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>.



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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...

Breakthrough may lead to better smelling, longer lasting roses. Soon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/roses-red-violets-blue/">roses</a> could last longer, smell sweeter and be pest-resistant thanks to gene editing technology.   

Breeding roses for color, appearance, or pest resistance, can take up to a decade, and even then there have been complaints that genetically modified roses lose some of their strong, attractive scents. 

This is why a team of French researchers decided to sequence the genome of a rose plant and use CRISPR technology, which can edit and cut DNA, to speed up the process of creating the perfect rose. 

The results were published in the journal Nature Genetics.

The researchers wanted to find a way to make roses resistance to common diseases and pests in hopes that it would extend their life after the roses are cut. 

Roses are of course highly valued both economically and aesthetically. Their scents are used in countless fragrances, perfumes, and bath products and a rose bush is a great addition to any garden. 

Finding a way to make the roses last and resist disease without sacrificing scent or appearance would be beneficial to florists, gardeners, and consumers alike. 

There are currently 200 species of the genus Rosa and roses were <a href="https://extension.illinois.edu/roses/history.cfm">first cultivated</a> 5,000 years ago. 

As part of the study, the researchers fully sequenced the genome of a garden rose for the first time in order to identify its natural traits and what genes are responsible for scent and color. 

The species Rosa chinensis, or ‘Old Blush,’ was used for the study because it was one of the first varieties of roses imported from China in the 18th century. 

In order to map the genome, the researchers extracted DNA from young leaves of the rose plant. 

After sequencing the rose, the researchers found more genes that give the rose it’s pleasant scent than were ever identified in previous research. The researchers also identified color genes and genes that could make roses last longer after they’re cut. 

Future studies could use this new information to edit the rose DNA using CRISPR technology to improve the rose’s scent, susceptibility to disease, and color. 

“I hope we will be able to change how these flowers look in the future and make them last longer with more of a scent, which is lost the longer roses stay in a vase,” said Mohammed Bendahmane, a co-author of the study.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Breakthrough may lead to better smelling, longer lasting roses

Breakthrough may lead to better smelling, longer lasting roses. Soon...

New research from scientists at the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University of Buffalo</a> has revealed a link between a plant compound found in red wine, called resveratrol, and anti-stress effects. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/red-wine-lung-cancer-prevention/">Resveratrol</a> can effectively block the expression of a stress-control enzyme in the brain, and therefore, the compound may be useful in future depression treatments.

This study is published in <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neuropharmacology">Neuropharmacology</a>.

"Resveratrol may be an effective alternative to drugs for treating patients suffering from depression and anxiety disorders," said co-lead author Ying Xu, MD, PhD, a research associate professor in the <a href="http://pharmacy.buffalo.edu/">UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences</a>.

Resveratrol, found in the skins and seeds of grapes and other berries, was already known to have antidepressant effects, however its relationship to phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), an enzyme influenced by stress hormone corticosterone, which regulates the body’s response to stress, was unknown. 

When too much corticosterone is released, a person can develop depression and other mental disorders. However, as this study shows, resveratrol inhibits the expression of PDE4, and therefore provides neuroprotective effects against corticosterone. 

Although prescribing red wine for depression is certainly not the answer, the researchers hope that their discovery can help scientists develop depression treatments from a new angle.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Artemidovna

Resveratrol found in red wine offers new methods for treating depression

New research from scientists at the University of Buffalo has...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/aps">Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield</a> have discovered that wild grasses steal genes from their neighbors. They essentially genetically modify themselves to enhance their own survival.

Scientists call this phenomenon “lateral gene transfer.” Lateral gene transfer allows an organism to skip over the process of inheriting genes directly from a related species.

"Grasses are simply stealing genes and taking an evolutionary shortcut," said the University of Sheffield’s Dr. Luke Dunning. "They are acting as a sponge, absorbing useful genetic information from their neighbors to out compete their relatives and survive in hostile habitats without putting in the millions of years it usually takes to evolve these adaptations."

Understanding the process of lateral gene transfer could help scientists prevent genes from escaping genetically modified (GM) crops, which could cause a “super-weed” infestation. These super-weeds are spawned when GM genes bleed into local wild plant species, thus making them resistant to herbicide. 

These new findings, published February 18th in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, revolve around the assembled genome for the grass species Alloteropsis semialata, found across Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Comparing the Alloteropsis semialata genome to other grasses like rice, maize, millets, barley, bamboo, revealed that some of its genes were laterally acquired.

"We also collected samples of Alloteropsis semialata from tropical and subtropical places in Asia, Africa and Australia so that we could track down when and where the transfers happened," Dr. Dunning continued. "Counterfeiting genes is giving the grasses huge advantages and helping them to adapt to their surrounding environment and survive — and this research also shows that it is not just restricted to Alloteropsis semialata as we detected it in a wide range of other grass species"

Dr. Dunning concluded that the next step is to figure out how lateral gene transfer occurs biologically so scientists can prevent GM crops from spreading outside of their restricted domain.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wild plants steal genes from their neighbors in order to survive

Researchers from the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at...

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer among both men and women. Most fatalities occur after the cancer spreads to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system in a process known as metastasis. 

In a groundbreaking new study, researchers may have discovered a way to slow down the spread of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/red-wine-lung-cancer-prevention/">lung cancer</a> with capsaicin, the same compound that makes chili peppers hot and spicy. 

Jamie Friedman is a doctoral candidate who conducted the research in the lab of Dr. Piyali Dasgupta at the Marshall University <a href="https://jcesom.marshall.edu/">Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine</a>.

“Lung cancer and other cancers commonly metastasize to secondary locations like the brain, liver or bone, making them difficult to treat,” said Friedman. “Our study suggests that the natural compound capsaicin from chili peppers could represent a novel therapy to combat metastasis in lung cancer patients.”

The investigation was focused on experiments involving three lines of cultured human non-small cell lung cancer cells. The researchers found that capsaicin prevented invasion, which is the first step of the metastatic process. The team also observed that, among mice with metastatic cancer, those who consumed capsaicin had smaller groups of metastatic cancer cells in their lungs compared to mice who were not treated.


Upon further analysis, the experts established that capsaicin suppresses lung cancer metastasis by inhibiting activation of the protein Src. This protein plays a major role in initiating the process of invasion and other tumor progression-related events

“We hope that one day capsaicin can be used in combination with other chemotherapeutics to treat a variety of lung cancers,” said Friedman. “However, using capsaicin clinically will require overcoming its unpleasant side effects, which include gastrointestinal irritation, stomach cramps and a burning sensation.”

The researchers are working to identify elements of capsaicin that retain the anti-tumor capacity of the compound without the spiciness. They are also hoping to find additional natural compounds with anti-cancer properties.

The findings were presented at <a href="https://experimentalbiology.org/2019/home.aspx">Experimental Biology 2019</a>, the annual meeting of the American Society for Investigative Pathology.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Spicy chili pepper compound slows the progression of lung cancer

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer among both men and...

Over millions of years, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-vanishing-biodiversity-hotspots/">plants</a> and animals have evolved complex immune systems to protect from disease-causing pathogens. However, plants do not have the adaptive immune system of many animals that can recognize dangerous substances that have already attacked, Plant cells, therefore, have to work harder to defend themselves against all potential pathogens.

Every plant cell contains a collection of proteins that are encoded by disease resistance genes. When harmful invaders are detected in the environment, these proteins are activated to coordinate their defense.

A team of experts at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> has now discovered how plant resistance proteins trigger localized cell death. This finding could ultimately lead to new strategies for developing disease-resistant crops.

The team managed to pinpoint the mechanism used by an intracellular signaling domain of plant resistance proteins called the toll-interleukin-1 receptor, or the TIR domain. The study revealed that during the plant immune response, the TIR domain degrades a molecule called NAD+. Because this molecule is essential for metabolism in all organisms, the severing of NAD+ destroys infected cells.

In 2017, experts at Washington University School of Medicine observed an unusual animal TIR domain, found in a protein called SARM1, that functioned as an enzyme. This contradicted the previous theory that TIR domains act like physical scaffolds, building a structure that attaches to the cell's plasma membrane and recruiting other proteins to initiate an immune response.

In the current study, the team set out to investigate whether the TIR domain could have a similar function in plant immunity.

The researchers discovered that the plant TIR domain is itself an enzyme that cleaves NAD+, rather than acting as a structural scaffold. However, while the animal TIR domain in SARM1 kills cells by depleting NAD+ levels, plant TIR domains appear to split NAD+ to generate a signaling molecule that is not seen in animal cells. The scientists are now working to understand how this signaling molecule influences cell death and disease resistance.

"For 25 years, we didn't know what TIR domains did in plants," said study lead author Professor Marc Nishimura. "So these results were very interesting in terms of advancing our understanding of how TIR domains actually trigger immunity."

According to Professor Nishimura, uncovering individual biochemical pathways in the plant immune response may be crucially important to how plant systems are manipulated to protect food crops, particularly as new pathogens emerge and global food supplies become vulnerable.

"Hopefully, really mechanistically understanding immune receptors will help us transfer existing receptors while retaining function, and ultimately let us rationally engineer new receptors to recognize emerging pathogens."

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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Barbol

Scientists pinpoint a crucial new aspect of plant immune response

Over millions of years, plants and animals have evolved complex...

Plants breathe in carbon dioxide through tiny pores in their leaves called stomata and expel oxygen as part of the photosynthesis process. 

Now, researchers have discovered how stomata provide a steady flow of air throughout the plant’s network of air channels, revealing a closer look at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deeper-look-plants-breathe/">how plants breathe</a>. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/sustainable-food">University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food</a> led the study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications. 

Stomata were first described in the 19th century, but how these pores carried CO2 throughout entire plant has remained a mystery.

“Until now, the way plants form their intricate patterns of air channels has remained surprisingly mysterious to plant scientists,” said Andrew Fleming, a member of the research team. “This major discovery shows that the movement of air through leaves shapes their internal workings - which has implications for the way we think about evolution in plants.” 

The researchers used X-ray imaging to create a 3D model of a plant leaf’s cellular structure. This showed up close how the formation and placement of the stomata drive airflow to the cells. 

A complex network of air spaces and stomata allow the exchange of airflow and expansion of air spaces. These air channels serve as the lungs of the leaf. 

[caption id="attachment_1874496" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/wheat-leaf.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1874496" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/wheat-leaf.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="134" /></a> Confocal overview of a TaEPF1 OE wheat leaf showing epidermal layer (purple), subtending mesophyll cells (green), a stomate (St), Image Credit: University of Sheffield[/caption]

The researchers also found that how CO2 moves through the stomata determine the shape and size of the air spaces. 

“Scientists have suspected for a long time that the development of stomata and the development of air spaces within a leaf are coordinated,” said Dr. Marjorie Lundgren, an author of the study. “However, we weren’t really sure which drove the other. So this started as a ‘what came first, the chicken or the egg?’ question. While we show that the development of stomata initiates the expansion of air spaces, we took it one step further to show that the stomata actually need to be exchanging gases in order for the air spaces to expand.”

Plants that have fewer stomata require less water, and this could help develop drought-resistant plants in a future where food security is uncertain due to climate change. 

“The fact that humans have already inadvertently influenced the way plants breathe by breeding wheat that uses less water suggests we could target these air channel networks to develop crops that can survive the more extreme droughts we expect to see with climate breakdown,” said Flemming. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Smileus

Understanding how plants breathe could help create drought resistant crops

Plants breathe in carbon dioxide through tiny pores in their...

A new study found that eating garlic can combat age-related changes in gut bacteria that are associated with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/moving-older-adults-preserve-memory/">memory issues</a>. These health benefits come from a compound in garlic called allyl sulfide.

"Our findings suggest that dietary administration of garlic containing allyl sulfide could help maintain healthy gut microorganisms and improve cognitive health in the elderly," said co-lead researcher Jyotirmaya Behera, PhD, from the <a href="http://louisville.edu/">University of Louisville</a>.

The team set out to better understand how the gut microbiota — that being the collective term for the trillions of gut microorganisms — changes with age and how it may be linked to other age-related health issues.

"The diversity of the gut microbiota is diminished in elderly people, a life stage when neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's develop and memory and cognitive abilities can decline," said co-author Neetu Tyagi, PhD, also from the University of Louisville. "We want to better understand how changes in the gut microbiota relate to aging-associated cognitive decline."

Behera, Tyagi, and their team fed allyl sulfide to 24-month-old mice, which correlates to humans aged 56 to 69. These mice were compared to controlled 4-month- and 24-month-old mice who were not taking oral allyl sulfide.

The older mice taking allyl sulfide showed better short- and long-term memory, spatial memory, and overall gut health than the older mice not taking the allyl sulfide.

Researchers found via further experimentation that reduced gene expression of neuronal-derived natriuretic factor (NDNF) in the brains of older mice not taking allyl sulfide is to blame for their cognitive decline. Mice who were consuming allyl sulfide showed higher levels of NDNF gene expression. NDNF was just recently discovered by scientists at the University of Louisville and is pertinent to long-term and short-term memory consolidation.

Furthermore, the team found that when mice were fed allyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide gas was produced in the gut lumen. This gas acts as a messenger molecule that prevents intestinal inflammation. Therefore, the researchers believe that by restoring gut health, the allyl sulfide in garlic promotes memory consolidation.

More experimentation is needed to better understand gut health and memory, however this new information could potentially lead to garlic being used as a memory treatment within the aging human population.

These findings will be shared at the <a href="http://www.the-aps.org/">American Physiological Society</a> annual meeting during the <a href="https://experimentalbiology.org/2019/home.aspx">2019 Experimental Biology meeting</a>, which runs from April 6th to April 9th in Orlando, Florida.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Garlic can enhance memory by improving gut health

A new study found that eating garlic can combat age-related...

Sunflower pollen protects bees from infection A new study led by <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> has revealed that sunflower pollen makes bees less susceptible to infection and disease. The researchers found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/save-native-bees/">bees</a> had dramatically lower rates of infection by specific pathogens when they were fed a diet of sunflower pollen. 

In bumble bees, sunflower pollen was found to reduce infection by a particular pathogen, Crithidia bombi. Sunflower pollen protected European honey bees from a different pathogen, Nosema ceranae. Both pathogens have been shown to stunt the growth of bee colonies by increasing the rate of fatalities.

Honey bees, however, were also negatively impacted by the sunflower pollen diet. These bees had mortality rates roughly equivalent to honey bees not fed a pollen diet, and death rates four times higher than honey bees fed buckwheat pollen. 

This mortality effect was not observed in bumble bees. In fact, bumble bees showed improved colony health when fed the sunflower pollen compared to pollen from other flowers. 

Study co-author Jonathan Giacomini said that bees already seem to be skilled at collecting sunflower pollen. According to Giacomini, around two million acres in the United States and 10 million acres in Europe are devoted to sunflowers annually. Sunflower pollen protects bees from infection

“We've tried other monofloral pollens, or pollens coming from one flower, but we seem to have hit the jackpot with sunflower pollen,” said co-senior author Professor Rebecca Irwin. “None of the others we've studied have had this consistent positive effect on bumble bee health.”

Professor Irwin explained that sunflower pollen should not be considered as a standalone meal for bee populations because it is low in protein and some amino acids. She said that sunflower could be a good addition to a diverse wildflower population for bees, particularly bumble bees and honey bees.

“We don't know if sunflower pollen is helping the host bees fight off pathogens or if sunflower pollen does something to the pathogens,” said Professor Irwin. The NC State team plans to analyze this in further detail, and will also investigate whether other species of bees show any positive effects from sunflower pollen.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</a> .

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Jonathan Giacomini, NC State University

Sunflower pollen protects bees from infection

Sunflower pollen protects bees from infection A new study led...

Just a glance at the prickly, outward appearance of a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/prickly-pear-cactus-hazmat-suits/">cactus</a> is enough for us to get the message: “get away.” Those menacing spines are not something any person or animal wants to tangle with, and for good reason. A recent study published in <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a> details the biomechanics of these prickly, puncturing plants and how their spine structure influences their effectiveness.

The jumping cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida) is one of the six species analyzed by <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> postdoctoral research Stephanie Crofts and animal biology professor Philip Anderson. This specific cactus has barbed spines that stick within flesh so tightly, a segment of the cactus often breaks off and grips to its unsuspecting victim. 

The other species evaluated were the Echinocactus grusonii, the golden barrel cactus; Opuntia fragilis, also called the brittle prickly pear; Pereskia grandiflora, the rose cactus; Echinopsis terscheckii, or the Argentine saguaro; and Opuntia polyacantha, the plains prickly pear. “We’re looking at the fundamental mechanics of a puncture event and how differences in cactus spines – in particular their microstructure – affect how they puncture and anchor into whatever they’re puncturing,” explains Crofts.

In their assessment of each cactus, the researchers tested the spines in skinless chicken breasts, pork shoulders with skin, and synthetic elastomers of varying densities. They measured the amount of force needed to puncture and withdraw the spines from each material. “Before we started the experiments, we looked at the spines under a scanning electron microscope,” says Crofts. “The barbed spines – like those on the cholla – looked incredibly similar to porcupine quills studied by other groups.”

[caption id="attachment_1862138" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/catctus.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1862138" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/catctus-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /></a> Image Credit: John Trager[/caption]

It turns out that these cactus spines have a shingled appearance due to overlapping layers of barbs – a similar characteristic to porcupine quills. Both spines are also the exact right size to catch onto animal muscle fibers. The researchers discovered that spines with barbs more easily penetrated their targets and required less force to do so than their barbless counterparts. They were also more difficult to remove after they had punctured the animal tissue.

Analysis of each spine type determined significant differences in performance between the plant species. The researchers found that O. polyacantha “required significantly more work to withdraw from the chicken than any other species,” while cholla spines were more difficult to pull from pig tissue. 

While cactus spines provide a variety of functions to the plants they protect – such as providing shade and collecting water from fog – cholla spines serve a reproductive purpose as well. Through their ability to latch onto any animal that brushes by them, the spines help the plant distribute pieces of itself to surrounding areas – proving that cactus spines provide more than just a pointy face.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: L. Brian Stauffer

The pointy spines of a cactus provide more than just a menacing look

Just a glance at the prickly, outward appearance of a...

Fruits and vegetables linked to lower risk of memory loss in men. A new study published by the <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a> has revealed that orange and red vegetables, berry fruits, orange juice, and leafy greens all contribute to a lower risk of memory loss among men.

“One of the most important factors in this study is that we were able to research and track such a large group of men over a 20-year period of time, allowing for very telling results,” said study co-author Changzheng Yuan. “Our studies provide further evidence dietary choices can be important to maintain your brain health.”

The investigation was focused on 27,842 male health professionals with an average age of 51. Over two decades, the men reported every four years on how many servings of fruits, vegetables, and other foods they had each day.

At least four years before the end of the study, the participants were also tested for thinking and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stress-affecting-memory/">memory skills</a> using an evaluation that was designed to detect subtle changes that would likely go unnoticed in objective cognitive tests. Any reported changes in memory would be considered precursors to mild cognitive impairment.

Overall, 55 percent of the men had good thinking and memory skills, 38 percent had moderate skills, and 7 percent had poor thinking and memory skills.

The participants were divided into five groups based on their fruit and vegetable consumption. The highest consumption rate of vegetables was about six servings per day, compared to two servings for the lowest. The top group ate about three servings of fruit per day, compared to the lowest rate of half a serving each day.

The study revealed that men who consumed the most vegetables were 34 percent less likely to develop poor thinking skills compared to the group that ate the least vegetables. In addition, men who drank orange juice every day were 47 percent less likely to develop poor thinking skills.

The experts also found that men who ate larger amounts of fruits and vegetables 20 years earlier were less likely to develop cognitive issues, regardless of whether they continued to do so up until the testing took place 16 years later.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.neurology.org/">Neurology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fruits and vegetables linked to lower risk of memory loss in men

Fruits and vegetables linked to lower risk of memory loss...

Experts are reevaluating the oldest known use of vanilla after finding three jugs in an Israeli tomb that dates back around 3,600 years to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/europeans-making-cheese-7000-years/">Bronze Age</a>. Prior to this discovery, the use of vanilla was believed to have originated in Mexico about 1,000 years ago.

According to archaeologist Vanessa Linares of <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a> in Israel, the jugs were found to contain traces of two chemical compounds in natural vanilla extract - vanillin and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. Various chemical analyses also detected residues of plant oils, including a compound found in olive oil.

“Bronze Age people at Megiddo may have used vanillin-infused oils as additives for foods and medicines, for ritual purposes or possibly even in the embalming of the dead,” Linares told <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/">Science News</a>.  

Linares explained that the chemical profile of the vanillin best matches vanilla orchid species that are found today in East Africa, India, and Indonesia. Trade routes used during the Bronze Age likely facilitated the movement of vanillin from India or East Africa to the Middle East. 

Linares described the study findings at the annual meeting of <a href="http://www.asor.org/">American Schools of Oriental Research</a> on November 16 in Denver.

In the presentation, she explained: “Until now it has been commonly accepted that vanilla was domesticated in the New World and subsequently spread to other parts of the globe.”

“Once all possibilities of contamination were ruled out, a post-organic residue analysis investigation of various species within the plant kingdom from which these principle compounds could have been exploited was conducted.”

“These results shed new light on the first known exploitation of vanilla, local uses, significance in mortuary practices, and possible long-distance trade networks in the ancient Near East during the second millennium BC.”
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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

Human were using vanilla 3,600 years ago, new fossils reveal

Experts are reevaluating the oldest known use of vanilla after...

Climate change could bring an end to the truffle industry. Truffles are a delicacy prized for their unique, musky flavor. But due to their limited growing season, difficulty to cultivate, and rare qualities, truffles are also very expensive. 

Some truffles can cost upwards of $1,500 per pound and the truffle industry is worth millions.

Reports suggest that the truffle industry could soon be worth 4.5 billion UK pounds over the next ten to twenty years, but a new study projects a much grimmer outlook for the world’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/market-mushrooms-truffles/">most prized mushroom. </a>

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.stir.ac.uk/">University of Stirling</a> predicts that the truffle industry could all but disappear due to climate change in the next 50 years. 

Climate change will make for hostile conditions for truffles with temperatures expected to increase along with droughts and precipitation expected to decrease. 

If European truffle production is wiped out by climate change, the researchers say it will have a major economic impact. 

“We risk losing an industry worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the economy,” said Paul Thomas, the leader of the study which was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. “However, the socio-economic impact of the predicted decline could be substantially larger as truffle harvesting, and related activities form a key component of local history and cultural activity.” 

Truffle production could drop by 78 to 100 percent by 2100, according to Thomas. 

“However, the decline may well occur in advance of this date, when other climate change factors are taken into account, such as heatwaves, forest fires, drought events, pests, and disease,” said Thomas.

For the study, the researchers reviewed 36 years of truffle yield records and weather data from France, Spain, and Italy. By comparing yields and weather data, the researchers were able to understand better how climate impacts truffle growth and harvest. 

Next, the researchers used the data to create climate model projections for the future and found climate change could severely decline truffle production in Europe. 

“This is a wake-up call to the impacts of climate change in the not-too-distant future,” said Thomas. “These findings indicate that conservational initiatives are required to afford some protection to this important and iconic species. Potential action could include the expansion of truffle plantations into new territories of a more favorable future climate.”

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

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Climate change could bring an end to the truffle industry

Climate change could bring an end to the truffle industry....

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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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...