When people think about glowing mushrooms, like the newly discovered species Mycena crocata, they often imagine tropical rainforests where such exotic wonders may be more commonly found. 



However, bioluminescent fungi are not limited to tropical regions - they also live in unexpected places.



In Zurich, artists Heidy Baggenstos and Andreas Rudolf have dedicated more than ten years to studying and showcasing these glowing organisms. 



Their work highlights the beauty and presence of bioluminescent fungi close to home, and proves that extraordinary natural phenomena can be found even in familiar surroundings.



"We want to show that these bioluminescent mushrooms are present in Swiss forests and that we do not have to travel far to find them," said Baggenstos.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mycena-crocata-glowing-mushrooms">Mycena crocata - glowing mushrooms</h2>



One evening, while exploring a forest in Zurich’s Albisrieden neighborhood, the duo spotted green light through their camera. 



"Nowadays we always have our mobile phones or a flashlight, but to see bioluminescence in the forest, it has to be pitch black," Rudolf explained.



Initially, they believed the glowing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-can-think-and-make-smart-decisions-without-a-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi</a> to be Mycena haematopus. Upon closer investigation in their studio, however, they identified it as Mycena crocata, the saffron drop bonnet mushroom. 



This species, known for its saffron-colored milk, had never been described as bioluminescent before.



The artists documented their findings with photographs and light measurements, uncovering this hidden brilliance. 



In darkness, the mycelium - the underground network of the mushroom - emits a green glow that even causes decaying wood to light up.



Under ideal conditions, their cultivated mycelia glowed for 164 days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crossing-art-and-science">Crossing art and science</h2>



Collaborating with mycologist Renate Heinzelmann from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (<a href="https://www.wsl.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WSL</a>), the artists published their discovery in&nbsp;Mycoscience. 



"Most of the experiments were conducted by the artists. They collected the samples, took the photographs, and made the light measurements," Heinzelmann said, praising their dedication.



Through their research, the artists discovered that the fruiting body (the mushroom itself) of Mycena crocata emits little to no light. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/glowing-mushroom-species_Mycena-crocata_bioluminescence_credit-Baggenstos-Rudolf_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/glowing-mushroom-species_Mycena-crocata_bioluminescence_credit-Baggenstos-Rudolf_1s.webp" alt="Mycena crocata in the light (left) and in darkness (right). The bioluminescence from the mycelium makes the wood glow. Credit: Baggenstos/Rudolf" class="wp-image-1956533"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mycena crocata in the light (left) and in darkness (right). The bioluminescence from the mycelium makes the wood glow. Credit: Baggenstos/Rudolf</figcaption></figure>



Instead, the underground mycelium - the root-like network of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-all-fungi-matter-not-just-mushrooms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungus</a> - is the primary source of its bioluminescence.



This glowing mycelium is capable of lighting up the decaying wood it grows on. When the wood is split open in the dark, it emits a green glow, which can last for up to four hours before gradually fading as the wood dries. 



This fascinating discovery highlights how the less-visible parts of fungi can hold some of their most extraordinary features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mystery-of-glowing-fungi">Mystery of glowing fungi</h2>



Bioluminescence in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-fungi-communicate-using-a-silent-language/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi</a> happens because of a chemical reaction. A substance called&nbsp;luciferin&nbsp;reacts with an enzyme called&nbsp;luciferase. 



This reaction creates an unstable product that gives off energy as light, allowing the fungi to glow. Unlike other glowing effects like fluorescence, this process doesn’t need light or energy from outside sources; it happens naturally within the fungi.



Although scientists know how this reaction works, they are still unsure why fungi glow. One idea is that the light attracts insects, which might help spread the fungal spores.



However, this doesn’t fully explain the glow of the mycelium, which is hidden underground and doesn’t interact with insects. This mystery suggests there might be another, as yet unknown reason for fungal bioluminescence.



"It seems that bioluminescence has been maintained for a long time, so we assume it has some function," Heinzelmann says. "But it's still a mystery."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mycena-crocata-and-swiss-forests">Mycena crocata and Swiss forests</h2>



The discovery of&nbsp;Mycena crocata&nbsp;as a glowing, bioluminescent fungus highlights how much we still don’t know about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-fungi-diversity-can-be-pulled-out-of-thin-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural world</a> around us. Local ecosystems hold countless secrets waiting to be explored. 



Bioluminescent fungi, for instance, have fascinated humans for thousands of years. Aristotle described their glow as a “cold fire” over 2,000 years ago, and even now, their mysteries continue to intrigue scientists.



According to mycologist <a href="https://www.wsl.ch/en/staff/heinzelm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Renate Heinzelmann</a>, the field of bioluminescence is still in its early stages. She believes that as more people study fungi, more glowing species will be uncovered. "Bioluminescence is under-researched, and the more people look, the more they will find," she states.



The collaborative work of artists Heidy Baggenstos and Andreas Rudolf with scientists demonstrates how blending art and science can reveal nature’s hidden marvels. 



Their discovery serves as a powerful reminder that extraordinary phenomena aren’t always far away - they might be right in our local forests, waiting for someone curious enough to notice them.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mycosci/65/4/65_MYC633/_article" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mycoscience</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

New species of glowing mushrooms discovered

When people think about glowing mushrooms, like the newly discovered species Mycena crocata, they often imagine tropical rainforests where such exotic wonders may be more commonly found. However, bioluminescent fungi are not limited to tropical regions - they also live in unexpected places. In Zurich, artists Heidy Baggenstos and Andreas Rudolf have dedicated more than ten years to studying and showcasing these glowing organisms. Their work highlights the beauty and presence of bioluminescent fungi close to home, and proves that extraordinary natural phenomena can be found even...

Plants have the remarkable ability to protect themselves against pathogens, and a new study reveals previously unknown details of this phenomenon. An international team of researchers led by Professor Cyril Zipfel of the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a> has identified the calcium channel that initiates stomatal closure when <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-altering-the-life-cycles-of-bees-and-plants/">plants</a> encounter microbes.

While it was known that calcium floods the cells surrounding the pores and triggers them to close, the underlying mechanism was not clear. "The identity of the channels that mediate this rapid calcium movement was still unknown and has vexed researchers for a long time," said Professor Zipfel.

Using the model plant Arabidopsis, the scientists discovered that a protein called OSCA1.3 forms a channel which leaks calcium into the cells surrounding a plant's pores. The team also identified a known immune system protein that triggers the process.

The findings represent a major step toward understanding the defense mechanisms plants use to resist infection, which may ultimately lead to the development of crops that are resistant to pathogens. 

Study co-author José Feijó is a professor of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a>.

"This is a major advance, because a substantial part of the world's food generated by agriculture is lost to pathogens, and we now know the molecular mechanism behind one of the first and most relevant signals for plant immune response to pathogens--the calcium burst after infection," said Professor Feijó.

"Finding the mechanism associated with this calcium channel allows further research into its regulation, which will improve our understanding of the way in which the channel activity modulates and, eventually, boosts the immune reaction of plants to pathogens."

Previous studies had shown that a protein called BIK1 was a necessary component of the immune calcium response in plants. Professor Zipfel's team searched for proteins that may be modified by exposure to BIK1, and noticed that a protein called OSCA1.3 transformed in a very specific way that suggested it could be a calcium channel for plants. OSCA1.3 is a part of a family of proteins that are known to exist as ion channels in many organisms, including humans, and it seems to be specifically activated upon detection of pathogens.

To confirm this theory, the Professor  team reached out to Feijó, who is well known for identifying and characterizing ion channels and signaling mechanisms in plants. Study co-author Erwan Michard, a visiting assistant research scientist in Professor Feijó's lab, conducted experiments which showed that BIK1 triggers OSCA1.3 to open up a calcium channel into a cell.

According to the study authors, BIK1 only activates when a plant gets infected with a pathogen, suggesting that OSCA1.3 opens a calcium channel to close stomata as a defensive response to pathogens.

"This is a perfect example of how a collaborative effort between labs with different expertise can bring about important conclusions that would be difficult on solo efforts," said Professor Feijó. "This fundamental knowledge is badly needed to inform ecology and agriculture on how the biome will react to the climatic changes that our planet is going through."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists discover how plants protect themselves from pathogens

Plants have the remarkable ability to protect themselves against pathogens,...

In Southeast Asia, bizarre plants grow along the walls of tropical caves that have only a single leaf. Scientists at the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a> believe that a better understanding of this unique species could help lead to the development of genetic tools to control the size of common crop <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-altering-the-life-cycles-of-bees-and-plants/">plants</a>.

Monophyllaea glabra, which means "hairless species of one-leaf plant," sprouts from a seed that contains two embryonic leaves called cotyledons. However, only one of these cotyledons becomes a leaf. 

From what has been observed, it appears that this leaf can continue growing larger as long as the plant lives. By contrast, most plants have unlimited leaves with a limited size. 

Study lead author Professor Hirokazu Tsukaya first attempted to analyze Monophyllaea nearly three decades ago after observing the plants in their native habitat in Thailand. At that time, genetic tools were designed to examine more common plant species, which made it challenging to study irregular species like Monophyllaea. 

Recently, when graduate student Ayaka Kinoshita joined the lab, Professor Tsukaya's research finally resumed. To investigate why Monophyllaea has only one leaf, the team needed tools that could identify the location and activity level of genes early in the plant's development. 

A technique known as whole-mount in situ hybridization allows researchers to determine all of the genetic material that cells were using at the time of their death. The technique is primarily used to analyze animal tissue, however, and is complicated to use in plants due to their stiff outer cell wall.

"Luckily, another of our lab members, Assistant Professor Hiroyuki Koga, is a true professional at using the whole-mount system and he persisted to develop a suitable method for plants," said Professor Tsukaya. 

In plants with standard anatomy, the SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) gene is expressed in cells at the growing tips of stems - the shoot meristems. In addition, the ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3) gene is expressed in very young leaves to promote the multiplication of cells that form the leaf.

"With our naked eye, we cannot see any shoot meristem in Monophyllaea. So we want to know, is it lost or is it modified?" said Professor Tsukaya.

The study revealed that Monophyllaea does not separate the location and timing of STM and AN3 gene expression, but rather overlaps the expression of these two genes. 

The researchers explained that what looks like a simple leaf in Monophyllaea is actually a combination or fusing of the shoot meristem and leaf.

"In Monophyllaea, the expression areas overlap, suggesting this plant is a hybrid of a normal leaf and shoot meristem. We suppose this curious gene expression pattern is one reason why the plant has such a curious appearance," said Professor Tsukaya.

According to the experts, understanding how unusual species like M. glabra evolved to use common genes in uncommon ways will help agricultural scientists develop tools for controlling the size of leaves for optimal crop cultivation in the future.

"We study M. glabra because the characteristics of Monophyllaea development are very unique and they cannot be found in any mutants of common laboratory plants. Dealing with the unique phenomenon can definitely provide new insights to plant science," said Professor Tsukaya.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science">Frontiers in Plant Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Tropical plant has a single leaf with unlimited growth potential

In Southeast Asia, bizarre plants grow along the walls of...

Variety,Of,Vegetables,Cabbages,,Broccoli,,Peppers,,Cauliflower,,Avocado,,Zucchini,,Cucumber.

In a new study from <a href="http://www.ecu.edu.au/">Edith Cowan University</a>, researchers have discovered why certain vegetables like broccoli and cabbage are beneficial to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-meats-are-better-for-heart-health/">heart health</a>. The research suggests that some of the least popular vegetables, known as cruciferous vegetables, help to prevent the progression of blood vessel disease.

Study lead author Dr. Lauren Blekkenhorst said there was something intriguing about cruciferous vegetables, and the current study is shedding new light on this idea.

"In our previous studies, we identified those with a higher intake of these vegetables had a reduced risk of having a clinical cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or stroke, but we weren't sure why," said Dr. Blekkenhorst. "Our findings from this new study provides insight into the potential mechanisms involved."

"We have now found that older women consuming higher amounts of cruciferous vegetables every day have lower odds of having extensive calcification on their aorta."

"One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels."

The study showed that higher consumption of broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables is associated with less extensive blood vessel disease in older women.

The investigation was focused on nearly 700 older women in Western Australia who were recruited for a cohort study in 1998.

The researchers found that women with more cruciferous vegetables in their diet had a lowered risk of accumulating a dangerous amount of calcium on their aorta - a key marker for structural blood vessel disease. 

This build-up of fatty calcium deposits can reduce the flow of blood circulating around the body, which is a leading cause of heart attack or stroke.

Dr. Blekkenhorst said women in this study who consumed more than 45 grams of cruciferous vegetables every day, such as one-fourth cup of steamed broccoli or one-half cup of raw cabbage, were 46 percent less likely to have extensive build-up of calcium on their aorta.

"That's not to say the only vegetables we should be eating are broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. We should be eating a wide variety of vegetables every day for overall good health and well-being."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition">British Journal of Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Broccoli and cabbage reduce the risk of heart attack

In a new study from Edith Cowan University, researchers have...

Researchers have found that the life cycles of bees and flowering plants are not always synchronized as a result of climate change. Some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-is-wiping-out-bees-and-other-wild-pollinators/">pollinators</a> are now emerging later than their sources of nectar and pollen.

The study, conducted by Michael Stemkovski of <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a> and Professor Rebecca Irwin of North Carolina State University, was focused on 67 bee species in the Colorado Rockies.

The experts say that a  "phenological mismatch," which alters the timing of life cycles between bees and flowers, has the potential to disrupt this mutually beneficial relationship altogether.

The researchers analyzed data collected from sites around Colorado's Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, and found that bee emergence is advancing with the timing of snowmelt. However, the seasonal variation in the life cycles of plants are more sensitive to global warming.

"We analyzed time-series abundance data collected at 18 sites around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) in the Elk Mountains of western Colorado during a nine-year, National Science Foundation-funded bee monitoring project," said Stemkovski.

"We find bee emergence timing is advancing with snowmelt timing, but bee phenology - timing of emergence, peak abundance and senescence - is less sensitive than flower phenology," said Professor Irwin. "Given global concerns about pollinator declines, the research provides important insight into the potential for reduced synchrony between flowers and their pollinators under climate change."

According to Stemkovski, previous studies were primarily focused on temperature, but this study also accounted for the effects of topography and bee species traits.

"Elevation played a large role in when bees started foraging, as well as the bees' functional traits, such as whether bees nested below or above ground, and the life stage in which they overwintered," said Stemvokvski. "We found all of these factors predicted bee emergence, but the most important factor was snowmelt timing."

If bees begin foraging later than plants reach their flowering peak in the spring, this will reduce the abundance of pollinators as well as plants.

"In the short-term, we expect mutualist species to suffer fitness losses," said Stemkovski. "In the long-term, bees and plants may be able to adapt and reestablish some synchrony, unless climate change outpaces the rate of adaptation."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Climate change is altering the life cycles of bees and plants

Researchers have found that the life cycles of bees and...

A substance that is found in cashew shells can restore damaged <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/music-medications-calm-nerves/">nerves</a>, according to a study from  <a href="https://www.vumc.org/">Vanderbilt University Medical Center</a>. 

In lab experiments, the researchers identified  a chemical compound in the shell of the cashew nut that promotes the repair of myelin, an insulating layer that forms around nerves for protection.

The myelin sheath is made up of protein and fatty substances that allow electrical signals to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells.

Damage to this protective layer, which is known as demyelination, is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis and other diseases of the central nervous system.

"We see this as an exciting finding, suggesting a new avenue in the search for therapies to correct the ravages of MS and other demyelinating diseases," said study senior author Dr. Subramaniam Sriram.

In previous work, Dr. Sriram showed that a protein called interleukin 33 (IL-33) induced myelin formation. IL-33 is, among other things, an immune response regulator.

Dr. Sriram and team turned their attention to a cashew shell compound called anacardic acid because it is known to inhibit an enzyme involved in gene expression called histone acetyltransferase (HAT). The researchers had already discovered that whatever inhibits HAT triggers the production of IL-33.

The study authors describe a range of new findings that implicate the potential for anacardic acid to be used to treat demyelinating diseases.

For example, an experiment with rat cells in vitro showed that the addition of the compound initiated the production of IL-33 and rapidly increased the expression of myelin genes and proteins.

In a separate experiment based on an animal model of demyelination, anacardic acid was also found to enhance myelination and the increases in myelin were dose-dependent. The results of two additional trials indicate that the compound could even reduce paralysis.

"These are striking results that clearly urge further study of anacardic acid for demyelinating diseases," said Dr. Sriram.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Compound in cashew shells repairs nerve damage

A substance that is found in cashew shells can restore...

In new study from <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford Medicine</a>, researchers have found evidence that plant-based meat alternatives are better for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heat-related-cardiovascular-hospitalizations-are-on-the-rise/">cardiovascular</a> health. The experts report that swapping out red meat for plant-based alternatives can improve cardiovascular risk factors. 

While a patty made of plants should obviously be healthier than a hamburger, many of the new meat alternatives are processed foods that contain high levels of saturated fat and added sodium. All of these factors have been shown to contribute to cardiovascular disease risk, noted study senior author Dr. Christopher Gardner.

"There's been this sort of backlash against these new meat alternatives. The question is, if you're adding sodium and coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat, and using processed ingredients, is the product still actually healthy?" 

To investigate, Dr. Gardner and his team assigned 36 participants to two different diets. One diet included at least two daily servings of meat and the other included at least two daily servings of plant-based meat. After eight weeks, the volunteers switched to the other diet.

The researchers measured the levels of the molecule trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the body. This particular molecule has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. 

The study revealed that TMAO levels were lower when study participants were eating plant-based meat.

Red meat contains two precursors to TMAO, carnitine and choline, so it is possible that individuals who regularly eat beef, pork or lamb will simply have higher levels of TMAO.

"At this point we cannot be sure that TMAO is a causal risk factor or just an association,"said Dr. Gardner. However, he said there is good reason to pay attention to TMAO levels. Recent studies have shown that high levels of TMAO are consistent with increased inflammation and blood clotting, among other health concerns.

According to Dr. Gardner, one particular study found that people with elevated TMAO had a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular events.

In the current study, participants who ate the red-meat diet during the first eight weeks had an increase in TMAO that was not observed among individuals who ate the plant-based diet first. 

In addition, something unexpected happened when the volunteers switched diets. Those who transitioned from meat to plant had a decrease in TMAO levels, which came as no surprise. However, individuals who switched from plant to meat did not see an increase in TMAO.

"It was pretty shocking; we had hypothesized that it wouldn't matter what order the diets were in," said Dr. Gardner. 

The experts determined that there are bacterial species responsible for triggering the development of TMAO in the gut. These bacterial species are thought to flourish in people who eat a lot of red meat, but may be less abundant or absent in vegetations.

"So for the participants who had the plant-based diet first, during which they ate no meat, we basically made them vegetarians, and in so doing, may have inadvertently blunted their ability to make TMAO," explained Dr. Gardner. This indicates that a similar approach could be used as a strategy to lower cardiovascular disease risk.

Beyond TMAO, plant-based meats were also linked to less weight and lower levels of bad cholesterol, regardless of which diet the participants ate first.

"The modest weight loss observed when participants substituted the plant-based meats in place of the red meats is an unexpected finding, since this was not a weight-loss study," said study lead author Dr. Anthony Crimarco. "I think this indicates the importance of diet quality. Not all highly processed foods are created equal."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Plant-based meats are better for heart health

In new study from Stanford Medicine, researchers have found evidence...

The remarkable diversity of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-can-control-plants-using-nothing-but-light/">plants</a> and trees surrounding the Tibetan Plateau can be traced back 30 million years to the formation of new mountain ranges followed by intense monsoons, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>. The research highlights the major role that climate change plays in shaping life on Earth.

Study co-author Rick Ree is a curator at Chicago's Field Museum.

"This paper addresses the fundamental question of why there are so many species in some parts of the world and not others," said Ree. "The formation of this very species-rich community was fueled by ancient mountain-building and then subsequent effects of the monsoon. The biodiversity that we see today has been profoundly shaped by geology and climate."

The study was on plants growing in the higher elevations of the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China. 

"It's an incredibly interesting part of the world, it's a relatively small area that harbors one-third of all the plant species in China," said Ree. "In the Hengduan Mountains, you can see coniferous forests, rushing glacial streams, craggy valleys, and meadows just teeming with wildflowers." 

Ree noted that some of the flowers in this region may be familiar to Western gardeners, including rhododendrons and delphiniums.

The team set out to investigate the distribution and evolution of plants in the alpine regions of the Hengduan Mountains, the Himalayan Mountains, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The experts used DNA samples and fossil evidence to assemble the family trees of the plants, going back tens of millions of years.

The researchers compared the DNA of different plant species to  determine how closely related they were to each other and when they evolved. The experts found that many of the plants first appeared in the Hengduan Mountains. 

As the Indian tectonic plate collided with Asia and gradually created mountains, new habitats developed on the slopes and in the valleys below. Mountain formation also led to more intense monsoons.

"The combined effect of mountain-building and monsoons was like pouring jet fuel onto this flame of species origination," said Ree. "The monsoon wasn't simply giving more water for plants to grow, it had this huge role in creating a more rugged topography. It caused erosion, resulting in deeper valleys and more incised mountain ranges."

"The theory is, if you increase the ruggedness of a landscape, you're more likely to have populations restricted in their movement because it's harder to cross a deeper valley than a shallow valley. So any time you start increasing the patchiness and barriers between populations, you expect evolution to accelerate."

This is exactly what the team found in the genetic family tree: as the landscape grew more rugged over time, isolated populations of plants veered off into their own separate species, resulting in the biodiversity we see today.

According to Ree, the research has implications for a better understanding of the climate change that Earth is currently experiencing.

"This study sheds light on the conditions under which we get rich versus poor biodiversity," said Ree. "Mountain ecosystems tend to be very sensitive to things like global warming, because the organisms that live there are dependent on a tight range of elevation and temperature."

"Understanding how historical environmental change affected alpine plants twenty million years ago can help us predict how today's climate change will affect their descendants."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Mountain formation led to an explosion in plant diversity 

The remarkable diversity of plants and trees surrounding the Tibetan...

A breakthrough study from <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">UC Riverside</a> has exposed the genetic secrets of an invasive pest that nearly wiped out the global <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/resveratrol-treating-depression/">wine</a> industry in the 19th century. The scientists identified about 3,000 genes that enable the insect phylloxera to colonize and feed on grape vines. 

With a new understanding of how the insects gain a stronghold, experts can develop ways to stop their spread.

Phylloxera is an invasive species that is native to North America. The insects attack grape vines and create tumor-like structures to feed off and live in. These structures, known as galls, protect phylloxera from vulnerability to other parasites.

"In effect, phylloxera creates its own refrigerator on the plant that it can feed from whenever it wants," said Professor Paul Nabity.

The galls disrupt the vine's ability to circulate the nutrients it needs to survive. The structures also cause wounds in the roots that make grape vines more susceptible to fungi and other pathogens.

The current study was led by Claude Rispe from the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Professor Nabity helped the team identify how phylloxera secrete molecules that can change the immune system of grape vines.

"These molecules alter the plant's defense systems and make it so that the plant doesn't know it's being attacked," said Professor Nabity.

Phylloxera was accidentally introduced to Europe in the 1860s, and had killed more than 70 percent of the vines in France by the 1900s.

Since native North American grapevines co-evolved with phylloxera, they are now resistant to it. However, most of the grapes consumed are European varieties, and many growers protect the grapevines by grafting them onto North American roots.

A phylloxera outbreak like the one that emerged in the Pacific Northwest last year, when the insects appeared for the first time in Washington's Walla Walla Valley, could cause grape vines to lose their leaves. If the infestation reaches the roots of grape vines, the plants could die.

Walla Walla Valley is vulnerable to phylloxera because many growers in this region planted grape vines on their own roots, rather than grafting them onto phylloxera-resistant roots.

The parasites actually do benefit vines to some degree, but the protection they provide is a self-serving strategy to keep the hosts alive. As phylloxera feed on plants and create gall structures, they transform cells on the leaves into tiny pores called stomata, which allow movement of gases in and out of the cells.

"We think this is a means to reduce the negative impact on its host," said Professor Nabity. "Stomata can create carbon gains for plants that can offset how much the insects are taking from it."

Now that the experts have managed to pinpoint the specific genes involved in the attack on grapevines, it may be possible to engineer phylloxera-resistant grapevines.

"Growers currently have to graft roots to make their plants viable," said Professor Nabity. "A lot of money and effort could be saved with pest-resistant rootstocks."    

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Notorious grape vine pest may soon be a problem of the past 

A breakthrough study from UC Riverside has exposed the genetic...

An edible seaweed extract may be more effective in blocking <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coronavirus-detected-in-air-pollution-particles/">coronavirus</a> infection than remdesivir, a drug that received emergency use authorization by the FDA to treat severe cases of COVID-19. 

At the <a href="https://www.rpi.edu/">Rensselear Polytechnic Institute</a>, lab testing with mammalian cells showed that the antiviral activity of a fucoidan found in brown seaweed had a higher potency against SARS-CoV-2 than remdesivir.

In addition, the common blood thinner heparin - as well as a heparin variant stripped of its anticoagulant properties - were found to be almost as effective as remdesivir in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 infection in mammalian cells.

The research is the latest example of a decoy strategy that the Rensselear team is developing against viruses like COVID-19.

The spike protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 latches onto a molecule on the surface of human cells called the ACE-2 receptor. Once it has attached itself securely, the virus inserts its own genetic material inside of the cell and initiates the replication process.

Experts recognize that the virus could easily be manipulated to latch onto a suitable decoy molecule, where it would be trapped and neutralized.

Previous studies have shown this decoy strategy works in trapping other viruses such as dengue, Zika, and influenza A. 

"We're learning how to block viral infection, and that is knowledge we are going to need if we want to rapidly confront pandemics," said lead researcher Professor Jonathan Dordick. "The reality is that we don't have great antivirals. To protect ourselves against future pandemics, we are going to need an arsenal of approaches that we can quickly adapt to emerging viruses."

In the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) at at Rensselaer, the experts tested the antiviral activity in three variants of heparin and two fucoidans extracted from seaweed, RPI-27 and RPI-28. All five compounds are sulfated polysaccharides with structures that make them good candidates for use as a decoy.

The team performed a dose response study known as an EC50 with each of the five compounds to test their effectiveness on SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian cells. The results of an EC50 are expressed in a molar concentration, where a lower value represents a higher potency.

The seaweed extract RPI-27 yielded an EC50 value of approximately 83 nanomolar. When remdesivir was tested on the same mammalian cells in a previous study, it yielded an EC50 value of 770 nanomolar. 

Heparin was found to be about one-third as active as remdesivir, and a non-anticoagulant strain of heparin was one-fifth as active as remdesivir.

Even at the highest concentrations tested, there was no cellular toxicity in any of the compounds, according to the researchers.

"What interests us is a new way of getting at infection," said study co-author Professor Robert Linhardt. "The current thinking is that the COVID-19 infection starts in the nose, and either of these substances could be the basis for a nasal spray. If you could simply treat the infection early, or even treat before you have the infection, you would have a way of blocking it before it enters the body."

While studying SARS-CoV-2 sequencing data, the professors recognized several features on the structure of the spike protein that suggest it would be a compatible fit with heparin. A binding study produced more evidence of this compatibility.

"It's a very complicated mechanism that we quite frankly don't know all the details about, but we're getting more information," said Professor Dordick. 

"One thing that's become clear with this study is that the larger the molecule, the better the fit. The more successful compounds are the larger sulfated polysaccharides that offer a greater number of sites on the molecules to trap the virus."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/celldisc">Cell Discovery</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Is seaweed more potent against COVID-19 than remdesivir?

An edible seaweed extract may be more effective in blocking...

Flowers play a bigger role in spreading parasitic diseases to bees and other <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/farmers-can-help-save-bees-and-other-wild-pollinators/">pollinators</a> than what was previously realized, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>. The researchers discovered that one in 11 flowers contains parasites associated with bee declines.

Furthermore, one in eight bees examined for the study was found to have at least one parasite.

Study senior author Scott McArt is an assistant professor of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell.

"We know very little about transmission of these diseases," said Professor McArt. "Our study shows that transmission can likely occur on a lot of different flowers, and the amount of disease in a community is shaped by both the floral community and the bee community."

The research was focused on 2,624 flowers from 89 species and 2,672 bees from 110 species through an entire growing season across field sites in upstate New York. Using molecular data for testing, the team identified five common parasites.

The study pinpointed three main factors that contribute to disease transmission: flower abundance, the numbers of social bees, and overall bee species diversity.

The number of total flowers increases as the season progresses, and the proportion of flowers with parasites decreases. This lowers the risk that a bee will encounter a flower that hosts a parasite.

"That has really important conservation implications, because if you want to limit disease spread, just plant a lot of flowers," said Professor McArt. "It's a win-win: If we plant flowers and create a lot of forage, we can also dilute disease."

The study showed that social bees, such as honeybees and bumblebees, were more likely to be infected with parasites than solitary bees. The researchers observed that later in the season, overall bee diversity drops but the number of social bees grows. Typically, higher species diversity slows the spread of disease.

"Both bee diversity and fewer of the social bees make it less likely for bees (overall) to be infected. That's another win for conservation: if we promote bee diversity, there will be less disease," explained Professor McArt. He noted that high numbers of infections in the social species may also spill over to infect other species.

Going forward, the team will investigate the potential for increased flower abundance to offset the negative effects of more social bees combined with less species diversity in late summer.

Further research may also explain why social bees are more susceptible to parasites.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Flowers spread parasitic bee diseases 

Flowers play a bigger role in spreading parasitic diseases to...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-scraps-sustainable-jet-fuel/">Plants</a> can be genetically modified to produce valuable chemical compounds, known as bioproducts, to help cover the cost of converting plant waste into biofuel. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Berkeley Lab</a> have found promising new evidence that this strategy is economically feasible.

Biofuels have amazing potential as an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels. Currently, however, biofuels are much more expensive to manufacture. 

Extracting bioproducts from plants could significantly lower the cost of biofuel production. "It's a really elegant solution, to be able to engineer a plant to directly accumulate a valuable bioproduct," said study co-lead author Corinne Scown. 

The investigation was focused on a group of bioproducts that plants can already produce, such as flavors and fragrances. The team designed and simulated the bioproduct extraction process in the context of an ethanol biorefinery, where the leftover plant material would be converted into ethanol.

The model enabled the experts to quantify how much of a particular bioproduct that plants must be able to deliver for a cost effective approach to biofuel production. The results showed that the target amount was unexpectedly attainable. 

"The researchers in our Feedstocks Division were surprised by how modest the target levels were," said Scown. "The levels we need to accumulate in plants to offset the cost of bioproduct recovery and drive down the price of biofuels are well within reach."

While the research confirms that using modified plants to reduce the cost of biofuels is feasible, the market demand may not be high enough for the bioproducts that plants are currently capable of making. 

Scown explained that crops need to be engineered to produce a broad range of products to make sure the industry is diversified. She said the study provides a starting point for scientists who are attempting to engineer plants that create bioproducts to offset the cost of making biofuels.

"I think this research is just the first step to demonstrating the future potential of engineered bioenergy feedstock crops," said study co-lead author Patrick Shih. "I would imagine that our findings will help motivate future efforts to make biofuels economically viable."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants can help lower the cost of biofuel production

Plants can be genetically modified to produce valuable chemical compounds,...

A new process has been developed by researchers in China that turns plant waste, derived from agriculture and timber harvesting, into aviation fuel. This new, more sustainable fuel could be the key to reducing CO2 emitted by air travel.

Published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(19)30085-6">Joule</a>, the process revolves around cellulose, an abundant polymer found in the walls of plant cells. Chain alkanes pulled from cellulose have been previously used in the production of jet fuel, however, the researchers say their new process produces more complex polycycloalkane compounds that can be used as high-density aviation fuel.

The study’s author Ning Li, a research scientist at the<a href="http://english.dicp.cas.cn/"> Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics</a>, believes this new fuel could push the aviation industry to commit to and be successful in going green.

"Our biofuel is important for mitigating CO2 emissions because it is derived from biomass and it has higher density (or volumetric heat values) compared with conventional aviation fuels," Li said. "As we know, the utilization of high-density aviation fuel can significantly increase the range and payload of aircraft without changing the volume of oil in the tank."

Li and his team found that cellulose can be “selectively converted” to 2,5-hexanedione using hydrogenolysis. The team then separated 2,5-hexanedione by converting the  5-methylfurfural in hydrogenolysis to 2,5-hexanedione, while keeping 2,5-hexanedione in the overall product unchanged. What they ended up with is a 71% isolated carbon yield.

The team then caused a reaction between hydrogen with the 2,5-hexanedione derived from wheatgrass cellulose to get their final product: a mix of C12 and C18 polycycloalkanes with a low freezing point and a density of about 10% higher than that of conventional <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/jet-fuel-biofuel-blend/">jet fuels</a>. The high density means the product can be used as a wholesale replacement fuel or as an additive to existing fuels to improve efficiency.

"The aircraft using this fuel can fly farther and carry more than those using conventional jet fuel, which can decrease the flight number and decrease the CO2 emissions during the taking off (or launching) and landing," Li said.

Because the process to produce this fuel is so cheap and sustainable, Li believes the fuel will be ready for commercial use in the very near future. The team must first work around using dichloromethane, found in paint removers, to break the cellulose down because the compound is considered an environmental and health hazard.

"In the future, we will go on to explore the environmentally friendly and renewable organic solvent that can replace the dichloromethane used in the hydrogenolysis of cellulose to 2,5-hexanedione," Li continued. "At the same time, we will study the application of 2,5-hexanedione in the synthesis of other fuels and value-added chemicals."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant scraps can be used to make cheap and sustainable jet fuel

A new process has been developed by researchers in China...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...