Have you ever paused to admire a morning glory? Just as their name suggests, these flowers open at sunrise and often close by afternoon or evening.



Despite their fragile appearance, a recent study from the University of Michigan suggests that morning glory plants are quite resilient. The team discovered that these plants can withstand the effects of weed killers and display resistance to damage from herbivorous insects.



In particular, morning glory plants were found to resist glyphosate - the active component in the herbicide RoundUp.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-resistance-to-insect-damage">Plant resistance to insect damage</h2>



Interestingly, the researchers found that plants which are susceptible to glyphosate are also susceptible to damage from insects. This implies that glyphosate can disrupt the co-evolution of plants and their insect adversaries.



Study lead author&nbsp;Grace Zhang is a U-M doctoral student working with&nbsp;Regina Baucom, a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.



"When people think about herbicides and study them in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-boost-plant-evolution-in-surprising-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a>, they think about herbicide resistance," said Zhang. 



"Resistance is a big problem, tolerance is a big problem. But beyond that, we don't really have a great idea of how herbicides impact plant evolution in general, and also how it might impact how plants interact with other things in their environment."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-insect-damage-on-plants-with-glyphosate">More insect damage on plants with glyphosate</h2>



The researchers set up the study with 1,600 morning glory plants in <a href="https://umich.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U-M</a>'s Matthaei Botanical Gardens. They sprayed half of the plants with glyphosate and recorded the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-leaf-eating-insects-have-a-huge-impact-on-forests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a>' growth traits.



Noteworthy findings from the study included the fact that plants treated with glyphosate incurred more damage from insects compared to the non-treated (control) plants. However, plants resistant to glyphosate had less insect damage.



While conventional ecological theory would suggest a tradeoff between these two traits, Zhang said the team "saw the opposite."



The researchers also analyzed the fitness of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-technology-will-accelerate-the-pace-of-plant-species-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a>, i.e., their likelihood of producing seeds. They discovered a positive selection acting on glyphosate resistance: the more resistant the plants are to glyphosate, the fitter they are and the more likely to produce seeds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-genes-and-insect-defenses">Plant genes and insect defenses</h2>



But, why are plants that are resistant to glyphosate also resistant to insect damage?



While Zhang and Baucom are yet to confirm, they hint at the role of the shikimate pathway - a metabolic process that glyphosate attacks, impacting the plant's herbivory defenses.



In contrast, the plants resistant to glyphosate seem to have multiple genes working together. These form detoxification pathways that can wade off glyphosate, thereby maintaining their insect defenses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-agricultural-practices">Implications for agricultural practices</h2>



This study has profound implications for current agricultural practices and the management of herbicide application. Understanding the dual resistance to both glyphosate and herbivory challenges the conventional approach to pest and weed management. 



For farmers, this could mean re-evaluating the use of herbicides like glyphosate to mitigate potential unintended ecological repercussions. 



The development of crops that can naturally resist both herbicides and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-the-milkweed-beetle-safely-feed-on-a-toxic-plant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insect</a> predation could lead to more sustainable agricultural strategies, reducing the need for chemical inputs while preserving biodiversity in farmlands.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



The findings open the door to further exploration into the genetic underpinnings of plant resistance. Future research could investigate the exact genetic pathways involved in this dual resistance, potentially leading to breakthroughs in genetic engineering for crop improvement.



Another avenue of research could focus on the long-term evolutionary consequences of glyphosate use on plant-insect interactions. 



Scientists could harness these insights for developing crops that are better suited to withstand both chemical and biological stressors, ensuring food security in an ever-changing environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-made-impacts-on-nature">Human-made impacts on nature</h2>



"Studies in the past usually look at the evolution of herbicide resistance in these plants or they'll look at how applying the herbicide directly to specific insects will affect them," Zhang said. 



"But they haven't really looked at this question from more of a community level: How does herbicide act as a disruptor on this community level?" 



"So that's what we really wanted to focus on: how does this new disruptive agent that is human-made impact a very natural, long standing relationship between plants and their insects?"



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.20238" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Phytologist</a>.



-----



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Herbicides disrupt the co-evolution of plants and insects

Have you ever paused to admire a morning glory? Just as their name suggests, these flowers open at sunrise and often close by afternoon or evening. Despite their fragile appearance, a recent study from the University of Michigan suggests that morning glory plants are quite resilient. The team discovered that these plants can withstand the effects of weed killers and display resistance to damage from herbivorous insects. In particular, morning glory plants were found to resist glyphosate - the active component in the herbicide RoundUp. Plant resistance...

Dogs have a famously incredible sense of smell and can detect drugs, weapons, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-sniffing-cancer-cells/">even cancer cells</a>. 

But now, new research shows that dogs could be an asset to the avocado industry and detect early signs of disease in groves by sniffing laurel wilt disease in trees. 

Laurel wilt disease is caused by the redbay ambrosia beetle, an invasive species native to Asia, and the beetles carry a fungus that can spread and infect host trees. The fungus <a href="http://www.ncforestservice.gov/forest_health/forest_health_laurelwiltfaq.htm">prevents water </a>from traveling throughout the tree which quickly kills it. 

The disease has killed over 300 million laurel trees in the United States, and this has put a major strain on avocado trees. 

Laurel wilt is affecting avocado harvests in South Florida, and there are concerns that the disease could spread to Mexico and California, causing even more devastation. 

There is hope though, as a new study from <a href="https://www.fiu.edu/">Florida International University </a>found that specially trained dogs can sniff early signs of the disease in avocado trees which could aid in preventing further infestation. 

Dogs trained to sniff out certain scents are often used in law enforcement to locate drugs, and researchers found that scent-discriminating dogs could be trained to detect laurel wilt-disease.

For the study, the researchers conducted 229 trials where dogs detected laurel wilt disease, and out of those, only twelve involved false alerts. 

The results of the research also showed that dogs would be well suited to detecting laurel wilt even in harsh climates such as the high heat and humidity that Florida is known for. 

“It is the best 'technology' so far that can detect a diseased tree before external symptoms are visible,” said DeEtta Mills, one of the study's authors. “The old saying that ‘dogs are man's best friend’ reaches far beyond a personal bond with their handler and trainer. It is depicted in their excitement every day as they deploy to the groves. Man's best friend may even help save an industry.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: DeEtta Mills

Dogs can detect deadly fungal disease in avocado trees

Dogs have a famously incredible sense of smell and can...

Camouflage is a tactic many associate with certain reptiles or birds, but a new study has shown that many plant species also use the same camouflage techniques that animals use for disguise. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> and the<a href="http://english.kib.cas.cn/"> Kunming Institute of Botany</a> in China examined camouflage in plants in an effort to better understand the unique evolutionary processes at work.

The study was published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 

Plants use a variety of well-known camouflage tricks used in the animal kingdom, including background matching and masquerading itself to look like something else. 

Some species of octopus and cuttlefish are experts in masquerade and can actually <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cuttlefish-good-camouflage/">change the texture of their skin </a>in order to look like other marine animals or objects. 

A species of plant that uses masquerade camouflage is the Corydalis hemidicentra, with leaves that are the same color as the rocks around it, depending on where it grows. 

“These plants are a wonderful example of how camouflage can be adapted for different habitats,” said Yang Niu of the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_663382_en.html">University of Exeter</a>, first author of the study. “It seems that plants like these know how to make the right colors by mixing a few types of pigments. Those individuals with worse color matching might have higher risk of being eaten.”

Other camouflage techniques that plants use are disruptive coloration, where markings are used to create the illusion of a false edge, and decoration, which involves a plant covering itself with materials from the environment like sand to hide obvious features. 

“It is clear that plants do more than entice pollinators and photosynthesize with their colors – they hide in plain sight from enemies too,” said Martin Stevens, an author of the study. “We now need to discover just how important a role camouflage has in the ecology and evolution of plants.”

One limiting factor for plants who employ camouflage tactics may be that changing colors decreases photosynthesis because chlorophyll is green. 

The researchers note that further studies of plant camouflage could reveal important evolutionary insights. 

“Animal camouflage has provided scientists with arguably the best examples of evolution in action,” said Stevens. It has been widely studied since the first pioneers of evolutionary biology, but relatively little research has been done into plant camouflage. Plants give us a fascinating parallel way of understanding how evolution works.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Yang Niu

Like animals, plants also use camouflage to hide from predators

Camouflage is a tactic many associate with certain reptiles or...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has revealed that bumblebees can distinguish between different types of flowers by studying the unique arrangement of their scents. 

Flowers go to great lengths to attract bees and other pollinators, using visual signals such as color patterns or lines to guide them to their nectar and speed up the pollination process.

Flowers also have different scented patterns across their surfaces. For example, the center of a flower smells differently than the edges of its petals. Researchers have now demonstrated that bumblebees can tell flowers apart by recognizing this specific layout.

“If you look at a flower with a microscope, you can often see that the cells that produce the flower's scent are arranged in patterns,” said study lead author Dr. Dave Lawson.

“By creating artificial flowers that have identical scents arranged in different patterns, we are able to show that this patterning might be a signal to a bee. For a flower, it's not just smelling nice that's important, but also where you put the scent in the first place.”

The researchers also found that, after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hive-bound-bees-pesticides/">bees</a> became familiar with a particular flower’s scented pattern, the bees preferred to visit unscented flowers that had a similar arrangement of visual spots on their surface.

“This is the equivalent of a human putting her hand in a bag to feel the shape of a novel object which she can't see, and then picking out a picture of that object,” said Dr. Lawson. “Being able to mentally switch between different senses is something we take for granted, but it's exciting that a small animal like a bee is also able to do something this abstract.”

Study co-author Professor Lars Chittka added, “We already knew that bees were clever, but we were really surprised by the fact that bees could learn invisible patterns on flowers - patterns that were just made of scent.”

“The scent glands on our flowers were either arranged in a circle or a cross, and bees had to figure out these patterns by using their feelers. But the most exciting finding was that, if these patterns are suddenly made visible by the experimenter, bees can instantly recognize the image that formerly was just an ephemeral pattern of volatiles in the air.”

Senior author Dr. Sean Rands explained that flowers often use a combination of color, texture, shape, and appealing scents to advertise to their pollinators.

“If bees can learn patterns using one sense (smell) and then transfer this to a different sense (vision), it makes sense that flowers advertise in lots of ways at the same time, as learning one signal will mean that the bee is primed to respond positively to different signals that they have never encountered,” said Dr. Rands. “Advertising agencies would be very excited if the same thing happened in humans.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bees can recognize flowers by their unique scented patterns

A new study from the University of Bristol has revealed...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has confirmed the theory that higher temperatures associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/developing-countries-global-warming/">global warming</a> will lead to smaller yields of corn across the world by the end of the century. 

The researchers also found that the variability of corn yields from year to year will increase the likelihood that high-producing regions will experience low yields simultaneously, leading to global shortages and high corn prices.

“Previous studies have often focused on just climate and plants, but here we look at climate, food and international markets,” said lead author Michelle Tigchelaar.

“We find that as the planet warms, it becomes more likely for different countries to simultaneously experience major crop losses, which has big implications for food prices and food security.”

Most people across the planet rely heavily on corn, which is the most widely grown crop in the world used for food, cooking oil, livestock feed, and fuel.

The United States, Brazil, Argentina, and the Ukraine account for 87 percent of the world's corn exports. The probability that all four of these major exporters could have a bad year at the same time is currently at around zero percent.

However, if the world experiences an additional four degrees Celsius of warming - which is the amount that has been projected to happen by the end of this century - the chance that all four major exporting countries could simultaneously have a bad year increases to 86 percent.

“Yield variability is important for determining food prices in international markets, which in turn has big implications for food security and the ability of poor consumers to buy food,” said Tigchelaar.

The researchers combined data from global climate projections with data from corn-growth models to confirm the negative impact of warmer temperatures on corn crops.

“When people think about climate change and food, they often initially think about drought, but it's really extreme heat that's very detrimental for crops,” said Tigchelaar. 

“Part of that is because plants grown at a higher temperature demand more water, but it's also that extreme heat itself negatively affects crucial stages in plant development, starting with the flowering stage and ending with the grain-filling stage.”

The study revealed that warmer temperatures will severely decrease average maize yields in the southeastern United States, Eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa.

"Even with optimistic scenarios for reduced emissions of greenhouse gases, results show that the volatility in year-to-year maize production in the U.S. will double by the middle of this century, due to increasing average growing season temperature," said study co-author David Battisti.

“The same will be true in the other major maize-exporting countries. Climate change will cause unprecedented volatility in the price of maize, domestically and internationally."

The research is published in the <a href="http://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

Warmer temperatures will threaten corn availability

A new study led by the University of Washington has...

Evolution of sunflowers was fast-tracked by changes in their RNA. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> have investigated the remarkable transformation of sunflowers from wild to domesticated, which has occurred in a relatively short amount of time. The experts set out to identify the genetic mechanisms that have facilitated this rapid evolution. 

Sunflowers have held agricultural value for their seeds and oil for an estimated 5,000 years in the time since they were first cultivated by man. There is some archaeological evidence to suggest that sunflowers were domesticated even before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/switchgrass-biofuel-source/">corn</a>. 


Wild varieties of the common sunflower, Helianthus annuus, are widely distributed across North America. These ancestral flowers grow smaller seeds compared to domesticated sunflowers, which have been selected over time for prominent flower heads that contain larger seeds with higher quality oil.

The researchers wanted to better understand the biological phenomenon of alternative splicing, a regulated process during gene expression that allows a single gene to code multiple RNA transcripts and proteins.Evolution of sunflowers was fast-tracked by changes in their RNA

The process of alternative splicing not only creates useful capabilities in plants, but also introduces variation over time. However, exactly where this process originates from and what it contributes to major evolutionary transitions is not clearly understood.

Researchers performed RNA sequencing to compare a domesticated H. annuus variety with a wild variety of the same species, focusing on 226 cases of splicing differentiation. 

The experts were able to identify the genetic regulation of splicing for 134 distinct genes, and found patterns which suggest that this mechanism is the basis of important domestication traits that have manifested under the conditions of heavy breeding by humans.

Study lead author Chris Smith is a graduate researcher in CU Boulder's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO).

“We were surprised to find that splicing differences were attributable to relatively few regulatory changes” said Smith. “We expect that further down the road, various other species could be analyzed this way, too.”

The findings, which have shed new light on genetic divergence, could have broader implications for agricultural production. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://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

Image Credit: Nolan Kane

Evolution of sunflowers was fast-tracked by changes in their RNA

Evolution of sunflowers was fast-tracked by changes in their RNA....

Climate change could make leafy greens, veggies less available. With both global temperatures and demand for food set to to increase in the coming years, while water resources grow more strained, the impacts on agriculture and crops could cause catastrophic food scarcity.

A new study led by researchers from the <a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/">London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine </a>reveals how climate change will affect the production and nutritional quality of vegetables and legumes.

Leafy greens, vegetables like tomatoes, and legumes are a crucial part of a healthy diet, however, these crops have been largely left out of climate change and agriculture studies.

Instead, the majority of research on crops show that increases in temperature and water scarcity will significantly change staple yields of rice and wheat.  

The study, which was the first of its kind to address this gap in climate change and agriculture research, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

The researchers reviewed studies published since 1975 that investigated the impacts of environmental changes on vegetable and legume crop yields.

After examining all the past experiments and studies, the researchers then estimated how increases in greenhouse gases and water scarcity would impact future yields and nutritional quality.

The results show that if nothing is done to mitigate climate change and reduce emissions, vegetable crop yields could be reduced by 35 percent, and legumes by nine percent towards to the end of the century.

“Our study shows that environmental changes such as increased temperature and water scarcity may pose a real threat to global agricultural production, with likely further impacts on food security and population health,” said Pauline Scheelbeek, the study’s lead author.

Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet, and many health experts and climate studies urge people to increase their consumption of leafy greens and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-and-seafood-production-have-a-high-environmental-cost/">reduce red meat in their diets</a> to lower their environmental impact.

However, this research shows that vegetable and legumes may soon be less readily available which could impact population health worldwide.

“Our analysis suggests that if we take a 'business as usual' approach, environmental changes will substantially reduce the global availability of these important foods,” said Alan Dangour, the study’s senior author. “Urgent action needs to be taken, including working to support the agriculture sector to increase its resilience to environmental changes and this must be a priority for governments across the world.”

The researchers emphasize the importance of improving agricultural innovations as well as reducing emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

“This excellent review highlights that some of the most important foods, and some of the world's most vulnerable people, are at highest risk. This research is a wake-up call, underlining the urgency of tackling climate change and of improving agricultural practices,” said Howie Frumkin, head of Our Planet, Our Health Program part of the <a href="https://wellcome.ac.uk/home">Wellcome Trust</a>, which funded the study.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change could make leafy greens, veggies less available

Climate change could make leafy greens, veggies less available. With...

Vegetarian diet serves up a host of health benefits, research shows.  Bad news for meat lovers who want to eat healthier meals. A vegetarian diet – especially one that relies on high-quality foods – is linked to a host of health benefits, new research shows.

A collection of reports on the perks of a plant-based diet will be presented at Nutrition 2018, the first flagship meeting for the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a>, held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston from June 9 to 12. 

Among the posters, papers and presentations:
<ul>
 	<li>Getting protein from plants rather than animals is linked to a lower risk of coronary heart disease. A study of 6,000 people in the Netherlands over 13 years found that those who are more plant protein and avoided animal-derived protein had a lower risk of heart disease. Kim V.E. Braun of <a href="https://www.erasmusmc.nl/?lang=en">Erasmus University Medical Center</a> will share a poster presenting the study’s findings from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday in the convention center auditorium. Vegetarian diet serves up a host of health benefits, research shows</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li>Choosing better-quality, plant-based foods is associated with a lower risk of death. Fang Fang Zheng of <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> will present a study of nearly 30,000 U.S. adults that found the quality of the food people eat may affect the lifespan. Those who chose higher quality plant-based foods saw a 30-percent lower mortality rate, while quality of animal-derived food didn’t seem to affect mortality, the study found. The presentation will be held from 8 to 8:15 a.m. Monday in Room 311 of the convention center.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Eating a healthy, vegetarian diet is linked to healthy weight. A study of more than 125,000 adults over four years found that eating a plant-based diet made up of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts was associated with less weight gain, according to Ambika Satija of the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health</a>. Unhealthy plant-based foods, like fries and refined grains, were connected to weight gain, the study found. It will be presented from 4:45 to 5 p.m. Sunday in Room 209 of the convention center.</li>
</ul>
Other posters and presentations will share how a plant-based diet appeared to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes among South Asians living in the U.S., how vegetarian diets are associated with a lower risk of plaque in the arteries in a Brazilian study, and more.

The findings are preliminary, and the abstracts selected didn’t go through the same peer-review process that most scientific journals provide, the organizers noted. Still, the new research backs up dozens of similar studies in recent years. Over the past few months, studies have found vegetarian diets to be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vegetarian-diet-most-affordable/">healthy and affordable</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-diet-beneficial-environment/">better for the environment</a> – at least, when diners choose organic and whole foods rather than sweets and processed food items.

Founded in 1928, the American Society for Nutrition publishes four peer-reviewed journals each year, brings together nutritional researchers, medical professionals and other leaders, and provides education and professional development opportunities.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Vegetarian diet serves up a host of health benefits, research shows

Vegetarian diet serves up a host of health benefits, research...

Groundbreaking research funded by the <a href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/">British Heart Foundation</a> has found that green tea may be able to prevent fatal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diesel-fuel-pollution-heart-damage/">heart attacks</a> and strokes caused by the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. 

Scientists from <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> and the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> have identified a compound in green tea that breaks up and dissolves threatening plaque buildup in the blood vessels.

This compound is also being analyzed for its ability to reduce amyloid plaques in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty material inside the arteries that can dangerously limit the flow of blood to the heart and brain. Once the condition progresses, a protein called apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA) can form amyloid deposits which build up within atherosclerotic plaques and make them larger. This further restricts blood flow, and increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is most commonly found in green tea, was discovered to bind to the amyloid fibers of apoA. This process converts the fibers to soluble molecules that are smaller and less likely to cause damage to blood vessels.

“Our bodies are very good at breaking down EGCG so swapping your cuppa for green tea is unlikely to make a big difference with respect to your heart health,” explained study co-author Professor Jeremy Pearson. “But by engineering the molecule slightly, we might be able to make new medicines to treat heart attack and stroke.”

The team is working to develop a method of introducing EGCG directly into the bloodstream.

“The health benefits of green tea have been widely promoted and it has been known for some time that EGCG can alter the structures of amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease,” said study co-author David Middleton.

“Our results show that this intriguing compound might also be effective against the types of plaques which can cause heart attacks and strokes.”

“The findings of this round of studies are very encouraging,” said study co-author Professor Sheena Radford. “We now need to apply the best scientific techniques to find how we can take the molecular EGCG element from green tea, and turn it into a functioning tool to combat life-limiting health issues.”

The research is published in the <a href="http://www.jbc.org/">Journal of Biological Chemistry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Green tea can reverse cardiovascular damage, prevent heart attack

Groundbreaking research funded by the British Heart Foundation has found...

Invasive pathogens can be catastrophic for plants, crops, and can even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-insects-could-cause-billions-in-damages-to-agriculture/">negatively impact a country’s economy.</a>

The chestnut blight in the United States in the early 1900s is just one example of how an invasive plant pathogen can cause untold damage. 

An Asian fungus infected chestnut trees in the eastern United States and all but wiped out Chestnut trees from American forests. It was said that before the blight, one in every three trees in the eastern US was a chestnut tree. 

Now, a new study shows that there is a direct correlation between an increase in trade between countries around the world and invasive plant pathogens, but also that thorough biosecurity measures can be successful in reducing the spread of unwanted fungi across a nation’s border.

“Because globalization and imports to and from other countries are just going to keep increasing, most data have shown with that come lots of new invasive species around the world,” said Benjamin Sikes, the lead author of the study. “The question is, can you slow that? This work shows that link can be slowed with implementation of targeted biosecurity measures.”

Sikes is a microbial ecologist from the<a href="https://www.ku.edu/"> University of Kansas</a> who conducted the study in collaboration with <a href="https://bioprotection.org.nz/">New Zealand's Bio-Protection Research Centre</a> and <a href="https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/">Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research</a>.

The extensive study was published in the journal PLOS Biology. 

New Zealand was chosen for the study because of that fact that so many of its crops are imported which raises the risk of invasive species. 

New Zealand also spends around .03 percent of its gross domestic product on biosecurity measures and the researchers were able to use a database of all known plant-pathogen associations in New Zealand to show that the country’s biosecurity is working. 

“We had this ability in New Zealand because of the records that were there and because it's a relatively young country,” said Sikes. “They're a world leader in biosecurity, and it's important for them to know if those measures are working and worth spending money on.”

Plant pathogens like invasive fungi are often brought in through agricultural imports like seeds but lumber and other raw materials also carry the potential for invasive species. 

That’s where biosecurity comes in. Proper screening at points of entry can stop pathogens from crossing borders and disrupting native ecosystems. 

“At ports of entry there are border-inspection people, like our USDA,” said Sikes. “If they're getting in a shipment of bananas to the U.S. from Costa Rica, there would be a person inspecting it, looking for visible symptoms and spot testing for the most prolific diseases from source countries.”

Because of the significant amount of damage that invading pathogens can cause, not just to agriculture but also to economic and conservational efforts, effective biosecurity is more important than ever. 

“For the first time, we can quantify how fast these things are coming into a country, and that's actually super hard to do,” said  Sikes. “Given the amount of investment the U.S. or, say, Germany is making in biosecurity, we now can say, 'You've found this number of things, and you looked this many times -- and based on what we know, this is about how many things you would find if you were able to find them all.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Biosecurity effectively prevents pathogens from crossing borders

Invasive pathogens can be catastrophic for plants, crops, and can...

DCIM100MEDIADJI_0122.JPG

A new study led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.essex.ac.uk/">University of Essex</a> has revealed that the output of major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-happening-quickly-food-crops-adapt/">food crops</a> could be increased by nearly 50 percent simply by boosting the production of a specific protein that is involved in photorespiration.


The experts developed a model crop that was used to investigate the effects of overexpressing the H-protein, which occurs naturally in the leaves of plants. Over the course of two years, field experiments showed that increasing this particular protein improved the crop’s yield by 27 to 47 percent.

However, this process also stunted plant growth and metabolism, leaving some young plants only around half of their potential size.

“Plant scientists have traditionally used promoters that express proteins at high levels throughout the plant, and there are many examples where this has worked really well,” said study lead author Patricia Lopez-Calcagno. 

“But for the H-protein, we showed that more is not always better demonstrating that when we translate this method to other crop plants, we will need to tune the changes in protein to the right levels in the right tissues.”

The study is the first of its kind to enhance a crop’s H-protein levels in real-world growing conditions outside of a laboratory. The team used tobacco for the investigation because it grows quickly and is easy to genetically engineer, and any effective modifications in tobacco can be applied to food crops.

“The reality is that as growing season temperatures continue to increase, the yield hit caused by photorespiration will also increase,” said co-author Paul South. “If we can translate this discovery to food crops, we can equip farmers with resilient plants capable of producing more food despite increasing temperature stress.”

The team has plans to increase the H-protein levels of soybeans and cowpeas next. In addition, they will manipulate this protein in cassava, which is a staple food for more than one billion people.

The primary goal of the research is to increase crop yields for farmers worldwide, particularly smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

This analysis is part of the international research project <a href="http://ripe.illinois.edu/">Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency</a> (RIPE), which is supported by Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and U.K. Department for International Development.

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/loi/14677652">Plant Biotechnology Journal</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: Beau Barber

Stimulating photorespiration increases crop yields by 47 percent

A new study led by researchers at the University of...

A team of experts from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> have used natural dye extracted from blackcurrant waste to develop an effective new technology for coloring hair.

“We've made it possible to have great hair color, and to get it from nature in the most sustainable way possible,” said study co-author Professor Chris Rayner.

More people are coloring their hair all the time, and the industry brings in around ten billion dollars every year.

However, some of the ingredients found in the most commonly-used hair dyes are derived from petrochemicals, which are known to trigger severe allergic reactions and have even been suspected to cause cancer.

The ingredients used in permanent hair dyes, particularly those used to achieve darker colors, are the main concern. For example, some hair dye that is considered “natural” includes henna and its counterpart lawsone, which the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has deemed toxic.

Another concern about hair dye is that up to 95 percent of it is believed to be washed down the drain, and the potential environmental impacts from this are not yet known.

Dr. Richard Blackburn is a color chemist who heads the Sustainable Materials Research Group in the School of Design. He teamed up with Professor Rayner, who is an organic chemist, to identify natural substitutes for the chemicals in hair dye. 

“Because of issues and concerns around conventional dyes, we wanted to develop biodegradable alternatives that minimize potential risks to health and offer consumers a different option,” explained Dr. Blackburn.

The team combined expertise in extraction technology, hair science, coloration, and natural products chemistry to create a method of extracting anthocyanins from blackcurrant fruit waste.

“Anthocyanins are pigments that provide color to most berries, flowers, and many other fruits and vegetables,” said Dr. Blackburn. “They are non-toxic, water-soluble and responsible for pink, red, purple, violet, and blue and colors and are widely used as natural food colorants all over the world.”

“We knew they bound strongly with proteins - hair is a protein - so we thought if we could find an appropriate source of these natural colors, we might be able to dye hair.”

Around 90 percent of British blackcurrants are used in the production of Ribena. The berries are harvested in late summer and then pressed for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floridas-citrus-trees-struggle/">juice</a>.


“After being pressed, the skins remain as a waste product. They have very high concentrations of anthocyanins, and represent a sustainable supply of raw material because of how much blackcurrant cordial we drink.”

“The extraction technology is based on sustainable concepts - the color is extracted using a water-based process and special filters collect the anthocyanins that we want. We believe that if we are extracting natural and food-grade products, we should not use any toxic or hazardous chemicals to get them.”


Professor Rayner also explained that, in an upcoming paper, his team details all of the extract’s natural compounds.


“We wanted to identify all of the natural compounds present to improve our technology and to ensure safety, which cannot be said of most 'natural' cosmetic brands, where there is little understanding of what is in ‘natural extracts.’ Natural does not necessarily equal safe.”

The researchers have now patented their technology, and the sustainable hair dyes will soon be available on the market.

The research is published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/jafcau">Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A new safe and sustainable hair dye developed from blackcurrants

A team of experts from the University of Leeds have...

Researchers conducting an extensive four-year field survey in the Pollino National Park in Italy came across the oldest living tree in Europe and found that it’s still growing. 

The tree, named Italus by researchers from the <a href="http://www.unitus.it/">University of Tuscia</a>, is 1,230 years old and has survived many different climate extremes.

In fact, it was discovered that the tree has thrived in recent decades, adding a series of large tree rings to its trunk even though trees in the Mediterranean region have been on the decline recently. 

Italus, which is a Heldreich’s pine, holds a lot of potential for understanding how some trees are able to withstand changes in climate and survive through droughts and encroaching human activity. 

The findings, published in the journal Ecology, could aid in accurately predicting how some forests will respond to climate change in the coming years. 

Dating the tree was not easy and required a combination of different methods that used tree ring and root data to determine Italus’ age. 

When trying to date the tree’s rings, the researchers discovered that the innermost part of the tree, the oldest part, had seemingly disintegrated.

[caption id="attachment_1214918" align="aligncenter" width="800"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tree.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1214918" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tree.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a> Image Credit: Gianluca Piovesan[/caption]

“The inner part of the wood was like dust—we never saw anything like it,” Alfredo Di Filippo, a member of the research team, told <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a>. “There were at least 20 centimeters of wood missing, which represents a lot of years.”

The most common way to date a tree is through the rings it produces every year in its trunk, but since the oldest part of the tree was indistinguishable, the researchers turned to the tree’s roots.

Tree roots also form annual rings but these can contrast with the trunk’s rings and so the researchers used radiocarbon dating of Italus’ exposed roots to find out when it first germinated and age the tree from there. 

Italus germinated in 789 AD and its resilience through the years is no small feat. Neither climate extremes nor the dense human population in the region has stunted the tree’s growth and the researchers have several hypotheses for its most recent growth spurt. 

After centuries of producing smaller rings within its trunk, the researchers noted that in the past two decades, the tree has formed wider rings. 

This is likely because of better environmental conditions including cooler temperatures and possibly a decrease in pollution thanks to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europe-unsustainable-future-agriculture/">European</a> regulations and rewilding efforts

“It’s difficult, because there are few studies about the impact of warm periods on Mediterranean boreal ecosystems,” Gianluca Piovesan, the lead author of the study told National Geographic. 

The researchers say the tree could potentially go on living for many more centuries and the results shed insight on the durability of ancient trees even in the face of climate extremes. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Gianluca Piovesan

Oldest living tree in Europe is still going strong

Researchers conducting an extensive four-year field survey in the Pollino...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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