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/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a first-of-its-kind app, enables users to identify all types of Earth's plant and animal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unchecked-emissions-could-kill-90-percent-of-marine-species/">species</a> via a mobile phone camera, encouraging users to learn about and document the natural world around them.&nbsp;



EarthSnap is citizen science in action: When users upload photos of plants or animals to EarthSnap, the app utilizes a custom-built, patent-pending AI machine learning solution to identify the subject and share details like habitat, global population distribution and known history on Earth.&nbsp;



The uploaded photos also contribute to EarthSnap's ever-growing database - applications of which include recording animal migration habits, shifting habitats and animal behavior. This information will be open-source and shared with citizens and the scientific community - it will not be sold or privatized.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, by Earth.com, exemplifies global community education at the nexus of nature and tech. The EarthSnap ethos is rooted in fostering a better understanding of the planet we call home.



"My goal has always been to bring people back to nature, to help them realize that humanity is a part of nature, not 'apart' from nature," says Eric Ralls, Founder and CEO of EarthSnap.&nbsp;



"Homosapiens are only one species out of over 8 million species of life with whom we share this planet. Yet humanity treats the earth like it is ours alone to do with as we please, even though we've only been here for a few hundred thousand years out of the 3.5 billion years that this beautiful blue marble has been zipping through the universe."



EarthSnap is an app for intentional engagement with the world around us bolstered by community-based learning and sharing.&nbsp;



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Modern science points to time in nature as a stress reducing, immune fortifying and mood boosting activity that more people should incorporate into their everyday lives, whether they live in cities or suburbs, rural tropical oasis or bustling metropolitan areas. Nature is all around us everywhere we go; EarthSnap is here to help humans remember that we are just one species within the immense biodiversity of life on planet earth.



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Credit: EarthSnap, Inc.

EarthSnap launches revolutionary app to identify plants and animals

EarthSnap, a first-of-its-kind app, enables users to identify all types...

Central Asia is a significant producer of some of the world's most widely consumed delicacies, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eat-a-handful-of-walnuts-every-day-for-better-heart-health/">walnuts</a>, apricots, plums, apples, and pears. Many of these crops are grown in home gardens in Central Asia's rural landscapes and provide a living for growers.



In a new study from the <a href="https://ciat.cgiar.org/">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT), researchers have found that home gardens in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are an average of 40 to 50 years old, with some gardens more than 70 years old. In Tajikistan, these gardens have saved lives.



"These trees have been vital for people to survive during times of conflict, and these home gardens with trees and vegetables play an important role to support families, providing a lot of the food for the household, in addition to income," explained Barbara Vinceti, a forest ecologist and lead author of the study.&nbsp;



Despite their importance, Central Asian gardens have not received much attention from the scientific community. However, the CIAT research is shedding new light on the subject.&nbsp;



"Central Asia is an important center of origin for many globally valued fruit and nut tree species. Forest degradation and deforestation are cause for concern for the conservation of these valuable species, now confined to small remnant populations," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Home gardens have the important function of sustaining household food consumption and income generation, and can potentially play a critical role in conserving diversity of fruit and nut trees."



The researchers studied diversity within and across the fruit and nut trees in the region by talking to the growers and analyzing wild versions of the trees in neighboring forests.&nbsp;



"We looked at home gardens situated close to forests and examined how genetic material moves between the forests and the home gardens," said Marlène Elias, a senior scientist at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.&nbsp;



Elias noted that home gardens are a bastion for genetic diversity, which makes them "living genebanks" that are essential to protect. However, they are threatened by outside influences from the USA, Russia, and Europe.&nbsp;



Growers in Central Asia realize they can make more money from foreign varieties, especially apples and pears, and are replacing their traditional crops with these commercial varieties. This loss of diversity is devastating, according to Vinceti, who warns that "once that diversity is lost is lost, it is lost forever."&nbsp;



"We saw a significant erosion of local tree varieties of key species as more varieties come from outside," said Vinceti. "In Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, we examined this dynamic flow of planting material and its sources, understanding the future prospects of home gardens, and looking at differences between the three countries."



Crop diversity is essential for protection against disease and climate change. So, while there may be some short-term financial gain, the growers could be setting themselves, and future generations, up for failure.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0271398">PLoS ONE</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

Home gardens in Central Asia are "living genebanks"

Central Asia is a significant producer of some of the...

Despite the fact that the U.S. has ample resources, and a relatively well-studied flora, there is currently no complete checklist of the native trees. There is also no comprehensive, up-to-date assessment of the threats currently facing native U.S. trees, or the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shark-videos-could-contribute-to-conservation-efforts/">conservation</a> status of individual species. In order to fill these gaps, a research project commenced in 2017, with the express aim of documenting this information. Strangely enough, the researchers had to begin their study by defining exactly what constitutes a tree!



The most complete tree check lists and data bases available at a national level all follow different definitions of a tree, and range in estimates of the number of native tree species from 748 to 1114. And none of these definitions of a tree matches that of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International initiative known as Global Tree Assessment, which aims to publish conservation assessments for all the world’s tree species.



According to the standardized Global Tree Assessment definition, a tree is a woody plant with usually a single stem, growing to a height of at least two meters; or if multi-stemmed, then at least one vertical stem five centimeters in diameter at breast height. Based on this definition, the researchers in the current study identified 881 species of native trees in the U.S.&nbsp;



It has taken five years of collaborative research to produce this first comprehensive checklist of trees native to the contiguous U.S. states, as well as the extent to which each species is currently threatened. The research was conducted by&nbsp;scientists from Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S. (BGCI-US), the Morton Arboretum and NatureServe, in partnership with the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, and the results are published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10305">Plants People Planet</a>.



“These results lay the groundwork for U.S. tree and ecosystem conservation efforts that will contribute to achieving critical international conservation goals, including the United Nations Decade for Ecosystem Restoration and the Global Tree Assessment," said Abby Meyer, executive director of BGCI-US, a partner on the project.



Dr. Murphy Westwood is vice president of science and conservation at The Morton Arboretum and senior author of the report. She noted that much of the world’s biodiversity depends on trees, which offer food and habitat for countless plant, animal and fungal species while providing invaluable benefits to humans. “Understanding the current state of trees within the U.S. is imperative to protecting those species, their habitats and the countless communities they support,” said Dr. Westwood.



The research found that most native (plants that evolved in the contiguous U.S.) and endemic (plants found only in the contiguous U.S.) trees are found in the southeastern states, including California and Texas. Florida and Texas have the highest number of native tree species, with 342 and 321, respectively, while Florida and California have the highest number of threatened tree species, with 45 and 44, respectively.



Oaks (genus Quercus) and hawthorns (genus Crataegus) dominate the tree flora of the U.S., with 85 and 84 native species, respectively. Hawthorns and oaks were also found to have the most threatened species, with 29 and 17 species, respectively. The new assessment also reveals that 11–16 percent of native tree species in the contiguous 48 U.S. states are threatened with extinction, with the most common threat being from invasive and problematic pests and diseases.



“This assessment advances our understanding of the threats faced by America’s native trees and will help focus the conservation efforts of public gardens, federal agencies and conservation organizations,” said Dr. Susan Pell, acting executive director of USBG. “The U.S. Botanic Garden is proud to sponsor national partnerships such as this that advance plant conservation.”



In addition, the new and up-to-date, standardized checklist of US tree species and the associated threat assessments will help inform future urban planning, land acquisition decisions, restoration efforts, forestry, scientific research and public education. The project also helps support the first objective of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), that “plant diversity is well understood, documented and recognized.”



“Trees form the basis of many of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems,” said Sean T. O’Brien, Ph.D., president and CEO of NatureServe. “Understanding what trees are threatened and why is critical to informing conservation for trees and ecosystems across the nation.”



According to BGCI’s PlantSearch database of plants in botanical collections, 95 percent (849) of native U.S. tree species are represented in at least one collection, such as a botanic garden, arboretum or seed bank. Most species are actually present in dozens or even hundreds of collections, such as Franklinia alatamaha, which is extinct in the wild. However, the research revealed that there are 17 threatened tree species that are not currently conserved in any collection and thus have no insurance policy against extinction.&nbsp;



“Through initiatives like the Global Tree Assessment, tree research and conservation has evolved from a series of small individual efforts to a global venture grounded in collaborative, scientifically-backed strategies,” said Dr. Westwood. “The checklist is a major milestone for trees, but most importantly, our hope is that this study will inform and amplify the scope of tree conservation efforts across the country,” she added.



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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

At least 1 in 9 native trees in the U.S. are threatened

Despite the fact that the U.S. has ample resources, and...

Marijuana,Researcher,,Female,Scientist,In,A,Hemp,Field,Checking,Plants

A new study presented at the <a href="https://2022annual.com/esc/">European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2022</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-may-cause-dangerous-drug-interactions/">cannabis</a> prescribed for chronic pain in Denmark between 2018 and 2021 was associated with a higher risk of heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias).



&nbsp;“Chronic pain is a rising problem. According to Danish health authorities, 29 precent of Danish adults over 16 years of age reported chronic pain in 2017, up from 19 percent in 2000,” said study lead author Nina Nouhravesh, a cardiologist at the <a href="https://www.gentoftehospital.dk/">Gentofte University Hospital</a>.&nbsp;



“Medical cannabis was approved in January 2018 on a trial basis in Denmark, meaning that physicians can prescribe it for chronic pain if all other measures, including opioids, have proven insufficient. Safety data are sparse, hence this study investigated the cardiovascular side effects of medical cannabis, and arrhythmias in particular, since heart rhythm disorders have previously been found in users of recreational cannabis.”



In Denmark, medical cannabis comes in various formulations depending on its tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) levels: dronabinol (high THC), cannabinoid (more THC than CBD), and cannabidiol (high CBD) can all be prescribed to treat various conditions, including chronic pain.



The scientists identified a total of 1.6 million patients diagnosed with chronic pain between 2018 and 2021, with 4,931 of them using medical cannabis to address these problems (dronabinol 29 percent, cannabinoids 46 percent, and cannabidiol 25 percent). By following the participants for 180 days and comparing their risk of new cardiovascular conditions with individuals from a control group, the researchers found that the absolute risk of new-onset arrhythmia was 0.86 percent in medical cannabis users compared with 0.49 percent in non-users, for a relative risk of 1.74.



&nbsp;“Our study found that medical cannabis users had a 74 percent higher risk of heart rhythm disorders compared with non-users; however, the absolute risk difference was modest. It should be noted that a higher proportion of those in the cannabis group were taking other pain medications, namely non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids and anti-epileptics, and we cannot rule out that this might explain the greater likelihood of arrhythmias,” Dr. Nouhravesh explained.&nbsp;



“Since medical cannabis is a relatively new drug for a large market of patients with chronic pain, it is important to investigate and report serious side effects. This study indicates that there may be a previously unreported risk of arrhythmias following medical cannabis use. Even though the absolute risk difference is small, both patients and physicians should have as much information as possible when weighing up the pros and cons of any treatment,” she concluded.&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Medical cannabis increases risk of heart arrhythmia

A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology...

Plants use carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis to produce food for themselves, and the availability of this gas can be a limiting factor for their growth. The current rise in levels of CO2 due to burning fossil fuels and other human activities might therefore be seen as a good thing for plant growth, and for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-quality-can-help-crops-survive-rising-temperatures/">crop</a> yields in particular. However, research from a team of scientists from six different countries indicates that the effects of global warming may not be as straightforward as this. For one, wheat plants don’t tolerate high temperatures very well.



The researchers estimated the comprehensive impact of climate change and extreme climate events on global wheat supply and the demand chain in a 2℃&nbsp;warmer world by using a novel climate-wheat-economic ensemble modelling approach, where they consider the impact of increasing temperatures on wheat price, livelihoods and agricultural markets.&nbsp;



The experts agree that CO2&nbsp;enrichment in the atmosphere could cancel out the effects of temperature stress on crops, and that a slightly higher wheat yield could result under a 2 ℃&nbsp;warming scenario. However, increases in global yield do not necessarily result in lower consumer prices. Indeed, the modelling results suggest that global wheat price spikes would become higher and more frequent, thus placing additional economic pressure on millions of people around the world.&nbsp;



“This counterintuitive result is initially driven by uneven impacts geographically. Wheat yields are projected to increase in high-latitude wheat exporting countries but show decreases in low-latitude wheat importing countries,”&nbsp;said lead author Zhang Tianyi, an agrometeorologist at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>.



“This leads to higher demand for international trade and higher consumer prices in the importing countries, which would deepen the traditional trade patterns between wheat importing and exporting countries," explained study co-author Karin van der Wiel, a climate scientist at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute,



It is possible that trade liberalization, the removal of restrictions on the exchange of goods between countries, could help to mitigate climate stress via improving market mobility. The current research team revealed that such policies could indeed reduce the costs of wheat products to consumers, but the impact on farmers would be mixed. For example, the promotion of free trade in wheat under 2 ℃&nbsp;warming could stabilize or even improve farmers’&nbsp;income in wheat exporting countries but would reduce income for farmers in wheat importing countries.



“These results would potentially cause a larger income gap, creating a new economic inequality between wheat importing and exporting countries,”&nbsp;said WEI Taoyuan, co-author and an economic scientist at the CICERO Center for International Climate Research. Zhang further explained that more dependence on imports could lower the wheat self-sufficiency ratio, thus causing a “vicious negative cycle”&nbsp;for wheat importing and less-developed countries in the long term.



“This study highlights that effective measures in trade liberalization policies are necessary to protect grain food industries in importing countries, support resilience, and enhance global food security under climate change,”&nbsp;said study co-author Frank Selten, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.oneearth.org/">One Earth</a>.



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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

Wheat prices will spike as climate changes

Plants use carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis to produce food...

There’s a lot of talk about how crops might suffer under climate change. New research from <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> finds that staple crops such as soy, corn, and rice will all be hurt by a warming climate. The researchers also found one staple crop that is expected to be unfazed by climate change - breadfruit, a native of the Pacific Islands.&nbsp;



Because the starchy fruit is resistant to climate change and grows well in areas with food insecurity, the researchers predict it could become more common as a staple food in other places as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Breadfruit is a neglected and underutilized species that happens to be relatively resilient in our climate change projections,” said study senior author Daniel Horton. “This is good news because several other staples that we rely on are not so resilient. In really hot conditions, some of those staple crops struggle and yields decrease. As we implement strategies to adapt to climate change, breadfruit should be considered in food security adaptation strategies.”



Despite its name, breadfruit is a starchy, seedless plant that has been boiled, fried, roasted or fermented for thousands of years. Like many other staples, breadfruit can also be made into flour.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Nyree Zerega is the director of the <a href="https://plantbiology.northwestern.edu/">Program in Plant Biology and Conservation</a>, a partnership between Northwestern and the Chicago Botanic Garden.&nbsp;



“Breadfruit trees can live for decades and provide a large amount of fruits each year. In some cultures, there is a tradition to plant a breadfruit tree when a child is born to ensure the child will have food for the rest of their life," said Zerega.



The researchers cultivated breadfruit under conditions reflecting two possible climate scenarios: one with an unlikely high amount of carbon and a second under a more likely scenario where carbon levels out. Under both conditions, breadfruit growth was relatively unaffected.&nbsp;



Next, the scientists identified places where breadfruit cultivation could be expanded - mainly in sub-Saharan Africa - and found that many of these places already suffer food insecurity. Breadfruit may be a possible solution as well as a future global solution.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Climate change further emphasizes the need to diversify agriculture, so the world doesn’t rely on a small number of crop species to feed a large number of people,” Zerega said.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/">PLOS Climate</a>.&nbsp;



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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

Food of the future: breadfruit is resistant to climate change

There’s a lot of talk about how crops might suffer...

A large variety of animal species eat fruit – from toucans and fruit bats to maned wolves and humans. However, most fruit-bearing plants evolved relatively recent in our planet’s history, during the Cretaceous Period (145.5 to 65.5 million years ago). Now, by comparing the skull shapes and stomach contents of fossil birds, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> has tracked down the first fossil evidence of fruit consumption. They found that the earliest-known fruit-eating animal was a long-tailed, raven-sized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-severely-impact-birds-by-2080/">bird</a> called Jeholornis, which lived 120 million years ago. According to the experts, this bird may have helped contribute to the spread of plants that dominate the world today.



“This is the oldest evidence of fruit-eating in any animal,” said study co-author Jingmai O’Connor, an associate curator of fossil reptiles at the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a> in Chicago. “Fruits are an incredible resource that everybody’s familiar with, and the plants that produce them are everywhere, but it wasn’t always that way. This discovery about how and when birds started exploiting this resource could help explain why these kinds of plants are so dominant in our landscape today.”



According to O’Connor, the fist Jeholornis fossil – described in 2002 – had plant remains scattered around it, as if they exploded out of its stomach cavity. At the beginning, researchers thought these were only seed and argued that the bird was feeding on seeds, rather than whole fruits. However, by examining dozens of Jeholornis specimens preserved at the <a href="http://www.tynhm.com/">Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature</a> in China, the scientists discovered that, although the birds had more traits similar to dinosaurs than to modern birds, some features of their mouths and beaks – such as reduced teeth – could potentially hint at a “modern” diet including fruit.



Moreover, since birds which eat seeds have a “gastric mill” consisting of gizzard stones in their stomachs – which they ingest to help them crush seeds - the researchers examined also the stomach cavities of the fossils. The analysis revealed that, while some Jeholornis had gizzard stones, and others preserved seed in their stomachs, no specimen with both of these features was found. This suggests that the bird was eating different types of foods at different times of the year, including fruits when available. “Birds can drastically change the proportions of their digestive system to adapt to whatever their diet is for a particular season,” O’Connor explained. “This is the first evidence of that plasticity in dinosaurs.”&nbsp;



Thus, not only was Jeholornis the first known fruit-eating animal, but it may also have contributed to the evolution of the first fruit-producing plants. “Birds may have been recruited for seed dispersal during their earliest evolutionary stages,” said study lead author Han Hu, an expert in Paleobiology at Oxford. “As highly-mobile seed dispersers, early frugivorous birds might therefore indicate a potential role of bird-plant interactions during the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution.”



“Our research will hopefully inspire the research of paleontologists, ecologists, zoologists, and botanists who are interested in bird ecology, trophic interactions, and the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.74751">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&nbsp;&nbsp;

First fruit-eating animal in Earth’s history identified

A large variety of animal species eat fruit – from...

Scientists have long observed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-everywhere/">fungi</a> come in an assortment of shapes and sizes. However, these differences – referred to in the scientific community as the “disparity” of a group – had never been thoroughly analyzed. Now, a research team from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has found that the vast anatomical variety of fungi stems from evolutionary bursts in multicellular complexity.



“Prior to our analyses, we didn’t know how this variety was distributed across the different types of fungi,” said study lead author Thomas Smith, who conducted the research while at Bristol’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/">School of Earth Sciences</a>. “Which groups are the most varied when considering all parts of the fungal body plan? Which are the least? How has this variety accumulated and diminished through time? What has shaped these patterns in disparity? These are the questions we sought to answer.”



Their investigation revealed that fungal disparity has evolved episodically through time, with the evolution of multicellularity in different types of fungi opening the door for greater morphological variety. The researchers found increases in diversity linked to both the emergence of the first multicellular fungi, and later on with the evolution of complex fruiting bodies such as mushrooms or saddles in dikaryotic species, which contain cells with two separate nuclei.



According to the scientists, these results align with those of previous studies analyzing animal disparity: both animals and fungi are characterized by clumpy distributions of anatomical variety that have evolved intermittently through time. “The world of fungi is defined by bright colors, strange shapes, and stranger anatomies. Our analyses demonstrate that this breath-taking anatomical variety has evolved in bursts, driven by evolutionary increases in multicellular complexity,” Smith said.



These findings bring scientists closer to characterizing, visualizing, and analyzing the disparity of all multicellular life. In future studies, by starting with in-depth analyses of plants and algae, they aim to combine the datasets characterizing the disparity of the fungus, plant, and animal kingdoms in order to further expand and fine-tune their taxonomy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fungal variety shaped by evolutionary bursts in complexity

Scientists have long observed that fungi come in an assortment...

Scientists are finding an ecological and economic balance between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-loss-weakens-ecosystem-functioning/">biodiversity</a> and vanilla cultivation in Madagascar. A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html">University of Göttingen</a> has found a way to cultivate a cash crop while preserving biodiversity in Madagascar.&nbsp;



Although the vanilla industry in Madagascar brings positive and negative outcomes to the local Malagasy, it cannot be denied that the enterprise is a significant source of income for those fortunate enough to have the land to grow vanilla and resources to protect it.



"In northeastern Madagascar, the export of vanilla is an important source of income for tens of thousands of smallholder farmers and the widespread cultivation is a way to escape from poverty," explained study first author Dr. Annemarie Wurz.



The research team found vanilla cultivated on fallow land (agricultural land left unworked for some time) was better for biodiversity than vanilla cultivated in forests. For example, the experts found that vanilla grown in the forest led to a 47 percent decrease in endemic species. This number is depressing, especially considering that Madagascar is known for its unique species.&nbsp;



The study, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30866-8">Nature Communications</a>, was focused on biodiversity in Madagascar's northeastern area, a region known to be the world's largest vanilla producer. Wildlife examined for the study included trees, herbaceous plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, and ants.



The researchers discovered that growing vanilla on fallow land does not sacrifice economic gain since fallow land production and forest cultivation produce similar yields.



"The good news is that farmers do not have to clear land to achieve high yields. In fact, they can add value for biodiversity to fallow land by cultivating vanilla there," said Dr. Annemarie Wurz.



However, it should be noted that the density and length of the vanilla plants themselves could harm some aspects of biodiversity. The study found that denser and longer plants were better for crop yields but harmed tree and reptile species.



Nevertheless, the findings of this study could be crucial in conserving the biodiversity and economy of this delicate country.&nbsp;



"Promoting vanilla cultivation on fallow land is ecologically and economically significant," said study co-author Professor Ingo Grass. "This contributes to the current UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration. In addition, this study illustrates possibilities for promoting and conserving biodiversity outside protected areas."



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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

Vanilla cultivation can boost biodiversity in Madagascar

Scientists are finding an ecological and economic balance between biodiversity...

Charles Darwin found remarkable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-expanded-into-quieter-cities-during-covid-lockdowns/">birds</a> on the Galápagos Islands when he visited on the HMS Beagle in 1835. They became known as “Darwin’s finches,” even though they were not finches at all. The remarkable thing about them, however, was that the 18 species all seemed to inhabit different islands in the archipelago. Over time they had developed different lifestyles, fed on different foods and had beaks that varied in form and function, despite the fact that they all arose from a single ancestral species.&nbsp;



The finches illustrate that populations may become adapted to environmental conditions found on specific islands and that, over time, the adaptations may make then so different that they can be considered separate species. They also support the island syndrome hypothesis that predicts the repeated and pronounced changes that some species undergo after colonizing islands. 



Animal species that become isolated on islands often show changes in body size (may become dwarfs or giants), locomotion (may become flightless), coloration and behavior. But what is the genetic basis for these changes, and does island syndrome apply to plants as well? 



A team of 30 scientists from four different continents has now tackled these questions using plants from the genus Scalesia. Known as giant daisies, they are found on the Galápagos Islands and were also encountered there by Darwin during his visit. There are 15 different species and, as you might guess, the remarkable thing about them was that, according to Darwin, “not one of these species grows on any two islands” – each species had adapted to the conditions on its own island. Scalesia is in the same family as daisies and sunflowers but the plants grow to the size of trees on the Galápagos Islands.



All 15 species evolved from a single species that, at some point in the distant past, arrived on the archipelago. The original species spread to neighboring islands and became adapted to the specific environmental conditions there. The descendants developed different characteristics and gradually turned into more specialized species, just like the finches. In fact, the giant daisies are commonly referred to as “Darwin’s finches of the plant world”. Today the different species are adapted to life in the dry lowlands, humid highlands and dry volcanic summits of Galápagos Islands.



The researchers chose to carry out DNA analysis of a single species of giant daisy, Scalesia atractyloides, in order to investigate the genetic basis of the plant’s adaptability. This species is a critically endangered dwarf tree found only on the island of Santiago in the Galápagos. Santiago is one of the four islands that Darwin visited during his trip to the archipelago.



“We sequenced and described the genome of the plant,” said José Cerca, a researcher in NTNU’s (The Norwegian University of Science and Technology) Department of Natural History at the NTNU University Museum. Cerca worked with Michael D. Martin, a professor and genetic expert in the Department of Natural History.



The results of the analysis, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, show many genetic variants in the plant’s genome that could have explained the original species’ ability to adapt and spread into distinct niches on the different islands.



“These variations are associated with vascular development, growth, adaptation to salinity and flowering time,” said Cerca. In other words, they reflect adaptability when faced with new environmental conditions on the islands.



In total, the researchers identified 920 genes in the genome that are under positive selection, meaning that they confer some form of advantage on the plant. These include genes that regulate leaf morphology, lead to rapid plant growth, promote tolerance of arid conditions and cause the closure of stomata.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In addition, the methods used by the researchers enabled them to infer what the genome of the original colonizing plant might have looked like. “We found that the common ancestor of all the species in the&nbsp;Scalesia&nbsp;genus was an allotetraploid,” says Cerca. An allotetraploid is a variant that has twice as many chromosomes in its cells, and therefore also genes, as a normal plant. This came about because two different plants had crossbred sometime in the history of the species, and had created a hybrid.



The crossbreeding, along with the extra sets of chromosomes and genes, also provides a large variety of genetic material for different traits that can be present in the offspring. This situation means that offspring have a better chance of being able to adapt to conditions in a new environment. Such crossbreeding is probably more common in plants than believed a few years ago, but for researchers it is still a big deal.



“We’re beginning to understand the genetic basis for how this one original plant species might have evolved into several species,” said Cerca.



The researchers also found that certain genes under selection, such as large body size, supported the island syndrome hypothesis, indicating that it is possible for some species on islands to show different phenotypes from their mainland counterparts.&nbsp;



“We’ve found irrefutable evidence of the island syndrome in the genes of Darwin's giant daisies,” said Cerca.



The group's work provides valuable insights into how species are able to adapt to different environments. This is perhaps especially important at a time when the environment in numerous places on the planet is changing faster than it has for a long time.



Image Credit: Sara Santacruz



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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

Study reveals how Darwin’s giant daisies spread into distinct niches

Charles Darwin found remarkable birds on the Galápagos Islands when...

While scientists have known that self-pollination can jeopardize <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungus-renders-corn-plants-defenseless-with-surgical-precision/">plant</a> species' long-term survival, they did not understand the mechanism behind the threat or how quickly it became detrimental. To investigate, a team of researchers led by Jeremiah Busch of <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> conducted a genetic study.&nbsp;



"We found that in a very short amount of time, there were major consequences on the genomes of the plants when they had to adopt selfing," said Busch.



The team compared a group of self-pollinating monkeyflower plants to a group of bumble bee-pollinated monkeyflowers. They determined that the "selfing" plants lost between 13 and 24 percent of their genetic variation, and substantial loss occurred within nine generations.&nbsp;



We already know that genetic variation is a major factor in determining how species adapt to changing environments, so this loss could seriously hinder a plant's ability to survive.&nbsp;



Busch explained that in selfing populations, particular genotypes might be selected for if they are shown to be advantageous. However, some harmful mutations may "hitchhike" as well. This "genetic hitchhiking" is less likely in bee-pollinated populations due to the mixing of genetic material.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Strong inbreeding fundamentally altered the consequences of adaptation," explained Busch. The findings are especially tragic considering the global bee decline.&nbsp;



"If pollinators are lost, it's not just going to be a problem for the pollinators: plant populations will lose genetic variation in tens of generations - not thousands, but tens."&nbsp;



Busch would be interested to see long-term studies determining if and when population collapse occurs due to a lack of pollinators and loss of genetic variation.&nbsp;



"A really important next step is to see how fast highly inbred groups will have their viability decline over time – to know how quickly those populations will go extinct," said Busch. "We need to really understand what the consequences are from pollinator loss. It will matter for wild populations of plants and crops. A lot of crops depend on bees."



This study can be found in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evo.14572">Evolution</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

Bees do it better: self-pollinating plants lose genetic diversity

While scientists have known that self-pollination can jeopardize plant species'...

A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university">University of Bonn</a> has examined the ways in which a harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-everywhere/">fungus</a> – Ustilago maydis – reproduces in the aerial parts of the corn plant and renders it defenseless. According to the experts, huge tumor-like tissue growth, known as galls, form at the site of the infection after being triggered by molecules released by the fungus - called effectors - which manipulate the plant’s metabolism and suppress its immune defenses. These effectors are also promoting cell growth and division in the corn by interfering with a plant signaling pathway regulated by the hormone auxin.



“The fungus uses this auxin signaling pathway for its own purposes,” said study senior author Armin Djamei, an expert in Plant Pathology at the University of Bonn. “This is because the huge growth of the tissue devours energy and resources that are then lacking for defense against&nbsp;Ustilago maydis. In addition, the fungus finds an ideal supply of nutrients in the growths and can multiply well there.”



“We therefore wanted to find out how the fungus promotes these proliferation processes. To do this, we searched for genetic material in the fungus that enables it to control the auxin signaling pathway of its host plant and thus its cell growth.”



The investigation revealed a cluster of five genes – called Tip1 to Tip5 – that the fungus uses to manipulate corn’s auxin signaling pathway. “The proteins encoded by the five Tip genes can bind to a protein in the corn plant known to experts as Topless,” explained lead author Janos Bindics, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imba/home">IMBA Institute of Molecular Biotechnology</a> in Vienna.



Topless is a central switch that suppresses various signaling pathways in the plant. The fungal effectors produced by the cluster of Tip genes override this suppression, specifically for signaling pathways that benefit the fungus, such as the auxin one. “Figuratively speaking, the fungus acts with surgical precision. It accomplishes exactly what it needs to accomplish to best infect the corn plant,” said Dr. Djamei.



Since there are various pathogens that interfere with the auxin signaling pathways of the host plants which they infect, further research is needed to better understand the infection process in different plant diseases. By using this study’s findings, “it will be possible for the first time to influence specific effects of the auxin signaling pathway in a very targeted manner and thus to elucidate the effect of these important plant hormones even more precisely,” as Dr. Djamei put it.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.18315">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&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Fungus renders corn plants defenseless with surgical precision

A team of researchers led by the University of Bonn...

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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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" 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 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



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



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 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

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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



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

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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

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