The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers.



Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France.



The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged childhood. 



This could mean that the large brain of modern humans resulted from an extended childhood along with cultural transmission across generations instead of vice versa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-childhood-big-brains">Long childhood, big brains</h2>



A team of researchers - including specialists from Switzerland's <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and Georgia's National Museum - have challenged the theory that modern humans' extended childhood is directly linked to their large brains.



The team analyzed dental development in an early Homo that was almost an adult. The results suggest that though these early humans reached adulthood at a similar age as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buronius-manfredschmidi-tiny-great-ape-species-lived-11-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">great apes</a>, their tooth development followed a longer timeline similar to modern humans.



This proposes the distinct possibility of a longer dependency on adults and an elongated childhood for these early humans.



Remarkably, the brain size of these early Homo specimens was only marginally larger than that of a chimpanzee. This made the researchers question the link between the prolonged development and cultural transmission across generations.



An extended childhood within a three-generation context might have allowed the immature members of the group to effectively assimilate growing amounts of knowledge. 



Eventually, this led to the development of larger brains and longer life spans, traits characteristic of modern humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dental-development-in-early-homo">Dental development in early Homo</h2>



An enduring assumption has been that humans' extended growth period is a consequence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-sizes-are-growing-possibly-lowering-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased brain volume</a> since a larger organ requires more energy resources to grow. But analysis of the fossil's dental growth has caused researchers to question this hypothesis.



The research team used synchrotron imaging to study the dental development of a near-adult fossil of early Homo from the Dmanisi site in Georgia, dated to around 1.77 million years ago. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="CWxiqQg039-4024544-12187" type="single"]</div>



“Childhood and cognition do not fossilize, so we have to rely on indirect information. Teeth are ideal because they fossilize well and produce daily rings, in the same way that trees produce annual rings, which record their development,” noted study first author Christoph Zollikofer from the University of Zurich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-findings-and-a-new-perspective">Unexpected findings and a new perspective</h2>



“Dental development is strongly correlated with the development of the rest of the body, including brain development," explained study co-author Paul Tafforeau, scientist at the ESRF.



"Access to the details of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=fossil%20hominid&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> hominid's dental growth therefore provides a great deal of information about its general growth."



After almost two decades of research beginning in 2005, the initial results startled researchers. 



“We expected to find either dental development typical of early hominids, close to that of the great apes, or dental development close to that of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-genes-still-influence-modern-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern humans</a>," said Tafforeau.



"When we obtained the first results, we couldn’t believe what we saw, because it was something different that implied faster molar crown growth than in any other fossil hominin or living great ape."



In the following years, the team conducted five series of experiments and completed four full analyses, employing various methods as dental synchrotron imaging technology advanced.



As the consistent results suggested significant implications for the "big brain - long childhood" hypothesis, the scientists needed to think creatively to interpret this fossil's findings.



“It's been a slow maturation, both technically and intellectually, to finally arrive at the hypothesis we are publishing today,” said Tafforeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-longer-childhood-evolution-s-early-experiment">Longer childhood: Evolution's early experiment?</h2>



The dental development of the studied fossil suggested that milk teeth were used longer than in great apes, implying that early Homo children were dependent on adult care for a longer duration.



This could be the first experiment evolution took towards a prolonged childhood. Despite having brains only slightly larger than australopithecines or great apes, early Homo are believed to have lived longer.



The survival of a very old individual with no teeth for several years indicates that the group sufficiently cared for him. This alludes to a three-generation structure, a key aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-started-cumulative-culture-around-600000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural transmission in humans</a>.



The new hypothesis begins with children's growth slowing down as cultural transmission increased. 



The accumulation of information from older to younger individuals had an advantageous effect on resource utilization and the development of complex behaviors, thus favoring a longer childhood. 



Once this mechanism was established, natural selection acted on cultural transmission, not just biological traits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-brains-and-delayed-adulthood">Big brains and delayed adulthood</h2>



As the volume of transferrable information grew, evolution supported a larger brain and delayed adulthood, enabling a longer learning period in childhood and time to grow a bigger brain despite limited food resources.



The large brain of modern humans could be attributed to an extended childhood and a three-generation structure encouraging bio-cultural evolution. These mechanisms may have led to increased brain size, delayed adulthood, and longer lifespan. 



The study of this exceptional fossil could motivate researchers to rethink the evolutionary mechanisms that led to Homo sapiens.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08205-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image &amp; Video Credit: ESRF/Paul Tafforeau, Vincent Beyrand



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How did humans get big brains? Fossil teeth reveal new clues

The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers. Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France. The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged...

Paleolithic decorating tips have been revealed in a new study from Catalan researchers.

Cave lion pelts were used by ancient peoples as a trendy, multipurpose decorative tool.

Humans alive during the Paleolithic area certainly had bigger problems to worry about than interior decor. However, archaeologists studying caves in present-day Spain recently made a unique fossil discovery that sheds light on ancient cave living. 

[caption id="attachment_95672" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-95672" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pelts-150x150.jpg" alt="Paleolithic decorating tips have been revealed by a new study from Catalan researchers." width="150" height="150" /> Paleolithic decorating tips[/caption]

Prehistoric humans would perform sacred rituals deep in these caves. The La Garma cave has shed light on what life could have been like 16,000 years ago. Archeologist Edgard Ceramos from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution and his team have spent several years investigating the cave for fossils, generally finding bones from horses and goats.

Recently, the team discovered nine fossilized claw bones from an extinct cave lion. The Eurasian cave lion was larger than an African lion and went without a mane. Dr. Ceramos explained that since the only lion remains found were claws, they can presume that they were brought in attached to the lion’s skin. Each claw also had a similar marking that appeared to have been made by human tools.

Ancient people are thought to have hunted the Eurasian lion until it went extinct roughly 2,000 years later. They would skin the lion to make pelts for a variety of purposes: protection, warmth, shelter.

Over time the pelts decomposed, leaving only the claws. While there is still much mystery surrounding the nature of the Paleolithic decorating tips' ancient rituals, we know one thing for sure: our ancestors loved to adorn their homes with luxurious animal skins.

—

Read the full journal over at <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0163591" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PLOS ONE</a>.

Paleolithic decorating tips revealed

Paleolithic decorating tips have been revealed in a new study...

Earth news review: Earth-related stories from other parts of the web this week

Crustaceans in the scariest part of the ocean wear bacteria as camouflage to hide from predators – read the full article on <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3878602/Crustaceans-ocean-s-twilight-zone-wear-CAMOUFLAGED-Bacteria-coating-helps-creatures-avoid-predator-s-gaze.html">Daily Mail</a>.

Latest Global Warming prediction: Southern Spain to turn into a desert – read the full article at <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GLOBAL_WARMING_MEDITERRANEAN?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2016-10-27-15-16-57">The Associated Press</a>.

Sea in Antarctica to become the world’s largest protected zone – read the full story over at the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37789594">BBC</a>.

The War On Salmon: More Pacific Coast Hatchery Salmon to be added to the Endangered Species List – full article at <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_LISTED_SALMON_HATCHERIES?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">The Associated Press</a>.

Scandal: Gene study shows ancient interbreeding between chimpanzees and bonobos – read the full article on <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/wtsi-gsr102116.php">EurekAlert!</a>

80,000 acres off the New York coast cleared for wind energy – read the full article on <a href="http://www.upi.com/New-York-set-for-offshore-wind-after-environmental-review/9101477650265/?nll=1">UPI</a>.

141 Arrested in North Dakota Pipeline protest following tense police standoff – read more at <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pipeline-regulations-idUSKCN12R2GI">Reuters</a>.

Awesome Video: Monkeys make their own tools from stone – watch over at Nature Video <a href="https://youtu.be/j0jqJUF1nOs">YouTube</a>.

Caitlyn Clownfish: How clownfish can actually change sex for survival – read the full article on <a href="http://blogs.nature.com/houseofwisdom/2016/10/how-changing-sex-helps-nemo-survive-and-adapt.html">houseofwisdom</a>.

Hundreds of blackbirds organize flash mob in Walmart parking lot – just in time for Halloween, read more at <a href="http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2016/10/28/Hundreds-of-blackbirds-descend-on-Texas-Walmart-parking-lot/5221477660825/?nll=1">UPI</a>.

Mosquitos armed with bacteria released in South America to combat Zika – read the full article on <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/rio-fights-zika-with-biggest-release-yet-of-bacteria-infected-mosquitoes-1.20878?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20161027&amp;spMailingID=52628621&amp;spUserID=MjI5MDcwMTc5OTg1S0&amp;spJobID=1025167321&amp;spReportId=MTAyNTE2NzMyMQS2">Nature.com</a>.

Goopy Mummies: Climate Change turning ancient Chilean mummies into black slime – get the full picture at the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3879760/Chile-seeks-help-protect-worlds-oldest-mummies.html">Daily Mail</a>.

NASA’s Operation IceBridge to study changing polar landscape – read more at <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/earthexpeditions/2016/10/18/nasa-icebridge-fit-to-fly/">NASA</a>.

White House holds summit for experts studying arctic changes – read the full article at <a href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=88989&amp;src=iotdrss">NASA</a>.

The real story behind “Fall” vs “Autumn” – join the debate at <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/09/29/why_does_autumn_have_two_names_how_the_third_season_became_both_autumn_and_fall_.html?nl=morning-briefing&amp;em_pos=large&amp;emc=edit_nn_20161028">Slate</a>.

Earth news review

Earth news review: Earth-related stories from other parts of the...

Super emitters are responsible for over 50% of U.S. methane emissions, according to a new study.

A new study from Stanford University states only a few natural gas well are responsible for more than half of leaked methane gas in the USA, suggesting that if these leaks were fixed, the super emitters could significantly reduce the leaks of this potent greenhouse gas.

Study co-author Dr. Adam Brandt, assistant professor of energy resources engineering at Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy &amp; Environmental Sciences, said, “We’re finding that when it comes to natural gas leaks, a 50/5 rule applies: that is, the largest 5 percent of leaks are typically responsible for more than 50 percent of the total volume of leakage.”

The researchers hope the suggestions made in the study can significantly reduce the emissions of methane, which are thought to be one of the causes of climate change, into the environment.

Natural gases are on the uptake globally. Scientists hypothesize that natural gases may serve as a “bridge fuel” for countries while they make the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources. Natural gases contain high levels of methane, which is a highly potent greenhouse gas – so even small leaks might wreak havoc on our climate.

Brandt and his colleagues analyzed around 15,000 measurements from 18 prior U.S gas leak studies, employing the statistical technique called extreme value theory.

“Extreme value theory has been used to study everything from major flood events to crop losses brought on by drought and stock market crashes,” Dr. Brandt said. “In all of these cases, infrequent events really drive a lot of decision-making and expenditure or have big economic consequences. We are the first to apply this technique in a formal and rigorous way to natural gas leaks.”

The approach revealed that a few outsized leaks were responsible for between 40 and 90 percent of the emissions. “Other studies have indicated that methane emissions follow a so-called ‘heavy-tailed’ distribution, but what we’re saying is that this pattern is widespread and even more extreme than previously thought,” Brandt said. “If companies can identify and fix the leaks in a small number of top emitters, that will go a long way toward reducing methane emissions in the U.S. The challenge will be coming up with methods that allow you to find the big leaks as quickly as possible. Because large leaks are such an important contributor to the problem, we may be able to use less-sensitive but cheaper detection technologies and still find the majority of problem leaks.”

—

Read more in the <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b04303" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a> journal.

Super emitters may cause over 50% of U.S. methane emissions

Super emitters are responsible for over 50% of U.S. methane...

San Francisco Bay waters have been found to contain a harmful freshwater algae toxin, a new study shows.

Harmful toxins from freshwater algal blooms are causing worldwide issues in rivers and lakes, and have also contaminated coastal waters.

High levels of this freshwater algae toxin produced by  have been found in the San Francisco Bay. Although harvested shellfish from California's coastal waters is closely monitored for toxins, there is no routine testing for this toxin, known as microcystin.

The pollutant, which can cause liver damage, is produced by a type of blue-green algae that thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water and is present in many Californian lakes and rivers – including rivers flowing into the San Francisco Bay Delta.

Dr. Raphael Kudela, the Lynn Professor of Ocean Health at U.C. Santa Cruz, led his team to test for microcystin in shellfish after detecting the toxin in San Francisco Bay water samples. The researchers tested mussels sourced from five Bay sites, conducting experiments on mussels and oysters to determine both how quickly the shellfish absorb the toxin and how long it takes to clear from their tissues.

"We found that this freshwater toxin accumulates in shellfish, both mussels and oysters, and that in San Francisco Bay, the toxin levels in some mussels exceed the recommended guidelines for consumption by quite a bit," Kudela said.

First author Dr. Corinne Gibble, environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the findings show tests for microcystin should be added to existing shellfish monitoring programs.

"There is monitoring of shellfish for marine-derived toxins, but because this is a freshwater toxin, no one has been looking for it. Now it seems microcystin is something we should be monitoring as well," Dr. Gibble said.

Between May and October there is a state quarantine in place on harvesting mussels for human consumption. The research team has been working closely with state agencies to continually monitor this problem.

"The agencies have been very responsive," Dr. Kudela commended. "There is potential for this toxin to affect humans, but most of our samples are still below the recommended limits for human consumption, so people shouldn't panic and think they can't eat shellfish."

The most pressing concern is the effect this toxin could have on mammals such sea otters, whose diet consists of shellfish. In 2010, Dr. Kudela reported that microcystin poisoning had killed several sea otters in Monterey Bay.

"This really highlights the connectivity between what people do on land and what happens in the ocean," he said. "A lot of shellfish farms are downstream from freshwater sources, so we want to raise awareness of this issue."

Microcystin is becoming a bigger problem around the world due to warming temperatures and nutrient pollution. In the Bay Area, the presence of this toxin caused closures of public swimming areas.

Dr. Kudela suspects the freshwater algae toxin polluting the San Francisco Bay originate from several sources, citing rivers, among others. He believe the California drought has accelerated the problem.

"The rains help by flushing things out. Warm, dry conditions favor these blooms, so we've been seeing more of them lately than we would without the drought," Dr. Kudela said.

—

Read more over at <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988316301639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harmful Algae</a> journal.

Freshwater algae toxin found in San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay waters have been found to contain a...

Hurricane Seymour fading fast as a new image is caught.

NOAA's satellite captured an image of the post-tropical cyclone Hurricane Seymour which is fading fast in the Eastern Pacific. Seymour is expected to dissipate in a day as it moves through hostile environmental conditions.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued their final advisory on the storm at 5 am EDT when they noted that Seymour had become post-tropical.

Seymour's remnants had no organized thunderstorm development when the images were captured. The storm resembled a wedge of clouds. 

National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecaster Richard Pasch said "The cyclone has lacked organized deep convection within 60-100 nautical miles of its center for over 12 hours, and no longer qualifies as a tropical cyclone. Since Seymour has become a post-tropical remnant low, advisories are being discontinued."

At 5 a.m. EDT, the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Seymour was located near 22.4 degrees north latitude and 122.8 degrees west longitude. That's about 820 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. The post-tropical cyclone was moving toward the north near 8 mph. NHC said a north-northeastward motion is expected to begin later today and continue into Saturday, Oct. 29. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph with higher gusts.

The NHC said the low-pressure area will move through "an extremely hostile environment of strong southwesterly wind shear of 40-45 knots and sea surface temperatures cooler than 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit during the next couple of days. Strong vertical wind shear can tear a storm apart, while sea surface temperatures cooler than 80 degrees Fahrenheit are too cold to maintain a tropical cyclone. These environmental factors should cause the remnant low to dissipate in a couple of days.

The image was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. Source, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/seymour-eastern-pacific">NASA</a>.

Hurricane Seymour fading fast

Hurricane Seymour fading fast as a new image is caught....

Air pollution inhalation avoidance suggestions were outlined by scientists today.

Want to avoid getting a mouthful of air pollution? Faculty at the University of British Columbia have suggested optimal walking and cycling speeds to avoid airborne nasties today.

The scientists suggest that cyclists should ride between 12 and 20 kilometers per hour on city roads, and pedestrians should walk at 2 to 6 km/h. By keeping within these speeds, we can avoid pollution inhalation, while still reaping the health benefits of exercise.

"The faster you move, the harder you breathe and the more pollution you could potentially inhale, but you also are exposed to traffic for a shorter period of time. This analysis shows where the sweet spot is," said Dr. Alex Bigazzi, a UBC transportation expert in the Department of Civil Engineering and School of Community and Regional Planning.

Using data from 10,000 people, Bigazzi calculated the ideal travel speeds for different age and sex groups. He coined the term “minimum-dose speeds” (MDS) to describe his findings. 
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Female cyclists under 20 should travel at 12.5 kilometers per hour.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Male cyclists under 20 should travel at 13.3 kilometers per hour. </li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Ideal travel speeds are between 13 and 15 kilometers per hour for female and male cyclists in the 20-60 age group.</li>
</ul>
"If you move at much faster speeds than the MDS – say, cycling around 10 kilometers faster than the optimal range – your inhalation of air pollution is significantly higher," said Bigazzi. "The good news is, the MDS numbers align pretty closely with how fast most people actually travel."

You can read these findings over at the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15568318.2016.1238984" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Journal of Sustainable Transportation</a>. Bigazzi also reported on the high amounts of toxic chemicals absorbed by cyclists on busy city streets, which you can read <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b01159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Tips for avoiding breathing air pollution

Air pollution inhalation avoidance suggestions were outlined by scientists today....

Plant hormone evolution is the focus of a new study.

Plants are rather assertive organisms. Back in Earth’s deep, dark history, plants found homes in mosses and needed moisture to thrive. When confronted with dry periods, they became resourceful and figured out ways to survive.

Ferns developed an impermeable waxy covering. Pores in the leaves followed, allowing the plants to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen with the environment. When dry conditions strike, ferns close these pores to prevent precious water stores from being lost through evaporation.

This assumption is backed by new findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Together with an international research team from Würzburg (Germany), Hobart (Australia) and Purdue (USA), Professor Rainer Hedrich from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in Bavaria examined the pore regulation of land plants at an early evolutionary stage.

His experiments focused on abscisic acid (ABA), a plant hormone that regulates water balance and pore function in higher flowering plants. ABA is also essential for triggering dormancy.

The research found differing results for ferns and flowering plants, aiming to conduct further tests to understand their hypotheses.

—

Read the full study <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/10/25/1606614113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Plant hormone evolution

Plant hormone evolution is the focus of a new study....

Are you ready to eat edible bugs? The future of fine-dining may center around insect-based cuisine.

Eating bugs sounds like a rock-bottom financial scenario or maybe a nostalgic scene from The Lion King – but, believe it or not, both the scientific and the gastronomic worlds are abuzz about the future of dining. 

According to a recent report in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry, iron levels in grasshoppers and crickets are similar to beef’s. Experts are convinced that bugs are a nutritious and sustainable meat alternative. 

Different insect species have varied nutritional benefits. Crickets have far more iron than any other common edible bugs. Grasshoppers and mealworms are rich in calcium, copper, and zinc. Furthermore, when scientists factored in the human digestion process, they found that minerals from these bugs were actually more readily available for digestion than the minerals found in beef.

It’s still a hard sell to get most eaters in Western cultures on board the bug fine-dining train, but over 1,900 insect species are documented as a food source in other parts of the world. 

Bugs are not only a source of protein – they are also rich in iron. Iron deficiency is often the largest problem encountered when following a meatless diet, so, in theory, bugs could be a feasible alternative to higher animals.

Bugs got their name because they were widely assumed to be nothing more than a collective nuisance to humans. As it turns out, they may be more useful than anyone has ever thought.

—

Learn more <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.6b03286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Are you ready to eat edible bugs?

Are you ready to eat edible bugs? The future of...

Worm metabolism is dictated by gestation conditions, according to a new study.

The study has shed new light on the theory that worm metabolism can be predetermined before birth. Published today in the PLOS Genetics journal, the study focused on the extensively studied nematode worms known as C. elegans. 

The findings indicate worms who were underfed for the first week of their life were better equipped and experienced fewer long-term adverse effects if their mothers had been underfed during pregnancy.

A team led by Dr. L. Ryan Baugh, assistant professor at Duke College, fed one group of pregnant worms a normal diet. The second group was given significantly less nutritious fare. When the offspring were born, they were held without food for eight days and monitored throughout their creepy-crawly lives. The research showed the starved larvae grew slower and were less fertile than the worms who ate normally.

However, the worms whose mothers were given the weight-watchers’ diet while pregnant were significantly less affected than the worms whose mothers were well-fed. Those worms also made a much quicker recovery after the eight-day starvation period. 

“They didn’t completely escape the adverse effects of early life starvation but they were buffered from them,” Baugh said. “These animals are able to anticipate adverse conditions based on their mothers’ experience.”

A study on humans in the early 90s yielded a similar conclusion, called the “thrifty phenotype hypothesis.” It found that pregnant women who don’t get enough nutrition are able to program their offspring with “thrifty” metabolisms which store nutrients efficiently. As a result, the children are better able to operate in food-scarce conditions. 

It is still unclear how this reprogramming works. Malnutrition during pregnancy has been shown to cause mother worms to make bigger, stronger eggs, better fit to handle the conditions. One theory says that hunger slows down ovulation, so the egg has more time to grow prior to fertilization. The mother’s diet during pregnancy might also change the gene expression passed down to the offspring.

We respectfully remind all readers that a healthy, balanced diet is key to a happy, healthy pregnancy.


—

Read more over at <a href="https://today.duke.edu/2016/10/underfed-worms-program-their-babies-cope-famine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Duke Today</a>.

Gestation conditions dictate lifelong worm metabolism

Worm metabolism is dictated by gestation conditions, according to a...

Sea star washed up on a Gulf Coast beach.

Salish Sea sea stars impacted by wasting disease.

According to a study published yesterday in PLOS ONE by scholars from the University of California, Davis, a wasting disease has caused a severe decline in Salish Sea sea star populations off the coast of British Columbia and northern Washington state.

This sea star wasting disease’s effects could have long-term implications for the Salish Sea ecosystem, as the sunflower sea stars have effectively disappeared from the area. The researchers are in discussions with the National Marine Fisheries Service to have the sunflower sea star listed as a "species of concern."

—

Read the full paper <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0163190" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Salish Sea stars are in a severe decline

 Salish Sea sea stars impacted by wasting disease. According to...

A new material has been discovered to help fight carbon dioxide and climate change.

Carbon dioxide is usually blamed for climate change; thus, its capture is an urgent area of research, with scientists looking for answers to help conserve our planet. Scholars at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science &amp; Technology are developing porous solids called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which they hope will help in the fight against CO2.

Professor Mohamed Eddaoudi, associate director of the university's Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center, has been leading a team of researchers. They believe that their latest breakthrough material can take up carbon dioxide effectively, even when present at its lowest concentrations.

This new research opens up possibilities for capturing CO2 as it is generated, and may have positive implications for the continued study of carbon dioxide mitigation. The ability to trap low-concentration CO2 makes this new material suitable for many applications, including direct capture from the air.

The MOFs house metal ions or clusters held in place by organic molecules known as linkers. By altering the chemical composition and geometry of these primary components, the researchers have been able to produce versions with varying gas absorption and storage abilities.

"The discovery of this latest material for capturing carbon dioxide is the result of about four to five years of work on this unique MOF platform," said Dr. Eddaoudi. His team’s aims were to create a product which could exceed the performance of existing options, while greatly reducing the operational energy requirements.

The researchers developed a fluorine-containing MOF where square-grid layers encompassed Nickel(II) metal centers, while pyrazine linkers are bridged via pillars composed of niobium, oxygen and fluorine atoms.

"The ability to control the distance between the fluorine atoms allowed us to create the ideal square-shaped pockets for trapping carbon dioxide molecules effectively and efficiently and giving our material such impressive performance," explained Dr. Eddaoudi.

The location of carbon dioxide molecules inside the MOFs was visualized using X-ray diffraction equipment at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.

Dr. Eddaoudi concluded that the MOF could be adapted for use in industrial processes which generate carbon dioxide (such as cement factories), but could also work for vehicles such as trucks, cars and aircraft. Capturing the carbon dioxide as soon as it’s emitted can have improved results for the environment as a whole and can be used as a preventive measure for pollution, as opposed to a cure.

"We are now working to scale up the use of this material, allowing us to seek industry collaboration towards eventual commercialization," Dr. Eddaoudi reported.

—

Read the full report <a href="https://discovery.kaust.edu.sa/en/article/266/solid-progress-in-carbon-capture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

New material discovered to help fight carbon dioxide

A new material has been discovered to help fight carbon...

Fall leaf colors are not a simple matter as scientists examine sometimes contradictory causes.

Many people consider autumn to be their favorite time of the year: crisp air, new school supplies, and pumpkin spice lattes. However, the most significant natural feature of the fall season is the changing face of our trees, whose leaves become a riot of red, yellow and orange before they eventually die and fall to the forest ground.  

This spectacle is observed by millions worldwide, particularly in the USA. People take pleasure in the changing landscape, enjoying drives in the mountains, hikes and even watch "leaf cams” online. Autumn leaves are clearly beautiful and appealing, but what is the scientific reason for these bold fall colors?

In the spring and summer, leaves are green because chlorophyll, the chemical that converts light into energy by photosynthesis, is present at that time. If no other compounds were present, leaves would naturally turn yellow in the fall when the chlorophyll breaks down due to temperature, light and weather conditions. However, when the chlorophyll is no longer present, it is possible to see the effects of other chemicals present in the leaves, such as carotenes or carotenoids, which result in orange leaves.

Red leaves are not the result of pre-existing chemicals in the leaves; rather, the color is from a chemical produced as the leaves die. These compounds, called anthocyanins, are made from residual sugar, similar to what you find in grapes and apples. Shade variations result from interactions with leftover chlorophyll pigment. An additional source of variation comes from the differences in the tree species, genetics and environment, according to Dr. John Silander, an ecologist and evolutionary biologist at the <a href="http://www.uconn.edu" target="_blank">University of Connecticut</a>.

Understanding the chemical basis for the change doesn’t explain why the leaves turn red, a process that takes energy. Dr. Silander points to some evolutionary explanations, but noted they contain contradictions. According to a 2007 paper published in The Botanical Review, leaves may change color to attract animals to feed on fruit and thereby spread seeds. It’s also possible that the coloration serves the opposite function, to warn animals that the leaves contain compounds that would be toxic to them, like the famous wings of the monarch butterfly. 

Alternatively, the coloration may be a pest deterrent, since insects could prefer to camouflage their eggs in drab leaves. “It may be an ‘I’m super-healthy, don’t bother’ signal to potential insects, pests, or parasites that they should look elsewhere,” Kerissa Battle, a community science educator at Community Greenways Collaborative, wrote in an email. But then again, she said, the red color could also signal that a leaf is on its way out, with few nutrients left to eat before it drops.

Another, non-evolutionary, explanation could be related to sun protection, at least in maple trees. Dr. Robert Guy, a professor of forestry at the University of British Columbia, proposed this idea supported by the work of Dr. Abby van den Berg, an ecologist at the University of Vermont. They found that protecting leaves from sun damage allows them to carry out important processes like storing nutrients in the tree.   “Protection from bright light (and probably UV light as well) during the process of leaf senescence is the best explanation for why the leaves of some trees turn red in autumn,” Dr. Guy wrote in an email.

Whether the changing colors function as animal attraction, pest deterrent, sign of health, or sunscreen, enjoy the glory of the autumn foliage season in the knowledge that they are not only beautiful, but potentially very useful too.

The science behind fall leaf colors

Fall leaf colors are not a simple matter as scientists...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&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.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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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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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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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



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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://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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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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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&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.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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