Few sights can be as awe-inspiring as New Zealand's legendary "walking tree," a towering ancient giant that stands like a sentinel from a fantasy world.



This extraordinary tree remains unmatched, as though it has stepped right out of the imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-champion-of-the-forest">Champion of the forest</h2>



The "walking tree" is no ordinary one. It recently won the title of New Zealand's Tree of the Year with ease, claiming 42% of the public vote and leaving five other finalists behind. The contest was organized by the <a href="https://www.nzarb.org.nz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Zealand Arboricultural Association</a>.



The tree that seems to be on a stroll is not just unique in its appearance; it carries a rich legacy that stretches back centuries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-journey-of-the-walking-tree">Journey of the walking tree</h2>



The tree - a northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) - has its roots on the west coast of South Island, near Karamea.



Reaching heights of up to 105 feet (equal to a seven-story building), it exists as a remarkable symbol of nature's ingenuity and endurance. The tree stands by a cemetery, the lone survivor of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest</a> that was cleared about 150 years ago.



Brad Cadwallader, organizer of the Tree of the Year competition, told Radio New Zealand that during the voting, the walking tree "strode out into the lead right from the very start."



"The farming family back then clearly thought it was special because they left it," noted Cadwallader.



This tree has been described as an "exceptional feature" and a "prime example of the remarkable trees that we, as New Zealanders, are fortunate to experience," said NZ Arb president Richie Hill in a statement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-tale-of-growth-and-survival">A tale of growth and survival</h2>



Northern rātā trees are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epiphytes-are-increasingly-threatened-by-forest-disturbances/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epiphytes</a>, a type of tree that starts growing on the surface of a host tree before growing aerial roots that reach to the ground.



This walking tree likely lived, initially, high up in the canopy of its host, surviving on air and rainwater before it finally grounded itself.



Its unusual root layout is probably due to how it grew around its host tree, which probably died off centuries ago.



“That <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=host%20tree&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">host tree</a> has now gone," said Cadwallader. "Maybe the tree was either very, very big, or there may have been another tree that fell and lent against the host tree, and that's why the roots have split near the ground and given it that walking appearance.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plight-of-the-northern-rata">Plight of the northern rātā</h2>



Unfortunately, the majestic northern rātā is under significant threat. Once common in New Zealand's forests, these trees are now listed as nationally vulnerable.



Multiple factors, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-deforestation-crisis-how-can-we-stop-massive-forest-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deforestation</a> and the invasive common brushtail possums, which wreak havoc by devouring the leaves and gnawing at the roots, pose significant threats.



The trees face danger from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scrub-mint-almost-extinct-lived-earth-millions-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hybridization</a> with the closely related pōhutukawa trees. They are also susceptible to myrtle rust, a pathogenic fungus that is native to South America but was detected in New Zealand for the first time in 2017.



As we appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of the "walking tree," it’s crucial to take note of the environmental challenges these giants face. Although the trees are evidence of nature's resilience, they also serve as a stark reminder of our responsibility to protect and preserve them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-and-ecological-legacy-of-the-walking-tree">Cultural and ecological legacy of the walking tree</h2>



The walking tree is more than just a botanical marvel; it serves as a living emblem of New Zealand's deep connection to its natural world.



For the indigenous Māori people, trees like the northern rātā are taonga, or treasures, woven into cultural myths, rituals, and traditions.



The rātā, with its crimson flowers, is often associated with strength, endurance, and renewal - qualities that are certainly epitomized by this lone survivor near Karamea.



Ecologically, the northern rātā plays a critical role in its environment. Its towering canopy provides shelter and sustenance for native birds like the tūī and kererū, while its roots stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.



The walking tree, standing alone and surrounded by cleared land, reminds us of what has been lost - and what still needs to be preserved.



As New Zealanders rally around this extraordinary tree, it becomes a symbol of hope and a call to action for conservation efforts. 



Protecting such iconic species ensures that future generations will not only learn about them in stories but also experience their majesty firsthand.



Image Credit: Gareth Andrews



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New Zealand’s 'walking tree': The final remains of a lost forest

Few sights can be as awe-inspiring as New Zealand's legendary "walking tree," a towering ancient giant that stands like a sentinel from a fantasy world. This extraordinary tree remains unmatched, as though it has stepped right out of the imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings. Champion of the forest The "walking tree" is no ordinary one. It recently won the title of New Zealand's Tree of the Year with ease, claiming 42% of the public vote and leaving five other finalists behind....

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-cooking-plants-food-10000-years-ago/">Plants</a> are crucial for food security and energy all over the world. However, in order to address the major challenges humanity is currently facing due to the joint impact of climate change and population growth, there needs to be 60 percent more food produced by mid-century, during a critical period where both warm and cold temperature shocks are expected to rise in frequency. To address these challenges, new methods to harness plant growth and resilience to stress are urgently needed.



Recently, Joe McKenna, an expert in Plant Biology at the University of Warwick has been awarded the prestigious <a href="https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/bbsrc-discovery-fellowships-2023/">Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBRSC) Discovery Fellowship</a> to implement a sustainable way to enhance agricultural practices. His&nbsp; project will investigate actin, a natural molecule found in plant cells that is responsible for moving other cellular components.&nbsp;



While it is already known that faster moving actin leads to larger plants with more biomass, the precise mechanism of how this occurs and the variety of interactions that lead to movement within cells is not yet clear.



“At a cellular level, plants display some of the fastest movements known in biology. Organelles show rapid and coordinated movements within plant cells. This movement is critical for normal growth and development as well as responses to environmental conditions – changing shape and moving during hot or cold temperatures,” McKenna explained.



“While we do not know the exact mechanism of how this movement occurs, we know it is driven by the actin ‘cytoskeleton’ – a skeletal-like network supporting the cell – and myosin motor proteins (which act like trains travelling along the actin tracks). When the actin cytokskeleton is disrupted, movement within the cell stops.”



In his project, McKenna will investigate how the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) – which is responsible for making most of the plant biomass and can rapidly remodel during both normal development and environmental stress – and the cell nucleus interact with the actin cytoskeleton to promote plant growth through DNA replication.



“If we can understand how actin interacts with these organelles and the proteins involved, we can engineer these systems to improve plant growth and develop plants which are much bigger and resistant to temperature stresses,” he concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Project aims to improve plant growth and resilience

Plants are crucial for food security and energy all over...

Until recently, scientists have assumed that cultivating food leads to biodiversity loss and negative impacts on a variety of ecosystems. However, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a>, community <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-gardens-provide-a-reliable-food-supply-for-pollinators/">gardens</a> and urban farms positively affect biodiversity, local ecosystems, and human well-being.



The researchers examined 28 urban community gardens across California during a period of five years and measured plant and animal biodiversity, along with ecosystem functions such as pollination, food production, carbon sequestration, pest control, and human well-being.



“We wanted to determine if there were any tradeoffs in terms of biodiversity or impacts on ecosystem function,” said study lead author Shalene Jha, an associate professor of Integrative Biology at UT Austin. “What we found is that these gardens, which are providing tremendous nutritional resources and increasing well-being for gardeners, are also supporting incredibly high levels of plant and animal biodiversity. It’s a win-win.”&nbsp;



Previous assumptions about the negative effects of food production on biodiversity have been largely based on intensive rural agriculture enterprises which usually grow only one or two types of crops at massive scales. By contrast, urban community gardens, private gardens, and urban orchards and farms tend to grow more types of crops in smaller areas, thus supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services.



“It’s estimated that by 2030, about 60 percent of the world’s population will live in cities. And urban farms and gardens currently provide about 15-20 percent of our food supply, so they are essential in addressing food inequality challenges. What we’re seeing is that urban gardens present a critical opportunity to both support biodiversity and local food production,” Jha explained.



In addition, the scientists found that the choices urban gardeners make can have significant impacts on local ecosystems. For instance, planting trees outside crop beds can increase carbon capturing without damaging or limiting pollinators or decreasing food production from too much shade, while mulching only within crop beds could help improve soil carbon services without any negative effects on pest control or pollinators.



“By quantifying the factors that support a diverse suite of ecosystem services, we highlight the critical role of garden management and urban planning for optimizing biodiversity and human benefit,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ele.14146">Ecology Letters</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Urban gardens promote biodiversity and human well-being

Until recently, scientists have assumed that cultivating food leads to...

A team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a> has recently identified a gene encoding a transcription factor (a protein useful for converting DNA into RNA) which triggers a genetic sequence that enables <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sweet-corn-yields-are-suffering-in-hotter-conditions/">corn</a> roots to acquire more water and nutrients. This finding could lead to the breeding of corn crops able to withstand droughts and low-nitrogen soil conditions, and thus improve global food security.



The newly discovered trait – known as a phenotype – is called “root cortical aerenchyma” and plays a crucial role in the development of air passages in the roots which enables them to explore the soil more efficiently and capture larger amounts of water and nutrients from dry, infertile soils.



By using powerful genetic tools developed in previous studies and conducting a series of field experiments that lasted over a decade, the experts identified the gene that causes corn to express cortical aerenchyma, which they named bHLH121.&nbsp;



“We first performed the field experiments that went into this study starting in 2010, growing more than 500 lines of corn at sites in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, and South Africa,” said lead author Hannah Schneider, an assistant professor of Crop Physiology at the <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm">Wageningen University &amp; Research</a> in the Netherlands, who conducted this study during a postdoctoral fellowship at Penn State. “I worked at all those locations. We saw convincing evidence that we had located a gene associated with root cortical aerenchyma.”



The discovery&nbsp;of the bHLH121 gene’s importance in root cortical aerenchyma formation provides a new marker for plant breeders to select&nbsp;corn varieties with improved soil exploration and yield under suboptimal conditions. As the climate continues to warm, creating crops with better drought tolerance and nitrogen and phosphorous capture capacities is crucial.



“Those are super-important qualities - both here in the U.S. and around the world. Droughts are the biggest risk to corn growers and are worsening with climate change, and nitrogen is the biggest cost of growing corn, from both a financial and environmental perspective. Breeding corn lines more efficient at scavenging for the nutrient would be a major development,” concluded senior author Jonathan Lynch, a professor of Plant Sciences at Penn State.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2219668120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Future corn crops could have higher drought tolerance

A team of scientists led by Pennsylvania State University has...

In a study led by the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a>, experts have concluded that kelp farms could help reduce coastal marine pollution. While this type of seaweed is known for its ability to take up large amounts of carbon dioxide, the new research suggests that kelp is even better at removing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-nitrogen-oxide-pollution-could-boost-crop-yields/">nitrogen</a> pollution.&nbsp;



The researchers monitored carbon and nitrogen levels at two mixed-species kelp farms in Alaska, where tissue and seawater samples were collected for analysis. The results showed that some seaweed species are better than others at removing nitrogen from the surrounding water.&nbsp;



Study lead author Schery Umanzor is an assistant professor at UAF’s College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.



“Some seaweeds are literally like sponges - they suck and suck and never saturate,” said Professor Umanzor.&nbsp;



“Although carbon and carbon sequestration by kelp receive most of the attention, kelp is actually much better at mitigating excessive amounts of nitrogen than carbon. I think that’s a story that’s really underlooked.”



Coastal nitrogen pollution has many sources, including agricultural runoff and urban sewage. This pollutant poses some major threats to ocean ecosystems such as harmful algal blooms and depleted oxygen levels that compromise the health of marine life.&nbsp;



In the UAF study, the kelp tissue samples revealed that ribbon kelp was more effective than sugar kelp at absorbing both nitrogen and carbon.&nbsp;



Kelp farming is also emerging as a promising way to improve food security. The researchers noted that kelp grown in polluted waters should not be used for food, but could still be a promising tool for helping to clean up the coastline.



Professor Umanzor cautioned that the study was limited to two sites during a single growing season, and is currently processing a larger collection of samples for further research.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/aquaculture">Aquaculture Journal</a>.



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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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Kelp farms could help clean up coastal nitrogen pollution

In a study led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks,...

Since Japan’s flora has already been extensively studied and documented, the discovery of a new plant species is a rare event. However, a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html">Kobe University</a> has recently found a stunning new species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolutionary-history-orchid/">orchid</a> (Spiranthes hachijoensis), with rosy pink petals bearing a striking resemblance to glasswork.&nbsp;



Although the orchid was initially spotted near Hachijo Island in the Tokyo Prefecture, further research has shown that its range is much wider than previously expected, extended to familiar environments such as parks or lawns, and even private gardens and balconies. These findings suggest that many new species could potentially be found “hiding” in common places, thus reducing the need of explorers to venture into remote area, such as tropical rainforests, to discover them.



The genus Spiranthes – which is the most widespread type of orchid in Japan and has been admired for centuries, even appearing in the Manyoshu, the country’s oldest extant poetry anthology - encompasses a fascinating variety of orchids, exhibiting an array of distinctive morphological traits. Since their white or pinkish flowers are usually arranged in a spiral around a central stalk, these orchids are often referred to as “ladies’ tresses.”



For a long time, scientists thought that Spiranthes consists of a single species, Spiranthes australis. Yet, extended field surveys across Japan’s mainland revealed several populations of an unknown taxon with hairless flower stems. Although this previously unknown taxon frequently grows alongside S. australis, it seems to bloom about a month earlier, thus leading to reproductive isolation between the two taxa.&nbsp;



By conducting a comprehensive, ten-year study of specimens collected from various regions in Japan, Taiwan, and Laos, the researchers provided morphological, phylogenetic, and ecological evidence for the recognition of&nbsp;S. hachijoensis as a new species of orchid, exhibiting a high level of molecular divergence from its relatives.



According to the experts, the discovery of this new species concealed in common places, such as parks, lawns, or even private gardens and balconies, highlights the necessity of persistent exploration, even in apparently unremarkable settings.



An in-depth description of the morphology, phenology, phylogeny, and ecology of this new orchid species was recently published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10265-023-01448-6">Journal of Plant Research</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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New orchid found hiding in plain sight in Japan

Since Japan’s flora has already been extensively studied and documented,...

The Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death among women by 25 percent, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321930">Heart</a>.



Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than a third of all deaths among women. Despite this overwhelming statistic, most clinical trials include very few women or haven’t reported the results by sex. As a result, current guidelines on how best to lower cardiovascular disease risk don’t differentiate by sex.



To inform sex specific guidance, the researchers gathered studies which had examined the impact of the Mediterranean diet on women’s cardiovascular health.



The Mediterranean diet is rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil. It is moderate in fish and low in red meats, dairy and processed foods.



The researchers analyzed 16 studies between 2003 and 2021 carried out in the US and Europe, involving more than 700,000 women whose cardiovascular health was monitored for an average of 12.5 years.



The results showed that sticking closely to a Mediterranean diet was associated with a 24 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 23 percent lower risk of death from any cause in women.



The risk of coronary heart disease was 25 percent lower among women who followed the diet the most consistently compared with those who did so the least. The researchers believe these health benefits can be attributed to the diet’s antioxidant and gut microbiome effects on inflammation and cardiovascular risk factors.



Various components of the diet include polyphenols, nitrates, omega-3 fatty acids, increased fiber intake and reduced glycaemic load - which may all contribute to better cardiovascular health.



The sex specific effect of the Mediterranean diet remains unclear, reinforcing the need for more sex specific research in cardiology.



“Female specific cardiovascular risk factors, including premature menopause, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, or female predominant risk factors, such as systemic lupus, can all independently increase [cardiovascular disease] risk,” said the researchers.



“It is possible that preventative measures, such as a Mediterranean diet, that targets inflammation and [cardiovascular disease] risk factors, impose differing effects in women compared with men."



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Women can live longer on the Mediterranean diet 

The Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease...

The small island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean has a large number of endemic plants and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-warning-coloration-evolve-in-animals/">animals</a> that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. This unique ecosystem is highly interconnected, as many fruit-bearing plants depend on animals to disperse their seeds.&nbsp;



Mauritius faces a serious risk of mass extinction in the coming decades, and researchers at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> have investigated the potential consequences of changes in the composition of the island's frugivore communities.



"Many plants, especially on tropical islands like Mauritius, rely on animals to help spread their seeds. If the animals that can help spread the seeds become extinct, the plants get into trouble because the animals which humans have brought to the island destroy the seeds instead. This increases the risk of the plants that are still on the island dying out," explained study first author Julia Heinen.



In a negative feedback loop, the loss of plants on the island could perpetuate the loss of more frugivorous animals. According to the researchers, the introduction of new animals to the island will not necessarily help.&nbsp;



"After the dodo and other Mauritian animals have become extinct, other animals have come to the island. They have either come with the people or they have found their way to the island themselves. But they cannot replace the function of extinct animals in the ecosystem," said Heinen.



"Now there are rats, pigs, monkeys and some other types of birds. And they actually eat the same fruits, but they handle them in a different way, and it doesn't have a positive effect on the plants."



"If we remove one species from the island, for example the dodo, we destroy the connection to others. It's like a house of cards. Then the plants that were eaten by the dodo and other animals in Mauritius will also be at risk of extinction."



Heinen explained that rats are a big problem when they arrive on an island. "They hide on the ships with the humans, so when the humans came to the island, the rats were there. The rats eat and destroy seeds, but they are also fond of birds' eggs.'



Ever since humans arrived on the island with rats and pigs 400 years ago, the sensitive ecosystem of Mauritius has been impacted. Some other animals, however, have helped to keep the ecosystem functioning.&nbsp;



"The Mauritian fruit bat is a very unique and endangered animal that plays a vital role in the ecosystem because it is one of the few remaining animals that can disperse the plants over the island. But the authorities are actively killing the bats because they are noisy and eat the mangoes in people's backyards," said Heinen. "People are very frustrated, but the authorities ignore the science. And Mauritius is the last place on Earth the bat lives."



“We don’t know yet how to stop extinctions on islands worldwide, but this study makes it clear that on Mauritius we can prevent the loss of the native plants if we stop culling the flying foxes, start conservation projects focused on the Mauritian Bulbul and continue to protect the Telfair’s skink.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36669-9">Nature Communications</a>.



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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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Native island plants may not survive animal extinctions 

The small island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean has...

Spring is arriving earlier as a result of global warming, and this phenomenon threatens to disrupt plant and pollinator interactions. In a new study led by the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>, researchers have discovered that some plants are not just flowering earlier, but are also producing bigger flowers to attract pollinators.



The experts found that between 2003 and 2012, the common morning glory in the southeastern United States increased the size of its flowers. This change was most pronounced at northern latitudes. Previously, scientists have reported finding more dramatic evolutionary responses to climate change in the northern part of a plant's range.



According to the researchers, increased flower size suggests a greater investment by the plants in pollinator attraction. The morning glories had also invested more energy in nectar and pollen to attract more of the bees, syrphid flies, and wasps that pollinate them.&nbsp;



"There is a major gap in our understanding of how traits that are crucial for plant-pollinator interactions may be evolving over time as a response to a changing climate," said study lead author Sasha Bishop.



"We show that - in addition to well-documented shifts to earlier flowering - floral architecture and rewards can also play significant roles in the evolutionary response to contemporary environmental change."&nbsp;



In collaboration with Shu-Mei Chang of the University of Georgia, the experts used a "resurrection approach" for the study. They germinated morning glory seeds that were collected from the edges of agricultural fields in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina in 2003 and 2012.&nbsp;



Over these years, the region had experienced rising temperatures, an increase in the number of extreme rainfall events, and more extreme drought.



The researchers planted the seeds from both years in a greenhouse at the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens.&nbsp;



The results showed that morning glory corollas became wider over the course of nine years, jumping from 4.5 centimeters in diameter in 2003 to 4.8 centimeters in 2012. In addition, the study revealed that the morning glories from 2012 started flowering four days earlier.



"This is the first article to use the resurrection approach to examine the potential that traits responsible for plant-pollinator interactions may be evolving over time, concomitant to decreases in pollinator abundance and dramatic environmental changes due to changing climate and land-use regimes," said Bishop.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://phys.org/news/2023-03-bigger-greater-rewards-climate-disruptions.html">Evolution Letters</a>.



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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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Morning glories make bigger flowers to entice pollinators

Spring is arriving earlier as a result of global warming,...

Each year, millions of tourists travel to Tokyo and other cities in Japan to experience the country’s world-famous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cherry-blossom-emblems-could-unite-people-to-save-forests/">cherry blossom</a> season (known as the “sakura season”). The cherry trees usually start to blossom at the end of March or the beginning of April, but in recent years this event is starting earlier due to unusually warm weather fueled by climate change.&nbsp;



This year, by beginning 10 days early, cherry blossom season matched a record seen only twice before - in 2020 and 2021 - since data first began being collected in 1953.



Since late 2019, Japan’s borders were closed and large gatherings were mostly forbidden due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For these reasons, the highly anticipated viewing parties of this spectacular event (known as “hanami”), usually bringing together huge crowds of people in Japan’s public parks, did not take place. However, as the borders reopened in last October and Covid-19 restrictions have gradually been lifted, both locals and visitors have eagerly expected this year’s season.



According to the <a href="https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html">Japan Meteorological Agency</a>, over five blossoms of the famous Somei-Yoshino cherry trees – a strain which accounts for over 90 percent of the cherry trees planted in Japan - were recently seen at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, after temperatures have been gradually rising since the beginning of March. The blossoms all over the city are expected to be in full-bloom within the next week.



“Today, on March 14, we hereby declare the sakura blossoming in Tokyo,” said an official from the agency in an announcement that came six days earlier than last year. “We’ve seen many warm days in March. Climate change may also have played a part.”



If global temperatures continue to rise, extremely early cherry blossom flowering dates could occur more regularly, according to a study published in 2022 in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6bb4">Environmental Research Letters</a>. “By the end of the century and under medium emissions, the early shift is estimated to further increase by almost a week. Extremely early flowering dates, as in 2021, would be rare without human influence, but are now estimated to be 15 times more likely, and are expected to occur at least once a century. Such events are projected to occur every few years by 2100 when they would no longer be considered extreme,” the authors concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Cherry blossom season has arrived 10 days early in Japan

Each year, millions of tourists travel to Tokyo and other...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> has found that consuming a traditional Mediterranean-type diet – consisting of significant quantities of seafood, fruits, and nuts – could help reduce the risk of dementia by nearly a quarter. As previous studies have usually been limited to small sample sizes and low numbers of dementia cases, this research is one of the largest investigations of the relationship between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-can-lead-to-longer-life/">Mediterranean diet</a> and dementia.



The scientists analyzed data from 60,298 individuals from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> who had completed a dietary assessment, and scored the participants based on how closely their diet matched key features of the Mediterranean one. Afterwards, the participants were followed for almost a decade - during which 882 of them developed dementia - while the researchers also assessed each of their genetic risk of dementia by estimating what is known as their “polygenic risk” (a measure of the variety of genes known to increase the risk of developing dementia). The results revealed that individuals who ate regularly a Mediterranean-like diet had up to 23 percent lower risk of dementia than the other participants.



“Dementia impacts the lives of millions of individuals throughout the world, and there are currently limited options for treating this condition,” said lead author Oliver Shannon, a lecturer in Human Nutrition and Aging at Newcastle.



&nbsp;“Finding ways to reduce our risk of developing dementia is, therefore, a major priority for researchers and clinicians. Our study suggests that eating a more Mediterranean-like diet could be one strategy to help individuals lower their risk of dementia.”



The experts also found that there was no significant interaction between the polygenic risk for dementia and the Mediterranean diet adherence, suggesting that even those with high genetic risk who follow a better diet could lower the likelihood of developing this debilitating condition.



Since the analysis was limited to individuals who self-reported their ethnic background as white, British, or Irish, further studies are needed to determine the potential benefits of such as diet in the case of other ethnicities.&nbsp;



&nbsp;“The findings from this large population-based study underscore the long-term brain health benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats,” said co-lead author Janice Ranson, a senior research fellow in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Exeter.



“The protective effect of this diet against dementia was evident regardless of a person’s genetic risk, and so this is likely to be a beneficial lifestyle choice for people looking to make healthy dietary choices and reduce their risk of dementia. Future dementia prevention efforts could go beyond generic healthy diet advice and focus on supporting people to increase consumption of specific foods and nutrients that are essential for brain health.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-02772-3">BMC Medicine</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of dementia

A new study led by Newcastle University has found that...

Although scientists have documented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/australian-plant-species-vanish/">plant species</a> for centuries to better understand and protect the amazing diversity of flora around the world, many of these species have never been photographed in their natural habitat. By surveying 33 major online databases of plant photographs, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> (UNSW Sydney) and the <a href="https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/science/australian-institute-of-botanical-science">Australian Institute of Botanical Science</a> has found that, out of 21,077 species of native Australian vascular plants, nearly 20 percent lack verifiable photographs.&nbsp;



Such a lack of detailed photographic records can have serious consequences, with many undocumented plant species at risk of becoming extinct.



“It was surprising to see how many plant species had just line drawings, illustrations, paintings, or even no media at all,”&nbsp;said study lead author Thomas Mesaglio, a PhD student in Botany at UNSW. “Having a comprehensive photographic set helps us to be confident in our identifications. Particularly when it is practically challenging to collect and preserve the entire plant, photos complement the physical voucher by showing the soil type, the habitat it’s growing in, and other species growing alongside it.”



The experts found that the most well-photographed plant groups tend to be trees or shrubs with noticeable or even spectacular features, such as colorful flowers. For instance, while Banksia is one of the two Australian plant genera with over 40 species to have a complete photographic record, the family with the most significant plant deficit is Poaceae (commonly known as grasses), with 343 unphotographed species.



“We noticed a charisma deficit, so the species that tend to be harder to see are the ones missing out. They may have innocuous or pale-looking flowers or be smaller and harder to spot grasses, sedges, and herbs,” Mesaglio explained. Moreover, geography significantly affects the photographic record too, with plants located in difficult to access environments being less photographed.



The scientists urge citizen scientists to help constructing comprehensive photographic records for professional scientists to use in identification guides, by engaging with platforms such as <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a>, &nbsp;a network of citizen scientists and biologists aiming to map and share observations of biodiversity across the world.&nbsp;



“People can engage with, sympathize with, and get much more excited about plants with photographs, which is vital when our natural environments are more at risk than ever,” Mesaglio argued. “Because digital photography is so accessible now, anyone can also help make a meaningful contribution to science using the camera in their pocket.”



In addition, Mesaglio and his colleagues recommend the development of a standardized system for scientific plant photography, and publish all new species descriptions as Open Access in searchable databases with Creative Commons licensing to maximize their usage.



“We also suspect more photos exist, but they’re hidden away on social media or behind scientific paywalls that aren’t accessible, discoverable, or searchable. Of the species with photographs, many have a single photo. We not only want to capture those unrepresented species but also continue building the photographic record for all species. Doing so will help us identify, monitor, and conserve our native species for generations to come,” Mesaglio concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.18813">New Phytologist</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Thousands of plant species remain unphotographed

Although scientists have documented plant species for centuries to better...

As the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-birds-prefer-native-trees/">trees</a> play an important ecological role in the natural world. Giant trees inspire a sense of awe, as they hold the story to our shared history. Some human societies are known to position giant trees in significant socio-cultural roles with unique identities and names selected by local people.&nbsp;



Giant trees have a spiritual connection with local people by encouraging social cohesion. Attachments with giant trees can also encourage spiritual well-being, but just exactly how this occurs remains unknown.&nbsp;



Geography and climate are known to influence the age, size, and other properties of trees. Previous studies have suggested that trees with extraordinary properties tend to be given unique names and are recognized as sacred. The size and distribution of trees and spiritual ecosystem services may be influenced by macroecological processes (e.g., geography and climate).&nbsp;



In a new study conducted by the <a href="https://www.nies.go.jp/index-e.html">National Institute for Environmental Studies</a>, researchers used structural equation modeling (SEM) on 38,994 giant tree records from 237 species across Japan. The goal was to determine whether climate and geographical variables may drive both probabilities for giant trees to be an object of faith and receive a unique name from local people.&nbsp;



The study revealed that trunk circumference and tree age were the top two variables that influenced the probability of a tree becoming a spiritual object and receiving a unique name. Tree trunk circumference and age were also strongly correlated with climatic factors.&nbsp;



The probability of a tree being an object of faith and receiving a unique name increased with lower annual precipitation. The worship of giant trees in Japan is partly related to the “prayer for rain." Rice cultivation was the foundation of traditional Japanese society. The abundance or failure of rice crops was directly linked to life and death. Drought was the strongest factor in a devastating decline in rice yields. The study's results are strongly consistent with previous empirical findings.



This research is the first to demonstrate the relationship between spiritual ecosystem services and underlying macroecological processes, which have previously been difficult to quantify. The findings provide a starting point for further clarification of the spiritual connection between people and biodiversity, as well as the driving processes behind this connection.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41477-022-01337-1">Nature Plants</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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What drives a spiritual connection with giant trees?

As the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, giant...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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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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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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