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...

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.

--

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." 

-

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...

When the first flowers appeared on Earth over 140 million years ago, they were all from a single ancestor. In an attempt to uncover more information about the origin and diversification of the flower, a team of scientists were able to assemble an image of what this ancestral flower looked like. 

A meticulous study of 792 species helped the researchers develop an evolutionary tree that connected all living flower species. Their research produced the largest data set of floral traits ever collected, and the experts managed to reconstruct the ancestral flower. 

The primitive flower looked like a water lily with wide petals and protruding pollen spikes.  Hervé Sauquet is an evolutionary biologist from Paris-Sud University and lead author of the study. He explained that it is difficult to draw a comparison between ancient flowers and today's <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/grow-fluorescent-flowers/">flowers</a>.

"All flowering plants have evolved and changed since that ancestor, that's how evolution works," said Sauquet. "So there is no single species or group of species that would have existed some long time ago and still exists today unchanged."

The experts determined that the ancient flower was bisexual and radially symmetrical  with both stamens and carpels, or male and female parts. They had multiple whorls of petal-like organs in sets of threes.

"These results call into question much of what has been thought and taught previously about floral evolution," said study co-author Juerg Schoenenberger. "It has long been assumed that the ancestral flower had all organs arranged in a spiral."

Fossil flowers from the time of the ancestral flower do not exist, which made it difficult for the researchers to estimate the exact features. Another amount of uncertainty lies in the fact that flowering plants, or angiosperms, can be traced back to a common ancestor 310 million years ago. 

"But we don't know yet what that ancestor looked like, nor what happened in between these two ancestors, a period of time some of us like to refer to as a dark tunnel,” said Sauquet.

Flowers, which are the reproductive structures of angiosperms, were not traced back that far.

“The origin of the angiosperm flower remains among the most difficult and most important unresolved topics in evolutionary biology,” said the authors.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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: Hervé Sauquet and Jürg Schönenberger

The first flower on Earth may have looked like this

When the first flowers appeared on Earth over 140 million...

Scientists are working on a new treatment that drastically impacts melanoma tumors and slows their growth. This compound is naturally occurring in vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, but don’t run to the supermarket just yet. While the study shows the compound can help with treatment, eating a bunch of kale and broccoli may not be “potent” enough to be an effective treatment.

The study was conducted by scientists at the <a href="http://med.psu.edu/">Penn State College of Medicine</a> in collaboration with researchers from all over the world. The research team built a compound that was found to destroy the tumors in melanoma. Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer and has become more and more prevalent in people today. 

The reason there's a connection to broccoli with this study is that the compound was based on naturally occurring isothiocyanates that are found in the cruciferous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/labeling-make-vegetables-appealing/">vegetables</a> like broccoli. Isothiocyanates have been found to be particularly effective in fighting cancer. 

Previously, isothiocyanates have been shown to inhibit those harmful carcinogens and have positive effects on lung and esophageal cancer research. And now, this study adds to the research of Isothiocyanates and their connection to decreasing tumor growth. 

While doctors will always tell you to eat your leafy greens, Dr. Arun Sharma who was part of the team for the study, added, “Those are OK recommendations for prevention, but the compounds in the vegetables alone may not be potent enough to be used in a therapeutic environment.” 

By creating a compound with the same properties and with such a high success rate, the implications for real world cancer research and developing better cures for late stage melanoma are enormous. 

---

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Could broccoli be a secret cure for melanoma?

Scientists are working on a new treatment that drastically impacts...

Japanese scientists have created the world's first blue chrysanthemums. After 13 years of research, the team had a breakthrough when they combined the DNA of three plants.

The chrysanthemums are the first to be verified as true blue by The Royal Horticulture Society. Many other flowers that appear to be blue are actually various shades of violet or purple.

The scientists managed to transfer the DNA of a butterfly pea and a Canterbury Bell to a chrysanthemum using a microscopic bug. Blue genes were extracted from the plants and placed in the bug, which carried the DNA to the chrysanthemum. Seeds taken from the plant a year later produced a chrysanthemum with blue petals.

“Chrysanthemums are the second best-selling cut flowers after roses in the world,” said lead author Naonobu Noda. “Our blue chrysanthemums have a novel and natural blue color, which has been confirmed as true blue.”

Early attempts to create blue chrysanthemums using the Canterbury bell produced violet-colored flowers. The secret was adding the second plant, the bright butterfly pea. 

“This is a flower with three parents in effect, coming from the chrysanthemum, butterfly pea and Canterbury bell, which was very difficult and time-consuming to create,” said Noda. “This technique could be applied to other plants not possessing blue flower cultivars, for example roses and dahlias.”

Guy Barter is the chief horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society.

“This is a really interesting scientific breakthrough, especially given that previous attempts to create true blue flowers have not been terribly successful,” said Barter. “True blue flowers are actually pretty rare and we know there is an enthusiastic market for them, as there is for black flowers.”

Surveys suggest blue flowers are strongly preferred by gardeners. While the chrysanthemums will not likely pass the blue color through their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-domesticated-plant-seeds/">seeds</a>, clippings will allow them to be multiplied.

“In the EU currently, genetically modified plants require special permission to be grown, so at the moment we are not going to see blue chrysanthemums in garden centres,” added Barter. “Nonetheless this could provide new options for perfectionist gardeners looking for flowers which are blue rather than violet or lavender.”

The experiment is published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Scientific Advances</a> by the <a href="http://www.naro.affrc.go.jp/english/">National Agriculture and Food Research Organization in Japan</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Photo Credit: Naonobu Noda/NARO

The world’s first blue chrysanthemums created in Japan

Japanese scientists have created the world's first blue chrysanthemums. After...

What do tomato plants and subway systems have in common? It’s not the start to a joke… it’s a legitimate question – and one that might have a definitive answer.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.salk.edu/">Salk Institute</a> used 3D laser scans of growing plants to discover that the same design principles humans use to engineer subway systems also follow a similar pattern to the shape of plant branching systems. Both networks work to make a similar trade off between cost and performance.

“The idea for this work really started with an engineering question,” says Saket Navlakha, senior author of the paper  and assistant professor in Salk's Center for Integrative Biology. “How do transportation networks like a subway system or an electric grid resolve the tension between two competing objectives, such as cost and performance? And do plants resolve similar competing objectives in the same way?”

For subway systems, the design is a balance between the cost of construction and providing sufficient transportation. The transportation system should provide enough efficient transport to get people where they need to go quickly, but not so much that resources are wasted. For plants, nutrients need to get between roots and leaves as quickly as possible, while limiting the cost of extra branches and root systems.

The research team analyzed three agriculturally valuable crops: sorghum, tomato, and tobacco. They grew the crops under half a dozen conditions, scanning each plant every 20 days to analyze the growing network of branches, stems, and leaves. From these scans, they were able to create and graph theoretical plant shapes that could either prioritize efficient routes for nutrients, minimal branch length, or a variety of tradeoffs between the two.

When they placed real plants into this similar model, they found that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-coastal-plants-better/">plants</a> fell perfectly within the range of the digital models. This shows that plants are attempting to find the best balance between cost and performance for their specific environment.

“Our hypothesis was that if total length and travel distance were important evolutionary criteria for plants, there would be evolutionary pressure to minimize the criteria together, and that’s actually what we found,” says Ullas Pedmale, who was a postdoctoral researcher on the project and is now an assistant professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The plants also clustered by species, but within those species they made different tradeoffs base on their growth environment. Plants grown certain light conditions would find a different balance between cost and performance than other plants grown in different conditions.

“This means the way plants grow their architectures also optimizes a very common network design tradeoff. Based on the environment and the species, the plant is selecting different ways to make tradeoffs for those particular environmental conditions,” says Navlakha. “By understanding these tradeoffs we may be able to dynamically tune our crop varieties to a changing climate.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How some plant architectures mimic subway system designs

What do tomato plants and subway systems have in common?...

Herbicide-resistant weeds are increasing in dramatic numbers, which doesn’t bode well for farmers. Now, a new study from <a href="http://www.cam.ac.uk/">Cambridge University</a> has found that “superweeds” are on the rise in the Midwest where farming and agriculture are a core part of the economy. 

It’s not all bad news though. The research also found that it’s not just about what you put on your weeds, it’s when you till the soil that has a huge impact on weed growth.

Tillage is the process of preparing the land for seeds and planting through digging, turning, and mixing up the soil. And the time tillage occurs may play a crucial role in hindering weeds from taking over. 

The study, published in the journal Weed Science, looked at tillage and weed growth in the Northeastern United States. Researchers examined 196 random plots and monitored tillage that occurred every two weeks through the growing season on these sites, later coming back to test weed growth on the plots.

The research team discovered that if tillage happens early in the season, there is an increase in weed growth. More than 50 percent more weeds grew in soil tilled early compared to later season tilled soil.

And it’s not just the number of weeds that are affected by timed tillage. Scientists found that early tilling produced an uneven distribution of species, with some particular weeds holding sway over the soil. Late tilling had an even amount of the types of weeds represented.

This is great news for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severe-drought-plagues-north-dakota/">farmers</a> who are frustrated by weed growth, thanks to herbicide resistance increasing. 

Mathew Ryan, a member of the research team from Cornell University said, “Our results suggest that farmers may be able to better manage weed communities and to mitigate the impact of weeds on crop yields by adjusting the timing of their tillage, crop rotation, and other cultural management practices.”

&nbsp;

Despite the fact that “superweeds” are on the rise, science is working on finding ways to help farmers manage their crops and cutting back on weed density via timed tillage could be hugely beneficial.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Timing is everything for stopping pesky weeds

Herbicide-resistant weeds are increasing in dramatic numbers, which doesn’t bode...

Some plant species attach to other plants and feed off of their roots instead of photosynthesizing. Fungi such as mushrooms and mold are most often hosts to these parasitic plants. On Ishigaki Island in Okinawa, Japan, a new species of non-photosynthesizing plant has been identified and named Sciaphila sugimotoi. 

Non-photosynthesizing plant species, known as myco-heterotrophs, only emerge from under ground when flowering or bearing fruit. Many plants of this species are extremely small with short flowering periods, making them difficult to find and classify. 

Professor Kenji Suetsugu of <a href="http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html">Kobe University</a>, who is involved in documenting the distribution and classification of the mycoheterotrophic plants in Japan, led the team that recognized Sciaphila sugimotoi.

In October 2016, Professor Suetsugu was informed of a sighting of an unknown myco-heterotroph near Mount Omoto on Ishigaki Island. Professor Suetsugu meticulously investigated the morphological characteristics of the plant. The results showed that it was a relative of Sciaphila nana, which has three spherical nubs on the head of the male flower. The study revealed that the new species has six nubs. 

Sciaphila sugimotoi is named after Mr. Takaomi Sugimoto of Kyushu University, who played a key role in the identification of the species. Specimens of S. sugimotoi collected by Mr. Sugimoto reveal that the plant stands 5-10 centimeters above ground with violet flowers that are roughly 2 millimeters in diameter.

Due to their parasitic nature, mycoheterotrophic plants need a healthy, stable ecosystem with abundant resources in order to thrive. The discovery of new mycoheterotrophic species suggests that a rich habitat resides beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cash-key-preventing-deforestation/">forest</a> floor. The existence of S. sugimotoi is further evidence of the value of the Mount Omoto area.

The findings of this study will be published on July 25 in Phytotaxa.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html">Kobe University</a>

Image: SUGIMOTO Takaomi

Non-photosynthesizing plant discovered on Japanese island

Some plant species attach to other plants and feed off...

Invasive plants can be valuable in some coastal areas where native plants are declining, a new study concludes.

"With the progressive decline of coastal habitats worldwide, our findings suggest it's better to have a non-native habitat than no habitat at all," said Aaron Ramus, a PhD student at the <a href="http://uncw.edu/">University of North Carolina-Wilmington</a>, who led the research. "There's a good chance that many invaders don't have the negative effects that we often think they do.”

On otherwise barren mudflats, invasive species such as non-native seaweed can offset the loss of native species and be useful in other ways. These plants can provide storm protection and food production, on which nearly half the human population depends, the researchers found.

The study focused on Gracilaria vermiculophylla, a Japanese seaweed affecting lagoons and estuaries throughout coastlines of the North Atlantic. Recent research suggests that it came to North Carolina with the export of oysters from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/japans-shoreline-climate-change/">Japan</a>.

The research was conducted over 10 months in 48 large plots with different densities of Gracilaria. The team measured monthly changes in seven functions for which coastal ecosystems are highly valued. This included soil stabilization and erosion control, storm surge and flood protection, biodiversity, food production, and a habitat for economically important seafood species such as shrimp, crab, and fish.

The invasive plants can help on many of these measures, the researchers found.

"Conservation practitioners are investing millions of dollars to eradicate invasive species, but what if some of those invasive species are actually benefiting native species and ecosystem services?" said Brian Silliman, professor at <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> who co-authored the study. "Our experimental study shows for the first time that this can be the case."

Conservationists “must now begin the hard conversation about changing their black-and-white picture of invasive species impacts," Silliman said.

The study was published in <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://uncw.edu/">University of North Carolina-Wilmington</a>

Why invasive coastal plants are better than no plants at all

Invasive plants can be valuable in some coastal areas where...

Plant-based diets that include lots of sweets and refined grains could increase the risk of heart disease, a new <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> study found.

Previous research on the impact of plant-based diets treated plant foods equally, even though some such as refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with a higher risk of heart disease.

In the new study, the researchers created three versions of a plant-based diet: an overall plant-based diet consisting of of all plant food and reduced animal food intake; a diet that consisted of healthy plant foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables; and a plant-based diet consisting of less healthy plant foods such as refined grains.

Researchers used a baseline sample of 73,710 women from the Nurses' Health Study, 92,320 women from the Nurses' Health Study 2, and 43,259 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Participants with coronary heart disease at baseline were excluded along with those with cancer, stroke, and coronary artery surgery.

The research showed that 8,631 participants developed coronary heart disease. A higher intake of a more healthy plant-based diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/labeling-make-vegetables-appealing/">vegetables</a>, was associated with a substantially lower risk of heart disease. But a plant-based diet that emphasized less healthy plant foods like sweetened beverages, refined grains, potatoes and sweets had the opposite effect, the study found.

"It's apparent that there is a wide variation in the nutritional quality of plant foods, making it crucial to take into consideration the quality of foods in a plant-based diet,"said Ambika Satija, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard University School of Public Health and the study's lead author.

The study was published in the <a href="http://www.onlinejacc.org/">Journal of the American College of Cardiology</a>.

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By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.acc.org/">American College of Cardiology</a>

Some plant-based diets can increase risk of heart disease

Plant-based diets that include lots of sweets and refined grains...

A new study has unravelled mysteries of a key protein that allows moss and green algae to protect themselves from too much sunshine.

Most plants absorb far more sunlight than they can use, the study said. In very sunny conditions, they convert only about 30 percent of the available sunlight into sugar.

If green plants absorb too much sunshine, the extra energy from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/use-photosynthesis-create-hydrogen-fuel/">photosynthesis</a> destroys their tissue. As a defense, plants have mechanisms to release the extra energy as heat.

"These photoprotective mechanisms have evolved from the fact that sunlight is not constant. There are sunny days; there are cloudy days,” said Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, a <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> Assistant Professor of Chemistry and the senior author of the study.

Several years ago, researchers discovered that the protein LHCSR1 is the key player in photoprotection that occurs over short timescales (seconds to minutes) in green algae and moss. It is embedded in the membranes in the chloroplast and interacts with chlorophyll and carotenoids, another type of light-absorbing pigment. However, the mechanism of how this photoprotection works was not known.

In the new study, researchers used a very sensitive microscope that can analyze single proteins to determine how the LHCSR1 protein found in moss reacts to different light conditions. The protein can assume three distinct conformations, which correspond to different functions, the researchers discovered.

Under cloudy or shady conditions, LHCSR1 simply absorbs photons and passes the energy on to the rest of the photosynthetic machinery, the researchers said. When the sun comes out and energy intake rises, LHCSR1 switches to another conformation within seconds. The switch is caused by a decrease in pH, which occurs when too many hydrogen ions are generated by water-splitting during photosynthesis.

The researchers are now creating mutated versions of LHCSR1, which they plan to test to see if they have the ability to produce more biomass while still offering some photoprotection.

Learning more about how the protein works could allow scientists to alter it in a way that would promote more photosynthesis, potentially increasing the biomass yield of crops and algae grown for biofuels, Schlau-Cohen said.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nchem/">Nature Chemistry</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a>

&nbsp;

How plants protect themselves from sunshine overdose

A new study has unravelled mysteries of a key protein...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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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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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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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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...