Who invented the wheel? This question has been a topic of debate for centuries. But because it predates recorded history, the exact inventor of the wheel has remained unknown.



Despite the wheel's undeniable importance in human history, its origins have been shrouded in mystery and speculation. What we do know is that the wheel likely evolved over time from simpler tools.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-redefining-the-origins-of-the-wheel">Redefining the origins of the wheel</h2>



A new study on the evolution of the wheel has pushed the clock back by 6,000 years, offering new and compelling insights into this fascinating puzzle.



This discovery represents an exciting development that shatters the conventional timeline, moving it far beyond the previously accepted era of 4000 BC in ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mesopotamian-bricks-reveal-anomaly-in-earths-magnetic-field-3000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mesopotamia</a>.



It was during that period when the wheel was first recognized as an essential tool, initially used in pottery-making and preceding the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-teeth-discovery-highlight-the-evolution-of-the-human-diet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bronze Age</a> innovation of wheeled vehicles by centuries.



This newfound understanding prompts a reevaluation of how early humans harnessed rotational technology and its transformative impact on the trajectory of human civilization.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-development-of-rotational-tools">Development of rotational tools</h2>



The spotlight is now shining on an archaeological discovery in Israel that has potentially rewritten this humble invention’s history and shifted our understanding of early human ingenuity.



Over a hundred perforated pebbles - primarily composed of limestone and bearing a circular shape with a central hole - were unearthed at the Nahal-Ein Gev II site, a location that has already provided valuable insights into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-women-were-not-just-gatherers-they-were-hunters-too/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prehistoric</a> life.



This extraordinary find represents a key milestone in the development of rotational tools, including our beloved wheel, and emphasizes the sophisticated craftsmanship and resourcefulness of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kids-in-hunter-gatherer-stone-age-societies-had-better-parenting-than-modern-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early societies</a>.



It reveals not only the ingenuity behind these tools but also hints at the broader implications for the evolution of technology and innovation in human history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invention-of-a-wheel-shaped-tool">Invention of a wheel-shaped tool</h2>



What's astonishing is that these ancient stones date back to approximately 12,000 years, far surpassing any previously known examples. 



Scholars from the <a href="https://en.huji.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hebrew University of Jerusalem</a> suggest that these stones served as spindle whorls - round weighted objects attached to a spindle stick.



This tool was instrumental in gathering fibers such as wool and spinning them into yarn, demonstrating the human use of rotation with a wheel-shaped tool.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-first-wheels-in-form-and-function">The first wheels in form and function </h2>



Professor Leore Grosman emphasized the importance of these artifacts, describing them as early examples of wheel-shaped tools connected to a rotating axle.



"These perforated stones are actually the first wheels in form and function - a round object with a hole in the center connected to a rotating axle, used long before the appearance of the wheel for transportation purposes," said Professor Grosman.



This early use eventually paved the way for more advanced wheel-based rotational inventions, including the renowned potter's wheel and, later, the significantly useful cart wheel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerprints-of-prehistoric-innovation">Fingerprints of prehistoric innovation</h2>



"The most important aspect of the study is how modern technology allows us to delve deep into touching the fingerprints of the prehistoric craftsman, then learn something new about them and their innovativeness, and at the same time, about our modern technology and how we're linked," noted the researchers.



Their study embodies the "wheel and axle" concept, a revolutionary mechanism that triggered technology's transformation from linear to rotary motion.



The paper concludes that the ancient origins tied to the carts' prominence during the Bronze Age now focus on a much-earlier wheel-shaped tool.



So, the next time you marvel at the complexity of modern machinery, remember its connection to these humble stones from 12,000 years ago, and appreciate the role of human innovation throughout the ages.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-ingenuity-and-innovation">Human ingenuity and innovation</h2>



This discovery not only enriches our understanding of early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/400000-year-old-stone-tools-show-technological-adaptations-of-prehistoric-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">technological advancements</a> but also illustrates the seamless progression from simple tools to complex mechanisms.



The spindle whorls unearthed at Nahal-Ein Gev II showcase the fundamental principles of rotational technology, a concept that would eventually lead to the wheel's application in pottery, transportation, and machinery.



By examining these early developments, researchers draw parallels between ancient creativity and modern technology, highlighting the continuous thread of human ingenuity through the ages.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://search.app?link=https%3A%2F%2Fjournals.plos.org%2Fplosone%2Farticle%3Fid%3D10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0312007&amp;utm_campaign=aga&amp;utm_source=agsadl2%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plos One</a>.



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Who invented the wheel? It all started with stones

Who invented the wheel? This question has been a topic of debate for centuries. But because it predates recorded history, the exact inventor of the wheel has remained unknown. Despite the wheel's undeniable importance in human history, its origins have been shrouded in mystery and speculation. What we do know is that the wheel likely evolved over time from simpler tools. Redefining the origins of the wheel A new study on the evolution of the wheel has pushed the clock back by 6,000 years, offering new and...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Dangerous Hurricane Nicole closing in on Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center or NHC called Hurricane Nicole an "extremely dangerous closing in on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bermudan-snail-species/">Bermuda</a>" on Oct. 13. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Nicole as it was approaching the island.</div>
Nicole is a large tropical cyclone. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 65 miles (100 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km).

On Oct. 12 at 1:50 p.m. EDT (1750 UTC) the MODIS or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=nasa&amp;cvid=afc6f1fc7f44459d94ff1c0205d4b434&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">NASA's</a> Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Nicole when it was a Category 2 hurricane.Dangerous Hurricane Nicole closing in on Bermuda

At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) on Oct. 13 the eye of Hurricane Nicole was located near 31.6 degrees lnorth latitude and 65.2 degrees west longitude. That's just 55 miles (85 km) south-southwest of Bermuda.

The NHC said Nicole is moving toward the north-northeast near 15 mph (24 kph). A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected later today. On the forecast track, the core of Nicole will pass near Bermuda in the late morning on Oct. 13.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 125 mph (205 kph) with higher gusts. Nicole is an extremely dangerous category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Although a gradual weakening is forecast, Nicole is expected to remain a major hurricane when it moves near Bermuda today.

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For local effects, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.


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Dangerous Hurricane Nicole closing in on Bermuda

Dangerous Hurricane Nicole closing in on Bermuda. The National Hurricane...

Federal officials are embarking on a study of seven Hawaii fish species to assess the overall health of their populations.
Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the start of the upcoming study at a news conference Tuesday on Ford Island. The survey will bring local commercial fishermen and scientists together to get a count of several species of deep-water grouper and snapper, which are popular table fare.
NOAA marine biologist Benjamin Richards, the survey's lead researcher, said that based on their last assessment the species are currently doing well, but the bottom dwellers are popular with consumers, especially around the holidays, meaning fishing pressure is always a concern.
"The bottom fish are the deep seven, the nice big red fish that you see at nice restaurants, that you see on your nice holiday platters," Richards said. "Our most recent stock assessment shows that the deep seven stock is not overfished. ... The data that we are collecting is to help ensure that continues."
The last survey was done in 2014 using traditional methods. But this is a cooperative research project using new technology and commercial fishermen to create a comprehensive assessment of the bottom fish around the islands. Researchers will use deep-sea video technology as well as data provided by fishermen who will use standardized fishing techniques.
"This is the first operational mission where we will actually be collecting data that goes into the stock assessment," Richards said.
The commercial fisherman, who are using traditional line and hook methods for catching and recording their takes, are already at sea collecting data. The NOAA team will be doing its video analysis later this month, and the team should have conclusions by early next year. The information will be used for the 2018 assessment.
The data will be given to management officials so they can help ensure sustainable fisheries, Richards said.
The NOAA team is using a new, lightweight camera system that the team sinks to the bottom of the ocean and leaves for 15 minutes at a time. The highly light-sensitive cameras use no external lights so as to not scare away the fish that are there or attract other fish to the area.
"It could bias the information that we get, so we're trying to be as stealthy as possible," Richards said.
The system, which has two cameras, can get an accurate count and measurement for the fish that are found. Researchers then use that data to assess the overall population health of the seven target species.
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Find more stories by AP's Caleb Jones at <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/caleb-jones">http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/caleb-jones</a> Follow Jones on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/CalebAP">https://twitter.com/CalebAP</a>
© 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Feds are assessing the health of Hawaii's fish population

Federal officials are embarking on a study of seven Hawaii...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Cyclones sometimes reform after the become remnant low pressure areas, but it's not all that common. When NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew over the South China Sea, it captured an image of reborn tropical cyclone Aere and the "Zombie storm" is headed for landfall in central Vietnam.</div>
On Oct. 13 at the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of the storm that showed the center just east of Vietnam. Thunderstorms were flaring to the east and west of the center. Bands of thunderstorms extended east of the center and into the South China Sea including Hainan Island, China.

On Oct. 13 at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) Aere had maximum sustained winds near 28/7 mph (25 knots/46.3 kph). It was centered just 54 nautical miles northeast of Da Nang, Vietnam near 16.6 degrees north latitude and 108.6 degrees east longitude. Aere was moving to the west at 14 knots.

Aere is expected to make landfall north of Hue, Vietnam later on Oct. 13 and move west over Laos and Thailand. Once it makes landfall it is again expected to weaken and "die" yet again into a remnant low pressure area.


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<div>Credit: <a href="http://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a></div>

Reborn Tropical Cyclone Aere headed for Vietnam

Tropical Cyclones sometimes reform after the become remnant low pressure...

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<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Depression 24W formed on Oct. 12 and continued to move west toward the Philippines on Oct. 13, 2016.</div>
On Oct. 13 at 1:25 a.m. EDT (0525 UTC), NASA's Aqua satellite passed over 24W and analyzed the storm in infrared light to show temperatures. The MODIS or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite revealed cloud top temperatures north of the center as cold or colder than minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius). NASA research indicates very cold cloud tops with the potential to generate very heavy rainfall.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) Tropical depression 24W, known in the Philippines as Karen was located near 13.3 degrees north latitude and 129.4 degrees east longitude. That's about 495 miles east of Manila, Philippines. 24W was moving to the northwest at 6 knots (7 mph/11 kph) and had maximum sustained winds near 30 knots (34.5 mph/55.5 kph).

24W is forecast to strengthen into a typhoon according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. It is then expected to make landfall in eastern Luzon, the northern Philippines late on Oct. 15 or early on Oct. 16.


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<div>Credit: <a href="http://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a></div>

Tropical Depression 24W seen moving toward Philippines

Tropical Depression 24W formed on Oct. 12 and continued to...

<div class="img-wrapper">Blue tit feeding and exploratory behavior during migration may be driven by their need for energy and environmental information, according to a study published October 12, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Anna Nilsson from the University of Oslo, Norway, and colleagues.</div>
In certain regions Blue tits are partially migratory: some of the population migrates each year while others remain resident, and individuals decide each year anew which strategy to choose. The proportion of migrating birds each year is thought to depend on environmental conditions. However, the factors that govern migratory decisions in individual birds were not previously well understood.

The authors of the present study captured 24 migrating female Blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) at the Southern tip of Sweden throughout the month-long migratory season to investigate if Blue tits that migrated early in the season displayed different behavior to those that migrated late. They assessed individuals' age and size, and measured how long they took to explore an unfamiliar environment and to start feeding, as measures of personality traits such as boldness and adaptability.

The researchers found that throughout the migratory season, lean and large individuals were more exploratory and quicker to feed than smaller birds or those with larger fat reserves, indicating that foraging may be mostly driven by energy requirements. However, exploratory behavior also varied over the migratory season: Blue tits that migrated later, particularly juveniles, were more exploratory than birds migrating earlier. As late-migrating birds are under increased time pressure to find shelter and food, the relative need to obtain such environmental information may also determine Blue tit behavior. The personality traits of individual blue tits seemed to have much less effect.

Whilst the study only examined a small sample of Blue tits in a single region, it suggests that energy requirements and the need to obtain environmental information may be important in determining their behavior during migration.

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Credit: <a href="http://www.uio.no/english/" target="_blank">University of Oslo</a>

Freely available paper: <a href="http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163213" target="_blank">http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163213</a>

Blue tit migration driven by the environment

Blue tit feeding and exploratory behavior during migration may be...

<div>Washington State University biologist Mechthild Tegeder has developed a way to dramatically increase the yield and quality of soybeans.</div>
<div>

Her greenhouse-grown soybeans fix twice as much nitrogen from the atmosphere as their natural counterparts, grow larger and produce up to 36 percent more seeds.

Tegeder designed a novel way to increase the flow of nitrogen, an essential nutrient, from specialized bacteria in soybean root nodules to the seed-producing organs. She and Amanda Carter, a biological sciences graduate student, found the increased rate of nitrogen transport kicked the plants into overdrive.

Their work, published recently in Current Biology, is a major breakthrough in the science of improving crop yields. It could eventually help address society's critical challenge of feeding a growing human population while protecting the environment. See the paper at <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982216306157" target="_blank">http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982216306157</a>.

"The biggest implication of our research is that by ramping up the natural nitrogen allocation process we can increase the amount of food we produce without contributing to further agricultural pollution," Tegeder said. "Eventually we would like to transfer what we have learned to other legumes and plants that humans grow for food."

Improving grain yields

Legumes account for around 30 percent of the world's agricultural production. They consist of plants like soybeans, alfalfa, peas, beans and lentils, among others.

Unlike crops that rely on naturally occurring and artificially made nitrogen from the soil, legumes contain rhizobia bacterioids in their root nodules that have the unique capability of converting or "fixing" nitrogen gas from the atmosphere.

For years, scientists have tried to increase the rate of nitrogen fixation in legumes by altering rhizobia bacterioid function or interactions that take place between the bacterioid and the root nodule cells.

Tegeder took a different approach: She increased the number of proteins that help move nitrogen from the rhizobia bacteria to the plant's leaves, seed-producing organs and other areas where it is needed.

The additional transport proteins sped up the overall export of nitrogen from the root nodules. This initiated a feedback loop that caused the rhizobia to start fixing more atmospheric nitrogen, which the plant then used to produce more seeds.

"They are bigger, grow faster and generally look better than natural soybean plants," Tegeder said. "Some evidence we have suggests they might also be highly efficient under stressful conditions like drought."

Protecting the environment

Nitrogen is a macronutrient essential for plant growth. Large amounts of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer are applied around the world to ensure high plant productivity.

Application is an environmental issue in industrialized countries like the United States because of high energy input, increased greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution and other adverse effects on ecosystems and human health.

In developing countries, where nitrogen fertilizer is scarce, insufficient plant nitrogen results in low crop yields and limited food supplies.

Tegeder thinks her soybean-focused research can eventually be applied to varieties of legumes suited for a diverse array of climates. One major benefit of growing legumes such as chickpeas, common beans, peas and soybeans is that they not only can use atmospheric nitrogen for their own growth but also leave residual nitrogen in the soil for subsequent crops.

Hence, increasing nitrogen fixation could improve overall plant productivity for farmers who grow legumes in both industrial and developing countries while diminishing or eliminating the need for nitrogen fertilizers.

"Legumes with higher yields have huge implications for agriculture and food production around the world," Tegeder said. "Our research also has the potential to be transferred to other crop plants that don't fix nitrogen from the atmosphere but would benefit from being able to uptake nitrogen more efficiently from the soil."

Her work is in keeping with WSU's Grand Challenges, a suite of research initiatives aimed at large societal issues. It is particularly relevant to the challenge of sustainable resources and its theme of supplying food for future generations.


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<div>Credit: <a href="http://www.wsu.edu" target="_blank">Washington State University</a></div>

Breakthrough in growing soybeans could help feed the world

Washington State University biologist Mechthild Tegeder has developed a way...

<div>Despite the many disastrous impacts of climate change, there are some regions of the globe that might benefit from hotter temperatures.</div>
<div>

A team of researchers from Virginia Tech have predicted that water availability in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia may increase in coming decades due to global climate change. It could also lead to increased crop production, spur massive hydroelectric power projects, and foster irrigation development in the region.

"For all the catastrophic impacts of climate change, there are some silver linings," said Zach Easton, associate professor of biological systems engineering. "The sad irony is that climate change may be the catalyst Ethiopia needs to become a food-exporting country."

The research team used a suite of climate and hydrologic models to predict the impact of climate change on water availability and sediment transport in the Blue Nile. Most previous Nile Basin climate impact studies have only focused on water availability, but the study conducted by the team at Virginia Tech was a first of its kind to to assess sediment transport, a big problem in the basin where some of the highest erosion rates in the world have been measured.

The findings of the study were recently published in the journal Climatic Change.

"Ethiopia could experience increased water accessibility making growing seasons longer and potentially allowing for two crops to be grown per year," said Moges Wagena, from Assosa, Ethiopia. Wagena is first author on the paper and also associated with the Abay Basin Authority, a water resource management entity for one of Ethiopia's 12 water basins. Wagena is one of Easton's doctoral candidates in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, housed in both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering. The team also included Andrew Sommerlot, another of Easton's doctoral candidates; Daniel Fuka, a post-doctoral student working with Easton; researchers from the University of Maryland; and the International Water Management Institute, Nile Basin Office. The work was funded by the World Bank and the International Water Management Institute.

The team coupled hydrologic models with bias-corrected and downscaled Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 models, known as CMIP5, for the project. Previously, studies that looked only at temperature and precipitation from the climate models found an increased rate of water availability of just 10 percent, where Easton and Wagena found potentially 20 to 30 percent more streamflow available in the region in the coming decades.

One potential problem that the analysis identified was increased sediment transport in the rivers due to increased water flow. The increased sediment has the potential to reduce the capacity of reservoirs and dams, making massive hydroelectric projects like Ethiopia's largest dam currently under construction, the Grand Renascence Dam, less efficient in storing the 65 billion cubic meters of water that could potentially turn its turbines.

"Greater water availability is certainly a positive outcome, but this is countered by more sediment. One way to combat that is through installing conservation practices on farms, for instance using cover crops and low- and no-till planting methods to make the soil healthier, more stable, and reduce erosion," said Easton.

While climate change is and will continue to cause untold problems, nuances in climate-induced weather events could benefit the Blue Nile Basin with increased rainfall in the area.

"It's interesting, because much of the Blue Nile Basin is well above 5,000 feet in elevation, giving it pretty much an ideal climate for agriculture with low humidity, low disease and pest pressure, and potentially great water availability, which could spur development," said Easton.


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<div style="text-align: left;">Credit: <a href="http://www.vt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia Tech University</a></div>

Some regions of the globe may benefit from climate change

Despite the many disastrous impacts of climate change, there are...

Comparatively speaking, as far as making tools for food consumption and the evolution of teaching your kids to fish goes, humans choose teaching their kids to use a ready-made spoon first. Learning how to tie your own flies and cast a pole comes later.

Celebrating the inaugural spoon to mouth voyage as an early human milestone is immediately video documented, saved for future viewing, and instantly shared simultaneously for the world to see on multiple social media platforms.

Unless, of course, you are a Chimpanzee.

According to new research from anthropologists at <a href="http://www.wustl.edu" target="_blank">Washington University in St. Louis</a>, the first documented evidence of wild chimpanzee mothers teaching their chimp kids to use tools has been captured on video cameras in the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo!

From this new documentation, scientists have learned that the first tool you teach your Chimp kids to use is not a spoon. Not as far removed from the silver bowled human artifacts as one would think, a Chimpanzee kid learns to use a very specific herb species as a feeding tool, not unlike a human uses a spoon…and it works. However, the process of teaching your chimp kid to eat starts with tool location, on the spot repurposing and learning the art of properly casting your hand-made sustainably sourced spoon into a mound of living and oh so yummy raw-food. Termites!

"Wild chimpanzees are exceptional tool users, but in contrast to humans, there has been little evidence to date that adult chimpanzees teach youngsters tool skills," said Stephanie Musgrave, the study's first author, an anthropology graduate student in Arts &amp; Sciences. According to Musgrave, mother chimpanzees in the Goualougo Triangle, where cameras were located, teach their offspring how to use specific herb species to make fishing probes.

[ooyala code="dtcjNtNjE6WOD-bgUXLWKhirnRyvM0FE" player_id="ce75157bc770441eaf5e849ae4d1d21f" auto="true" width="896" height="598" autoplay="true"]

Chimp kids off the ole’ block dive into this very different epicurean pond with gusto. Unlike most human kids, they go fishing for their own breakfast. The very specific and apparently herbalicious fishing tool entices crunchy termites packed with protein to crawl up the stem. The brush like edges of this jungle book spoon keep termites ‘on the hook’ until it’s licked clean and ready for another dip.

Published online Oct. 11 in the journal Scientific Reports, the study is based on research conducted in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Max Planck Institute and Franklin and Marshall College. The findings have important implications for the evolution of teaching.

"It is easy for us to take for granted the importance of sharing information to learn complex skills, as it is ubiquitous in humans," said Crickette Sanz, associate professor of biological anthropology in Arts &amp; Sciences at Washington University and co-author of the study. "Our research shows that the evolutionary origins of this behavior are likely rooted in contexts where particular skills are too challenging for an individual to invent on their own."

Study findings implicate identifying the cognitive underpinnings of teaching. In humans, teaching generally involves understanding others' abilities and the intention to help them learn. In this study, chimpanzee mothers both anticipated the youngsters' need for a tool and devised strategies to reduce the effort necessary to provide them.

Musgrave noted chimpanzees are exceptional among animals for the remarkable propensity to make and use tools. "Using video footage from remote camera traps placed at termite nests in the chimpanzees' home range, we were able to observe and quantify how sharing tools affected those who relinquished their tools as well as those who received them."

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Author: Suzanne Johnson
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Proof that chimpanzee mothers teach their children how to use tools

Comparatively speaking, as far as making tools for food consumption...

<div>As they grow, corals are bathed in a sea of marine microbes, such as bacteria, algae, and viruses. While these extremely abundant and tiny microorganisms influence coral communities in a variety of ways, a new study by researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) reveals that corals also have an impact on the microbes in waters surrounding them.</div>
<div>

In novel lab observations of interactions between corals and planktonic bacteria, known as picoplankton, researchers found that corals are selectively feeding on specific types of bacteria--the same bacteria whose growth is promoted by organic matter and nutrients that are released by the corals.

"We've known that marine microbes play major roles in moving nutrients and recycling matter into forms that are more usable to the corals," says WHOI microbiologist Amy Apprill, one of the authors of the paper published Oct. 12, 2016, in the journal Limnology and Oceanography. "But this study demonstrates for the first time that corals are having some control on the production of microbes around them, and that the corals are using that to benefit their own growth."

Corals secrete a protective surface layer of mucus, which also support an active community of microbes. In order to better understand how corals and coral mucus might be interacting with microbes in surrounding reef waters, Apprill, and her colleagues Sean McNally and Rachel Parsons at BIOS, set up aquaria-based experiments using colonies of the coral P. astreoides obtained from three Bermudian reefs.

A total of nine tanks of seawater were utilized in the 12-day experiment. The research team counted microbes in the seawater so they could track the different populations and how they were responding to different treatments. Three of the tanks were used as "controls" and received no additions, while researchers added mucus obtained from P. astreoides corals into three of the tanks. In the remaining three tanks, corals were introduced and then later removed so researchers could observe their effects on microbes in the seawater.

"When we put the corals in the tanks, the microbes in the sea water were drastically reduced in numbers," Apprill says. "We observed that the corals were selectively feeding on several types of bacteria--Rhodobacteraceae, Synechococcus, and SAR11, which are most abundant groups of bacteria in the ocean. We then took the corals out of the sea water tanks, and we observed a strong increase in these microbes."

The increase was partially a result of the microbes replenishing themselves since the corals were no longer feeding on them, the researchers say. But the team also observed something surprising: extremely fast rates of microbial growth.

"The growth rates were quite high, especially in the case of SAR11, which was one of the fastest rates of growth ever documented," Apprill adds. "It suggests that the microbes are growing on something that the corals leave behind in the tank. For the first time, we're observing important influences that the corals are having on the total surrounding microbial community."

One of the other key things the research team observed happening in the tanks with corals as a result of the bacteria grazing was a remineralization of nitrogen in the water. In healthy coral reef ecosystems, concentrations of ammonia--a toxic waste product produced by most animals--are close to zero. The reason is that microbes are constantly converting ammonia to different and less toxic forms, such as nitrate, returning nitrogen back to the water. While researchers were aware of this detoxifying process in reef ecosystem, the source of the microbes responsible was a mystery.

"Until now, it wasn't known exactly where the process was occurring, whether it was happening in the sand or in the water column or in association with corals," explains Alyson Santoro, a microbiologist at UCSB and coauthor. "This study shows that this detoxifying process is directly and physically associated with the corals."

In the tanks containing mucus but no corals, the research team didn't observe the drastic changes like those in the coral tanks. They noted small increases in microbes upon the initial addition of mucus.

"It's not just the mucus that's causing the microbes in the water to become more active," says Apprill. "It's actually what the coral is releasing, which is still an undefined group of compounds."

"This study shows that corals do in fact influence the picoplankton community by selecting specific lineages of picoplankton for removal and also by potentially using the complex carbon compounds excreted by the coral to promote the growth of these lineages," adds Rachel Parsons, a microbial oceanographer at BIOS and coauthor of the paper.

Coral reefs, which support diverse communities of fish and other marine life, are declining globally at unprecedented rates due to human-caused impacts, such as warming waters and ocean acidification. Researchers say that there is an urgent need to uncover how specific coral picoplankton interactions contribute to these threatened ecosystems.

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Credit: <a href="http://www.ucsb.edu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>

</div>

Corals and marine microbes work together shaping reefs

As they grow, corals are bathed in a sea of...

<div>Hurricane Nicole continues to strengthen as it heads toward Bermuda and a satellite image showed the storm's large eye.</div>
<div>

The NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland created an image of Hurricane Nicole at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 UTC) on Oct. 12 that showed it had a large eye.

The storm was well-rounded with feeder bands of thunderstorms wrapped tightly around the eye and from a band east of the center. NOAA manages the GOES series of satellites and the NASA/NOAA GOES Project creates images and animations from the data.

On Oct. 12 a Hurricane Warning is in effect for Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that a Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the large eye of Hurricane Nicole was located near about 295 miles (480 km) south-southwest of Bermuda near 28.4 degrees north latitude and 66.9 degrees west longitude. Nicole was moving toward the north near 7 mph (11 kph), and the NHC expects a northward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected today, Oct. 12. A turn toward the north-northeast is forecast tonight, followed by a northeast turn on Thursday with an additional increase in forward speed. On the forecast track, the core of Hurricane Nicole will pass near or over Bermuda on Thursday, Oct. 13.

The latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is 969 millibars.

Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph (155 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is possible during the next 24 hours, and Nicole could be near major hurricane strength when it approaches Bermuda.

For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website at: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>


</div>
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Credit: <a href="http://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASA</a>
<div></div>

Hurricane Nicole continues to gain strength

Hurricane Nicole continues to strengthen as it heads toward Bermuda...

Inside the archival depths of The Field Museum, primitive members of a ‘beardog’ family have been laying in wait. Until now. Their recent resurrection made headlines in the Royal Society Open Science publication and has paleontologists excited and on the run. With no living family members, rounding up a new family for the pack of grizzly canine carnivores, discovered and described decades ago, turned out to be a happy accident for The Field’s post-doctoral scholar, Susumu Tomiya.

"We've known about these curious little critters for 30 years, but couldn't tell exactly what kind of carnivores they were," explains lead author Susumu Tomiya, a postdoctoral scholar at The Field Museum. Tomiya recently re-identified the 38-million-year-old descendants of the Chihuahua sized ‘amphicyonids’ in the Museum's collections. Subtle dental feature differences in the jaw bones of these former what-is-now-known-as-Texas-natives, gave Tomiya reason to track down their real family branch. And make yet another discovery.

Sometime after the dawn of ‘beardog,’evolution, early stages of the dog branch diversified. Tomiya and co-author, Jack Tseng of the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Buffalo</a>, digitized a reconstruction of a largely intact skull of what was originally named ‘Miacis australis.’ Flat surfaces on some of these beardogs teeth indicated it wasn’t just a meat eater. Like its namesake, this beardog most likely also ate berries and insects which led Tomiya and Tseng down a new path of nomenclature. Finding a new family name for this branch of beardogs turned into a 3-D experience for the team.

A CT scan revealed useful characteristics for reconstructing carnivore species relationships. New light shed by the results inspired Tomiya and Tseng to believe that the southern region of North America may have played a more vital role in mammalian history than was previously thought.

"Studying how the diversity of beardogs waxed and waned over time could tell us about larger patterns in carnivore evolution,” noted Tomiya. Beardogs ranged in size from larger than modern day lions to bite-sized carnivores. The larger the beardog the more space it took up, the more food it needed to survive and produced fewer offspring. Smaller beardogs had to deal with ‘size matters’ when it came to finding food and keeping it. Larger animals face extinction sooner which means smaller might be better when it comes to living large and evolving.

Big changes to landscape, forests and climate meant big changes in carnivore evolution to adapt, survive and evolve. Beardog evolution gives us a broader view of how climate effects evolution and what kinds of animals thrived in a changing environmental context. Current relatives and cousins evolving from the beardog branch include dogs, wolves, fox, bear, sea lion, and weasel.

The importance of museum collections and studies like Tomiya’s reminds us how much history is embedded in their fossilized dens. As he notes ‘all biodiversity research is contingent on good understanding of what species lived where and when in the past, and how they are related to one another. Museum collections are vital to building and continually refining such fundamental data sets.”

********************

Susumu Tomiya is a postdoctoral scholar at The Field Museum in Chicago; he did his graduate work at the University of California Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley. Jack Tseng is an assistant professor at the University at Buffalo and was previously at the American Museum of Natural History.

Author: Suzanne Johnson

Beardog discovery offers new clues on canine evolution

Inside the archival depths of The Field Museum, primitive members...

<div>Australian scientists have good news for frog conservation -- there may be longer than expected time to intervene before climate change causes extinction of some species.</div>
<div>

The scientists used new methods for modelling the threat of climate change on frogs in tropical north-eastern Australia and showed that, at least for some species, there is likely to be more time than earlier thought before expected climate shifts and associated habitat loss drive them to extinction.

The study, published today in the scientific journal Biology Letters, shows that as many as four species of frogs in the protected Wet Tropics of Queensland UNESCO World Heritage Area face extinction by 2080 due to human-induced climate change. However, the research also shows that for at least three species, there might be sufficient time for conservation managers to intervene successfully.

The researchers, from the University of Adelaide, the University of Tasmania and James Cook University, used the latest biodiversity modelling techniques to show that extinctions from climate change can occur after substantial time lags.

[caption id="attachment_89168" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-89168" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/green-eyed-tree-frog-Litoria-serrata_1big_UAdelaide-150x150.jpg" alt="the green-eyed tree frog (Litoria serrata)." width="150" height="150" /> the green-eyed tree frog (Litoria serrata).[/caption]

Lead author Dr Damien Fordham, ARC Future Fellow with the University of Adelaide's Environment Institute, says: "This is a rare example of good news for conservation because it means that for some frog species there is likely to be more time than expected for on-ground management intervention.

"For example, our research shows that the window of time between impact and extinction might be adequate for successful translocation programs to be established."

Co-author Professor Barry Brook, Professor of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Tasmania, says this may also mean good news for other flora and fauna.

"By showing that extinction delays can exceed decades for short-lived animals such as frogs, it follows that the time lags for extinction might be even larger for long-lived species, such as large vertebrates and trees," Professor Brook says.

This study also has important implications for 'triage'-based conservation prioritisation, which is the idea that conservation managers should actively decide on which species have a reasonable prospect of being saved, and then direct precious conservation resources accordingly.

"If long time scales for extinction lags exist for some species, the likelihood that these extinctions can be averted through active on-ground management increases," says Dr Fordham. "Furthermore, it means that other species in more immediate need could be targeted for early conservation intervention."


</div>
--

Credit: <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Adelaide</a>
<div></div>

Scientists: More time than we thought to save frogs from climate change

Australian scientists have good news for frog conservation -- there...

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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

[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



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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.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

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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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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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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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

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

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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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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

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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...