Mars, often seen as a dry and dusty world, holds surprising beauty in its skies. While Earth’s clouds are made of water vapor, Martian clouds contain something quite different - frozen carbon dioxide, also known as dry ice.



These clouds appear in stunning shades of red and green, creating an otherworldly spectacle that continues to intrigue scientists.



Recently, NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curiosity rover</a> captured breathtaking images of these drifting clouds. Taken over 16 minutes on 17 January 2025, these images reveal a fascinating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/martian-phenomenon-causes-spectacular-glowing-clouds-on-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric phenomenon</a>.



Known as noctilucent, or “night shining” clouds, these spectacular structures glow in the fading light of the setting sun. For this reason, they are also referred to as twilight clouds.



Sometimes, they even display a rainbow-like effect known as iridescence. The more scientists observe these clouds, the more they learn about Mars's atmosphere and its ever-changing weather patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-formation-of-clouds-on-mars">Formation of clouds on Mars</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/twenty-years-mars-clouds-catalogued-in-stunning-new-online-photo-atlas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martian</a> clouds form under extreme conditions. They exist as either water ice clouds or carbon dioxide ice clouds. 



Water-ice clouds tend to form at lower altitudes, while frozen carbon dioxide clouds appear much higher up, where temperatures are even colder. 



These dry ice clouds are the only ones on Mars known to create iridescence, when sunlight scatters through the tiny particles and creates a <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/mars-clouds_rainbow-colors_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shimmering display of colors</a>.



Curiosity’s latest images show these twilight clouds of dry ice floating at altitudes between 37 and 50 miles (60 to 80 kilometers) above the Martian surface.



As they drift, some plumes fall as low as 31 miles (50 kilometers) before evaporating due to rising temperatures. 



This movement offers valuable clues about the Martian atmosphere and how it behaves at different temperatures.



In contrast, water-ice clouds travel in the opposite direction. these clouds hover around 31 miles (50 kilometers) above the rover, forming and dissipating as the atmosphere shifts. 



The existence of two types of clouds moving in different directions adds another layer of complexity to the Martian climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovering-mars-s-twilight-clouds">Discovering Mars's twilight clouds</h2>



Twilight clouds on Mars are not a new discovery. NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-pathfinder/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pathfinder mission</a> first spotted them in 1997. However, Curiosity did not observe them until 2019. 



When it finally captured its first images of iridescence, scientists realized they had stumbled upon something remarkable.



This marks the fourth Martian year in which Curiosity has recorded twilight clouds. The phenomenon occurs at the start of fall in the planet’s southern hemisphere. 



These high-altitude clouds of frozen carbon dioxide glow as the sun dips below the horizon, creating a breathtaking visual effect.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/mars_colorful-clouds_ice_atmosphere_NASA_GRL_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/mars_colorful-clouds_ice_atmosphere_NASA_GRL_1s.webp" alt="Iridescent clouds are shown in cylindrical projection. Mosaics are shown from sols (a) 3,047, (b) 3,048, (c) 3,050, (d) 2,425, and (e) 3,049. The axes are at azimuth 270°, elevation 15°, with tick marks every 5° (azimuth) and 1° (elevation). Scattering-angle contours are at 5° intervals with a yellow 30° contour. The image in (d) is shown at twice the resolution of the others. Credit: NASA/GRL" class="wp-image-1960439"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Iridescent clouds are shown in cylindrical projection. Mosaics are shown from sols (a) 3,047, (b) 3,048, (c) 3,050, (d) 2,425, and (e) 3,049. The axes are at azimuth 270°, elevation 15°, with tick marks every 5° (azimuth) and 1° (elevation). Scattering-angle contours are at 5° intervals with a yellow 30° contour. The image in (d) is shown at twice the resolution of the others. Credit: NASA/GRL</figcaption></figure>



Mark Lemmon, an atmospheric scientist with the <a href="https://www.spacescience.org/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Space Science Institute</a>, has studied these clouds extensively. 



“I’ll always remember the first time I saw those iridescent clouds and was sure at first it was some color artifact,” he said. “Now it’s become so predictable that we can plan our shots in advance; the clouds show up at exactly the same time of year.”



Scientists use these observations to understand how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-can-engulf-the-entire-planet-of-mars-but-how/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martian</a> clouds form. Studying the size and growth rate of cloud particles helps researchers gain deeper insight into the planet’s atmospheric behavior. Each image captured by Curiosity adds to our appreciation of this phenomenon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mystery-of-carbon-dioxide-clouds">Mystery of carbon dioxide clouds</h2>



Despite years of observations, one question remains unanswered - why do carbon dioxide twilight clouds appear only in certain regions of the Martian atmosphere?



Curiosity, which explores Gale Crater near the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-white-christmas-australe-scopuli-region-changing-polar-landscape/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martian</a> equator, has frequently captured them. Pathfinder, which landed in Ares Vallis, also detected them. 



However, NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perseverance rover</a>, located in Jezero Crater, has yet to record any since its landing in 2021.



Scientists believe that some areas of Mars may be more suitable than others for the formation of these clouds. One possible explanation involves gravity waves, which can cool the atmosphere enough for carbon dioxide to freeze into ice.



However, this process is not fully understood.



“Carbon dioxide was not expected to be condensing into ice here, so something is cooling it to the point that it could happen. But Martian gravity waves are not fully understood and we’re not entirely sure what is causing twilight clouds to form in one place but not another,” Lemmon shared.



This atmospheric mystery continues to challenge scientists. By studying how these clouds appear and change over time, researchers hope to unlock new insights into Martian weather and climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-perspective-from-curiosity-s-mastcam">Unique perspective from Curiosity’s Mastcam</h2>



The latest images of twilight clouds were taken using one of Curiosity’s Mastcam cameras. 



However, these images have a distinct appearance. Instead of a full-frame view, the clouds appear within a partially open circle. This is because the filter wheel on the left 34 mm Mastcam has become stuck; this limits its field of view.



Despite this issue, the camera remains functional. The rover’s right 100 mm Mastcam provides higher-resolution, color images that capture a more detailed picture of the Martian skies. These observations continue to help scientists track changes in the atmosphere.



Curiosity recently completed an exploration of the Gediz Vallis channel, an area shaped by ancient water activity. Now, the rover is moving to a new region that is filled with fascinating geological features.



Among them is boxwork, a structure formed by groundwater. These formations look like giant spiderwebs from space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-investigating-mars-s-ancient-past">Investigating Mars’s ancient past</h2>



Curiosity’s journey is not just about studying clouds - it also seeks clues about Mars’s past. Recently, the rover visited an impact crater called “Rustic Canyon.”



This small crater, measuring 67 feet (20 meters) in diameter, has lost much of its rim due to erosion. Its shallow depth suggests that it formed millions of years ago.



Scientists study impact craters because they can reveal hidden materials from beneath the surface. When a meteor strikes Mars, it can expose rock layers that have been buried for eons. 



These ancient materials may contain preserved organic molecules that offer insights into the planet’s history.



Since Mars’s surface is constantly exposed to radiation, organic molecules tend to degrade over time. However, deeply buried materials have a better chance of remaining intact.



By analyzing samples from craters, researchers hope to understand whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasas-curiosity-rover-records-a-martian-day-from-dawn-to-dusk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mars</a> once had conditions suitable for microbial life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-future-holds">What the future holds</h2>



Curiosity’s observations of Martian clouds provide a deeper understanding of the planet’s climate and atmosphere. 



Each new image offers valuable information about cloud formation, atmospheric cooling, and seasonal weather changes.



The ongoing mystery of carbon dioxide twilight clouds remains unsolved, but with continued research, scientists may one day uncover the factors that cause them to form in some areas but not others.



As Curiosity moves forward in its mission, it will continue exploring new terrains and capturing more stunning views of the Martian sky. 



Each discovery brings humanity one step closer to understanding the Red Planet and its potential for hosting past or present life.



The full study can be read in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2024GL111183" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Martian skies have spectacular, glowing clouds at sunset

Mars, often seen as a dry and dusty world, holds surprising beauty in its skies. While Earth’s clouds are made of water vapor, Martian clouds contain something quite different - frozen carbon dioxide, also known as dry ice. These clouds appear in stunning shades of red and green, creating an otherworldly spectacle that continues to intrigue scientists. Recently, NASA’s Curiosity rover captured breathtaking images of these drifting clouds. Taken over 16 minutes on 17 January 2025, these images reveal a fascinating atmospheric phenomenon. Known as noctilucent, or...

This week, the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) accused Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of violating the Clean Air Act by refusing to disclose that a number of their vehicles came equipped with software that increases nitrogen oxide emissions. 

The Clean Air Act requires car manufacturers to pass federal emissions tests in an effort to regulate air pollution. Included in the legislation is a mandate requiring automakers to disclose any engine software that can alter vehicle emission levels. Companies that fail to disclose such information are required to pay a steep fine. 

According to the EPA, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sold about 104,000 automobiles with 3.0 liter diesel engines that contained this software. The vehicles in question are Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks sold between 2014 and 2016.

“Failing to disclose software that affects emissions in a vehicle’s engine is a serious violation of the law, which can result in harmful pollution in the air we breathe,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “We continue to investigate the nature and impact of these devices. All automakers must play by the same rules, and we will continue to hold companies accountable that gain an unfair and illegal competitive advantage.” 

But now, Fiat Chrysler is fighting back. The automaker has released a <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fca-us-response-to-epa-300390245.html">counter-statement</a>, saying they are “disappointed” in the EPA for issuing the violation, and vow to work with the incoming Trump administration to resolve the matter “fairly.” 

“FCA US diesel engines are equipped with state-of-the-art emission control systems hardware, including selective catalytic reduction (SCR),” Fiat Chrysler said in the statement. “Every auto manufacturer must employ various strategies to control tailpipe emissions in order to balance EPA's regulatory requirements for low nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and requirements for engine durability and performance, safety and fuel efficiency. FCA US believes that its emission control systems meet the applicable requirements.”

Chrysler Fiat goes on to say that they have spent months responding to the EPA’s concern and explain its emissions control technology. The automaker claims to have proposed a number of solutions, including extensive engine software changes to further improve nitrogen oxide emission levels.

--

By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer

EPA accuses Fiat Chrysler of violating Clean Air Act

This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accused Fiat...

It’s an incredible Antarctic journey. A collection of 24-ton tractors, each carrying and towing still more tons of food, fuel, equipment, and more, sets out from the edge of Antarctica. 

Traveling through frigid temperatures, they trek inland hundreds of miles to deliver their supplies to scientists stationed at the Concordia Research Station.

The scientists and suppliers who undertake the journeys call them “raids,” and the most recent raid had a special driver.

Dr. Didier Schmitt works for the <a href="http://www.esa.int/ESA">European Space Agency</a>, and is also an author and columnist. He joined a raid that headed to Concordia on Christmas Day.

He wrote about the trip on the ESA’s <a href="http://blogs.esa.int/concordia/2017/01/09/traversing-the-antarctic-mad-max-style/">blog</a>, comparing it to the “Mad Max” movies. The space agency monitored the convoy’s progress with satellites.

“As the Astrolabe ship was stuck in the ice, large supply items could not be unloaded so we will be the smallest raid ever,” he wrote – though he was quick to point out that the 300-meter convoy would still be carrying 330 tons of supplies.

“No passengers are allowed. Every person is in charge of a vehicle. I only had a few hours for a test-drive the day before ... While Father Christmas delivers gifts with reindeers we do it with mammoth-tractors weighing 22 tonnes,” Schmitt wrote.

Though the trip was only 10 days long, that was plenty of time for the convoy to run into trouble. Even though it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the “raiders” faced snow storms.

To help prevent problems, drivers are selected with redundancy in mind. Everyone knows their job, as well as someone else’s. They also went through stringent medical testing.

“Like on the International Space Station,” Schmitt said.

The conditions only got tougher the closer they got to the research station.

“We are in the middle of nowhere with 24 hour sunlight and a sky that has very unusual features,” Schmitt wrote, four days into the 10-day incredible journey.

The European Space Agency occasionally sends staff members on the Antarctic “raids.” Each year, an ESA doctor joins the staff at Concordia to conduct experiments with the crew. The isolation and weather offer a sort of alien landscape right on Earth.

Research on the continent also supports Earth observation research, which is also done by satellite, the agency said. The extreme light conditions – 24-hour darkness in the winter, and 24-hour sunlight in the summer – allows ESA doctors to study how humans cope without natural day and night cycles.

-

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Photo credit: ESA

Writer shares convoy's incredible Antarctic journey

It’s an incredible Antarctic journey. A collection of 24-ton tractors,...

It sounds like a science fiction plot. Using lasers, scientists brainwash an unwitting subject to stalk and kill its prey. But for these hapless zombie killer mice, it’s all too real.

A team of scientists from <a href="http://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> and the <a href="http://www5.usp.br/english/?lang=en">University of São Paulo</a> have been studying which parts of the brain control hunting behavior in vertebrates. Their goal was to figure out if the amygdala played a role in hunting behaviors.

To test their theory, they created aggressive zombie mice with a virus and some lasers.

They injected each mouse’s brain with a light-sensitive virus. Then, they watched until the virus spread that light-sensitivity to the amygdala. Using a thin optic fiber and a blue laser, they were able to turn hunting-focused neurons on and off at will.

This turned the mice into hunting machines.

Using the laser, the scientists could “program” the mouse to chase down prey like grasshoppers and to attack. In other words, they could turn timid mice that were normally the targets of predators into bold hunters themselves, the researchers said.

When the laser was turned off, the mice behaved normally. When it was turned on, they ran around looking for targets, attacking everything from grasshoppers to bottle caps.

However, the scientists’ brain control was not complete. Unlike fictional human zombies, the zombie mice did not attack or eat their own kind. They also were much less aggressive if they weren’t hungry, the scientists said.

That speaks to hunting behaviors being food-driven and not violence-focused, at least in mice.

The researchers also found that if they created lesions on the neurons in the amygdala associated with the biting and killing reflexes, mice would still chase their prey, but they would not kill it.

The research is still in its infancy, but isolating the neurons that control hunting and food-driven behaviors in mice could offer clues to how hunting behaviors evolved in other mammals. It could even offer clues into why some humans struggle with overeating, the researchers said.

However, that would require a lot more study, they said.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(16)31743-3">Cell</a>. 

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Image credit: Ivan de Araujo

Scientists create food-driven killer mice

It sounds like a science fiction plot. Using lasers, scientists...

Everyone can relax. We finally know where the Hyolith sea creature belongs on the tree of life.  
The first fossil of the ocean floor dwelling creature was discovered 175 years ago.  The mysterious animal, with its cone-shaped shell, tentacles, and appendages for walking, has eluded scientific classification until now.
Scientists say the Hyolith belongs to an invertebrate group that includes the horseshoe worm.
“Hyoliths are small cone-shaped sea dwelling animals. They are known from all around the world, mostly from fossils of their shells, “ Joseph Moysiuk of<a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/"> University of Toronto</a> told<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news"> BBC News</a>.
Moysiuk analyzed more than 1,500 specimens excavated from rocks found in Canada and the U.S. to reach this conclusion about the animal’s classification.
“They appear in the fossil record about 530 million years ago and survived until about 250 million years ago.”
“But the question of where Hyoliths actually fit into the tree of life has been somewhat of a mystery for the last 175 years, since they were first described.”
Hyoliths had long been assumed to be related to today’s common mollusks – like squid, octopus, clams, and snails. However, the new research published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html">Nature</a> suggests that they are more closely related to another group of organisms known as lophophorata, which also include lamp shells (brachipods).
Researchers involved in the study analyzed soft tissue preserved in fossils from a site called Burgess Shale in Canada.
“Being able to place them on the tree of life, it solves this long paleontological mystery about what these creatures are,” said Moysiuk.
He adds, “We have been able to discover some new features of a very old group of fossil animals, and it’s allowed us to reveal the evolutionary history of this group of animals and where exactly they sit on the tree of life.”
Dr. Martin Smith of the <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">University of Durham, UK</a>, also analyzed the fossils. He believes that understanding how the ancient creatures lived can offer insight into the impact of mass extinction events.
The Hyolith, which lived during the Cambrian period nearly 540 million years ago, was wiped out (along with most animal life) during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, 252 million years ago.
“Understanding the effects of such mass extinctions on ecology and diversity is particularly important as we seek to appraise and mitigate the implications of the current mass extinction event brought about by human activity,” said Dr. Smith.

Ancient Hyolith sea creature joins the tree of life

Everyone can relax. We finally know where the Hyolith sea...

The post-apocalyptic world of endless desert and dust bowls in Mad Max: Fury Road featured a tyrant who lorded over the starving and dehydrated masses by controlling a huge tank of drinkable water. The sci-fi film may have been more realistic than we knew, as a new affordable water crisis may be developing in the U.S.. 

A new study by <a href="https://msu.edu">Michigan State University</a> scholar and assistant geography professor Elizabeth Mack asserts that if water rates continue to rise as projected, the number of U.S. households unable to afford water could triple by nearly 36% in as few as five years. 

In her study, one of the first nationwide investigations of water affordability, Mack attributes the developing water crisis to a number of factors, including aging infrastructure, climate change, and declining populations in urban areas. 

“In cities across the United States, water affordability is becoming an increasingly critical issue,” Mack states. Her study, published online in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>, analyzes water pricing, consumption, socioeconomic and demographic data. 

The <a href="https://www.epa.gov">Environmental Protection Agency</a> recommends that spending on water and wastewater services combined should amount to no more than 4.5% of household income. If true, some 13.8 million U.S. households (nearly 12% of all households) may be unable to pay their water bills. She says that poor families are being hit especially hard by these statistics. 

Since 2010, water rates have gone up 41%. If that trend continues, an estimated 40.9 million households (35.6% of all households) will be unable to afford water and wastewater services in five years.

Regarding aging infrastructure, experts predict it will cost more than $1 trillion over the next 25 years to replace World War II-era water systems. Climate change is expected to introduce more severe weather events and require improvements to wastewater facilities. These fixes are estimated to cost the U.S. more than $36 billion by 2050.

In addition to that, shrinking populations in major cities results in fewer households paying for the large fixed cost of water service.  In Philadelphia, 40% of water accounts are past due. In Detroit, 50,000 households have been unable to pay their bills and had their water service terminated since the beginning of 2014.

The study says that governments, utilities and consumers will have to work together to fix the issue.

“Water is a fundamental right for all humans. However, a growing number of people in the United States and globally face daily barriers to accessing clean, affordable water,” says Mack. “The hope that is enhanced awareness of this issue in the developed world will highlight the severity of the issue, which is not isolated to people in the Developing world.”

Affordable water crisis developing in the U.S.

The post-apocalyptic world of endless desert and dust bowls in...

Scientists have spent years trying to work out how to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Sometimes the greatest discoveries happen when you're least expecting it. An interesting new development in the management of greenhouse gas emissions has been discovered accidentally by a team of scientists in Tennessee. While conducting experiments to remove contaminants from water, researchers at <a href="https://www.ornl.gov/">Oak Ridge National Laboratory</a> found a new method for removing carbon dioxide from the air. 

The discovery could be a very useful technique in counteracting carbon dioxide emissions that exacerbate the effects of climate change. 

The collaborative team of scientists from the <a href="http://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> and the <a href="https://www.utk.edu/">University of Tennessee</a> had initially set out to test how well a compound known as guanidine could remove pollutants such as chromate, sulfate, and phosphate from water. But after exposing the guanidine to air, the team noticed crystals beginning to from in the solution.

“After analyzing their structure by X-ray diffraction, we were surprised to find the crystals contained carbonate, which forms when carbon dioxide from air reacts with water,” said researcher Radu Custelcean. 

Unlike existing carbon-capture methods, this new method involving crystallization requires significantly less energy to transfer the carbon from the guanidine solution into long-term storage. Traditional processes have required materials be heated to 900 degrees Celsius (1,652 degrees Fahrenheit) before the carbon could be released. This new method helps remove CO2 using much less energy than other methods.

“Through our process, we were able to release the bound carbon dioxide by heating the crystals at 80 - 120 degrees Celsius (176 - 248 degrees Fahrenheit), which is relatively mild when compared with current methods,” Custelcean added.

The guanidine solution can also be reused up to three times. 

While the new method is both simple and cost effective, the researchers emphasize that global cooperation would be required for it to make a dent in atmospheric carbon levels.

The team reported their findings in an article titled “CO2 Capture from Ambient Air by Crystallization with a Guanidine Sorbent” published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1521-3773?systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+21+May+from+10-12+BST+for+monthly+maintenance">Angewandte Chemie International Edition</a>.

--

By Rory Arnold / Earth.com staff writer

Scientists find a new CO2 removal technique

Scientists have spent years trying to work out how to...

Some of the most adorable and lovable animals from your favorite movies may suffering in abhorrent living conditions. A former employee of leading Hollywood animal supplier <a href="http://www.birdsandanimals.com/screen-credits/feature-credits/">Birds &amp; Animals Unlimited</a> has reported the organization to <a href="http://www.peta.org/">PETA</a> with shocking allegations of animal abuse.

Birds &amp; Animals Unlimited (BAU) has rented out animals to such high profile films as Marley &amp; Me, The Hangover, and Pirates of the Caribbean. But according to an eyewitness who worked at the organization between August and November 2016, many of the animals were denied food, clean shelter, and veterinary care.

In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=17&amp;v=trL-n1h_Ah4">YouTube</a> video released by PETA, an owl named Crash, who appeared in several of the Harry Potter films, is seen kept in a cage that is covered in six weeks worth of feces. 

According to PETA, three pigs from the film College Road Trip were found emaciated, one with bloody sores running down the side of her body.

Two cats from the upcoming film Benji were starved for days on end after being considered “too fat.” In five days, they lost 5% of their body weight.

BAU employees also allegedly showed up to shelters posing as families looking to adopt a pet dog. But instead of taking them home, they would take the dogs to work on film sets. In the evenings, the dogs were left outside in freezing conditions without any bedding.

The BAU also reported to the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a> that a kangaroo in their care had been relocated to Texas. But a manager later admitted that the kangaroo had broken its jaw and couldn’t eat, and then died under BAU’s watch. 

The former employee reported that this was no isolated incident. Allegedly, many animals died at the facility having been denied access to veterinary care, sometimes for an entire month.

PETA has filed an official complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the alleged animal abuse at Birds &amp; Animals Unlimited. 

“Animals used for film and television have been neglected, left hungry, and treated like disposable props,” said Lisa Lang, senior vice president at PETA. “The only way to ensure that a production is humane is to keep it animal-free.”

--

By Rory Arnold / Earth.com staff writer

Photo: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=17&amp;v=trL-n1h_Ah4">PETA/YouTube</a>

Animal abuse allegations at leading Hollywood animal supplier

Some of the most adorable and lovable animals from your...

Scientists in the exciting field of rhino dung research found white rhinos may communicate important personal information to each other using their poop.

Chemicals in the species' dung can give other rhinos information about an individual’s sex, age, general health, and territory, researchers from the <a href="http://www.ukzn.ac.za/">University of KwaZulu-Natal</a> said. If the dung is from a female, the chemical signature may even show whether she’s in heat.

White rhinos have terrible eyesight, so they depend on their sense of smell to acquire information about their environment, the scientists said. The researchers wanted to find out how much of a role dung played in acquiring that information and spreading it around.

"Mammals commonly communicate olfactorily via urine. However, the extent to which they communicate via dung, another waste product, is unknown," they wrote.

White rhinos have communal defecation grounds, called middens. These appear to play play an important role as a social and communication hub, the scientists said. Imagine it as an offline Facebook or Twitter, but with rhino poop.

In South Africa’s <a href="https://hluhluwegamereserve.com/">Hluhluew-Imfolozi Park</a>, researchers collected 150 rhino dung samples from free-ranging white rhinos. These samples were collected from both males and females. They all varied in age, territorial state, and breeding state.

The researchers then isolated chemicals in the dung samples, known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs, that seemed to provide messages to noses that could decode them.

In order to test the effects of specific chemicals, the researchers created three artificial dung odors. One represented a territorial male, another represented a female in heat, and the third was a neutral smell. They exposed male rhinos to the fake rhino dung and observed the individuals for three days following exposure.

"In response, males elicited behaviors associated with the specific odors," they wrote.

Communication via dung odors within the white rhino community seems to be widespread, the scientists said.

The research was published in the journal <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/284/1846/20162376">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.

— 

By Connor Ertz / Earth.com staff writer

Rhino dung serves as species' social media

Scientists in the exciting field of rhino dung research found...

They’re adorable, they’re furry, they’re: gibbon! And this week, it was announced that a new species of gibbon has been discovered living in the rainforests of southwestern China.

The new species has been officially named the Skywalker hoolock gibbon. As it happens, the discoverers are major Star Wars fans. But the name is also a reference to the Chinese characters of its scientific name, Hooklock tianxing, which means “Heaven’s movement.” 

The discovery was a collaborative effort made by a team of scientists from both the <a href="https://www.zsl.org/">Zoological Society of London</a> and <a href="http://www.sysu.edu.cn/">Sun Yat-sen University</a> in China.

“In this area, so many species have declined or gone extinct because of habitat loss, hunting, and general human overpopulation,” Dr. Sam Turvey from the Zoological Society of London told <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news">BBC News</a>. “So it’s an absolute privilege to see something as special and as rare as a gibbon in a canopy in a Chinese rainforest, and especially when it turns out that the gibbons are actually a new species previously unrecognizable by science.”

The team was led by Fan Peng-Fei from Sun Yat-sen University, who was the first to detect that the gibbons they were studying in a Gaoligongshan nature reserve were different. Peng-Fei noted that these gibbons had unusual facial features, such as white beards and eyebrows, and their voices sounded different.

The team ran a full set of genetic testing to confirm that the group they observed were indeed, a new species. They estimate that roughly 200 Skywalker gibbons are currently alive in southwest China.

But the researchers warn that the new species of gibbon should be classified as endangered due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.

--

Photo: Fan Peng-Fei/ZSL

New species of gibbon found in Chinese rainforest

They’re adorable, they’re furry, they’re: gibbon! And this week, it...

Imagine buzzing across the Hudson River or around the San Francisco Bay on a boat that actually floats above the water. It could happen sooner than you might think. Flying water taxis are now one step closer to becoming a reality now that its investors have received a new round of funding. 

Yachtsman Alain Thébault and Swedish windsurfer Anders Bringdal have teamed up to design these “flying water taxis” otherwise known as the Sea Bubble. The unique vehicles will float 2 feet above the water, capable of reaching speeds up to 18 miles per hour. 

The team raised $3.6 million for the project last month, and have just announced they are expecting an additional third round of funding. Thébault told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-11/flying-river-taxis-eye-customers-from-the-seine-to-san-francisco">Bloomberg</a> that the next installment could be up to 10 times that amount.

Production of the flying water taxis will begin next month, and testing will occur in Paris in the spring. Test vehicles will be able to carry up to 6 passengers at a time.

Thébault told <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/27/paris-to-trial-flying-river-taxis-in-the-seine-next-year/">The Telegraph</a> that he envisions SeaBubbles will ultimately be available to order on an app like Uber. 

The technology powering SeaBubbles was originally invented by Thébault in 1994 for a sail-powered vessel he called Hydroptere. Instead of floating along the the water like a typical boat, the Hydroptere channels a similar model that planes use to fly, where air passes over the wings and generates lift.

By floating above the water, the Sea Bubble avoids up to 40% of the drag imposed by water flow. Because the boat is electrically powered, it remains very quiet and produces zero emissions. 

Trips on the Sea Bubble will cost roughly $12. 

“The idea actually came from my daughters after I sailed from LA to Hawaii recently,” Thébault told <a href="http://www.thelocal.fr/20161027/paris-flying-river-taxis-to-be-tested-on-seine-sea-bubbles">The Local</a>. “They told me to invent a zero-emission cab because they were sick of seeing the pollution in Paris, London, and the US." 

“Next spring we will hold a public demonstration on the Seine in front of the National Assembly in Paris with five Sea Bubbles”

Flying water taxis could be coming very soon

Imagine buzzing across the Hudson River or around the San...

This spring, the first ever zero-emission boat will launch an epic, 6 year trip around the world. The vessel, named Energy Observer, is a former race boat that has received a $5 million green makeover. The boat is now equipped with wind turbines, solar panels, and a hydrogen fuel cell system. 

Energy Observer will set sail from the Saint-Malo port in Brittany, France where it is currently docked. From there, the zero-emission boat will make 101 stops in 50 different countries, beginning with Paris. 

The vessel was originally designed in 1983, and in its past life, enjoyed great success in sailing races. In 1994, it even won the Jules Verne Trophy, under captain Peter Blake. 

Then, in 2015, the <a href="http://www.energy-observer.org/">Energy Observer Project</a> was imagined by Frederic Dahirel and Victorien Erussard, along with filmmaker Jerome Delafosse. 

"I'm passionate about new technologies," Erussard said. "Building a self-sufficient boat could have seemed utopian, but this is going to be an incredible vessel. It's very promising for the future.

"We bank on the diversity of renewable energies. And if there is no sun or wind, or at night, we have the option to draw in our hydrogen reservoirs. We will produce this hydrogen in a decarbonized manner through electrolysis of the sea water."

The project was formally presented Wednesday at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.  

"This boat will demonstrate that there are many solutions for energetic transition," said French environmentalist Nicolas Hulot. "All solutions are within nature."

Mark Z. Jacobson, engineering professor at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>, has suggested that transportation across the world be equipped to utilize a combination of battery-powered energy and hydrogen fuel cell energy. 

"I believe that it is fantastic that a boat powered by hydrogen and electricity will travel the world," Jacobson told <a href="https://www.apnews.com/c87784a488604d0998f4d00e20500b4d/Zero-emission-boat-prepares-for-round-the-world-odyssey">The Associated Press</a>. "It is an important step forward and consistent with this proposed path to 100 percent clean, renewable energy worldwide for all purposes to solve energy security, job creation, air pollution, and climate problems."

First zero-emission boat set for epic, 6-year journey

This spring, the first ever zero-emission boat will launch an...

Cows’ ancestors, the aurochs, stood almost as tall as elephants, boasting powerful frames and fearsome horns to discourage predators. Our ancestors held aurochs in high esteem, immortalizing them in prehistoric cave paintings. They lived for thousands of years as the largest land mammals in Europe. As the human population number grew, aurochs’ numbers were decimated. In 1627, the last of their species perished – one of the first ever recorded cases of extinctions.

Conservationists believe the loss of this herbivore was tragic for biodiversity in Europe. They claim the aurochs' huge appetite provided a natural “gardening service,” maintaining landscapes and creating perfect conditions for other species to thrive.

That theory is now being put to the test as a "near 100% substitute" of the pre-cow is being returned to the ecosystem.

The <a href="http://www.taurosproject.com/">Tauros programme</a> was launched in 2008 by Ecologist Ronald Goderie, who sought to address failing ecosystems. This powerful historical herbivore in European history offered a solution.

"We thought we needed a grazer that is fully self-sufficient in case of big predators . . . and could do the job of grazing big wild areas," says Goderie. "We reasoned that this animal would have to resemble an auroch."

Casting aside gene editing or high-tech de-extinction approaches used by other scientists, Goderie used a method called back-breeding to create a replacement bovine which he called "Tauros."

As auroch genes still remain in various breeds of cattle, geneticists were able to advise that breeding some species together could produce offspring with qualities close to an auroch. They then bred the child.

With each generation, the animals got closer to the ancient auroch. The team were then able to test the offspring's DNA against the auroch’s complete genome, which was <a href="http://www.sci-news.com/genetics/science-genome-eurasian-wild-aurochs-bos-primigenius-03377.html">sequenced</a> at <a href="http://www.ucd.ie/">University College Dublin</a>.

"You could see from the first generation that apart from the horn size, there was enough wild in the breed to produce animals far closer to the auroch than we would have expected," says Goderie. Goderie predicts that in seven generations – by 2025 – the breeding would complete his desired outcome. Now in their fourth generation, pilot schemes in Europe show encouraging results.

The Tauros programme partnered with <a href="https://www.rewildingeurope.com/">Rewilding Europe</a>, which supports the restoration of natural processes through such projects. Rewilding Europe provided protected land across the continent in Croatia, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Romania. These cross-breeds were able to test themselves in the wild. 

"We see progress not only in looks and behavior but also in re-domestication of the animals," he says. "This is a challenging process as they have to adapt to the presence of large packs of wolves."

Sadly, herds of cows are slaughtered by local wolves at the Croatian site. But the Tauroi learned how to defend themselves and few perished. As selective breeding continues, it’s encouraging for the scientists to see these animals already servicing a function in the wild.

"We support the comeback of large herbivores as they are key species for the specific role of grazing and browsing," says Frans Schepers, who is the managing director of Rewilding Europe.

"Bovines can shape habitats and facilitate other species because of their behavior, and the more primitive and close to the wild the better because it means that eventually they can become part of the natural system. Without grazing everything becomes forest, or barren land when there is agriculture. The gradients in between are so important for biodiversity, from open soil to grassland and 'mosaic landscapes.’”

However, critics of the initiative are concerned that introducing new species could have terrible effects for regional ecology. The <a href="https://www.iucn.org/">International Union for the Conservation of Nature</a> (IUCN) issued new guidelines.

"Typically emphasis is placed on technical feasibility, without sufficient emphasis on risks. Questions abound whether primarily wetland forests like the aurochs used to inhabit still exist, whether it could negatively impact wild or domestic plants or animals, and if it might endanger people," Dr. Axel Moehrenschlager expressed, IUCN Chair of the Reintroduction Specialist Group.

Aurochs, the extinct supercow, coming back to Europe

Cows’ ancestors, the aurochs, stood almost as tall as elephants,...

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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

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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