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....

According to a recent study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, “plant blindness” – or people’s lack of interest in and knowledge of the diversity of plants surrounding them – is caused by a lack of exposure to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nurturing-benefits-of-nature-are-crucial-for-human-well-being/">nature</a>. The researchers say this condition could be “cured” by close contact with flora through activities such as wild food foraging. 



The experts argue that a lack of awareness and appreciation for native flora is not innate, but stems from diminished time spent in the proximity of plants, leading to the common misperception that plants are “less alive” – and consequently less important – than humans. Thus, the key to breaking the cycle of plant awareness disparity lies in introducing people to biodiverse places and changing their perceptions of the utility of various plants.



By examining 326 scientific articles published between 1998 and 2020, the scientists found that people had more interest, paid more attention, and were more likely to remember information about animals rather than plants. However, there was no concrete evidence that this was an innate characteristic of humans. By contrast, its main cause seemed to be the diminished experience of nature in urbanized societies.&nbsp;



Although children in particular tended to see plants as inferior to animals and were not able to identify many species, this phenomenon was also reported in adults, such as primary teachers who had not graduated in a scientific subject. However, older people appeared to have better plant knowledge, suggesting they were more likely to have nature-related hobbies.



Several of the examined studies argued that modernization and urbanization had a negative impact on plant knowledge, with the increased reliance on urban services reducing the utility of plant foraging. Moreover, school attendance and work diminished the time available to spend in nature, as well as the time spent with family, where oral transmission of plant knowledge from older adults to children used to be more widespread before.



“People living in highly industrialized countries have a plant attention deficit due to a decline in relevant experience with plants, as opposed to a cognitive impediment to the visual perception of plants. People living in rural communities in low and middle-income countries were more likely to have high plant knowledge due to a dependence on natural resources. Interestingly, economic development does not necessarily lead to this knowledge being lost if communities still have access to the biodiverse environments,” explained study lead author Bethan Stagg, an expert in Biology Education at Exeter.



“The key is to demonstrate some direct benefits of plants to people, as opposed to the indirect benefits through their pharmaceutical and industrial applications, or their value to remote, traditional societies. The level of botanical knowledge in younger generations is shown to be directly related to their perceived usefulness of this knowledge. Wild plant foraging shows considerable promise in this respect, both as a way of introducing people to multiple species and connecting them with some ‘modern-day’ health, cultural, and recreational uses,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10323">Plants People Planet</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

"Plant blindness" is caused by urbanization

According to a recent study led by the University of...

Research has shown that a healthy diet may reduce risk of dementia. However, a new study published in the online issue of <a href="http://www.neurology.org/">Neurology®</a> has found that two diets, including the Mediterranean diet, are not linked to a reduced risk of dementia.&nbsp;



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-can-lead-to-longer-life/">Mediterranean diet</a> is focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, healthy fats such as olive oil, and a low intake of dairy products, meats and saturated fatty acids.



“While our study does not rule out a possible association between diet and dementia, we did not find a link in our study, which had a long follow-up period, included younger participants than some other studies and did not require people to remember what foods they had eaten regularly years before.”&nbsp; said study co-author Dr. Isabelle Glans of Lund University.



For the study, 28,000 people at an average age of 58 were followed over a 20-year period. Participants filled out a daily food diary, a food frequency questionnaire and completed an interview. By the end of the study, 1,943 people were diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.



To determine links to diet, the researchers closely examined how participants’ diets aligned with dietary recommendations and the Mediterranean diet. No link was identified between following either a conventional diet or the Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk of dementia.



“Diet on its own may not have a strong enough effect on memory and thinking, but is likely one factor among others that influence the course of cognitive function. Dietary strategies will still potentially be needed along with other measures to control risk factors," explained Dr. Nils Peters of the University of Basel.



The researchers noted that self reporting of diet could have been a limitation, and that further research is needed to confirm these findings.



The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation, the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg foundation, at Lund University, the Swedish Alzheimer Foundation, the Swedish Brain Foundation, and other organizations.



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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

Does the Mediterranean diet lower dementia risk?

Research has shown that a healthy diet may reduce risk...

Sunny,Wheat,Field

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/esd-13-1377-2022">Earth System Dynamics</a>, although wheat yields in the United Kingdom have largely been resilient to changing weather patterns over the past three decades, the future security of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-stabilize-the-production-of-food-crops/">crops</a> is uncertain due to increasingly frequent extreme wet and dry conditions caused by climate change.



The researchers carried out an in-depth analysis of wheat yields and simultaneous meteorological conditions across the main agricultural regions of the UK since 1990, and investigated the potential effect of projected climate change scenarios on production over the next decades.



The analyses revealed that there has been a significant resilience of wheat yields to single extreme weather events such as low or high rainfall or temperatures, due to farmers’ effective crop management and wheat’s capacity to tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions.



However, when some combinations of extreme weather occurred during a growing season, there were significant negative impacts on production. For instance, in 2020, torrential autumn rains hampered the sowing of crops, an extremely dry spring affected plant growth, and heavy downpours in the summer created highly difficult harvesting conditions, resulting in UK’s poorest wheat yields in decades.



“Until now, farmers have largely been able to compensate for adverse weather conditions by changing when they sow or harvest crops, or by altering the timing and amount of fungicide, pesticide, or fertilizer that they apply to fields,” said study co-author Richard Pywell, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/">UK Center for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a> (UKCEH).



“However, climate change will push the boundaries of what can be achieved though crop management, and it could become increasingly difficult for farmers to deal with the impacts of more frequent extreme weather events. This could affect the quality and quantity of crops, and therefore food production, in the UK.”



By using state-of-the-art high-resolution climate projections up to 2080, the scientists found that significantly warmer winter temperatures might offset the negative impacts of increasing rainfall between October and April, while warmer temperatures and drier conditions in June and July would be beneficial to wheat yields.



&nbsp;“Our research shows that, on average, warmer temperatures are likely to have generally positive impacts on yields in key UK wheat-growing regions. However, there may be multiple extreme weather events, such as intense thunderstorms or prolonged drought, occurring over the course of a year and therefore greater uncertainty over future wheat yields,” explained study lead author Louise Slater, an associate professor of Physical Geography at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>.



“Over the past decade, we have already seen an increase in both extreme dry and wet spells, depending on the season, and this pattern is expected to continue further. Even with large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, climate change will still generate weather conditions outside those in which our intensive agricultural systems have developed,” concluded co-author Chris Huntingford, a climate scientist at UKCEH.



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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

Climate change is testing the resilience of wheat yields

According to a new study published in the journal Earth...

A research team led by <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">UNSW Sydney</a>, in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations, has developed a way to classify the world's ecosystems. This development aids ecosystem typology, a relatively new approach to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-hotspots-for-soil-conservation-are-poorly-protected/">conservation</a>.



"For the first time, we have a common platform that identifies, defines and describes the full suite of the whole planet's ecosystems," said Professor David Keith, who led the team with Richard Kingsford and Emily Nicholson.



"It may seem rather odd that we haven't had this before, but historically scientists have forged advances by working somewhat separately in marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. This is the first time that all of this detailed knowledge has been brought together into a single framework taking advantage of common theory across the disciplines."



The experts believe this research will aid conservation policy since it offers a clearer picture. "It's very hard to see the big picture on a jigsaw puzzle until you have all the pieces in place – and that's what we now have. We have a much more substantial foundation to move ahead with a new era of ecosystem conservation and management policy," said Professor Kingsford.



"Efforts on biodiversity conservation have largely centered at the species level, because it's seen to be more tangible," explained Professor Keith. "But a broader focus on both ecosystems and species is more likely to succeed in conserving all plants and animals, as well as the essential services that nature provides people."



Professor Keith noted that by using <a href="https://global-ecosystems.org/">global ecosystem typology</a>, conservationists are more likely to consider lesser-studied ecosystems. "We don't think often about what's in the deep oceans, for example. There's a tremendous variety of life down there and it's organised into a number of different ecosystems. And those ecosystems are beginning to feel the impact of human expansion."



Future analyses will focus on mapping and monitoring the world’s ecosystems. "Although many of the world's 110 ecosystem types are already served with high quality maps updatable with satellite technology, the data for some other types is still rudimentary,'' said Professor Keith.



"We can't plan effectively where to protect ecosystems or how to manage them sustainably unless we have reliable maps for the full range of ecosystem types, and integrate them into decision-making and monitoring systems."



This study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05318-4">Nature</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ecosystems classified for the first time across the entire planet

A research team led by UNSW Sydney, in collaboration with...

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) provides a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-damage-to-plants-is-more-severe-now-than-ever-before/">plants</a> and animals and the habitats in which they are found. It was first passed into law in 1973 and has provided the legal framework for identifying threatened and endangered species, and preventing their extinction in the U.S. However, a recent investigation into the success of this Act has revealed that it has failed rather dismally at achieving its aims. Of the <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/boxscore">thousands of species</a>&nbsp;that have been listed by the ESA in the past 48 years as threatened or endangered, only 54 have recovered to the point where they no longer need protection.&nbsp;



The study, led by Erich Eberhard from Columbia University’s Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, and co-authored by David Wilcove and Andrew Dobson of Princeton University, finds that most species are not receiving protection until their populations are precariously small, by which time their genetic diversity is severely reduced and their chances of recovery even more limited.&nbsp;



“We find that small population sizes at time of listing, coupled with delayed protection and insufficient funding, continue to undermine one of the world’s strongest laws for protecting biodiversity,” wrote the study authors.



Evidence of species not receiving protection under the ESA until their populations had become very small was&nbsp;<a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1993.07010087.x">first reported in 1993</a>, when a study found that species being listed for protection had, on average, just 1,075 remaining individuals for vertebrate species, 999 remaining individuals for invertebrate species, and 120 remaining individuals for plant species.



In the new study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, the same methodology was used to determine whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has become more proactive in listing at-risk species during the roughly 30 years since attention was first drawn to the problem. The researchers also looked at trends in species’ “wait times” – the length of time between a species first being identified as needing protection and then actually receiving protected status under the ESA – and trends in funding for the listing and recovery of endangered species.



The results showed that, unfortunately, the population size of at-risk species at the time of listing has not changed significantly since the first analysis in 1993. It seems that we are still waiting until very few individuals are left before the species gets the legal protection it needs in order to avoid extinction. In addition, the time it takes for a species to become listed under the Act as needing protection remains consistently long. During this wait time the at-risk species inevitably slides inexorably closer to the abyss of extinction.&nbsp;



Add to this the fact that, while the number of species listed for protection increased by over 300 percent between 2010 and 2020, the funding available did not keep pace. In fact, the study found that funding has decreased since 1985 by nearly 50% per species. The authors note that insufficient funding has plagued the effectiveness of the Act for decades, irrespective of which political parties are in power in the White House and Congress.



“As the number of imperiled species – and the threats that they face – multiply, the unfortunate conclusion is that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is being asked to do more with less resources,” said Eberhard.



“Increased funding is essential for sustained, substantial progress in protecting imperiled species. Studies have shown that government expenditures for imperiled species management do contribute to an improvement in recovery status and [have] averted extinctions," the study authors concluded.



This study presents a grim picture as the upcoming meeting of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity draws near. The meeting aims to finalize a framework that will guide conservation efforts around the world through 2030, and the authors hope leaders in the U.S. and across the world will learn from the poor success rate of the ESA and come up with better strategies to protect and conserve imperiled species across the globe.&nbsp;



The planet currently faces&nbsp;<a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2019/03/26/endangered-species-matter/">accelerating rates of species extinction</a>, with a projected loss of&nbsp;<a href="https://ipbes.net/global-assessment">over one million species</a>&nbsp;in the foreseeable future; taking an approach that gives too little, too late, is no longer an option.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

U.S. Endangered Species Act may be too little, too late

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) provides a program for the...

Hand,Holding,Vegan,Sweet,Potato,Black,Bean,Burger,With,Kale

In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/">University of Surrey</a>, researchers set out to analyze changes in supermarket sales of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/replace-meat-with-seafood-for-a-healthier-planet/">meat</a> products and plant-based alternatives. The analysis revealed that the average weekly sales of plant-based foods increased by 57 percent, yet without a reduction in meat sales.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Efforts to reduce meat consumption have remained absent from the UK political agenda to date, but the need to shift to lower-meat diets is gaining traction in wider society. Veganuary, an annual campaign which encourages individuals to adopt a vegan diet for the month of January, is an example of a civil society initiative to support consumer diet change," explained the study authors.&nbsp;



The research was focused on UK supermarket sales during the "Veganuary" period in January 2021. The experts compared these figures to sales before and after the campaign.&nbsp;



"Our study suggests that while retail-led campaigns are driving increased sales of plant-based foods, we are not yet seeing meat replacement at scale, which is key to drive progress toward healthy, sustainable diets," said study lead author Joanna Trewern.



"Retailers have an important role to play in enabling the adoption of healthier, more sustainable consumer diets. It’s great to see them taking action, but more is needed to reduce our reliance on meat and dairy.”&nbsp;



The team found evidence that the retailer’s efforts to make plant-based products more affordable were effective, as the increase in plant-based food sales was the greatest in low-income areas and superstores.



Currently in the UK, individual meat consumption far exceeds the government's recommendations. The National Food Strategy has proposed a 30-percent reduction in meat consumption to support the nation's commitment of reaching Net Zero by 2050.



"For there to be any chance of meeting UK climate change targets, government, food companies, civil society, scientists, and health professionals need to work together urgently to implement action plans and policies that can deliver swift and sustained change," said Trewern.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/does-promoting-plantbased-products-in-veganuary-lead-to-increased-sales-and-a-reduction-in-meat-sales-a-natural-experiment-in-a-supermarket-setting/CB44968AAD1E86856D01CA47A7BC884D">Public Health Nutrition</a>.&nbsp;&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

Plant-based food sales do not always reduce meat sales

In a new study led by the University of Surrey,...

Japanese,Barberry.,Yellow,Flowers.,Berberis,Thunbergii.,Flowering,Of,Thunberg's,Barberry.

For several centuries scientists have noticed that, when a visiting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-insect-pollinated-plant/">insect</a>’s tongue touches the nectar-producing parts of certain flowers, the stamen containing the pollen snaps forward, deterring the insect from lingering longer. Now, a study led by the <a href="http://english.ccnu.edu.cn/">Central China Normal University</a> (CCNU) in Wuhan has found that this action increases the flowers’ reproductive success, while reducing the costs of insects lingering too long to feed on the flowers’ nectar.



“We tested three scenarios,” said study lead author Deng-Fei Li, a PhD student in Evolution and Ecology at CCNU. “These included whether snapping stamens help flowers by controlling how much pollen each insect takes, filtering out less proficient pollinators, or reducing the amount of nectar taken by each visitor.”



The scientists immobilized the stamen on the flowers of barberry bushes by dipping the flowers’ floral pedicels in an alcoholic solution for 35 to 45 minutes. This alcohol treatment did not seem to deter pollinators. Then, they compared the behavior of insects and the pollination success of flowers with mobile versus immobile stamens, and tracked how efficiently the insects transported the pollen to other flowers.



The analysis revealed that insects visiting flowers with immobilized stamens stayed 3.6 times longer and removed more nectar than those visiting flowers with mobile stamens. Nonetheless, these insects deposited two times fewer pollen grains for each flower visit. Moreover, insects deposited pollen from flowers with mobile stamens on three times more flowers, as well as on flowers further away, thus increasing the likelihood of the plants’ reproductive success.



“Our study helps resolve the mystery of the purpose of insect-triggered movement of flower parts that has troubled botanists since Linnaeus first observed mobile stamen in 1755,” concluded senior author Shuang-Quan Huang, a professor of Evolution and Ecology at CCNU. “We’ve shown that plants use rapidly moving stamens to enhance the turnover of bees and flies on their flowers, thereby reducing their nectar costs per successfully transported pollen grain.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.81449">eLife</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

Insect-slapping flower stamens help maximize pollination

For several centuries scientists have noticed that, when a visiting...

Many developing countries currently face challenges that pit economic growth against environmental protection. As they expand their agricultural production, they often convert forests into croplands and pastures, thus weakening the world’s ability to prevent future climate deterioration and biodiversity loss.&nbsp;



For instance, Brazil’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-rainforests/">rainforest</a> – the largest in the world, with an area of more than 1.2 million square miles - has been severely decimated over the past decades in order to increase agricultural production (particularly soybean, Brazil being the world’s largest exporter of this legume). However, according to a new longitudinal study led by the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, Brazil could in fact strengthen its agricultural sector while protecting the rainforest.&nbsp;



“In the current context of high grain prices and food supply disruptions, we believe there is a critical need for major crop-producing countries to reassess their potential to produce more on existing cropland,” the study authors explained. &nbsp;



“Without an emphasis on intensifying crop production within the existing agricultural area, coupled with strong institutions and policies that prevent deforestation in frontier agricultural areas, it would be difficult to protect the last bastions of forests and biodiversity on the planet while being sensitive to the economic aspirations of countries to develop.”



According to the researchers, with a carefully managed strategy to intensify production on existing acres, Brazil could increase its annual soybean output by 36 percent by 2035, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 58 percent. The scientists described a three-pronged “intensification strategy” which involves 1) significantly increasing soybean crop yields, 2) growing a second crop of corn on soybean fields in several areas, and 3) raising more cattle on smaller pastures in order to free up more land for soybean cultivation.



This strategy could “eliminate deforestation completely and essentially reduce the amount of carbon dioxide equivalents released into the atmosphere, helping to mitigate climate change,” as study senior author Patricio Grassini – an associate professor of Agriculture and Horticulture at Nebraska - put it. “This approach strengthens agriculture while protecting fragile ecosystems that are important from a perspective of climate change mitigation, as well as biodiversity conservation.”



However, achieving the dual goal of agricultural expansion and rainforest conservation will require strong institutions, as well as proper policy and enforcement to make sure that productivity gains effectively translate into forest preservation.



“By showing that it is possible to produce more on existing agricultural land, this research study is bringing real solutions to the table and can have a massive impact to help Brazil produce more while protecting the environment,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-00968-8">Nature Sustainability</a>.&nbsp;



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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

Brazil could protect its rainforest while expanding agriculture

Many developing countries currently face challenges that pit economic growth...

Herbivorous insects eat leaves and can damage a plant’s ability to photosynthesize if enough leaves are eaten. This relationship goes back for as long as there have been <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ozone-pollution-threatens-the-health-of-plants-and-pollinators/">plants</a> and leaf-eating insects on Earth. According to new research led by scientists from the <a href="http://www.uwyo.edu/">University of Wyoming</a>, today’s insects are doing more damage to the forests than their ancient ancestors did.&nbsp;



The first-of-its-kind study compares the damage due to insect herbivory on modern-era plants with damage identified on fossilized leaves from as far back as the Late Cretaceous period, nearly 67 million years ago. The findings are published in the prestigious journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2202852119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



“Our work bridges the gap between those who use fossils to study plant-insect interactions over deep time and those who study such interactions in a modern context with fresh leaf material,” says lead researcher Lauren Azevedo-Schmidt. “The difference in insect damage between the modern era and the fossilized record is striking.”



The researchers examined fossilized leaves with evidence of insect feeding damage from the Late Cretaceous through the Pleistocene era, a little over 2 million years ago. The results were compared with leaves collected by Azevedo-Schmidt from three modern forests. The analysis considered three different types of damage caused by insects, and in all three categories the damage was more prevalent in modern leaves than in those from the fossil record. &nbsp;



“Our results demonstrate that plants in the modern era are experiencing unprecedented levels of insect damage, despite widespread insect declines,” wrote the scientists, who suggest that the disparity can be explained by human activity.



“We hypothesize that humans have influenced (insect) damage frequencies and diversities within modern forests, with the most human impact occurring after the Industrial Revolution. Consistent with this hypothesis, herbarium specimens from the early 2000s were 23 percent more likely to have insect damage than specimens collected in the early 1900s, a pattern that has been linked to climate warming.”



The authors state, however, that climate change doesn’t fully explain the increase in insect damage. They highlight the need for more research to determine the precise causes of increased insect damage to plants, but the scientists say a warming climate, urbanization and introduction of invasive species are all likely have had a major impact.



“This research suggests that the strength of human influence on plant-insect interactions is not controlled by climate change alone but, rather, the way in which humans interact with the terrestrial landscape,” the researchers concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Insect damage to plants is more severe now than ever before

Herbivorous insects eat leaves and can damage a plant’s ability...

Although we cannot see them without the aid of a microscope, bacteria are all around us, occurring at high densities in diverse habitats. Many bacterial species produce substances that kill other microbes as a way of gaining an ecological advantage in environments that support an array of competing bacterial and fungal species. These substances, once identified, often form the basis of our own antibiotic and antifungal medications that help to fight <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-with-infections-are-less-able-to-adapt-and-survive/">infections</a> in our bodies and in our crop plants and livestock. In fact, most therapeutic antibiotics used today have been derived from soil bacteria belonging to the phylum Actinobacteria.



Unfortunately, our increasing dependence on antibiotics has resulted in widespread resistance to these medications which, according to the World Health Organization, represents one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. This has lead researchers to seek alternative new compounds with antifungal and antibiotic properties wherever possible.&nbsp;



In a new discovery, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02472-22">mBio</a>, the peer-reviewed, open access scientific journal published by the American Society for Microbiology, a multinational team of researchers from Europe report on one such compound that may have the potential to protect agricultural crops against fungal infections. The new antifungal antibiotic has been named solanimycin, and was initially isolated from a pathogenic bacterium that infects potatoes.&nbsp;



Solanimycin acts against a wide range of fungi known to infect and devastate agricultural crops, according to the researchers. In lab studies, the compound also acted against&nbsp;Candida albicans, a fungus that occurs naturally in the human body but that can also cause dangerous infections. The results suggest that solanimycin, and related compounds, could be useful in both agricultural and clinical settings.



The new discovery suggests that, instead of focusing on antibiotics produced by bacteria isolated from soil microbes, researchers seeking new compounds with antibiotic properties would do well to look more closely at plant-based microorganisms as potential sources. This is especially relevant as crops develop resistance to existing treatments, says microbiologist Rita Monson, Ph.D., from the University of Cambridge. She co-led the study with molecular microbiologist Miguel Matilla, Ph.D., at the Spanish Research Council’s Estación Experimental del Zaidín, in Granada.



“We have to look more expansively across much more of the microbial populations available to us,” Monson said.



The pathogenic potato bacterium&nbsp;Dickeya solani, which produces solanimycin, is not new to researchers. It was first identified more than 15 years ago in the lab of molecular microbiologist George Salmond, Ph.D., at the University of Cambridge. At that time, it was found to produce an antibiotic called oocydin A, which was highly effective against multiple fungal pathogens in plants. In the current study, Matilla, Monson, Salmond and colleagues followed a hunch that D. solani may be capable of producing other compounds with antifungal properties.&nbsp;



After genomic analysis of the bacterial DNA, they proceeded to silence those genes responsible for the production of oocydin A. Interestingly, they found that the bacterium continued to show antifungal activity under these conditions. That observation led to the identification of solanimycin and the identification of the gene clusters responsible for the proteins that make the compound.



The researchers found that the bacterium uses the compound sparingly, producing it in response to cell density. An acidic pH environment – as is present in a potato – also activates the solanimycin gene cluster. Monson said it almost looks like a clever protective mechanism.



“It’s an antifungal that we believe that will work by killing fungal competitors, and the bacteria benefit so much from this,” said Monson. “But you don’t turn it on unless you’re in a potato.”



Monson said the researchers have begun collaborating with chemists to learn more about the molecular structure of solanimycin and understand how it works. Then, she and Matilla said, they hope to see continued testing of the compound in plant and animal models.



“Our future steps are focused on trying to use this antibiotic antifungal for plant protection,” Matilla said. The research team see the discovery as an encouraging sign that plant pathogens – like&nbsp;D. solani – could be coaxed to make compounds that may be used against diseases in plants and people.



“We have to be open to the exploration of everything that’s out there to find new antibiotics,” Matilla said.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Antibiotic produced by potato pathogen offers new hope

Although we cannot see them without the aid of a...

Livestock production contributes an estimated 14.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating global warming and leading to degraded ecosystems, as well as loss of biodiversity and water resources. According to a variety of recent studies, adopting a mainly <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/is-a-plant-based-diet-healthy/">plant-based diet</a> could be an important step towards solving these problems.



Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has investigated what strategies are most effective in promoting such diets. Their analysis revealed that one way of promoting sustainable diets is to label food products with information about sustainability (eco-labeling), such as providing details of water and land usage and greenhouse emissions by using a traffic light system. Another effective strategy was found to be social nudging, which involved telling consumers that a particular product is the most popular choice.



The scientists enrolled a cohort of UK adults in order to form three groups. In each group the participants were shown a menu containing three different meal options – a beef burrito, a chicken burrito, and a vegetarian burrito – and asked to choose one option that they might like to eat in the future. 



The first group were shown the burrito options accompanied by an eco-label showing the sustainability level of each meal in a traffic light system (beef burrito – red, or unsustainable, chicken burrito – amber, or neither sustainable nor unsustainable, and vegetarian burrito – green, or sustainable). Group two were shown the vegetarian burrito accompanied by a popularity label consisting of a gold star next to the works “Most Popular,” and group three (the control group) were shown neither the eco-label nor the social nudge.



The researchers discovered that both the eco-label and the social nudge were highly effective at influencing the choice of the most sustainable option, with the eco-label being the most effective between the two in promoting sustainable choices. Moreover, participants with a higher motivation to act sustainably were more likely to choose the vegetarian burrito.



These findings suggest that future policy should include eco-labeling and/or social nudges to reduce meat consumption and mitigate global warming. “Consumer choices could further benefit from more information about their meal, via a mandatory eco-label, being presented on packaging. A regulated traffic light eco-label, similar to standardized nutritional information on food packaging, would facilitate more sustainable choices and decrease customer confusion,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/bpp.2022.27">Behavioral Public Policy</a>.&nbsp;



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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

Eco-labeling promotes sustainable food choices

Livestock production contributes an estimated 14.5 percent of greenhouse gas...

View,From,Above,Of,Dense,Pine,Forest,With,Canopies,Of

Attempting to decipher all the factors that influence the behavior of complex ecological communities can be a very difficult task. However, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) has discovered that the behavior of these ecosystems can be predicted based on solely two pieces of information – the number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-native-species-can-have-unexpected-benefits/">species</a> in the community and how strongly they interact with one another.



The dynamics of natural ecosystems are notoriously difficult to study. Scientists can make observations about how species interact with one another, but they generally cannot perform controlled experiments in the wild. This led the MIT researchers to use microbes such as bacteria and yeast to analyze interspecies interactions in a controlled way, hoping to learn more about how natural ecosystems behave.



By creating communities ranging from two to 48 species of bacteria, controlling the number of species by forming different synthetic communities with different sets of species, and strengthening the interactions between the species by increasing the amount of food available, the scientists were able to define three phases of ecological communities and calculate the necessary conditions for them to move from one state to another.&nbsp;



Initially, each ecological community existed in a phase called “stable full existence,” with all species coexisting without interfering with one another. However, as either the number of the species or interactions among them increased, the communities entered a new phase called “stable partial coexistence” in which populations remain stable, but some of the species become extinct. Finally, as the number of species or strength of interactions further increased, the communities entered a third phase, featuring more dramatic fluctuations in population. In this stage, ecosystems became unstable, and populations persistently fluctuated over time.



“While we cannot access all biological mechanisms and parameters in a complex ecosystem,&nbsp;we demonstrate that&nbsp;its diversity and dynamics may be emergent phenomena that can be predicted from just a few aggregate properties of the ecological community: species pool size and&nbsp;statistics of interspecies interactions,” said study lead author Jiliang Hu, an engineer at MIT.



These findings could help ecologists make predictions about what might be happening in complex ecosystems such as forests, even with little information available, since all they need to know is the number of species and their degree of interaction.



“We can make predictions or statements about what the community is going to do, even in the absence of detailed knowledge of what’s going on. We don’t even know which species are helping or hurting which other species. These predictions are based purely on the statistical distribution of the interactions within this complex community,” concluded senior author Jeff Gore, an MIT physicist.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abm7841">Science</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

Ecosystem stability can be predicted by species interactions

Attempting to decipher all the factors that influence the behavior...

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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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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