Earth, the only known planet to support life, owes much of its habitability to water. Understanding when and how water arrived on Earth is crucial for piecing together the story of life’s origins. 



Scientists have long debated whether water was present from the planet’s formation or if it arrived later through external sources. 



A recent study led by a Rutgers-New Brunswick scientist challenges existing theories, suggesting that water arrived much later than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-cycles-through-plants-with-unexpected-speed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previously believed</a>.



The findings indicate that Earth received water toward the final stages of its formation. This discovery could reshape scientific understanding of the conditions necessary for life.



By examining isotopes in Earth’s rocks and comparing them with meteorites, researchers have provided new insights into the timing and process of water’s arrival on our planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-of-life-s-origins">Timing of life’s origins</h2>



Scientists seek to pinpoint when key <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/comets-may-have-delivered-water-to-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ingredients for life</a> first appeared on Earth. Water, energy, and a mix of organic chemicals known as CHNOPS - carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur - are essential for life to emerge. 



Determining when these components arrived can offer clues about the timing of life’s formation.



Katherine Bermingham is an associate professor in the <a href="https://eps.rutgers.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences</a> at Rutgers and lead author of the study.



“When water was delivered to the planet is a major unanswered question in planetary science,” said Bermingham. “If we know the answer, we can better constrain when and how life developed.”



Her research suggests that water was not present during the early phases of Earth’s formation, as some theories propose. Instead, the planet acquired it much later through a process known as late accretion, when additional material from space continued to shape Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examining-the-building-blocks-of-planets">Examining the building blocks of planets</h2>



Bermingham specializes in cosmogeochemistry, a field that examines the chemical composition of planetary materials to understand their origins. 



By analyzing Earth rocks and extraterrestrial materials such as meteorites, she investigates how rocky planets, including Earth, formed and evolved.



In this study, Bermingham’s team used thermal ionization mass spectrometry, a precise method for measuring isotopic compositions. 



They developed a new analytical approach to examine isotopes of molybdenum, an element found in both Earth’s crust and meteorites.



Isotopes are variations of an element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, which gives them slightly different atomic masses while maintaining identical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/distress-signals-earths-water-cycle-is-becoming-more-erratic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemical properties</a>.



“The molybdenum isotopic composition of Earth rocks provides us with a special window into events occurring around the time of Earth’s final core formation, when the last 10% to 20% of material was being assembled by the planet. This period is thought to coincide with the Moon’s formation,” explained Bermingham.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-meteorites-and-earth-rocks">Comparing meteorites and Earth rocks</h2>



To track Earth’s early chemical history, the team examined meteorite samples from the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution. Scientists classify meteorites into two main groups based on their place of origin in the solar system.



The first group, known as “CC” meteorites, likely formed in the outer solar system, where conditions were wetter. The second group, “NC” meteorites, originated in the inner solar system, where conditions were much drier. 



This study focused on meteorites from the NC group to compare their chemical composition with Earth rocks.



The researchers analyzed molybdenum isotopes in rocks from Greenland, South Africa, Canada, the United States, and Japan. 



These rocks date back to the time of the Moon’s formation and are believed to contain elements added to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-other-planets-collected-first-water-from-unexpected-source-planetesimals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a> during this period.



By comparing the isotopic signatures of meteorites and Earth rocks, the team sought to determine whether the Moon-forming event delivered a significant amount of water to Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-water-may-have-arrived-late">Earth’s water may have arrived late</h2>



“Once we gathered the different samples and measured their isotopic compositions, we compared the meteorites’ signatures with the rock signatures to see if there was a similarity or a difference,” Bermingham said. “And from there, we drew inferences.”



The analysis revealed that the molybdenum composition of Earth rocks closely matched that of NC meteorites, which originated in the drier inner solar system. 



This finding suggests that Earth’s building blocks primarily came from a region of the solar system where water was scarce.



This contradicts a popular theory that a significant amount of Earth’s water arrived during the Moon-forming event. 



Instead, the study indicates that water was delivered in smaller amounts long after the Moon formed, during the later stages of planetary development.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-the-source-of-earth-s-water">Rethinking the source of Earth’s water</h2>



“We have to figure out from where in our solar system Earth's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-discovery-earths-building-blocks-contained-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">building blocks</a> - the dust and the gas - came and around when that happened,” Bermingham said. “That’s the information needed to understand when the stage was set for life to begin.”



If most of Earth’s original material came from the drier inner solar system, then the Moon-forming event was likely not a major contributor of water. Instead, water must have arrived in smaller portions later. 



This conclusion challenges the idea that a single event provided Earth with the majority of its water. 



The study supports the view that water accumulated gradually over time, arriving through a combination of asteroid impacts and other processes occurring well after the planet had taken shape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-about-life-s-early-conditions">Questions about life’s early conditions</h2>



“Our results suggest that the Moon-forming event was not a major supplier of water, unlike what has been thought previously,” Bermingham said. “These findings, however, permit a small amount of water to be added after final core formation, during what is called late accretion.”



This discovery raises new questions about how long it took for Earth to become habitable. If water arrived later than previously thought, then life may have taken longer to emerge. 



This could also have implications for understanding other planets, particularly those that scientists consider candidates for life.



By refining the timeline of Earth’s water history, this study contributes to a broader effort to understand planetary evolution. If water arrived late on Earth, then other planets might have followed a similar pattern. 



This could mean that life-supporting conditions take longer to develop than scientists once assumed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-in-the-search-for-earth-s-water">What’s next in the search for Earth’s water?</h2>



The study represents a step forward in unraveling Earth’s past, but it also highlights the many unanswered questions about the origins of water and life. 



Future research will likely focus on refining models of planetary accretion, analyzing additional meteorite samples, and exploring other isotopic markers that could provide further insights.



Other Rutgers contributors to the study include Linda Godfrey, an assistant research professor, and Hope Tornebene, a laboratory researcher in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. 



The research continues to push the boundaries of planetary science, bringing us closer to understanding how Earth became a world capable of supporting life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016703724005751?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta</a>.



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Water arrived on Earth gradually over time, not in one big event

Earth, the only known planet to support life, owes much of its habitability to water. Understanding when and how water arrived on Earth is crucial for piecing together the story of life’s origins. Scientists have long debated whether water was present from the planet’s formation or if it arrived later through external sources. A recent study led by a Rutgers-New Brunswick scientist challenges existing theories, suggesting that water arrived much later than previously believed. The findings indicate that Earth received water toward the final stages of its...

As climate change poses a far-reaching threat to wildlife, a compelling new study indicates that Arctic terns - known for undertaking the Earth's longest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-face-increasing-dangers-along-their-migration-routes/">migration</a> journey - might have the adaptive capabilities to withstand the challenges brought about by our evolving climate.



Arctic terns lead lives in near-constant daylight, embarking on an astonishing bi-annual journey from their breeding grounds in the far north to Antarctica during the southern hemisphere's summer season.&nbsp;



Throughout their lifespan, these extraordinary birds cover distances so vast that they equate to traveling to the moon three times.



A collaborative research team led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> and the Met Office took on the challenge of investigating the potential impacts of climate change on these birds outside of their breeding season.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The study delved into factors such as shifts in prevailing winds, variations in primary productivity that influence food availability at critical sites frequented by the terns, and the conditions of Antarctic sea ice.



Despite the fact that a likely decrease in foraging success in the North Atlantic could pose a future threat to the Arctic terns, the research team concluded that the overall repercussions of climate change for migrating terns are expected to be minor. This resilience is attributed to the bird's lifestyle, which plays out over expansive geographical areas.



However, the researchers underscore that even a combination of minor impacts may still pose a significant threat to this long-lived species, which can survive up to three decades. Other species that are less adaptable may not be as fortunate, and could struggle to escape the local and regional shifts induced by climate change.



Dr. Joanne Morten, from the University of Exeter, a key member of the research team, explained, “Arctic terns rely on productive oceans for food, sea ice for rest and foraging, and prevailing winds during flight.”&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-all-seabirds-are-at-risk">All seabirds are at risk</h2>



Despite the Arctic tern being classified as a species of "least concern" on the IUCN Red List, Dr. Morten warns that breeding numbers are in decline and monitoring them can be a complex task.



“Climate change is a massive threat to all seabirds. Our study looked at specific aspects of this," said Dr. Morten. "So, while our findings suggest this species may be resilient, this is only part of a bigger picture for Arctic terns and many other species. Meeting carbon emissions targets is vital to slow these projected end-of-century climatic changes and minimise extinction risk for all species.”



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers utilized multiple climate and Earth System Models to predict alterations up to the year 2100, building on current observations of ongoing climate change.&nbsp;



The team evaluated the impacts of two emissions scenarios: a "middle-of-the-road" scenario and a more severe "fossil-fuelled development" scenario.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



Under the latter scenario, a notable decline in primary productivity, which is the foundational level of all food chains, was projected for the North Atlantic, an important feeding ground for a myriad of seabirds and marine animals.&nbsp;



However, the study projected only minimal changes to primary productivity at three other pivotal sites for Arctic terns: the Benguela Upwelling, the Subantarctic Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study</h2>



While the consequences of an anticipated decline in Antarctic sea ice for terns remains uncertain, the study proposed that the projected minor changes to prevailing winds would have minimal impacts on tern migration – with the notable exception of the Southern Ocean, where strengthening winds could necessitate a shift in the birds' flight routes.



Initiated with a virtual Climate Data Challenge "hackathon," the interdisciplinary approach offered an opportunity for ecologists and climate scientists to converge. The research team encompassed members from multiple universities, including those in Liverpool, Bristol, Washington, Oxford and Iceland.



The study findings, which contribute significantly to our understanding of the interaction between climate change and wildlife, have been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16891">Global Change Biology</a>.



—-



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How Arctic terns may navigate the challenges of climate change

As climate change poses a far-reaching threat to wildlife, a...

Horseshoe,Bend

The&nbsp;Colorado River Basin – the area drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries – covers approximately 647,500 square kilometers (250,000 square miles) in seven states across western United States, supplying water to about 40 million people while supporting agriculture and natural ecosystems.&nbsp;



According to a new study conducted by the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA), from 2000 to 2021, climate change caused the loss of over 40 trillion liters (10 trillion gallons) of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-changes-ahead-for-the-colorado-river-basin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water in this basin</a>. 



This is equal to the full storage capacity of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir on the Colorado River. The massive loss of water prompted supply cuts under the first federally declared water shortage in 2021.&nbsp;



The southwestern North American megadrought is an ongoing drought that began in 2000. This is the driest multi-decade period the region has seen in at least 1,200 years. It has significantly reduced river flow and shrunk reservoirs, leading to widespread concerns about water scarcity as the climate continues to warm.



<h2 id="h-sensitivity-of-the-colorado-river-basin">Sensitivity of the Colorado River Basin&nbsp;</h2>



“While we knew warming was having an impact on the Colorado Basin’s water availability, we were surprised to find how sensitive the basin is to warming compared to other major basins across the western U.S., and how high this sensitivity is in the relatively small area of the basin’s crucial snowpack regions,” said lead author Benjamin Bass, a hydrological modeler at UCLA.



“The fact that warming removed as much water from the basin as the size of Lake Mead itself during the recent megadrought is a wakeup call to the climate change impacts we are living today.”



<h2 id="h-studying-the-colorado-river">Studying the Colorado River</h2>



While previous investigations of water resources in this region have largely focused on the effects of climate change, the current study also took into account the impact of plants’ complex responses to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.&nbsp;



Moreover, by comparing historical warming in the Colorado River Basin’s snowpack regions with that in the non-snowpack regions, the experts calculated the quantity of runoff changes per degree of warming. This helped them assess how anthropogenic climate change has dried out traditional snowpack regions and quickly reduced the runoff feeding the Colorado River.



The researchers used a land surface model capable of analyzing water, changes in vegetation, and vegetation’s response to rises in atmospheric CO2 to examine how the basin’s hydrology changed between 1880 and 2021. 



They employed standard data sets to represent atmospheric conditions, streamflow gauges, and other records capturing the regional hydrology. They also used ground and satellite data to assess actual changes in vegetation.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-what-the-research-team-learned">What the research team learned&nbsp;</h2>



The analysis revealed that from 1880 to 2021, the temperature in the Colorado River Basin increased by nearly 1.5 degrees Celsius due to climate change. This resulted in a 10.3 percent reduction in runoff. 



However, without including the effects of plants, current water loss would be closer to 13 percent. This discovery highlights the importance of including vegetation processes in water modeling.



In addition, the researchers discovered that the typically snow-covered parts of the basin are losing water twice as fast as the regions without snow. This finding suggests that the Rocky Mountain West is transitioning to a more arid climate rather than just undergoing periodic droughts. 



Since snowpack makes an outsized contribution to the basin’s water supply – accounting for two-thirds of the basin’s total runoff – these changes should be of immediate concern to water managers.



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study&nbsp;</h2>



According to Bass, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/pao/pdfiles/crcompct.pdf">1922 Colorado River Compact</a> governs the use of river water by the seven western U.S. states the Colorado River flows through. It was written with the assumption that the regional climate was stable. 



When the representatives of these states signed the contract, “they expected 15 million acre-feet of water (about 18.5 trillion liters) would be provided from the basin, on average, each year.”



“If they were outlining the compact now, they would need to adjust that value due to the impact of warming. Going into the future, we may get some natural variability, wet or dry swings, but this study highlights that there’s been a decreasing trend in runoff. In the long run, that’s likely to continue if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033454">Water Resources Research</a>.



<h2>More about the Colorado River Basin</h2>



The Colorado River Basin is a vast, geographically diverse region in the western United States and northern Mexico. The basin encompasses the drainage areas of the Colorado River and its tributaries. 



Covering approximately 246,000 square miles, it spreads across seven U.S. states (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and California) and two Mexican states (Baja California and Sonora).



<h2>Geography and geology</h2>



Originating from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the river flows over 1,450 miles, descending through a series of plateaus and gorges before emptying into the Gulf of California. 



Notable geological features in the basin include the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, and Hoover Dam. The basin's topography varies, featuring snow-capped peaks, arid desert land, and lush river valleys.



The Colorado River Basin displays a complex geological history, with rock layers revealing hundreds of millions of years of Earth's evolution. Sedimentary rocks dominate the landscape, bearing testament to past periods of marine, lacustrine, and terrestrial deposition.



<h3>Climate in the Colorado River Basin</h3>



The climate in the Colorado River Basin ranges from cold alpine conditions in the headwaters to arid desert in the lower reaches. 



The upper basin, particularly in the Rocky Mountains, heavily concentrates precipitation, largely in the form of snow. This causes significant seasonal flow variation, with peak river flows occurring during spring and early summer due to snowmelt.



<h3>Flora and fauna</h3>



The Colorado River Basin supports diverse ecosystems and a variety of wildlife. High mountain areas feature coniferous forests, while desert regions host species adapted to arid conditions, such as cacti and yucca. 



The river itself and its riparian zones provide habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic species. These include numerous types of fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals.



<h3>Human use and impact</h3>



Human activities profoundly affect the Colorado River Basin. It supplies water to approximately 40 million people and irrigates 5.5 million acres of land. Major cities, including Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, rely on the Colorado River for their water supply.



Numerous dams and reservoirs heavily manage the basin's water, providing hydroelectric power, water storage, and flood control. The construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s formed Lake Mead, the largest of these reservoirs.



Water demands in the basin often exceed supply, leading to overallocation and environmental stress. The river frequently runs dry before reaching its delta, resulting in the loss of wetlands and riparian habitats. Climate change is exacerbating these issues, with reduced snowpack and increased evaporation diminishing water availability.



In summary, the Colorado River Basin is an integral component of the western United States and northern Mexico. It provides crucial water resources for humans and a diverse array of habitats for wildlife. Its geography and geology are incredibly varied, offering a snapshot into the planet's geological past. 



Despite its importance, the basin faces significant challenges due to climate change and human overuse. It has become crucial that scientists initiate sustainable management strategies to safeguard its future.



—-



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



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Colorado River Basin has lost enough water to fill Lake Mead

The&nbsp;Colorado River Basin – the area drained by the Colorado...

As urban habitats continue to expand, a new study suggests that these human-influenced landscapes may serve as an unexpected sanctuary for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-many-invasive-plant-species-are-in-the-world/">invasive species</a>. The research, led by Dr. Monica Mowery and her team at <a href="https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/Pages/default.aspx">Ben-Gurion University of the Negev</a>, has found that invasive brown widow spiders flourish in the urban environment, largely thanks to a lack of predators and a significant decrease in parasitism.



Published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-023-05378-x">Oecologia</a>, the study sheds light on the intriguing behavior of the brown widow spider, or Latrodectus geometricus, a species that is increasingly making its presence felt in warm urban climates across the globe.&nbsp;



"Our results suggest that habitat plays a key role in changing interactions with predators and parasites, and in particular that urban species may benefit from a lower abundance of predators in their habitat,” explained Dr. Mowery.



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



To understand the variations in host and parasitoid densities, the researchers embarked on a year-long investigation in the Negev desert, comparing the egg sac parasitism of the urban invasive brown widow spider with the desert-dwelling white widow spider, or L. pallidus.&nbsp;



The researchers discovered that brown widow spider populations thrived at remarkably high densities in urban environments - with web distances as close as 10 centimeters apart - while experiencing astoundingly low rates of parasitism from their common foe, a parasitoid wasp that specifically targets spider egg sacs.



By contrast, the white widow spiders, despite populating dense communities in the Negev Desert, were heavily infested with parasites. The stark differences observed in parasitism rates suggest that urban environments provide a protective shield of sorts to the invasive spiders.



<h2 id="h-bold-field-experiment">Bold field experiment&nbsp;</h2>



To investigate further into the effects of habitat on these species, the researchers initiated a field experiment, transplanting spider webs containing egg sacs from both species between urban and natural desert habitats.&nbsp;



The outcomes were fascinating: not only did the egg sacs in the natural habitats experience higher parasitism, but predation on the white widow spider egg sacs was also significantly more pronounced in the desert ecosystem, possibly due to birds, other spiders, or ants.&nbsp;



Intriguingly, none of the invasive brown widow's egg sacs in the transplant experiment fell prey to any predators, indicating that local desert predators may not recognize this newcomer as a viable food source.



<h2 id="h-advantages-in-urban-habitats">Advantages in urban habitats&nbsp;</h2>



This study raises crucial questions about the advantages invasive species gain when they colonize urban, fragmented habitats. These environments seemingly offer a suite of benefits, including reduced predator presence, which could contribute to invasive species thriving and persisting in unfamiliar territories.



Dr. Mowery's research was a collaborative effort, involving researchers Valeria Arabesky, Tamir Rozenberg, Prof. Yael Lubin, and Dr. Michal Segoli from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The study was supported by a Zuckerman STEM Postdoctoral fellowship granted to Dr. Monica Mowery.



This research demonstrates the critical role that urbanization plays in shaping biological interactions. It also highlights the urgent need for continued research on the impacts of urban environments on our natural world.



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-brown-widow-spider">More about the brown widow spider</h2>



The brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) is a venomous spider species belonging to the widow family (Theridiidae). It is closely related to the more well-known black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) and is found in various parts of the world, including the southern United States, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of Asia.



<h3 id="h-key-characteristics">Key characteristics</h3>



<h4 id="h-appearance">Appearance</h4>



The brown widow spider is typically light to medium brown in color, with an orange or yellow hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of the abdomen. This hourglass marking is a characteristic feature shared with other widow spiders, although the coloration may vary.



<h4 id="h-web-structure">Web structure</h4>



Brown widow spiders create tangled, irregular, and messy webs, which are often built in sheltered areas like under rocks, eaves, outdoor furniture, and other human-made structures.



<h4 id="h-venom">Venom</h4>



Like other widow spiders, the brown widow possesses venom that is neurotoxic to its prey. While its venom is not as potent as that of the black widow, it can still cause painful reactions in humans. However, bites from brown widow spiders are rarely serious and usually only cause mild to moderate symptoms such as pain, redness, and swelling around the bite area.



<h4 id="h-behavior">Behavior</h4>



Brown widow spiders are generally shy and non-aggressive towards humans. They will usually only bite if they feel threatened or disturbed. The majority of bites occur when people accidentally come into contact with the spider, such as reaching into a dark space where the spider has constructed its web.



<h4 id="h-reproduction">Reproduction</h4>



Female brown widow spiders are larger than males. After mating, the female produces egg sacs that contain hundreds of eggs. The egg sacs are typically white to tan and are suspended within the web. The female guards the eggs until they hatch.



—-



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Invasive brown widow spiders thrive in city landscapes

As urban habitats continue to expand, a new study suggests...

In the tropical depths of the Andean region, a secretive community of plants which has been lost to science for over a century has been rediscovered.&nbsp;



This remarkable discovery is credited to an international collaboration between botanists from Germany, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, and a dedicated network of citizen scientists. The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.100082">PhytoKeys</a>.



<h2 id="h-blazing-stars">Blazing stars</h2>



The once elusive tropical plants belong to the genus Nasa, part of the Blazing Star family (Loasaceae). These flora have long posed challenges to the scientific community due to their delicate yet stinging leaves, which make them challenging to collect.&nbsp;



Furthermore, their fleeting seasonal appearances, coupled with their highly endemic nature, have largely kept them out of herbarium collections.



However, modern scientists are no longer solely dependent on traditional collections for plant specimens and knowledge.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-inaturalist">iNaturalist</h2>



The evolution of global networking and the widespread usage of free data repositories has led to a proliferation of easily accessible biodiversity data. This wealth of information includes geo-referenced occurrence records and photographic evidence.&nbsp;



A key resource in this new age of botanical discovery is the citizen science platform <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a>. This platform allows users to post photographic occurrence records, significantly aiding biodiversity scientists in the rediscovery of these tropical plants.



<h2 id="h-nasa-colanii">Nasa colanii&nbsp;</h2>



One such plant, Nasa colanii, was only recorded once prior to this study, in 1978. A breakthrough came in 2019 when the research team found a photograph of the plant.&nbsp;



Nasa colanii grows in the cloud <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephants-are-forest-gardeners-that-help-reduce-global-warming/">forest</a> in the buffer zone of Peru’s Cordillera de Colán National Sanctuary, a region located at an elevation of 2,605 meters, which likely explains its historical scarcity in botanical records.



<h2 id="h-nasa-ferox">Nasa ferox</h2>



An even more astonishing find was the rediscovery of a species, Nasa ferox, which had not been reported for an estimated 130 years until 2022. This reemergence came to light when iNaturalist users posted photographs confirming its existence.&nbsp;



Despite having been known for centuries, N. ferox only received its official scientific description in 2000. Experts were particularly surprised by its long absence given the park's location near the city of Cuenca in Ecuador, and its proximity to the well-traveled road 582.



“Given the location of the park close to the (Ecuadorian) city of Cuenca, and the fact that the important road 582 goes through the park makes it particularly surprising that the species has not been reported in such a long time, even more so if we consider the numerous botanical expeditions that have been carried out in the general region," wrote the researchers.&nbsp;



Moreover, only a small population of about ten fertile plants of N. ferox has been found, which were nestled in sheltered locations like rock crevices or at the base of shrubs. This observation underscores the elusive nature of these tropical plants and the intricacies involved in their discovery and study.



<h2 id="h-remarkable-species">Remarkable species&nbsp;</h2>



A major victory in the botanical world came with the rediscovery of Nasa humboldtiana subspecies humboldtiana, a variant that had been missing for a staggering 162 years. The research team finally located a specimen in a preserved fragment of montane Andean forest in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuador.



But the biggest excitement stems from the discovery of species once believed to be extinct in the wild. Two Nasa species, N. hastata and N. solaria, both hailing from the Peruvian Department of Lima, were thought to be extinct.&nbsp;



Past attempts to recollect these tropical plants near their original localities, where they were found about a century ago, were unsuccessful. It was only through the assistance of iNaturalist that these species were rediscovered and confirmed to be present in their respective regions.



<h2 id="h-more-exciting-discoveries">More exciting discoveries&nbsp;</h2>



One such example is Nasa hastata, which was rediscovered when photos of living plants were posted on iNaturalist by the sister of one of the authors.&nbsp;



Further investigations revealed a handful of plants found at two sites, about seven kilometers apart. Similarly, a few dozen plants of N. solaria were found in four small populations in remnants of forest that once spanned larger areas in this region.



Moreover, information submitted to iNaturalist unearthed crucial details about another species, Nasa ramirezii, providing the first photographs of living plants from Ecuador and pinpointing their exact location.



“All these discoveries serve as a reminder that even well-studied regions harbor diversity that can so easily remain overlooked and unexplored, and point to the role of botanists in documenting biodiversity which is an essential prerequisite for any conservation effort," said Tilo Henning, the lead author from the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF).



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study</h2>



The researchers further emphasized the potential of these collaborative efforts in their study, stating: “Hopefully, as more scientists and members of the public contribute to the database, and more professionals get involved in the curation, more undescribed or ‘long lost’ taxa will be found. Our examples of the rediscovery of Nasa ferox after 130 years and Nasa hastata after 100 years, both ‘found’ on iNaturalist underscore this point.”



In conclusion, the collaborative efforts of international botanists and citizen scientists, aided by the power of digital platforms like iNaturalist, have breathed new life into the study of long-lost plants, revealing an unexplored realm of botanical diversity. This revolutionary approach underlines the significant potential of global networks and community science in biodiversity conservation.



Image: Flower of Nasa humboldtiana subspecies humboldtiana



Image Credit: X. Cornejo



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Lost tropical plants rediscovered after more than 100 years

In the tropical depths of the Andean region, a secretive...

A prediction from scientists at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> presents a somewhat paradoxical outcome of our continued reliance on greenhouse gas-emitting energy sources. The experts warn that critical ocean currents - which carry heat, cold, and precipitation between the tropics and the far reaches of the Atlantic region - may come to a grinding halt around 2060 if greenhouse gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epa-plans-to-eliminate-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-power-plants-by-2040/">emissions</a> continue at the current rate. 



This latest calculation contradicts earlier reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).



<h2 id="h-atlantic-ocean-current-system">Atlantic ocean current system</h2>



As Europe braces for the impacts of climate change, one might envision its future to be scorching. However, this recent study from researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute and the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen paints a different picture.&nbsp;



The experts forecast that the Thermohaline Circulation, or the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the ocean current system that regulates the distribution of heat and cold between the North Atlantic region and the tropics, will cease to function entirely if the rate of greenhouse gas emissions remains unchanged.



<h2 id="h-shutting-down-the-amoc">Shutting down the AMOC</h2>



By leveraging sophisticated statistical tools and analyzing ocean temperature data spanning the last century and a half, the researchers determined that, with a 95 percent certainty, the AMOC will collapse sometime between 2025 and 2095.&nbsp;



The most likely time frame for this dramatic event is 34 years from now, in 2057, an event that will pose substantial challenges, from amplified warming in the tropics to a surge in storminess in the North Atlantic region.



"Shutting down the AMOC can have very serious consequences for Earth's climate, for example, by changing how heat and precipitation are distributed globally," said Professor Peter Ditlevsen from the Niels Bohr Institute.



"While a cooling of Europe may seem less severe as the globe as a whole becomes warmer and heat waves occur more frequently, this shutdown will contribute to an increased warming of the tropics, where rising temperatures have already given rise to challenging living conditions."



"Our result underscores the importance of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible."



<h2 id="h-ipcc-report-findings">IPCC report findings</h2>



These calculations, recently published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39810-w">Nature Communications</a>, throw into question the conclusions of the latest IPCC report, which deemed a sudden change in the thermohaline circulation unlikely within this century based on climate model simulations.



The researchers derived their predictions from early warning signals exhibited by ocean currents as they begin to destabilize. The appearance of these Early Warning Signals for the Thermohaline Circulation has been reported before. However, it is the recent advancements in statistical methods that have finally made it possible to predict the precise timing of a potential collapse.



Focusing on sea surface temperatures in a particular region of the North Atlantic from 1870 to the present day, the researchers determined these temperatures to be "fingerprints" of the AMOC's strength, which has been directly measured only in the past 15 years.



<h2 id="h-collapse-of-the-thermohaline-circulation">Collapse of the Thermohaline Circulation</h2>



"Using new and improved statistical tools, we’ve made calculations that provide a more robust estimate of when a collapse of the Thermohaline Circulation is most likely to occur, something we had not been able to do before," explained Professor Susanne Ditlevsen of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.



The thermohaline circulation has remained in its current mode since the last ice age, during which it had collapsed. This collapse, known as Dansgaard-Oeschger events, observed in ice cores from the Greenlandic ice sheet, has occurred 25 times in association with ice age climates.&nbsp;



These events were accompanied by extreme climate changes, with temperatures shifting 10-15 degrees within a decade. In contrast, climate change today is characterized by a 1.5 degree warming over a century. With the threat of another such collapse, the urgency to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions becomes all the more critical.



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Climate paradox: Ocean current collapse could plunge Europe into cold

A prediction from scientists at the University of Copenhagen presents...

Combined SPHERE and ALMA image of material orbiting V960 Mon

Scientists have shared a breathtaking image that offers new insights into the mysterious processes of planet birth. The image, obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO), hints at the formation of giant planets similar in scale to Jupiter.&nbsp;



The teams employed the use of two monumental instruments, ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), to observe large, dusty clumps on the verge of collapse near a young star - a precursor to the birth of a planet.



<h2 id="h-captivating-discovery">Captivating discovery&nbsp;</h2>



"This discovery is truly captivating as it marks the very first detection of clumps around a young star that have the potential to give rise to giant planets,” said Alice Zurlo, a researcher at Chile's Universidad Diego Portales. The discovery signifies a major advance in our understanding of the origin of heavenly bodies.



Researchers have been analyzing an enthralling image captured by the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE) instrument installed on ESO's VLT. The image reveals intricate details of material in the vicinity of a young star, V960 Mon, which is situated over 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-dramatic-outburst">Dramatic outburst&nbsp;</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-stars-scientists-discover-a-new-type-of-star-powered-by-dark-matter/">star</a> garnered significant scientific interest when its brightness suddenly surged more than twenty-fold in 2014. Subsequent SPHERE observations, taken after this dramatic "outburst,"&nbsp; unveiled the material orbiting V960 Mon as it began to assemble into an elaborate series of spiral arms that span distances greater than our entire Solar System.



This remarkable discovery prompted astronomers to revisit archived observations of the same system, captured by ALMA. The VLT observations delved into the surface of the dusty material around the star, while ALMA could probe deeper into its structure.&nbsp;



“With ALMA, it became apparent that the spiral arms are undergoing fragmentation, resulting in the formation of clumps with masses akin to those of planets,” Zurlo explained.



<h2 id="h-planet-birth">Planet birth</h2>



Planet formation has long been thought to occur through one of two processes: "core accretion," which involves the agglomeration of dust grains, or "gravitational instability," which involves the contraction and collapse of large fragments of star-bound material. Although prior research has provided evidence for core accretion, observational support for gravitational instability has been much rarer.



Yet, this seems to be changing. “No one had ever seen a real observation of gravitational instability happening at planetary scales - until now,” said study leader Philipp Weber, a researcher at the University of Santiago, Chile.&nbsp;



"Our group has been searching for signs of how planets form for over ten years, and we couldn't be more thrilled about this incredible discovery," said study co-author Sebastián Pérez.



This investigation, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ace186">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>, is just the beginning. ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in Chile's Atacama Desert, will facilitate the exploration of this newly discovered planetary system in unprecedented detail.&nbsp;



“The ELT will enable the exploration of the chemical complexity surrounding these clumps, helping us find out more about the composition of the material from which potential planets are forming,” said Weber.



<h2 id="h-more-about-planet-formation">More about planet formation</h2>



The process of planet formation, also known as planetary accretion, is a complex one that happens over millions to billions of years. Here is a simplified explanation of the process:



<h3 id="h-nebula">Nebula</h3>



Everything starts with a nebula, which is a massive cloud of dust and gas. The nebula could be the remnants of a dead star or it could just be a dense area in space where the dust and gas are naturally accumulating.



<h3 id="h-protostar">Protostar</h3>



The nebula collapses under its own gravity, causing the material to start spinning and form a disc. In the center of this disc, a protostar is formed, which will eventually become a star.



<h3 id="h-protoplanetary-disk">Protoplanetary disk</h3>



Around the protostar, the rest of the material forms a flat, spinning disk known as a protoplanetary disk. The materials in this disk include tiny, solid particles of dust and rock that collide and stick together.



<h3 id="h-planetesimals">Planetesimals</h3>



As these particles continue to collide and stick together, they form larger and larger bodies. When they reach about a kilometer in size, their gravitational pull becomes strong enough to draw in more material. These kilometer-sized objects are known as planetesimals.



<h3 id="h-protoplanets">Protoplanets</h3>



As planetesimals continue to collide and merge, they eventually form protoplanets. Protoplanets are basically baby planets – they're large enough to have a strong gravitational pull, but they're still growing.



<h3 id="h-planets">Planets</h3>



Over millions to billions of years, protoplanets continue to collide and merge until they form full-fledged planets. Some planets, like Earth, also undergo additional processes like core formation and atmospheric development.



Please note that this is a simplified explanation and there's still a lot that scientists don't know about planet formation. For example, the exact process through which small particles of dust and rock stick together to form larger bodies is still a topic of active research.&nbsp;



Image Credit: ESO/ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Weber et al.



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Stunning revelation: New image sheds light on the birth of giant planets

Scientists have shared a breathtaking image that offers new insights...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-are-higher-than-previously-estimated/">Methane</a> is a highly potent greenhouse gas - with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 83 times higher than carbon dioxide over two decades and 30 times higher over a century – accounting for nearly a third of modern warming. Atmospheric methane concentrations are increasing at an alarming rate, currently being almost 2.6 times higher than in pre-industrial times.&nbsp;



Anthropogenic methane emissions are the leading cause of this overall rise, while natural sources make a substantial contribution as well.&nbsp;



According to a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2303974120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS), changes in atmospheric chemistry resulting from emissions of different gases also play a significant part in the global methane budget.



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The experts investigated a mechanism whereby blowing mineral dust combines with sea-spray to form Mineral Dust-Sea Spray Aerosol (MDSA), which is activated by sunlight to produce an abundance of chlorine atoms that oxidize atmospheric methane and tropospheric ozone through photocatalysis. 



MDSA appears to be largely composed of blowing dust from the Sahara Desert mixed with sea salt aerosol from the ocean, and is the leading source of atmospheric chlorine over the North Atlantic.



The researchers combined global modeling with laboratory and field observations, including air samples from Barbados highlighting seasonal depletion of the stable isotope&nbsp;13CO - an anomaly that puzzled scientists worldwide for over two decades.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



Although it was known that changes in&nbsp;13CO and C18O were caused by chlorine atoms reacting with methane, and that carbon monoxide is the first stable product in atmospheric methane oxidation, the known sources of atmospheric chlorine could not account for the observed degree of depletion in&nbsp;13CO.&nbsp;



In the current study, by using a global 3-D chemistry-climate model (CAM-Chem), the experts discovered that, when increased chlorine from the MDSA mechanism was incorporated, it could explain the Barbados data and the&nbsp;13CO depletion.



According to the scientists, if the MDSA from the North Atlantic is extrapolated globally, and its efficiency is similar in other regions – two aspects which are not yet well understood and require further research – global atmospheric chlorine concentrations are likely to be 40 percent higher than previously thought.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-natural-methane-emissions">Natural methane emissions&nbsp;</h2>



Factoring this into global methane estimations could change our understanding of the relative proportions of methane sources, suggesting possible increases in emissions from biological sources such as agriculture and wetlands.



“Methane emissions from biological sources such as wetlands and agriculture may be growing as global temperatures rise,”&nbsp;said lead author Maarten van Herpen, a managing director at the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/acacia-impact-innovation-bv">Acacia Impact Innovation BV</a>. 



“But recent increases in dust from North Africa have probably increased methane oxidation in the atmosphere, partly masking the growth in biological methane emissions. Adjusting atmospheric modeling to take this into account may show that methane emissions from biological sources are rising even faster than we thought.”



<h2 id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed&nbsp;</h2>



“When these findings are incorporated into methane budgets it is likely to increase our assessment of how much methane comes from biological sources,” added co-author Matthew Johnson, an atmospheric chemistry scientist at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>.&nbsp;



“While methane oxidation from MDSA is relatively small in terms of global methane, our data shows it is causing large changes in the abundance of&nbsp;13C in methane, which is used to determine source contributions.&nbsp;The past few years have seen atmospheric methane increase at an alarming rate, more than ever before, and it is important to understand the cause. Models need to take the revised chlorine isotope shift into account to get a clear picture of the increase in biological methane, which has been identified as a critical tipping point.”



Further research is needed to clarify how the MDSA mechanism operates in the North Atlantic as well as in other parts of the world. “Our current research is focused on getting a better understanding of what exactly influences how much methane MDSA particles are removing from the atmosphere." 



"To do that, we are analyzing air samples from across the North Atlantic, provided by atmospheric observatories and commercial ships. Seafarers are helping advance our research by filling flasks with air as they cross through the African dust cloud. We have collected 500 flasks so far. Early results are looking very encouraging, but we need a full year of data before we can draw conclusions,” van Herpen explained.



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



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African dust and sea spray may help tackle atmospheric methane

Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas - with a...

In an era where snacking has become an ingrained part of our daily routine, one question continues to generate heated debate amongst health professionals and the public alike: is snacking bad for your health? The answer, it seems, hinges on not only the types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-friendly-foods-can-reduce-your-risk-of-mortality-by-25-percent/">foods</a> we reach for, but also the timing of our snack breaks.&nbsp;



Recent studies suggest that more than 70% of people snack at least twice a day, transforming the perception of snacking from a dietary taboo to a widespread eating pattern.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-snack-quality-and-timing">Snack quality and timing</h2>



A new study from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King's College London</a> involving over 1,000 participants has investigated the potential health impacts of snacking. For the researchers, the goal was to scrutinize the extent to which snack quality and timing could influence health outcomes.



Dr. Kate Bermingham, a postdoctoral fellow at King's College London and the lead researcher in this study, clarified the team's findings: “Our study showed that the quality of snacking is more important than the quantity or frequency of snacking, thus choosing high quality snacks over highly processed snacks is likely beneficial. Timing is also important, with late night snacking being unfavorable for health.”



The findings of the study were unveiled at <a href="https://nutrition.org/n23/">NUTRITION 2023</a>, the flagship annual meeting of the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a>.



<h2 id="h-zoe-predict-project">ZOE PREDICT project</h2>



The study is embedded in the ZOE PREDICT project, an initiative that coordinates multiple extensive, comprehensive nutritional research studies. This project's primary objective is to shed light on the nuances of how and why individuals respond differently to the same foods.



Bermingham noted the scarcity of research on snacking, despite its significant contribution to our daily energy intake, typically accounting for 20-25%.&nbsp;



“PREDICT followed a large number of people and captured detailed information on their snacking behaviors, allowing this in-depth exploration of snacking on health," said Bermingham.



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



To map out the intricate connection between snack patterns and health indicators, the researchers used data from over 1,000 UK participants involved in the ZOE PREDICT 1 study. 



They focused primarily on the correlation between snacking quantity, quality, and timing with blood fats and insulin levels - key indicators of cardiometabolic health.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



The comprehensive analysis indicated that snacks rich in nutrients relative to their caloric value - what the researchers referred to as higher-quality foods - were correlated with more favorable blood fat and insulin responses.&nbsp;



On the other hand, late-night snacking, which extends the daily eating window and curtails the overnight fasting period, was associated with less favorable blood glucose and lipid levels. Interestingly, there was no discernible connection between snack frequency, calorie intake, food quantity, and any of the analyzed health measures.



Bermingham highlighted a significant finding that could pave the way for future dietary interventions: "We observed only weak relationships between snack quality and the remainder of the diet, which highlights snacking as an independent modifiable dietary feature that could be targeted to improve health."&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-healthy-snacking-ideas">Healthy snacking ideas</h2>



Snacking can play an important role in a healthy diet, as long as you choose nutrient-rich foods and keep an eye on portion sizes.&nbsp;



Snacks can prevent overeating at meal times and throughout the day, provide additional nutrients, and keep your energy levels consistent. Here are some healthy suggestions:



<h3 id="h-fruit-and-yogurt">Fruit and yogurt</h3>



Fresh fruits are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Pairing them with a protein-rich yogurt can make you feel fuller for longer.



<h3 id="h-nuts-and-seeds">Nuts and seeds</h3>



They are excellent sources of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds are some great options. Be careful with portion sizes, as these foods are high in calories.



<h3 id="h-vegetable-sticks-with-hummus">Vegetable sticks with hummus</h3>



Vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, and celery are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Hummus, made from chickpeas, provides protein and healthy fats.



<h3 id="h-whole-grain-toast-with-avocado">Whole grain toast with avocado</h3>



Avocado is high in monounsaturated fats, fiber, and various important nutrients. Whole grain bread contains complex carbohydrates that provide you with steady energy.



<h3 id="h-boiled-eggs">Boiled eggs</h3>



Eggs are an excellent source of protein and also contain many important nutrients, including vitamin B12 and choline.



<h3 id="h-smoothies">Smoothies</h3>



Homemade smoothies can be a nutrition powerhouse, combining fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and other nutritious ingredients. Avoid adding too much sugar.



<h3 id="h-air-popped-popcorn">Air-popped popcorn</h3>



This is a whole grain food that's high in fiber and low in calories, provided you don't overload it with butter or other high-calorie toppings.



<h3 id="h-dark-chocolate">Dark chocolate</h3>



Choose a chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. It's high in antioxidants and can satisfy a sweet craving in a healthier way.



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Smart snacking: Quality and timing make all the difference

In an era where snacking has become an ingrained part...

Rabbit,Fish,(chimaera,Monstrosa),In,Trondheimfjord

A team of intrepid researchers from the University of Florida and the Seattle Aquarium are poised to embark on a unique expedition this summer. Plunging a hundred meters beneath the surface of the Pacific Northwest's waters, they aim to unravel the enigmas surrounding a denizen of the deep - the elusive ghost shark, also known as chimaeras.



The scientists, utilizing remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), will be hunting for the nesting grounds of a specific variety of ghost shark known as the Pacific spotted ratfish, or Hydrolagus colliei. Often found haunting the ocean floor, these spectral creatures have a mystique that has intrigued scientists for years.



Gareth Fraser, an assistant professor of biology at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida</a>, is leading this daring expedition. 



“We know very little about these elusive relatives of sharks and even less about their spawning habits and embryonic development,” Fraser said. He added that the goal of this mission is to use ROVs to discover where these ghostly sharks lay their eggs.



Ghost sharks, or chimaeras as they are formally called, have been separated from their shark and ray relatives by a chasm of nearly 400 million years of evolution. 



<h2 id="h-what-do-ghost-sharks-look-like">What do ghost sharks look like?</h2>



This mysterious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/leopard-seals-feed-on-sharks-in-new-zealand/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">group of fish</a>, often relegated to the ocean's murky depths, remain one of the most understudied and enigmatic creatures. However, during the summer months, these chimaeras often frequent the more shallow waters of the Salish Sea along Washington's coast to breed and feed.



Understanding the developmental processes of the ghost sharks could help unravel the secrets of their unique biological characteristics, or morphologies. Ghost sharks are known for their large, round, rabbit-like eyes that help them navigate in the dark. They also possess ever-growing tooth plates, much like a rodent, earning them the nickname ratfish. 



Interestingly, while shark skin is covered in teeth, ghost sharks have smooth skin. Male chimaeras boast a peculiar bulb on their forehead. This is called a tenaculum, which sprouts spiky teeth that resemble those of a shark.



Fraser elucidated, “We think they use this head clasper like a second ‘jaw’ on their head to bite down and attach to the female during copulation. Ghost sharks are a very strange group of shark relatives whose biology makes them a bit other-worldly. When we get a chance to find these obscure fish where they feed and breed, we have to go for it.”



<h2>Studying these creatures is no easy task</h2>



Despite recent success in locating adult chimaeras through deep-water trawling projects, the study of mature fish has offered limited insights into their developmental processes. The upcoming exploration for ghost shark nesting areas this summer is groundbreaking - a first-of-its-kind for this species.



“Last year, we found different stages of the fish, from newly hatched babies to fully mature adults. This year, we’re going back to find their nursery grounds,” said Fraser.



The expedition was funded through a National Science Foundation grant and Fraser's UF start-up grant. The scientists also aim to unearth clues about the origins of teeth. This knowledge could potentially unlock valuable insights for regenerative dental research in humans.



Setting out from Seattle on June 11, the team commenced their four-day expedition from a pier. The researchers piloted the ROV, essentially an underwater drone, about 10 meters deep. From there, they scoured the ocean floor for ghost shark nesting sites. 



The drone, laden with cameras offering 360-degree views, will send back images to construct a virtual reality depiction of the ocean's depths. This will offer scientists an immersive view of the ghost shark's environment.



Fraser said, “This will take us to the waters off Washington state, so that we can swim with these ghost sharks virtually and get an up-close, panoramic view of their environment.”



For Karly Cohen, a UF biology postdoctoral fellow in the Fraser Lab, who originally identified the potential ghost shark nursing sites, this project is a golden opportunity to bolster conservation efforts. 



Cohen remarked, “It’s important to learn about these understudied deep-water fish and their reproductive strategies. Ultimately, we want to protect this really charismatic species.”



<h2>More about chimaeras</h2>



Chimaeras, also known as ghost sharks, ratfish, or rabbit fish, are a unique group of fish belonging to the subclass Holocephali. They share the class Chondrichthyes with sharks and rays. This article offers a detailed examination of their unique characteristics, habitat, reproduction, and scientific significance.



The name "chimaera" originates from Greek mythology, referring to a creature composed of parts from various animals. The diverse physical attributes of chimaeras reflect this mythical association. They exhibit traits akin to several distinct animals. 



For instance, their large, rabbit-like eyes, rodent-esque incisor teeth, and smooth, scaleless skin distinguish them from other marine species.



Chimaeras have several characteristics distinguishing them from their shark and ray relatives. Among these, they possess a permanent notochord, a feature present in the earliest vertebrates. Male chimaeras also display a distinctive adaptation for reproduction: retractable sexual organs on their foreheads.



<h3>Habitat and diet</h3>



Chimaeras frequent temperate ocean floors, descending to depths of up to 2,600 meters. Few species venture into shallower depths below 200 meters. 



The expansive, flat heads of most species facilitate the scanning of the seafloor for food. Their diet mainly consists of small benthic invertebrates.



<h3>Physical characteristics</h3>



Chimaeras are characterized by an elongated body shape, with a bulky head and a slender, whip-like tail. Some species bear a venomous spine preceding the dorsal fin. 



Their large pectoral fins resemble wings. Some species employ these in a bird-like manner for swimming, appearing to "fly" through the water.



<h3>Reproduction</h3>



Chimaeras are oviparous, or egg-laying creatures. Some chimaeras produce eggs encased in a leathery shell, often with extended filamentous tendrils. 



The males display unique mating behavior. They utilize a pair of claspers (modified pelvic fins) for the transfer of sperm to the female during copulation.



<h3>Evolution and relation to sharks and rays</h3>



While grouped with sharks and rays under the class Chondrichthyes, chimaeras diverged from these relatives approximately 400 million years ago. 



Similar to sharks and rays, chimaeras have skeletons composed of cartilage instead of bone.



<h3>Scientific significance</h3>



Chimaeras remain relatively understudied due to their deep-sea habitats, despite their unique traits and evolutionary history. As a subject of scientific interest, they offer fascinating insights into marine life's diversity and development. 



Their specialized characteristics, from their mating behavior to their cartilaginous skeletal structure, provide valuable opportunities for further exploration and research.



<h3>Conservation</h3>



As of 2021, conservation efforts primarily focus on expanding our understanding of these elusive creatures. The deep-water habitats of chimaeras render them relatively inaccessible. 



This fact complicates scientific efforts to study their life cycles, population dynamics, and vulnerability to human activities such as deep-sea fishing. Conservation strategies will benefit from comprehensive research, enhancing our ability to protect these intriguing species.



In summary, chimaeras, with their enigmatic lifestyle and unique biological attributes, represent an exciting frontier for marine biology and evolutionary study. Although we have much to learn about these ghostly denizens of the deep, their existing data opens up a window into the vast diversity of life present within the world's oceans.

Ghost sharks – unraveling the mysteries of these strange and elusive sea monsters

A team of intrepid researchers from the University of Florida...

In a significant scientific breakthrough, the James Webb Space Telescope has detected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-water-is-the-key-to-a-long-and-healthy-life/">water</a> vapor in the rocky planet-forming zone of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PDS_70_artist_concept_NASA_1big-scaled.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PDS 70 star system</a>. 



PDS 70 is an intriguing astronomical system that is situated approximately 370 light-years away. The fascinating aspect of this discovery is that it marks the first time that water has been detected in the terrestrial region of a disc, particularly one that is already recognized to host two or more protoplanets.



<h2 id="h-search-for-extraterrestrial-life-on-water-planets">Search for extraterrestrial life&nbsp;on water planets</h2>



The quest for life outside of our planet is intrinsically linked to the search for water, the very element essential to life as we understand it. But how water actually arrived on Earth and whether the same processes could seed rocky exoplanets in distant star systems has been a topic of ongoing scientific debate. 



The recent findings from the PDS 70 system may provide some compelling insights in this regard. This particular system comprises an inner disc and an outer disc, separated by a considerable gap of eight billion kilometers. Nestled within this gap are two known gas-giant planets.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-how-the-discovery-was-made">How the discovery was made</h2>



The water vapor discovery was made by the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI), a joint venture by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).



The MIRI has been successful in detecting water vapor within the inner disc of the PDS 70 system, at distances less than 160 million kilometers from the star. This area is of immense interest because it is the region where rocky, terrestrial planets like our Earth could potentially be forming.



Giulia Perotti, the lead author from the <a href="https://www.mpia.de/en">Max Planck Institute for Astronomy</a> (MPIA) in Heidelberg, Germany, stated, "We’ve seen water in other discs, but not so close in and in a system where planets are currently assembling. We couldn’t make this type of measurement before Webb." 



Her statement underscores the remarkable capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope and its contributions to our understanding of the universe.



"This discovery is extremely exciting, as it probes the region where rocky planets similar to Earth typically form," said study co-author Thomas Henning, director of MPIA.&nbsp;



Henning also serves as the co-principal investigator of Webb’s MIRI and the principal investigator of the MINDS (MIRI Mid-Infrared Disk Survey) program that captured the data.



<h2 id="h-planet-forming-discs-at-pds-70">Planet-forming discs at PDS 70</h2>



PDS 70 is a K-type star, cooler and younger than our Sun, with an estimated age of about 5.4 million years. The presence of water vapor in such a relatively aged star, especially considering its planet-forming discs, comes as a surprise.



Planet-forming discs are comprised of gas and dust, the contents of which decline over time. This decline can be attributed to the central star's radiation and winds eliminating the material, or the dust evolving into larger bodies that eventually form planets.&nbsp;



In this light, the detection of water vapor in PDS 70 is remarkable since it implies a wet environment that could potentially allow the formation of rocky planets. This contradicts previous theories that suggested stellar radiation might lead to a dry environment in similarly aged discs, unsuitable for the formation of any rocky planets.



The researchers have yet to detect any planets forming within PDS 70's inner disc, but they do see the essential building blocks for rocky worlds: silicates. The presence of water vapor indicates that if rocky planets are forming, they will have water available to them from the very start.&nbsp;



"We find a relatively large amount of small dust grains. Combined with our detection of water vapour, the inner disc is a very exciting place," said study co-author Rens Waters from Radboud University.



<h2 id="h-two-possible-scenarios">Two possible scenarios&nbsp;</h2>



This extraordinary discovery poses further questions: Where did the water come from? The team behind the MINDS program has considered two scenarios.&nbsp;



Water molecules could be forming directly in the place they were detected through the combination of hydrogen and oxygen atoms.&nbsp;



Alternatively, ice-coated dust particles might be migrating from the cool outer disc to the hotter inner disc, where the water ice would sublimate and turn into vapor.



Moreover, how can water survive so close to the star, where the star’s ultraviolet light could theoretically break apart any water molecules? The most probable answer lies in the protection provided by surrounding materials, such as dust and other water molecules, that serve as a shield against destruction.



As a next step, the researchers plan to employ two of Webb’s other instruments, the Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) and the Near-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec), to further study the PDS 70 system and potentially reveal even greater insights.&nbsp;



The research has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.



<h2 id="h-more-about-pds-70-and-its-potential-water-planets">More about PDS 70 and its potential water planets</h2>



PDS 70 is a star system approximately 370 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Centaurus.&nbsp;



The PDS 70 system is particularly noteworthy due to the discovery of two planets in the process of formation, PDS 70b and PDS 70c. 



These potential water planets were discovered in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Their formation is ongoing, providing astronomers with a rare opportunity to study planetary formation processes directly.



PDS 70b is a gas giant approximately 21 times the mass of Jupiter and orbits the star at a distance equivalent to about the distance between Uranus and the Sun in our solar system. PDS 70c, on the other hand, is around 10 times the mass of Jupiter and orbits at a greater distance from the star.



Also, it is noteworthy that PDS 70c was the first exoplanet directly observed to have a circumplanetary disc - a structure of dust and gas surrounding the planet, which is thought to be material left over from the planet's formation. These discs are believed to be sites where moons can form.



<h2 id="h-more-about-gas-giants">More about gas giants</h2>



Gas giants, also known as Jovian planets, are a type of planet that is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. The name "gas giant" was synonymous with "giant planet" until the latter term was clearly defined as a large planet that directly formed from the collapse of a molecular cloud (like a star) rather than through core accretion (like a terrestrial planet). This broad definition encompasses both traditional "gas giants" like Jupiter and Saturn and "ice giants" like Uranus and Neptune.



<h3 id="h-defining-characteristics">Defining characteristics</h3>



<h4 id="h-size-and-mass">Size and mass</h4>



Gas giants are much larger and more massive than terrestrial planets. For example, Jupiter, the largest gas giant in our solar system, has a diameter more than 11 times that of Earth, and its mass is over 300 times greater.



<h4 id="h-composition">Composition</h4>



Gas giants are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, similar to the Sun. They may also contain heavier volatile substances, often called "ices." For instance, in the cases of Uranus and Neptune, the term "ice giants" has been used to denote their different internal structure, which is thought to include a higher proportion of heavier volatile substances like water, ammonia, and methane.



<h4 id="h-atmosphere">Atmosphere</h4>



Gas giants have thick atmospheres, extending many thousands of kilometers above their surfaces. These atmospheres are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of other gases that lend the planets their distinctive colors.



<h4 id="h-rings-and-moons">Rings and moons</h4>



All gas giants in our solar system have ring systems, although Saturn's are the most prominent. They also have numerous moons.



<h4 id="h-lack-of-solid-surface">Lack of solid surface</h4>



Unlike terrestrial planets, gas giants do not have a solid surface. The outer gaseous layer transitions gradually into the internal layers as pressure and temperature increase.



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Water detected where giant planets like Earth may be forming

In a significant scientific breakthrough, the James Webb Space Telescope...

A team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.sbpdiscovery.org/">Sanford Burnham Prebys</a> and the&nbsp;<a href="https://oici.jp/center/">Osaka International Cancer Institute</a> has recently found that mannose - a type of sugar known to be lethal to honeybees - inhibits the growth of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-may-be-a-highly-effective-treatment-for-cancer-patients/">cancer</a> cells in humans and could thus potentially be used as a secondary treatment against cancer.



“This sugar could give cancer an extra punch alongside other treatments,” said study co-author&nbsp;Hudson Freeze, the director of the Human Genetics Program at Sanford. “And because mannose is found throughout the body naturally, it could improve cancer treatment without any undesirable side effects.”



<h2 id="h-anti-cancer-properties">Anti-cancer properties&nbsp;</h2>



Mannose is a type of sugar that the organism adds to proteins to stabilize their structure and help them efficiently interact with other molecules, in a process called glycosylation. Although scientists have long known that the malfunctioning of this process could lead to rare, life-threatening diseases, the anti-cancer properties of mannose have not yet been explored.



“Until now, the most promising therapeutic use for mannose was to treat congenital disorders of glycosylation, diseases that can cause a wide range of severe symptoms throughout the body,” Freeze said. “But we believe that there may be ways to leverage mannose against cancer and other diseases as well.”



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



To better understand the anti-cancer properties of mannose, the scientists turned their attention to a surprising effect this type of sugar has on honeybees.&nbsp;



“It’s been known for more than a century that mannose is lethal to honeybees because they can’t process it like humans do - it’s known as ‘honeybee syndrome.’ We wanted to see if there is any relationship between honeybee syndrome and the anti-cancer properties of mannose, which could lead to an entirely new approach to combat cancer,” Freeze explained.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



By using genetically engineered human cancer cells from fibrosarcoma (a rare type of cancer affecting connective tissues), the experts recreated the honeybee syndrome and discovered that, without the specific enzyme needed to metabolize mannose, cells replicate slowly and are more vulnerable to chemotherapy.&nbsp;



Thus, triggering honeybee syndrome in cancer cells makes them unable to synthesize the building blocks of DNA and replicate normally – a phenomenon that could explain the anti-cancer properties of mannose.&nbsp;



Although leveraging honeybee syndrome could turn out to be a promising supplemental cancer treatment, further research is needed to determine which types of cancer are most vulnerable to this type of sugar.&nbsp;



“If we can find cancers that have a low activity of the enzyme that processes mannose, treating them with mannose could give just enough of a nudge to make chemotherapy more effective,” Freeze said. “Many people assume that you always discover treatments in response to the disease, but sometimes you find biology that could be useful for treatment and then have to find the disease to match it.”



“The glycobiology of sugar metabolism within cancer cells is still an unexplored frontier, and it could be an untapped treasure trove of potential treatments just waiting to be discovered,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83870">eLife</a>.



<h2 id="h-more-about-mannose">More about mannose&nbsp;</h2>



Mannose is a type of sugar molecule that belongs to a group of substances known as monosaccharides - which are the simplest form of carbohydrate and can't be further hydrolyzed into simpler compounds. Other common monosaccharides include glucose and fructose.



Mannose is important in human metabolism, particularly in the glycosylation of certain proteins. Glycosylation is a process where a carbohydrate, like mannose, is attached to a protein or a lipid. This modification can alter the function and behavior of the protein or lipid.



One of the notable characteristics of mannose is its role in urinary tract health. Some research suggests that D-mannose, a form of mannose, can adhere to certain bacteria such as E. coli, preventing them from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract and causing infections. Thus, D-mannose is sometimes used as a supplement to support urinary tract health.



Additionally, mannose can be used by the body to produce mannose-6-phosphate, which is involved in lysosomal metabolism. Deficiencies in the production or utilization of mannose-6-phosphate can lead to certain types of lysosomal storage diseases.



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



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A type of sugar that kills honeybees could help fight cancer

A team of scientists led by Sanford Burnham Prebys and...

Sprat,In,Fish,Oil,Capsules

In an exciting new study, researchers have revealed a potential ally in the fight against hearing loss: the omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The study, examining over 100,000 individuals in the United Kingdom, found an inverse relationship between blood DHA levels and hearing difficulties.



Specifically, individuals aged between 40 to 69 with higher DHA levels experienced 8-20% less age-related hearing issues than those with lower DHA levels. Essentially, the more DHA present in the blood, the better the hearing ability appeared to be.



"Higher DHA levels have previously been found to be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, cognitive impairment, and death. Our study extends these findings to suggest a role for DHA in maintaining auditory function and helping reduce the risk of age-related hearing loss,” says Michael I. McBurney, PhD, a leading scientist in the field of fatty acid research.



Dr. McBurney is not only a senior scientist with the <a href="https://www.faresinst.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fatty Acid Research Institute</a>, but also an adjunct professor at both the University of Guelph and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. He presented these findings at <a href="https://nutrition.org/N23/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NUTRITION 2023</a>, a flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.



<h2 id="h-how-scientists-studied-omega-3-fatty-acids">How scientists studied omega-3 fatty acids</h2>



Using the UK Biobank as a data source, the researchers assessed the self-reported hearing status and DHA levels in the blood of the participants. The researchers then organized the participants into five groups, or quintiles, based on DHA levels. What they found was enlightening.



Those in the top quintile for DHA were 16% less likely to report hearing difficulties compared to those in the bottom quintile. Moreover, those in the top quintile were 11% less likely to have trouble following conversations in a noisy environment.



Yet, Dr. McBurney has advised caution in interpreting these results. Although the association between DHA and hearing is significant, the cross-sectional nature of the study means that it can't definitively prove that DHA is responsible for preserving hearing. Nor can it prove that a lack of DHA contributes to hearing loss.



Still, this research provides additional support to a growing body of evidence emphasizing the importance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omega-3-oil-may-help-protect-pollinators-from-pesticides/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">omega-3</a> fatty acids, particularly DHA, in maintaining health and slowing down aging-related decline in various body functions. Omega-3s may protect the health of inner ear cells or moderate inflammatory reactions to loud sounds, chemicals, or infections.



<h2>Importance of DHA to the body</h2>



Our omega-3 intake largely determines the levels of DHA in our blood and tissues, as our bodies can only produce a limited amount of DHA. Regular consumption of seafood or dietary supplements can boost these levels.



Dr. McBurney endorses the importance of omega-3s. He stated, “There is strong evidence that higher blood levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-will-massively-reduce-omega-3-fatty-acids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">omega-3</a> fatty acids are beneficial. Fatty fish and omega-3 supplements are both good dietary sources. If choosing to use a dietary supplement, compare products by reading the Supplement Facts panel for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)+DHA content.”



An estimated 20% of the world population, over 1.5 billion people, live with hearing loss. As the global population ages, we expect this number to increase. Any breakthrough that could slow down or prevent this widespread condition is noteworthy.



Environmental factors, genetics, and medicines can influence hearing loss.It can significantly impact communication, social interactions, and opportunities in education and employment. It's important, therefore, to find ways to mitigate its risk. 



Traditional methods include protecting the ears from loud noises and seeking medical attention for infections. However, this research suggests that diet, specifically increasing omega-3 intake, may be another powerful tool in maintaining auditory health.



<h2>More about omega-3 fatty acids</h2>



Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that is crucial for good health. We call them essential fatty acids because the human body cannot synthesize them. We must obtain them from the diet.



Omega-3 fatty acids play important roles in numerous physiological processes, including:



<h3>Heart health</h3>



Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), can help reduce the risk of heart disease. 



They can lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Omega-3 can also reduce blood pressure, slow the development of plaque in the arteries, and decrease the chance of abnormal heart rhythm.



<h3>Brain health</h3>



DHA is particularly important for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omega-3-fatty-acids-may-provide-superior-cognitive-ability-in-midlife/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain health</a>. It is a major structural component of the brain and retina of the eye. It is crucial for normal brain development in infants and cognitive function throughout life.



<h3>Inflammation</h3>



Omega-3s have been found to reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation can contribute to a variety of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.



<h3>Joint health</h3>



Omega-3s can help reduce symptoms of arthritis by reducing inflammation.



<h3>Mental health</h3>



Some studies suggest that omega-3s may help improve symptoms in people with depression and anxiety. They may also decrease the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.



Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. They can also be taken orally as fish oil supplements. Algae oil is a plant-based source of DHA and EPA, making it a good alternative for vegetarians and vegans.



Apart from EPA and DHA, there's also ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), another type of omega-3 fatty acid. ALA is primarily found in plant-based foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and certain vegetable oils. The human body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but the process is inefficient.



While omega-3 fatty acids are generally safe for most people, they can interact with certain medications and cause side effects at high doses. Therefore, it's always recommended to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.



Numerous studies are ongoing to further understand the benefits and potential uses of omega-3 fatty acids in treating various health conditions.

An Omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA may prevent hearing loss

In an exciting new study, researchers have revealed a potential...

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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



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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



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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



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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



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

[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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" 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.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



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.

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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" 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 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



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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...