years," said the study’s first author, UNSW PhD candidate, Tara Djokic. "This may have implications for an origin of life in freshwater hot springs on land, rather than the more widely discussed idea that life developed in the ocean and adapted to land later."

The findings could even have relevance for the study of Mars because the planet has ancient hot spring deposits of a similar age to the Dresser Formation in the Pilbara, Djokic said.

In the Dresser Formation,  researchers studied exceptionally well-preserved deposits which are approximately 3.5 billion years old. They interpreted the deposits were formed on land, not in the ocean, by identifying the presence of geyserite - a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-cooling-faster/">mineral</a> deposit that is only found in a terrestrial hot spring environment. Previously, the oldest known geyserite had been identified from rocks about 400 million years old.

Within the Pilbara hot-spring deposits, the researchers also discovered stromatolites - layered rock structures created by communities of ancient microbes. There were other signs of early life in the deposits as well, including fossilized micro-stromatolites.

“This shows a diverse variety of life existed in fresh water, on land, very early in Earth's history," says Professor Van Kranendonk, Director of the <a href="https://www.aca.unsw.edu.au/">Australian Centre for Astrobiology</a> and head of the UNSW school of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. "The Pilbara deposits are the same age as much of the crust of Mars, which makes hot spring deposits on the red planet an exciting target for our quest to find fossilised life there.”

The study, is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a>

Image: UNSW

Australian fossil find marks the oldest evidence of life on land

Life existed in hot springs about three billion years earlier...

HIV DNA can be eliminated from the genomes of living animals to prevent further infection, according to a new study.

Researchers at <a href="https://www.temple.edu/">Temple University</a> and the <a href="http://www.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh</a> “excised” HIV DNA in three different animals including a “humanized” model in which mice were transplanted with human immune cells and infected with the virus.

It’s the first demonstration that HIV-1 replication can be completely shut down and the virus eliminated from infected cells in animals with a powerful gene editing technology known as CRISPR/Cas9.

A permanent cure for HIV infection remains elusive due to the virus's ability to hide away in latent reservoirs. 

The new research, published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/molecular-therapy">Molecular Therapy</a>, builds on a previous proof-of-concept study that the team published in 2016, in which they used transgenic rat and mouse models with HIV-1 DNA incorporated into the genome of every tissue of the animals' bodies.

“Our new study is more comprehensive,” said lead researcher Wenhui Hu, associate professor at <a href="https://medicine.temple.edu/">Temple Medical School</a>. “We confirmed the data from our previous work and have improved the efficiency of our gene editing strategy. We also show that the strategy is effective in two additional mouse models, one representing acute infection in mouse cells and the other representing chronic, or latent, infection in human cells.”

In the new study, the team genetically inactivated HIV-1 in transgenic mice, reducing the RNA expression of viral genes by roughly 60 to 95 percent, confirming their earlier findings. They then tested their system in mice acutely infected with EcoHIV, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/scientists-reverse-paralysis-mice/">mouse</a> equivalent of human HIV-1.

The new research marks another major step forward in the pursuit of a permanent cure for HIV infection with the next stage to repeat the studies in primates.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.temple.edu/">Temple University</a>

Scientists successfully eliminate HIV DNA in 3 different animals

HIV DNA can be eliminated from the genomes of living...

Lulu, one of the UK's last remaining killer whales who died after becoming entangled in a creel rope in Scotland, had one of the highest levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollution ever recorded in the species.

PCB concentrations in Lulu's blubber were 80 times higher than the accepted threshold, according to researchers from the <a href="http://www.strandings.org/">Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme</a>.

Although PCBs have been banned since the 1980s, experts say the Lulu’s levels highlight the long-lasting damage of PCBs on marine life.

Lulu, a member of the small West Coast of Scotland group of killer whales, died in January 2016 after being tangled in a rope. The PCB contamination was discovered over the past year by researchers.

Although Lulu was at least 20 years old, an analysis of her ovaries showed that she never reproduced, possibly due to the large amount of toxic chemicals in her body.

“We know Lulu died from becoming entangled, but, given what is known about the toxic effects of PCBs, we have to consider that such a high contaminant burden could have been affecting her health and reproductive fitness,”  said Dr. Andrew Brownlow, head of the <a href="http://www.strandings.org/">Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme</a>. 

He called Lulu's infertility “an ominous finding for the long-term survivability of this group; with no new animals being born, it is now looking increasingly likely that this small group will eventually go extinct.”

&nbsp;

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By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4469446/Washed-whale-Scotland-contaminated.html">Daily Mail</a>

Image Credit: John Bowler/RSPB Scotland/PA

Lulu the whale died with highest amount of pollution on record

Lulu, one of the UK's last remaining killer whales who...

Butadiene is a chemical used in making synthetic rubber and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caterpillar-solve-plastic-problem/">plastics</a>. This versatile material, a byproduct of natural gas and petroleum production, is in extremely high demand. Researchers at<a href="http://www.efrc.udel.edu/"> Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation</a> (CCEI) have made a significant breakthrough in obtaining butadiene. The team has discovered a way to make butadiene from natural resources. This method of creating renewable butadiene will lead to an even bigger advancement - sustainable rubber and plastics.

Butadiene is critical to many fields of industry. It is the key component in making a wide range of products such as tires, medical supplies, video game consoles, and sporting goods. Researchers from three universities teamed up at CCEI to focus on making butadiene from renewable resources such as corn, grass, and trees. 

Dionisios Vlachos, who co-authored the study, is the director of CCEI and a professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>. 

"Our team combined a catalyst we recently discovered with new and exciting chemistry to find the first high-yield, low-cost method of manufacturing butadiene," said Vlachos. "This research could transform the multi-billion-dollar plastics and rubber industries."

Vlachos added that academic research has shifted over the last decade to “focus on renewable chemicals and butadiene, in particular, due to its importance in commercial products.” 

Using technology belonging to the CCEI, the scientists created a three-step process that started with biomass-derived sugars. The sugars were converted to a ring compound known as furfural, which was processed into a second ring compound called tetrahydrofuran. Step three involved the use of a new catalyst called "phosphorous all-silica zeolite," which converted the tetrahydrofuran to butadiene with high yield.

Wei Fan is a contributor to the study and a professor at the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts</a>. Fan said, “We discovered that phosphorus-based catalysts supported by silica and zeolites exhibit high selectivity for manufacturing chemicals like butadiene. When comparing their capability for controlling certain industrial chemistry uses with that of other catalysts, the phosphorous materials appear truly unique and nicely complement the set of catalysts we have been developing at CCEI."

The findings from this study will be published in a leading journal of green chemistry and engineering called ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering. CCEI has worked to create technology to produce renewable chemicals since the research center’s formation in 2009. The development of renewable rubber is a main focus of CCEI’s mission. 

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>

Image Credit: <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>/ Jeffrey Chase

Major discovery will lead to sustainable rubber and plastics

Butadiene is a chemical used in making synthetic rubber and...

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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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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...