Plants, just like humans, interact in complex and dynamic ways, forming relationships that can shape entire ecosystems.



Sometimes, plants work in harmony, supporting each other for mutual benefit. Other times, one species helps another while remaining unaffected.



In some cases, a plant may even utilize resources that another plant has produced for its own benefit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-interactions-of-plants">Complex interactions of plants</h2>



Plant interactions are classified into three distinct types: symbiotic facilitation, where both plants benefit each other; commensalistic facilitation, where the nurtured plant neither impacts the benefactor positively nor negatively; and antagonistic facilitation, where the bestowed partner benefits at the expense of its benefactor.



The existence of antagonistic facilitation has been disputed for a long time. However, a new study provides compelling evidence that this type of interaction between plant species is indeed possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pioneer-plants-the-unsung-heroes">Pioneer plants: The unsung heroes</h2>



The research was conducted by Dr. Ricardo Martínez-García, CASUS Young Investigator, along with lead authors Ciro Cabal from the <a href="https://www.urjc.es/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">King Juan Carlos University</a> and Gabriel A. Maciel from the South American Institute for Fundamental Research.



The study shines a light on a particular phenomenon that has intrigued ecologists for years - the pioneering role of certain plant species in cultivating wastelands.



The pioneer plants, in their quest for survival, start colonizing uninhabited ground. They produce resources like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-produce-their-own-nitrogen-fertilizer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nitrogen</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lack-of-phosphorus-will-limit-growth-of-the-amazon-rainforest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phosphorus</a> that are scarce in the soil. This not only aids their growth but also paves the way for other species to thrive in these desolate lands.



Opportunistic plants help themselves to the smorgasbord of resources provided by the pioneers. Yet, the pioneer plants remain unbothered because they still benefit from their hard work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evidence-of-antagonistic-facilitation">Evidence of antagonistic facilitation </h2>



The findings strongly suggest the presence of antagonistic facilitation in these pioneer areas.



The findings extend beyond just proving the existence of antagonistic facilitation. According to Cabal, the team's model also shows that plant interactions are an emergent property of resource availability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-dynamics-over-time">Shifting dynamics over time</h2>



The model indicates that antagonistic facilitation is the dominant strategy in environments with low and intermediate resource availability.



However, as the soil changes over time and more plant species begin to flourish, the interaction between the species also changes. 



The pioneer species continue to increase the availability of resources, but due to the overall abundance of resources now, the other plants are no longer impacted.



At this stage, the pioneers' mining ability starts to become a burden, putting them at a disadvantage. Ultimately, other plant species outcompete the pioneers to claim the territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fascinating-world-of-plant-interactions">Fascinating world of plant interactions </h2>



Ecological research often leans on modeling as a tool for testing hypotheses and exploring ideas that are challenging to investigate in field or laboratory experiments. 



In this case, a mathematical model was developed to predict the density and spatial distribution of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/autophagy-what-makes-plant-roots-grow-faster-stronger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roots</a> of interacting plants. The results proved to have a significant overlap with greenhouse experiments.



The model was further refined to depict the interaction of pioneer plants with their environment, taking into account the dynamics of an in-demand soil resource, the size and shape of root systems, and the costs of growing and maintaining roots.



Ultimately, the study illustrates the fascinating world of plant interactions, and the role of such relationships in shaping our natural environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plants-communicate">How plants communicate</h2>



In addition to their fascinating interactions, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-capture-plant-communication-on-video/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants communicate</a> in surprising ways. Through their root systems, plants exchange chemical signals to coordinate growth, warn others of potential threats, and even compete for resources.



Recent studies have shown that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released when under stress, signaling nearby species to activate their own defense mechanisms.



This underground network of chemical exchanges plays a critical role in shaping communities and influencing which species thrive in various ecosystems.



Understanding this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-complex-biochemical-communication-networks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">communication network</a> adds another layer to how plants interact, not just through resource sharing or competition but through a hidden language that helps them navigate their environment.



This phenomenon further supports the idea that plant interactions are far more complex than previously understood, encompassing both cooperation and competition.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.20053" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Phytologist</a>.



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Secret lives of plants: Exploring complex interactions

Plants, just like humans, interact in complex and dynamic ways, forming relationships that can shape entire ecosystems. Sometimes, plants work in harmony, supporting each other for mutual benefit. Other times, one species helps another while remaining unaffected. In some cases, a plant may even utilize resources that another plant has produced for its own benefit. Complex interactions of plants Plant interactions are classified into three distinct types: symbiotic facilitation, where both plants benefit each other; commensalistic facilitation, where the nurtured plant neither impacts the benefactor positively nor...

A recent study from <a href="http://www.mq.edu.au/">Macquarie University</a> in Sydney, Australia has shed new light on why plant leaves come in such different sizes, a variable that until now has largely been based on speculation.

Prior scientific research found that warm, tropical regions of the globe with high levels of precipitation have larger leaved plants, while arid mountain regions contain small leaved plants. 

Plants that are not at risk of overheating can spread out, which is why jungle plants have such enormous foliage because the high levels of rainfall keep the plants cool. Conversely, in drier regions, plants keep their leaves contained. 

However, the new Macquarie University study, led by Dr. Ian Wright and published in the journal Science, found that this is only part of the reason that plants differ in leaf size.

“Our work shows that in fact if there's enough water in the soil then there's almost no limit to how large leaves can be,” Wright told <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41099030">BBC News</a>. 

The study also found that leaf size is not only determined by the likelihood of overheating, but also by the possibility of freezing. In fact, after examining over 7,000 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-coastal-plants-better/">plant</a> species from all over the globe, Wright found that the freezing factor may be the main driver of leaf size. 

“What we've been able to show is over perhaps as much as half the world, the overall limits to leaf size are much more set by the risk of freezing at night than the risk of overheating during the day,” said Wright. 

Wright’s research is an important addition to science’s continual mission to understand how plant life will react to climate change and what measures need to be taken to protect and preserve as many species as possible. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why are some plant leaves massive, while others can be tiny?

A recent study from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia has...

Research from the <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a> shows that people who use marijuana may actually walk differently from those who do not. The study found changes in the movements of the shoulders, knees, and elbows of cannabis users.

The evaluation focused on 44 participants - half marijuana users and half non-users. The individuals were given screening tests and clinical neurological examinations of movement. They were also given gait and balance tests which involved motion capture systems.

The study revealed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-use-kidney-function/">marijuana</a> users have stiffer shoulders and more flexible elbows as they walk. The cannabis users also had faster knees capable of reaching higher walking speeds than those of non-users. There were no noticeable differences between the neurological functions or balancing abilities of users and non-users, however.

Study co-author Verity Pearson-Dennett told <a href="http://www.psypost.org/">PsyPost</a>, “The changes in walking were small enough that a neurologist specializing in movement disorders was not able to detect changes in all of the cannabis users. However, many of the participants in the cannabis group were moderate-to-light cannabis users, therefore heavier cannabis users may have greater impairments.”

While the majority of the participants for the study were in their twenties, the authors of the study say that more research is needed “to investigate if the subtle gait changes observed in this population become more apparent with aging and increased cannabis use.” The researchers also want to conduct further analyses to determine exactly how marijuana affects people's movements.

“Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug, with 35% of Australians aged 14 years and over reporting use on at least one occasion,” said Pearson-Dennett.

According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Center for Disease Control</a> (CDC), marijuana is also the most used illegal drug in the United States with over 22.2 million users. More than half of the states in America have now legalized the use of marijuana, and there is heightened curiosity about the influence the drug has on overall health and well-being. 

The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/index.htm">reports</a> there is strong evidence that marijuana use is linked to increased risk of cancer, stroke, heart attack, and decreased IQ. On the other hand, marijuana has been associated with many positive benefits. Some studies have linked cannabis use to a healthier metabolism and improved lung capacity. In addition, marijuana has been proven to ease pain and nausea during intense medical treatments, relieve arthritis discomfort, and help with a variety of other ailments.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Using marijuana can change the way you walk

Research from the University of South Australia shows that people...

Tropical grasslands, like the Brazilian Cerrado, are important ecosystems and provide vital grazing areas for many animals. But efforts to reduce deforestation and suppress wildfires are actually backfiring and causing forests to encroach on savannas, much to the detriment of their native wildlife.

It might seem contradictory, that reforestation from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-moisture-predict-wildfires/">fire</a> suppression efforts in savannas are detrimental to conservation. But the expanding tropical forests are actually wiping out many native ant and plant species in the process. 

A study from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> proves that fire suppression efforts are doing more harm than good, as many tropical grassland species just can’t survive in the encroaching forest habitats. Their survival is hindered by the mass foliage coverage a forest provides. 

“Shady conditions are an enemy to these savanna dwellers. Many of these plant species just can't persist in a forest. However, fire suppression has taken root in Brazil, so there is a reluctance to allow fires - even to promote the health of the savanna,” said William Hoffman, a professor of plant and microbial bolio and North Carolina State who is very familiar with the changing biodiversity of the Brazilian Cerrado. 

The study looks at data gathered from the Cerrado in the past 30 years, specifically monitoring the effects fire suppression efforts had on the grasslands. 

The results of the study show that some plant species in the savanna have declined by 27 percent, and ant species have declined by 35 percent, some even declining by 86 percent. 

“These savanna species can't be moved and can't really live anywhere else," said Hoffmann. "This study really highlights the extent to which these species are dependent on their savanna homes,” said Hoffman. 

The study was published in the journal Science Advances and shows a grim reality for the future of tropical savannas affected by fire suppression operations. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Efforts to suppress forest fires backfire on tropical savannas

Tropical grasslands, like the Brazilian Cerrado, are important ecosystems and...

Researchers have discovered that the tall goldenrod plant can protect itself by smelling an impending invasion. The experts found that the plants can actually detect a single compound that is emitted by male flies and initiate their defense.

Anjel Helms is a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="http://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>. She explained that certain species of flies feed only on tall goldenrod, or Solidago altissima, in Pennsylvania. The male flies release chemicals to attract the females, and the females ultimately deposit fertilized eggs into the stem of the goldenrod plant. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on plant tissue inside the stem and cause specialized plant tissues to form known as galls, which form around the larvae like a protective shield.

"The flies strongly reduce the plant's fitness by decreasing the number of seeds it produces, as well as the sizes of those seeds," said co-author John Tooker. "That's because when the plant's tissues are damaged by the insect, it diverts its energy away from seed production and instead toward production of the gall."

Previous research by the team had revealed that goldenrod plants produced greater amounts of a defense chemical known as jasmonic acid when exposed to chemicals from the male <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-fruit-flies-aggressive/">flies</a>. For the current study, the scientists set out to identify which specific chemical compounds are detected by the goldenrod plants. They also wanted to determine how sensitive the plants are to the compounds.

The researchers first identified the chemical compounds present in the male fly emission. Next, they exposed goldenrod plants to individual compounds and analyzed their responses. The scientists discovered that the plants responded most strongly to a compound called E,S-conophthorin. 

"E,S-conophthorin is the most abundant compound emitted by the flies," said Helms. "The compound appears to provide a strong and reliable cue for the plants to detect." 

The team also examined the level of sensitivity the plants had to E,S-conophthorin. Using different concentrations of the compound, they measured the defense responses of the goldenrod plants. The researchers found that the plants were sensitive to even small concentrations of the chemical. Tooker explained that “it likely means that the plant has a dedicated mechanism to perceive this compound.” 

“The results provide evidence that goldenrod can detect a single compound from the fly, supporting the idea that there is a tight co-evolutionary relationship between these two species,”said Tooker. “In other words, over time, as the fly has adapted to take advantage of the plant, the plant has adapted to protect itself from the fly." 

The study, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, is the first to demonstrate a plant "smelling" its attacker and to document a specific compound the plants are detecting. 

"How plants perceive volatile chemicals is poorly understood, so having a somewhat unique or distinct molecule to explore that mechanism is promising, and a direction we will explore in the future,” said Tooker.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Meet the plant that can smell its attacker approaching

Researchers have discovered that the tall goldenrod plant can protect...

Scientists from <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have created a cyborg bacteria that is capable of generating artificial photosynthesis. The bacteria uses tiny crystalline nanoparticles as solar panels to photosynthesize sunlight and generate useful chemicals.

These cybernetic bacteria also produced zero waste and could be used to generate compounds for fuels, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. 

Dr. Kelsey Sakimoto and her research team from <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> and <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">Berkeley</a> used the bacterium known as Moorella thermoacetica, which consumes carbon dioxide to create acetic acid. The bacterium is not photosynthetic, but by feeding the bacteria both cadmium and cysteine, the bacterium transformed into a photosynthesizing machine. 

Cysteine is an amino acid and cadmium is a chemical element, and once both were introduced to the bacteria, it created cadmium sulfide nanoparticles. Cadmium sulfide is known for its semi-conductive properties, so the bacteria used the nanoparticles as solar panels as the bacteria self-replicated, converted carbon dioxide, harvested sunlight, and generated acetic acid. 

“The bacteria/inorganic-semiconductor hybrid artificial photosynthesis system we’ve created is self-replicating through the bio-precipitation of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles, which serve as the light harvester to sustain cellular metabolism,” said corresponding author Peidong Yang, a chemist from Berkeley. 

This breakthrough in artificial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/use-photosynthesis-create-hydrogen-fuel/">photosynthesis</a> could have huge implications in generating renewable energy and finding alternative fuel sources. 

Sakimoto and her team aren’t the only ones exploring ways to harness photosynthesis, as creating efficient alternatives to the naturally occurring process could help produce sustainable, clean, and eco-friendly chemicals used in fuels and plastics. It could also help eliminate our dependency on petroleum. 

This new development of cyborg bacteria could also be the first of the artificial photosynthesis attempts to be used outside of the lab with commercial applications. 

“Our algal biofuels are much more attractive, as the whole CO2-to-chemical apparatus is self-contained and only requires a big vat out in the sun,” said Sakimoto.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cyborg bacteria can now generate artificial photosynthesis

Scientists from Harvard University have created a cyborg bacteria that...

Lignin is plant waste residue that becomes a waste product of paper and ethanol production, and is usually burned or dumped in landfills. But now, scientists have found a way to remodel lignin into carbon fiber strong enough to be used to build airplane and automobile parts.

"Lignin is a complex aromatic molecule that is mainly burned to make steam in a biorefinery plant, a relatively inefficient process that doesn't create a lot of value," said lead researcher Birgitte Ahring. "Finding better ways to use leftover lignin is really the driver here. We want to use biorefinery waste to create value. We want to use a low-value product to create a high-value product, which will make biorefineries sustainable."

Carbon fiber made with lignin would have huge advantages over fibers currently being produced, as it would be more sustainable and less expensive. The carbon fiber used in modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-driving-cars-ethical-decisions/">cars</a> and aircraft are most often made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN), which is an expensive non-renewable vinyl polymer. 

Jinxue Jiang, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> who participated in the study.

"PAN can contribute about half of the total cost of making carbon fiber,"said Jiang. "Our idea is to reduce the cost for making carbon fiber by using renewable materials, like biorefinery lignin." 

Jiang explained that previous studies have failed to make carbon fibers from 100 percent lignin because the fibers produced were too weak for the automotive industry. "We wanted to combine the high strength of PAN with the low cost of the lignin to produce an automobile-grade carbon fiber,” said Jiang.

The research team mixed lignin with PAN in amounts ranging from 0 to 50 percent. They used a process called melt spinning to fuse lignin and PAN together into a single fiber.

The researchers used various techniques to test the structural and mechanical characteristics of the fibers. 

The study revealed that carbon fiber made of 20-30 percent lignin maintained its industrial strength. The researchers said that the lignin carbon fibers could be used in automobile production to make internal parts, castings, and tire frames.

Next, the team will test their carbon fibers at an automobile manufacturing plant to evaluate their strength in real-world scenarios. The researchers will present their work today at the 254th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists transform plant waste into building material

Lignin is plant waste residue that becomes a waste product...

Researchers have tracked the origin of citrus fruits and examined their distribution throughout history. The earliest lemon remains were found in Rome and date back to the turn of the first century. The study reveals that citrons and lemons were status symbols in ancient Rome, rare commodities acquired by only the rich and powerful.

Dr. Dafna Langgut is a researcher at <a href="http://archaeology.tau.ac.il/?page_id=4538">Tel Aviv University’s Laboratory for Archaeobotany and Ancient Environments</a> who led the study.

“The first remains of the earliest lemon, found in the Roman Forum, date to right around the time of Jesus Christ, the end of the first century BC and early first century AD,” said Dr. Langgut. “It appears that the citron was considered a valuable commodity due to its healing qualities, symbolic use, pleasant odor and rarity. Only the rich could have afforded it.”

Langgut explained that the spread of lemons and citrons was “helped more by its high social status, its significance in religion and its unique features, rather than its culinary qualities.”

Prior to the first century, Romans only had a large, tasteless citron with a thick rind that originated in Jerusalem between 4th and 5th century B.C. While citrus trees may thrive in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/crete-greece-mediterranean-sea/">Mediterranean</a> today, they are actually not native to the region.

“Today, citrus orchards are a major component of the Mediterranean landscape and one of the most important cultivated fruits in the region,' said Langgut. “But citrus is not native to the Mediterranean Basin and originated in Southeast Asia.”

Dr. Langgut said that other citrus fruits did not spread until over a millennium later, most likely due to economic reasons. Muslim traders introduced sour oranges, limes, and pomelos to the West by route of Sicily and the Iberian Peninsula around the 10th century.

“It is clear that Muslim traders played a crucial role in the dispersal of cultivated citrus in Northern Africa and Southern Europe,” Dr Langgut said. “It's also evident because the common names of many of the citrus types were derived from Arabic, following an earlier diversification in Southeast Asia. Muslims controlled extensive territory and commerce routes from India to the Mediterranean.”

Sweet oranges arrived in Europe around the 15th century, and mandarins appeared as recently as the 19th century. According to Dr. Langgut, “By the time mandarins appeared in the 19th century, citrus fruits were considered commonplace. They were cash crops rather than luxury items.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lemons were a symbol of wealth in Rome, originally came from Asia

Researchers have tracked the origin of citrus fruits and examined...

The avocado is having a moment. The beloved fruit is incredibly trendy and widely consumed worldwide (see: hipster avocado toast). In fact, Americans eat 1.9 billion pounds of avocados each year, but usually only the fleshy inside of the avocado is used. This means tons of skins, seeds, and seed husks are thrown away and wasted. But now, new research has found many beneficial properties of avocado seed husks that could cut down on food waste and provide new treatments for serious diseases. 

Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D from the <a href="http://www.utrgv.edu/">University of Texas Rio Grande Valley</a>, and his colleagues conducted a study using the dried seed husks from 300 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/avocado-supply-struggling/">avocados</a>. The team ground them into a powder to create a wax and an oil that were found to contain a treasure trove of medicinal chemical compounds. There were 116 chemicals compounds discovered in the oil and 16 in the wax, that the researchers believe came from the seed husks.

"It could very well be that avocado seed husks, which most people consider as the waste of wastes, are actually the gem of gems because the medicinal compounds within them could eventually be used to treat cancer, heart disease, and other conditions," said Bandyopadhyay. 

The researchers identified compounds like behenyl alcohol in the oil, which is used in anti-viral medications. They also found heptacosane, which can help hinder tumor cells, and dodecanoic acid, which can decrease the risk of atherosclerosis. 

There is also the possibility of avocado seed husks being used to enhance cosmetics, perfumes, and plastics. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The previously-unknown secret powers of avocado seed husks

The avocado is having a moment. The beloved fruit is...

A group of long-term climate campaigners in New Zealand has launched a global initiative to plant trees in response to what they consider to be the ignorance of President Donald Trump on climate science. The organizers have named their campaign Trump Forest, which has received 120,000 pledges since March of this year.

The project allows people to plant trees locally or support forest restoration projects in Madagascar, Haiti, Ethiopia, and Nepal. 450 people around the world have signed up, planting 15,000 trees in the first month alone.

The founders claim they would need to offset the equivalent of 650 megatons of Co2 by 2025 to counteract Trump’s actions regarding climate change. To do this, they estimate a need for more than 100 billion new trees, which is enough to cover an area the size of Kentucky.

According to President Trump, he left the Paris Climate Agreement because it would cost jobs and hurt the U.S. economy while benefiting other countries. The president is also challenging climate regulations put in place by his predecessor, Barack Obama. 

The organizers of Trump Forest say there is a global sense of frustration with the president's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">climate change policies</a>.

Adrien Taylor, a co-founder of Trump Forest, told the BBC, “We've met some of the people on the front lines of climate change in Bangladesh, Mongolia and in other countries, and we found it extremely upsetting that Mr Trump's ignorance is so profound so we started to do something about it. Only a small percentage of the world voted him in, but we all have to deal with the consequences of his climate ignorance."

The goal to plant over 100 billion new trees over the next 8 years may be a huge undertaking, but the founders of Trump Forest say it can be done.

Co-founder Dr. Daniel Price told the BBC, "We want to plant a global forest that will offset all of the emissions that the Trump administration puts in the atmosphere. It sounds a bit ridiculous but it is completely feasible.” 

The organizers of the campaign said they have received "a bit of hate mail" from Trump supporters. There are also mixed emotions about the name of the project, as it sounds like a tribute to the president. 

Dr. Price told the BBC, "All we're trying to do is pick up the slack he has created and do the work for him so if he wants to take ownership of this forest just like Trump vodka and Trump Tower, we would welcome that; the phone line is open. So, Mr President, if you are reading this..."

Mr. Taylor added that, "We kind of want him to love the forest, this is his forest after all. We would love it if he tweeted about it.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global forest project aims to offset Trump emissions

A group of long-term climate campaigners in New Zealand has...

The Cretaceous period, the one with all the dinosaurs, was a long geological era that started 145 million years ago and lasted 77 million years. During this time, life thrived with huge winged animals, dinosaurs, diverse plant life, along with the beginnings of flowering plants, peak sea levels, and a very different grouping of the continents than what we see today. It is also a period that ended, famously, with the mass extinction event that destroyed the dinosaurs. But recently, a team of researchers from <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> working in Myanmar discovered 100 million year-old flowers from the Cretaceous period in perfectly preserved in fossilized amber. This discovery is said to be the largest collection from this era to be studied in one analysis. 

The flowers are a new species of petal-less flowers and are so perfectly preserved in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-fossils-indian-amber/">ancient amber</a> samples that they look like they could have been picked yesterday. 

“The amber preserved the floral parts so well that they look like they were just picked from the garden,” said George Poinar Jr, a professor at Oregon State University’s College of Science.

The seven flowers in all measure around 4 millimeters wide and are predicted to have fallen from the branches of an araucaria tree and into a resin, which hardened and fossilized to preserved the flowers. 

The species have been named Tropidogyne pentaptera from the greek for five (penta) and wing (pteron). They are close to another species discovered from the Cretaceous period in similar fashion, Tropodogyne Pikei, but these seven flowers are a wholly different discovery.

“The new species has spreading, veiny sepals, a necar disc, and a ribbed inferior ovary like T. pikei, But it’s different in that its bicarpellate, with two elongated and slender styles, and the ribs of its inferior ovary don’t have darkly pigmented terminal glands like T. Pikei,” said Poinar. 

The discovery of the flowers is an exciting one, especially with the proposed image of a dinosaur like T-Rex bumping into the araucaria tree and causing the flowers to land in their amber tomb for hundreds of millions of years. It also helps to better paint the picture of what the Earth was like during the Mesozoic Era. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a>

New species of flower discovered in 100 million year-old amber

The Cretaceous period, the one with all the dinosaurs, was...

New research has revealed that tropical trees continue to accumulate high rates of carbon into old age. In fact, these trees build up the majority of their carbon storage toward the end of their lives.

Trees play a critical role in helping offset the progression of climate change by taking carbon out of the air and storing it. While older trees are generally thought to have had a long life of carbon accumulation, a lack of data from individual trees makes it impossible to accurately calculate the amount of carbon stockpiled by a single tree in its lifetime.

Tree ring data enables researchers to estimate the growth of a tree by measuring the distance between rings found on the tree trunk. Each of these rings was formed when the growth of a tree was stalled out by changes in the climate. Seasonal changes in the tropics, for example, can temporarily halt the growth of trees.

Michael Köhl of the <a href="https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en.html">Universität Hamburg, Germany</a>, led a team of experts in examining the carbon accumulation of tropical trees over the course of their lifetimes. In order to do this, the team investigated 61 trees that grew naturally in the Suriname Rainforest. The trees ranged from 84 to 255 years old and belonged to three different species. 

The team analyzed the growth patterns of the trees and then calculated the size of each tree above the ground based on its rings. This data was used to measure how much carbon each tree had accumulated over the course of its life.

The researchers determined that the growth and carbon accumulation rates of these tropical trees had significantly more variation throughout their lifetimes compared to trees in managed forests. The tropical forest trees were also found to maintain high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/converts-carbon-dioxide-no-byproducts/">carbon</a> accumulation rates toward the end of their lives, collecting 39-50 percent of their total carbon stock in the last quarter of their lives.  

The experts confirmed the theory that older trees generally store more carbon than younger trees. They suggest that a forest’s ability to store carbon is improved with the longevity of its trees. These findings, published in the open-access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>, may help to promote the conservation of old-growth tropical forests.

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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

Tropical trees are a valuable weapon against climate change

New research has revealed that tropical trees continue to accumulate...

According to new research, the length of time it takes for an area to recover from drought depends on factors such as future climate conditions and geographic location. The authors of the study point out that, as droughts become more frequent, ecosystems may not have time to fully recover before being hit with another dry spell.

There are different ways to define drought. From a meteorological perspective, it is defined as a period of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severe-drought-plagues-north-dakota/">less than average precipitation</a>. In agricultural terms, drought occurs when a lack of rainfall weakens crops. From a hydrological point of view, it is when water sources such as lakes and reservoirs begin to dry up.

A research team led by William Anderegg of the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> set out to determine what it takes to recover from all three of these types of drought in different regions of the world. 

“There was a broad presumption that ecosystems and plants recovered almost immediately when the weather got wetter," said Anderegg. "We didn't know what the patterns were globally, including which plants seemed to recover faster or slower and which variables influenced that recovery time."

The team used a tool called the Standardized Precipitation-Evaporation Index to evaluate drought conditions. It combines measurements of temperature, soil moisture, recent rainfall, and the demand of plants for water. 

To evaluate recovery times, the team analyzed global satellite data to measure the rates at which plants convert sunlight into biomass, or gross primary productivity. According to the researchers, drought recovery means an ecosystem fully returns to the level of productivity that it experienced before the drought.

It can take a long time for plants to recuperate  from drought conditions, and sometimes they never recover. Disease and fire caused by drought can leave permanent damage to vegetation. 

The study, published tomorrow in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a>, revealed that climate conditions after a drought have the most influence on recovery time. Wet conditions will accelerate recovery, while dry conditions will slow down progress.

Location affected recovery time as well. Most regions can overcome the impact of the dry spell in less than six months, and some areas need up to a year. The scientists discovered that high-latitude Arctic regions and the tropics of South America and Southeast Asia need as much as two years to recover. 

"That's worrisome because those regions store the largest chunks of carbon in ecosystems across the globe," said Anderegg.

Climate models predict that droughts will become more frequent and last longer. This increases the chance that ecosystems may be hit with new droughts before they have recovered from the previous one. 

"That could have a double whammy effect," explained Anderegg. "A second drought could be harder on an ecosystem and have the potential to push it off a cliff." 

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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

Recovering from drought takes time, some damage permanent

According to new research, the length of time it takes...

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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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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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



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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



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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...