Scientists and botanists are continuously exploring nature's vast variety, making tree and plant discoveries that highlight the richness of our planet's biodiversity. 



These findings spark excitement and curiosity, offering fresh perspectives on the vast array of plant species still awaiting exploration. Most recently, experts have added to the world of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-technology-will-accelerate-the-pace-of-plant-species-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">botanical discoveries</a> by naming six new tree species.



These species were identified during an exhaustive comparison of dried plant specimens gathered from across the Neotropics. 



Among the six, three unique species - Matisia petaquillae, Matisia changuinolana, and Matisia aquilarum - were identified in Panama while the other three - Matisia genesiana, Matisia mutatana, and Matisia rufula - were discovered in Colombia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-specimens-and-new-tree-species">Plant specimens and new tree species</h2>



The process of discovering these new species was a meticulous one, involving the careful collection, drying, and examination of plant samples. 



These samples were pressed into pieces of cardboard, mounted onto specialized paper, and later filed into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-centinela-mass-extinction-really-happen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">herbaria</a> - dedicated repositories for dried plant specimens. 



With digital advancements, curators have made a significant portion of these specimens available online, facilitating easier access and exchange of knowledge.



However, it's important to note that despite digital access, the task of identifying these plant specimens still hinges on expert plant taxonomists.



Scientists often grapple with unidentified specimens for years before they can conclusively establish whether these represent previously unknown species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-upon-previous-discoveries">Building upon previous discoveries </h2>



Ernesto Campos, a research technician at the <a href="https://stri.si.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute</a> (STRI), noted that José Luis Fernández-Alonso played a pivotal role in confirming the identification of a new tree species, Matisia tinamastiana in 2022.



This discovery unfolded in the Altos de Campana Forest Reserve and National Park and laid the cornerstone for the current collaborative efforts.



To identify this intriguing set of species, Fernández-Alonso examined plant samples preserved in herbaria across Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and the United States. 



Campos provided crucial assistance in Panama, facilitating the review of herbarium collections at different institutions, including the Autonomous University of Chiriquí (UCH).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-specimens-from-chagres-national-park">Specimens from Chagres National Park</h2>



The discovery journey was further enriched with the collections made by senior botanists at STRI, Rolando Pérez and Salomón Aguilar, who extended the known distribution range of Matisia aquilarum.



This achievement was possible thanks to specimens found at a study site in Chagres National Park, a part of the ForestGEO-STRI forest monitoring network.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-window-into-the-world-of-plants">Window into the world of plants </h2>



The exploration does not end here. With the help of Joana Sumich, a technician in the SCZ herbarium, the researchers are in the process of identifying other plant samples - including some that were collected decades ago. They anticipate uncovering more species previously unknown to science.



To aid non-specialists in identifying these new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-many-invasive-plant-species-are-in-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant species</a>, the authors have also included an updated dichotomous key of Matisia species for Panama in their manuscript. This represents the first such identification key published in over half a century.



David Mitre, the research manager for ForestGEO-STRI in Panama, aptly summed up the importance of these discoveries.



"Herbaria are not just collections of dried plants, they are a source of new information in the long term. Discoveries like this remind us how important it is to make sure that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-trees-are-critically-endangered-even-in-protected-areas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protected areas</a> are really well protected," said Mitre.



These findings elevate our understanding of our precious ecosystems, shedding light on the multitudes of plant species <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-tree-species-remain-undiscovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waiting to be discovered</a>.



“This window into the world of plants leads to discoveries of new pharmaceuticals and makes it possible for conservationists to justify protection for natural areas where rare species flourish," said Joshua Tewksbury, STRI Director.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reservoirs-of-preserved-plant-specimens">Reservoirs of preserved plant specimens</h2>



Herbaria play a pivotal role in botanical research, serving as reservoirs of preserved plant specimens that hold invaluable information about the planet's biodiversity. 



These collections, some dating back centuries, are meticulously maintained to ensure their scientific integrity. 



Advances in digital technology have made many herbarium records accessible online, revolutionizing how researchers study plant species across the globe.



Despite this accessibility, the identification of new species remains a time-intensive process that relies heavily on skilled plant taxonomists. 



By carefully analyzing physical traits, geographical data, and historical records, these experts uncover the stories behind each specimen. 



The recent discoveries of the six Matisia tree species highlight the importance of herbaria in preserving the natural history of our planet and contributing to conservation efforts.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://raccefyn.co/index.php/raccefyn/article/view/malvaceae-neotropicae-novae-vel-minus-cognitae-nuevas-especies-d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales</a>.



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Six new tree species identified in Columbia and Panama

Scientists and botanists are continuously exploring nature's vast variety, making tree and plant discoveries that highlight the richness of our planet's biodiversity. These findings spark excitement and curiosity, offering fresh perspectives on the vast array of plant species still awaiting exploration. Most recently, experts have added to the world of botanical discoveries by naming six new tree species. These species were identified during an exhaustive comparison of dried plant specimens gathered from across the Neotropics. Among the six, three unique species - Matisia petaquillae, Matisia changuinolana, and...

Living mulch is a crop that serves as a ground cover and provides many benefits to soil and gardens. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> are exposing the enormous potential of living mulch while establishing ways to make it more sustainable and effective.

In the living mulch system, a perennial plant is sown between rows of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crops-adapt-climate-change/">crops</a>. Farmers remove a portion of the perennial and plant a row crop in its place during each season. As the row crop grows, the perennial plant between the rows functions as a living mulch.

The goal is for the perennial plant to cover the field after the row crop is harvested. The system is not always successful, as the living mulch often fails to reestablish itself and take over the field. The research team from Georgia has set out to improve this process.

For the study, the researchers planted white clover between rows of corn. White clover is a legume that can supply nitrogen fertilizer to the crop. Next, the experts needed to find a balance between how much clover to remove and how wide the rows of corn should be planted.


"The whole idea is to strike a balance between having the clover be able to reestablish, preventing it from outcompeting the corn, and being able to produce enough corn to make a profit," explained lead researcher Nicholas Hill. 

When the spacing conditions are ideal, the shade of the corn over the clover control the clover’s nutrient release. The clover drops its leaves into the soil in response to shade. As the leaves decompose, they deposit nutrients into the soil that the corn can use. Hill explains that it is like “a time-release capsule of fertilizer” that reduces the need for farmers to apply fertilizer.

In addition to fertilizing the corn, achieving the ideal balance of conditions prevents the clover from competing with the corn but also preserves the ability of the clover to take over the field after the harvest. 

In their experiment, the researchers managed to achieve 100 percent clover cover after the growing season. While the team found the living mulch system produces less corn than more conventional systems, they also determined that the cost savings from living mulch outweigh the lower production. 

"Living mulch is the best thing since sliced bread," said Hill. "We are seeing a lot of benefits. It can benefit the corn, the soil, and the business, so it's really a win-win-win situation we're trying to scale up for farmers to use. We are beginning to study and document all of these benefits and will continue to carry out research on living mulch."

The research is published in the <a href="https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/aj">Agronomy 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: Nick Hill

Living mulch benefits crops and increases profits

Living mulch is a crop that serves as a ground...

Bees may be the most important pollinators on our planet. They help a wide variety of trees and plants to grow and spread over great distances, benefiting our environment and the air we breathe. Because of that, efficiency in pollination is a key trait of these insects.

Recent research published by a multidisciplinary team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> and <a href="https://www.kew.org/">the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew</a>, as well as the <a href="http://ami.swiss/">Adolphe Merkele Institute</a> in Switzerland, has now discovered how bees are able to locate and pollinate certain flowers more efficiently. The researchers discovered that a number of common flower species have petals that contain nanoscale ridges, which scatter light particles in the blue to ultraviolet color spectrum. This creates a subtle effect that the scientists have termed the “blue halo.”

Studies have shown that many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blooming-seasons-bad-bees/">bee species</a> have a preference for colors within the violet-blue range, but plants do not always have the ability to produce blue pigments. So to adapt, some flowers produce petals that contain these nanostructures that produce this blue halo to attract pollinating insects.

When they looked even closer, the researchers found that even though these nanostructures in different species all produce this blue halo, they vary significantly in their height, width, and spacing. Furthermore, even on just a single flower petal, the light-manipulating structures can be greatly irregular. Physicists describe this phenomenon as “disorder.”

“We had always assumed that the disorder we saw in our petal surfaces was just an accidental by-product of life - that flowers couldn’t do any better,” said senior author Beverley Glover, plant scientist and director of <a href="http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/Botanic/Home.aspx">Cambridge’s Botanic Garden</a>. “It came as a real surprise to discover that the disorder itself is what generates the important optical signal that allows bees to find the flowers more effectively.”

The researchers believe that these “messy” petal nanostructures probably evolved independently numerous times across different flowering plant species, but all resulted in the same blue halo effect that increases visibility to pollinators – a process known as “convergent evolution.” They found several examples of halo-producing petals among the two major flower groups (eudicots and monocots) that emerged over 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. This arrival coincides with the early evolution of flower-visiting insects, especially nectar-sucking bees.

“Our findings suggest the petal ridges that produce ‘blue halos’ evolved many times across different flower lineages, all converging on this optical signal for pollinators,” says Glover.

Besides the continued interest in the history and developmental biology of these novel structures, the researchers believe that these findings may lead to the development of surfaces that are more visible to pollinators.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Edwige Moyroud

Flower petals form a blue halo shape to attract bees

Bees may be the most important pollinators on our planet....

An investigation by researchers at the <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> reveals that psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, helps relieve depression in patients with conditions resistant to other forms of treatment. The study demonstrates that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magic-mushrooms-psychiatric-therapies/">psychoactive compound</a> may be capable of resetting the activity of key brain circuits that facilitate depression.

Researchers treated 20 patients, whose symptoms had persisted during conventional treatments, with psilocybin. Images of the patients' brains prior to administration of the drug were compared to images captured one day after the treatment. The experts identified changes in brain activity that are associated with significant reductions in depressive symptoms.

The patients reported benefits lasting up to five weeks after treatment. It appeared that psilocybin had reset the activity of a network of interconnected neurons in the brain known to play a role in depression.

The authors say that while the results of the study are exciting, further experimentation is needed using a larger sample size and a control group. Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris is in charge of psychedelic research at Imperial College London and lead author of the research.

"We have shown for the first time clear changes in brain activity in depressed people treated with psilocybin after failing to respond to conventional treatments” said Dr. Carhart-Harris. "Several of our patients described feeling 'reset' after the treatment and often used computer analogies. For example, one said he felt like his brain had been 'defragged' like a computer hard drive, and another said he felt 'rebooted.'”

The MRI imaging revealed decreased blood flow in areas of the brain including the amygdala - a small region of the brain known to be involved in processing emotional responses, stress, and fear. The imaging also showed increased stability in another brain network, which has been linked to the drug's immediate effects.

"Through collecting these imaging data we have been able to provide a window into the after effects of psilocybin treatment in the brains of patients with chronic depression,” said Dr. Carhart-Harris. “Based on what we know from various brain imaging studies with psychedelics, as well as taking heed of what people say about their experiences, it may be that psychedelics do indeed 'reset' the brain networks associated with depression, effectively enabling them to be lifted from the depressed state.”

The study is published today in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Magic mushrooms could treat depression by resetting brain

An investigation by researchers at the Imperial College London reveals...

Genetically modified crops have been prevalent around the world for decades, helping increase crop yields and decrease destruction from pests. In 2016, over 240 million acres of genetically modified corn, cotton, and soybeans were planted around the world that contain insect-killing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). These proteins kill caterpillar and beetle pests that would otherwise destroy the crops, but the proteins are harmless to people and considered to be environmentally friendly.

One of the main fears about Bt use, as well as the use of BT protein sprays used by some organic farmers, is that widespread use could result in significant evolution of resistance in pests. A recent study from the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> has analyzed this issue, finding the factors behind why certain pests adapt quickly to Bt proteins, while others don’t.

The study involved analysis of global data on Bt crop use and pest responses, including data from 36 cases representing responses of 15 pest species on every continent (minus Antarctica, of course). The results were published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nbt/">Nature Biotechnology</a>.

“When Bt crops were first introduced in 1996, no one knew how quickly the pests would adapt,” says Bruce Tabashnik, head of the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona’s</a> Department of Entomology. “Now we have a cumulative total of over 2 billion acres of these crops planted during the past two decades and extensive monitoring data, so we can build a scientific understanding of how fast the pests evolve resistance and why.”

Of the 36 cases studied, the researchers found 16 cases as of 2016 in which resistance substantially reduced the efficacy of Bt crops. In these cases, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protect-bees-managing-ticks/">pests</a> evolved resistance in an average time of just over five years. “A silver lining is that in 17 other cases, pests have not evolved resistance to Bt crops,” Tabashnik adds. Many of these crops continue to be effective even after 20 years. 

In looking beyond just resistance statistics, the researchers wanted to determine what factors help keep resistance at bay. They found that two such factors were recessive inheritance of resistance in pests, and farmers planting a large amount of refuges. Refuges – for those of you who are not farmers – are areas of standard, non-Bt crops planted near Bt crops in order to reduce the chances that two resistant insects will mate with each other. 

However, the most concerning finding of the study was that pest resistance to Bt crops is evolving faster now than ever. This is mainly because resistance to some Bt proteins results in cross-resistance to related Bt proteins produced by crops that are planted later.

Luckily, the development of a new type of Bt protein called a vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) may be the answer we need. All other Bt proteins are part of another group of proteins, known as crystalline (Cry) proteins. Since these two groups of Bt proteins are so different, cross-resistance between them is very unlikely.

This study is the most comprehensive evaluation of pest resistance to Bt crops ever. Further research will help to increase our understanding of how these proteins affect pests and keep our crops safe.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alex Yelich/University of Arizona

Pests are becoming resistant to genetically modified crops

Genetically modified crops have been prevalent around the world for...

Corn is the world’s largest commodity crop. Many people in developing countries rely on corn as an essential food source, and it is also a primary ingredient in feed for livestock. As the global demand for meat continues to grow, finding a way to genetically modify corn to make it more nutritious could benefit millions of people and reduce agricultural costs.

A new study from <a href="https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University-New Brunswick</a> found a way to do just that by injecting corn with a bacteria that prompts the production of methionine, an important amino acid and nutrient. 

“We improved the nutritional value of corn, the largest commodity crop grown on Earth,”  said Thomas Leustek, the study’s co-author and a professor in the Department of Plant Biology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers.

Methionine is one of the nine essential amino acids that helps hair growth, strengthens nails, helps tissue repair, and slows cell aging. 

A synthetic methionine is often added to field corn seed, but it is costly and lacks the nutritional value of real methionine. 

“Methionine is added because animals won't grow without it. In many developing countries where corn is a staple, methionine is also important for people, especially children. It's vital nutrition, like a vitamin,” said Joachim Messing, the study’s senior author. 

In order to create chicken feed with methionine, the researchers inserted an E. coli bacterial gene into the corn plant’s genome and grew a few generations of corn. 

The bacteria drove methionine production, but only in the corn plant’s leaves, and levels of methionine in the corn kernels increased by 57 percent according to the study’s results. 

The bacteria and methionine didn’t affect the corn’s natural growth process, and when fed to chickens, it had the nutritious value that most animal feed lacks. 

The exciting finds offer new opportunities for developing countries and the growing demand for corn to satisfy the demand for animal feed. Although the debate surrounding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/enviromental-impact-genetically-modified-crops/">genetically modified food</a> continues, boosting the nutritional value of corn can provide solutions to feed those in need. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genetically modifying corn enhances nutritional content

Corn is the world’s largest commodity crop. Many people in...

With farming changes, it could be possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without severely risking food security, according to new research.

Sharply curbing deforestation and increasing sequestration of carbon in soil could bring significant cuts to carbon emissions without major risks to the global food supply, according to scientists from the <a href="http://www.iiasa.ac.at/">International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis</a>. 

But such a strategy could also lead to a rise food prices, the study showed.

"The land-use sector is key for successful climate change mitigation," said Dr. Stefan Frank, who led the IIASA study. "But providing an increasing amount of biomass for energy production to substitute fossil fuels while at the same time reducing emissions from the land use sector, for example through a carbon tax, could also have the effect of raising food prices and reducing food availability."

The land-use sector – made of agriculture, forestry and related fields – contributes nearly a quarter of carbon emissions globally. However, land-use can also help to mitigate the amount of atmospheric greenhouse gases. Vegetation can help to absorb carbon dioxide and store it before it reaches the atmosphere.

But deforestation releases much of that stored carbon, and the machinery used to strip new land for agriculture also emits carbon dioxide.

Farming changes could help to cut deforestation and drastically reduce carbon emissions, the researchers said.

Changes could include crop rotation, cover crops, and residue management, which have benefits such as preserving soil health and boosting crop production. 

"You keep the soil healthy, you offset greenhouse gas emissions, and you preserve crop yields at the same time," Frank said. 

Countries with a soil carbon sequestration program could even offer financial incentives to farmers who practice these crop management practices. 

"Agricultural soils could provide a key solution for climate change mitigation and adaptation and for food security, but changing land management to store carbon in soil organic matter will require large efforts that could be facilitated by multi-stakeholder platforms like the 4 per 1000 initiative,” said Dr. Jean-Francois Soussana of the <a href="http://www.inra.fr/en/Scientists-Students">French National Institute for Agricultural Research</a>, who coauthored the study.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa8c83">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Farming changes could be key to reducing greenhouse gases

With farming changes, it could be possible to reduce greenhouse...

Climate change is extending blooming seasons – and that could be bad news for important pollinators like bees.

Researchers at <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> studying the effects of earlier and longer-lasting blooming seasons found that, far from helping bees, they may actually be causing harm.

"We asked whether variation in snowmelt timing and summer precipitation directly affected bumble bee colonies and their survival, or if the snowmelt and precipitation effects on flowers were more important,” said Dr. Rebecca Irwin, who co-led the study. “It turns out that the effects on flowers played a more critical role in affecting bee populations."

The researchers were specifically looking at the effects of climate change on three species of bumble bees that live at higher altitudes, Irwin said.

She and her colleagues studied in depth a collection of data gathered at the <a href="http://www.rmbl.org/">Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory</a> in Colorado over a period spanning more than 40 years. After analyzing the data, they used modeling to examine the effects of climate change on the blooming seasons and the bees that rely on flowers in the region.

The data showed that, when snowmelt comes early, blooming seasons start earlier and last longer, which sounds like a good thing for pollinators at first. But plants don’t actually produce more flowers, Irwin and her colleagues found. Instead, they stretch the usual number of blooms over a longer period of time, meaning that on a day-to-day basis there are actually fewer flowers for bees in search of food.

"Longer flowering seasons mean an increasing number of resource-poor days for bees, which means that bee abundance suffers," Irwin said. "We found that bee abundance increased when there was more summer precipitation and shorter flowering seasons."

The researchers plan to continue collecting and analyzing data on the three bee species, as well as expand to look at other species of pollinators. 

Their research has been published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.12854/abstract">Ecology Letters</a>. It was funded by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Longer flower blooming seasons may be bad for bees

Climate change is extending blooming seasons – and that could...

If you want to lose weight, you usually start by cutting out excess sugar from your diet. But it turns out that plants also gain weight if they retain too much sugar. 

A new study from the <a href="https://www.bnl.gov/">U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory</a> discovered methods for enhancing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-sugars-rival-petroleum/">sugar</a> retention in plant leaves to increase oil production, which can be used for the creation of biofuels. 

Biofuels are a crucial combatant against rising global temperatures due to CO2 emissions, and finding stable, renewable sources for biofuels will aid in those efforts. 

The study was published in the journal Plant Physiology and details how the team increased oil production in plant leaves by limiting the plant’s ability to transport its sugars away from the leaves. 

The researchers hypothesized that if the plant retained sugars in the leaves rather than traveling throughout the whole plant, oil production would increase. But they first needed to fully understand the biochemical processes that drive sugar transportation and what genes are responsible. 

The results of the study showed that oil production could be increased by reducing sugar transportation and increasing levels of a protein that switches on the genes responsible for oil production. 

“Combining genetic mutations that decrease the transport of sugar out of leaves and the conversion of sugars to starch increases sugar levels in leaves. That excess sugar drives increased oil production by stabilizing the oil on-switch, and also by supplying the carbon building blocks needed to make more oil in leaves,” said John Shanklin, a Brookhaven Lab biochemist and leader of the study. 

The study also included experiments in breeding plants with mutations that limited the breakdown of plant lipids, which include plant fats, resulting in increased oil production in the leaves. 

The results provide further insight into the inner workings the biochemical processes in plants, which can then be used to help further the production of biofuels. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Even plants gain weight if they have too much sugar

If you want to lose weight, you usually start by...

Low soil fertility can cause all kinds of trouble, not least of which is protein malnutrition, which can in turn, reduce crop yields. But researchers have now found that legumes can help boost soil fertility, especially for smaller farms.

Next month, a meeting hosted by the <a href="https://www.agronomy.org/">American Society of Agronomy</a>, the <a href="https://www.crops.org/">Crop Science Society of America</a>, and the <a href="https://www.soils.org/">Soil Science Society of America</a> will address this issue and present alternatives to improving legume farming from seed to soil to yield. 

“Building strength in legume-based agricultural systems can help address both of these dire problems," said Kerry Clark, a researcher at the <a href="http://missouri.edu/">University of Missouri</a>. 

Improving soil fertility will create a ripple effect, notes Clark, and small farms will have better access to “economic and nutritional alternatives" to the crops used now. 

The key is educating farmers about legumes, working with the public to increase awareness about the issues with soil depletion and infertility, and providing hands-on training to legume breeders. 

Clark will be one of the speakers at the symposium, presenting work done by the Soybean Innovation Lab, which is working to research breeding in tropical legumes among many other projects. 

The meeting will also include speakers Mark Westgate from <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">Iowa University</a>, Sieglinde Snapp from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>, and Stephen Boahen from the <a href="http://www.iita.org/">International Institute of Tropical Agriculture</a> in Mozambique. 

Westgate will discuss Iowa State’s Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Program in Uganda which works with students, grade school through college, to educate them on the value of tropical legumes. 

Protein malnutrition is a serious concern, but raised awareness, education, and opportunities in legume farming can help improve soil fertility and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-examines-how-climate-change-will-impact-global-crop-yields/">crop yields</a> in the parts of the world that need it most.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Legumes can help boost soil fertility

Low soil fertility can cause all kinds of trouble, not...

Lake

An unprecedented study of plants conserved outside of their natural habitats has found that 30 percent of all identified plant species are contained in botanic gardens across the globe. 41 percent of all plant species classified as “threatened” are included in the gardens.

The study by researchers from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> also revealed that almost two-thirds of plant “genera" are housed in the world's network of botanic gardens, and over 90 percent of plant families are represented.

On the other hand, the researchers found a notable imbalance between gardens in temperate and tropical regions. They discovered that a great majority of all plants species grown “ex-situ,” or outside of their natural environments, are located in the Northern Hemisphere.

Because of this, 60 percent of temperate plant species were represented in the botanic gardens compared to only 25 percent of tropical species. Most plant species are tropical, so they would be expected to be conserved in higher numbers.

The research team analyzed datasets compiled by <a href="https://www.bgci.org/">Botanic Gardens Conservation International</a> (BGCI). They compared the 350,699 known plant species with the species records of 1,116 botanic gardens. Despite housing almost half of all threatened species, the botanic gardens had only around 10 percent of overall storage capacity dedicated to these imperiled plants. 

The researchers say that botanic gardens are of "critical importance to plant conservation,” and global efforts are needed to protect more species of plants that are at risk of extinction, especially those from tropical climates.

Dr. Samuel Brockington, the study's senior author, is a researcher of Plant Sciences and a curator of the botanic garden at the University of Cambridge. 

"The global network of botanic gardens is our best hope for saving some of the world's most endangered plants," said Dr. Brockington. "Currently, an estimated one fifth of plant diversity is under threat, yet there is no technical reason why any plant species should become extinct. Botanic gardens protect an astonishing amount of plant diversity in cultivation, but we need to respond directly to the extinction crisis.”

The study is published today in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nplants/">Nature Plants</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Botanic gardens help protect plant diversity across the globe

An unprecedented study of plants conserved outside of their natural...

Currently, more than half of the states in the U.S. have passed laws allowing for the use of medicinal marijuana, while eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of recreational marijuana. As the availability of legal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-low-doses-relieve-stress/">marijuana</a> continues to grow, certain populations will have greater access to cannabis than ever before.

A recent study done at a cancer center located in a state with legalized recreational and medicinal marijuana found that roughly one-quarter of patients surveyed had used marijuana in the past year. Those surveyed said that they were using it for both physical and psychological symptoms. The study also found that legalization increased the probability of marijuana use among patients.

It is believed that cannabis can alleviate symptoms related to cancer treatment. Despite this, patterns of marijuana use among cancer patients have not been thoroughly investigated. To make up for this gap in data, Dr. Steven Pergam of the <a href="https://www.fredhutch.org/en.html">Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center</a> and his team surveyed over 900 patients at the Seattle Cancer Center Alliance.

They found that the majority of patients were interested in learning more about the use of marijuana during treatment. Well over half of the participants had used marijuana in the past, with 24 percent using it in the last year – and 21 percent using cannabis in the last month.

Through random urine sampling, the researchers discovered that 14 percent had evidence of recent cannabis use, although 18 percent had reported using it in the past week.

Despite the fact that 74 percent of the patients surveyed wanted more information from their cancer care providers, most of the participants reported that they were more likely to get information on medical marijuana from sources outside of the healthcare system.

“Cancer patients desire but are not receiving information from their cancer doctors about marijuana use during their treatment, so many of them are seeking information from alternate non-scientific sources,” says Dr. Pergam. “We hope that this study helps to open up the door for more studies aimed at evaluating the risks and benefits of marijuana in this population. This is important, because if we do not educate our patients about marijuana, they will continue to get their information elsewhere.”

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

One-quarter of cancer patients use medicinal marijuana

Currently, more than half of the states in the U.S....

Research from the <a href="https://www.jic.ac.uk/">John Innes Centre</a> is providing scientists with new insight on how plants breathe. The team has revealed previously unknown information about guard cells, which regulate the stomata through which plants breathe.

Previous studies on how plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen have focused on the thickening of the inner walls of guard cells. These cells control the stomata, tiny pores which open and close for functions such as gas exchange and water regulation.

"Guard cells are also hot-spots for pathogen attack so understanding what controls the opening and closing of the stomata is important for improving plant health,” said lead researcher Richard Morris.

The research team developed the first complete 3D model of a guard cell and, through use of 3D simulation, identified three elements that ensure the guard cells to function properly. These ingredients include the level of water or turgor pressure inside the cell, the elasticity of the cell wall, and a kidney-shaped geometry that converts pressure into shape changes.

Further observation, which is published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>, exposed another previously unknown fact about guard cells. Computer modeling and atomic force microscopy revealed an unexpected stiffening of the guard cell end regions, or poles.

"This polar stiffening reflects a mechanical pinning down of the guard cell ends which prevents stomata increasing in length as they open,” explained co-author Jamie Hobbs. “This leads to an increased speed of pore opening and larger pores. You get 'better' stomata.”

The same polar stiffening was observed in the model plant Arabidopsis, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetic-research-tomatoes-production/">tomato</a>, and maize, which indicates that it is widespread across many plant species. Professor Morris said that next the researchers will study grass stomata which have a different shape and are likely to have a different underlying mechanism.

 "This work could help us to understand how to make plants more climate resilient,” said Morris.
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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

A deeper look into how plants breathe

Research from the John Innes Centre is providing scientists with...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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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"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[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"

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

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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...