The solar system, billions of years old, holds many secrets about its formation. Among its fascinating residents is Chiron, a centaur orbiting between Jupiter and Neptune. 



New findings by scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) shed light on this hybrid of comet and asteroid, revealing unprecedented insights into its surface chemistry and activity.



The study was led by Dr. Noemí Pinilla-Alonso of the University of Oviedo and Dr. Charles Schambeau from the University of Central Florida (UCF). Their findings could reshape our understanding of centaurs and the solar system’s early history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-capsules-of-the-solar-system">Time capsules of the solar system </h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-objects-called-centaurs-29p-continue-to-perplex-nasa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centaurs</a> are objects with dual characteristics, straddling the line between asteroids and comets. 



Chiron, discovered in 1977, is unique even among centaurs. It exhibits comet-like behavior, including a coma - a cloud of gas and dust - alongside distinct surface and interior features.



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso emphasizes that centaurs act as “time capsules,” preserving information about the solar system’s formation. "All small bodies in the solar system talk to us about how it was back in time,” she explained. 



Chiron’s activity, driven by solar heating, offers a rare opportunity to explore these preserved secrets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unprecedented-chemical-diversity-in-a-centaur">Unprecedented chemical diversity in a centaur</h2>



Using <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>, the team discovered that Chiron's surface hosts carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ice. Its coma contains methane and other gases, marking the first detection of such diversity in a centaur. 



“These results are like nothing we’ve seen before,” noted Dr. Schambeau from <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCF</a>.



JWST’s advanced capabilities allowed the researchers to study Chiron even at its farthest point from the Sun. This distance usually limits the activity of similar objects, such as trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs).



Unlike <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/comet-will-be-visible-for-the-first-time-in-50000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comets</a> closer to the Sun, Chiron’s thinner coma offers clearer insights into its surface chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chiron-s-ice-and-gas-dynamics">Chiron's ice and gas dynamics</h2>



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso noted that Chiron’s dual nature makes it invaluable for studying processes in both comets and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-large-asteroids-will-pass-near-earth-this-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">asteroids</a>. 



"What is unique about Chiron is that we can observe both the surface and the coma,” she said.



This dual observation provides critical information about the ice layer's thickness, porosity, and chemical properties.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2060-Chiron_coma_asteroid-comet-hybrid_credit-USF_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2060-Chiron_coma_asteroid-comet-hybrid_credit-USF_1s.webp" alt="Artist's impression of 2060 Chiron, an active centaur, surrounded by a faint disc of debris. Bright icy deposits and active areas are visible on its surface. Credtis: William D. González Sierra of the Florida Space Institute, University of Central Florida." class="wp-image-1954508"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Artist's impression of 2060 Chiron, an active centaur, surrounded by a faint disc of debris. Bright icy deposits and active areas are visible on its surface. Credtis: William D. González Sierra of the Florida Space Institute, University of Central Florida.</figcaption></figure>



JWST’s observations revealed the coexistence of primordial ices, such as methane and water, and newer compounds formed through surface processes. 



“Every active centaur we observe shows some peculiarity,” said Dr. Pinilla-Alonso. Understanding these peculiarities may uncover patterns across these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-lifetime-comet-will-be-easily-visible-this-month/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enigmatic objects</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-oddball-among-centaurs">An oddball among centaurs</h2>



Chiron stands out due to its unusual behavior, including comet-like activity and potential rings of debris. 



Dr. Schambeau describes it as “an oddball” with a unique thermophysical process. He analyzed methane in Chiron’s coma, linking its outflow to sun-heated regions on its surface.



These findings deepen our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2060-chiron_debris-disk_asteroid-comet-hybrid_credit-USF_1big.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">centaurs’ evolution and behavior</a>. 



Chiron’s dynamic environment provides clues about how solar heating influences its surface and subsurface, offering a glimpse into processes shaping similar bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-and-future-of-chiron">Origins and future of Chiron</h2>



Chiron likely originated in the TNO region before moving into its current orbit. Gravitational interactions with giant planets alter the paths of centaurs, exposing them to varied environments.



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso explained that centaurs typically remain in the giant planets’ region for about a million years before being ejected. “They may end their lives as Jupiter Family comets or return to the TNOs region."



Chiron’s journey across the solar system exposes it to solar radiation, driving surface changes and creating its unique chemical composition. 



Understanding this evolution provides valuable insights into the early solar system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-chiron-s-discovery">Broader implications of Chiron’s discovery</h2>



The study’s implications extend beyond Chiron. Identifying gases and ices on distant objects enhances our understanding of the solar system’s building blocks. 



These findings could also inform future research on centaurs and other icy bodies.



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso noted that JWST’s spectra revealed intricate details about Chiron’s ices and their interactions. "Based on our new JWST data, I’m not so sure we have a standard centaur."



Further studies may uncover shared traits among centaurs, offering a clearer picture of their origins and diversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-more-about-centaurs">Learning more about centaurs</h2>



The researchers from <a href="https://www.uniovi.es" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oviedo</a> and UCF plan to continue observing Chiron as it approaches the Sun.



Closer proximity will enable more detailed studies of its surface and coma, potentially uncovering new chemical and physical properties.



Future research may also explore seasonal variations and illumination effects on Chiron’s ice reservoir. Such studies could refine our understanding of how centaurs interact with their environments and evolve over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unveiling-the-mysteries-of-the-solar-system">Unveiling the mysteries of the solar system</h2>



The JWST, an international collaboration led by NASA, has revolutionized space science. 



Its ability to observe distant objects like Chiron is solving long-standing mysteries about the solar system and beyond. These discoveries highlight the telescope’s transformative impact on planetary science.



“JWST has made these detections accessible. These results enhance our understanding of Chiron’s interior composition and its unique behaviors,” concluded Dr. Schambeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-chapter-in-solar-system-exploration">New chapter in solar system exploration</h2>



Chiron’s unique chemistry and activity mark a significant milestone in understanding the solar system’s origins. 



The ongoing research, powered by JWST’s capabilities, promises to unravel more secrets about this enigmatic centaur and its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-official-earth-now-has-two-moons-captured-asteroid-2024-pt5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">counterparts</a>.



Through Chiron, scientists are not just uncovering the past - they are laying the groundwork for future exploration of icy bodies across the solar system.



“The analysis of Chiron’s gases and ices opens new frontiers and opportunities for exciting research,” said Dr. Pinilla-Alonso.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2024/12/aa50124-24/aa50124-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.



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Rare asteroid-comet hybrid is unlike anything ever seen before

The solar system, billions of years old, holds many secrets about its formation. Among its fascinating residents is Chiron, a centaur orbiting between Jupiter and Neptune. New findings by scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) shed light on this hybrid of comet and asteroid, revealing unprecedented insights into its surface chemistry and activity. The study was led by Dr. Noemí Pinilla-Alonso of the University of Oviedo and Dr. Charles Schambeau from the University of Central Florida (UCF). Their findings could reshape our understanding of centaurs...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022GL098574">Geophysical Research Letters</a>, reconstructing how natural communities located near a rapidly advancing and retreating glacier in Alaska have responded to fast-paced warming events in the past could help predict their responses to climate change in the future.&nbsp;



While studying once-buried layers of trees that had been plowed down by glaciers in the 19th century, researchers from the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a> (UAF) have noticed that tree rings in the Glacier Bay National Forest had compressed growth during the late 1800s, as the La Perouse glacier advanced and pushed a bubble of cold air out into the woods.



“Then we had this idea to monitor the size and intensity of the cold microclimate around the ice using temperature sensors,” said study lead author Benjamin Gaglioti, an ecologist at UAF. “If the glacier went back and forth and this microclimate influenced the surrounding forest, we could use it as an experiment” to assess how ecosystems may respond to climate change in the future.



By using historical accounts, tree cores, and aerial imagery, Gaglioti and his colleagues found that the glacier rapidly advanced hundreds of meters during the late 19th century, remained stable during the early 20th century, and began retreating around 1950. These microclimate changes were clearly reflected in the tree rings from the surrounding forest, which exhibited a slowdown of growth as the glacier advanced and an increase in growth rates as it retreated.



“That was stunning to me,” Gaglioti said. “Because of the glacier’s advance and retreat, the La Perouse forest experienced some of the fastest rates of historical cooling and warming on Earth, but climate models indicate these rates of change will&nbsp;become more common in the next century. Studying these types of glacier-adjacent ecosystems can help us understand how they may respond to the unprecedented rate of warming in the future.”



In future studies, the scientists aim to compare how different species of trees have responded to microclimate changes in the vicinity of the glacier in order to better understand the effects of large magnitude cooling and warming on entire forests. In addition, similar microclimates elsewhere can be used to examine climate sensitivities of other ecosystems, ranging from microorganisms to mammals.



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

Fluctuating glaciers shed new light on climate change

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

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> has found that the scaly-breasted wren, a small, unassuming brown <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-teach-children-duets/">songbird</a> from Central and South America known for its whistle-like chirps, has an amazing time-keeping ability. The experts found that the songbird always plays its tunes in an identifiable pattern - starting with a blast of chirps followed by alternating intervals of chirps and pauses, with the pauses between the chirps getting progressively longer. After the pause reaches about ten seconds in length, the birds start repeating the song.



This study is the first to investigate the natural time-keeping ability of an animal in the wild rather than under observation in the laboratory. In laboratory experiments, for most animals (including humans) it is difficult to determine how much time has passed after just a second or two: the longer an interval of time, the worse animals are at estimating its passage. However, for the wild wrens, 43 percent of the songs consistently kept time for their entire duration, with the intervals holding the established pattern even as the pauses increased in length.&nbsp;



The scientists were amazed to discover that, in the case of two of the songs, the wren’s time-keeping accuracy was higher than that of an average professional musician. “It is a really remarkable change from short intervals to long intervals in the same song,” said study lead author Carlos Antonio Rodriguez-Saltos, who conducted this research during a postdoctoral fellowship at UT Austin.



These findings raise questions about how timing might play into the mating displays of the wrens. “If females are especially interested in a male’s ability not just to produce the right notes but also the timing of their production, then the pressure is on,”&nbsp;explained Susan Healy, an expert in bird behavior at the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/">University of St Andrews</a> who was not involved in the study.



According to senior author Julia Clarke, a professor of Vertebrate Paleontology at UT Austin, this research proves the importance of studying birds in their natural environments. “We take wild birds for granted, and natural populations are dwindling, so this is urgent. This case shows how studying birds can provide huge new insights into cognition and timekeeping,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.004">Animal Behavior</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Songbird keeps time better than some professional musicians

A new study led by the University of Texas at...

In the UK, exotic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pet-owners-are-happier-than-people-who-dont-have-pets/">pets</a> are on the rise - and so are the number of snakebites. A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650.2022.2077748">Clinical Toxicology</a> reveals that the rate of exotic snakebites has increased over the course of a decade.



According to the UK National Poisons Information Service (NPIS), 321 patients suffered exotic snakebites from 68 different species in the last 11 years. Among these patients, 15 had severe symptoms. This included a reptile conservationist who previously survived a bite from an eastern green mamba but died after being bitten by a king cobra.



The World Health Organization (WHO) considers more than 250 species of poisonous snakes native to Asia, Africa and Latin America as medically important. Encountering these dangerous species is no longer limited by geography. Snake ownership has increased in the UK, where one in 100 households now own a pet snake.



“The prospect of being bitten by an exotic (non-native) snake (in the UK) is still remote, with bites typically occurring in those keeping such snakes as part of their occupation or hobby,” explained study lead author Pardeep Jagpal. “Rapid access to expert clinical advice and the availability of appropriate anti-venom are important considerations when these accidents occur.”



The researchers reviewed telephone calls involving snakebites between January 2009 and December 2020. They excluded enquiries about the European adder – the only species of poisonous snake native to the UK – or where the identity of the snake was unknown.



Of the 321 exotic snakebites in 300 patients:



<ul><li>207 (64.5%) of bites occurred in males – and 10 people were bitten more than once.</li><li>72 (22.5%) of bites occurred in children – 13 of whom were aged five or under.</li><li>184 (57.3%) of bites were inflicted by snakes of the family Colubridae, including hognose snakes, king snakes and false water cobras.</li><li>30 (9.3%) of bites were by Viperidae species, including western diamondback rattlesnakes and copperheads.</li><li>14 (4.3%) of bites were by Elapidae species – most commonly by Indian cobras, monocled cobras and king cobras. &nbsp;</li></ul>



The majority of the snake bites had either no symptoms or mild to moderate symptoms. However, fifteen bites involved severe symptoms caused by the front-fanged Viperidae or Elapidae. In total, seventeen people received antivenom treatment.



Study co-author Professor David Warrell of the University of Oxford is a world leading figure in tropical medicine, and the founding director of the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Wellcome Trust-Mahidol University Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Programme, Thailand.



“Most of these bites occur to fingers, hands and wrists following deliberate handling interaction by people who keep snakes as part of their occupation or hobby," said Professor Warrell.&nbsp;



"While ownership of many poisonous species requires a special licence in the UK, it is recognized that some individuals may keep these snakes illegally – meaning the true numbers of exotic snakebite injuries may be underestimated."



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exotic snakebites have increased over the last decade

In the UK, exotic pets are on the rise -...

Bali mynas (Leucopsar rothschildi) are medium-sized, starling-like birds that are indigenous to Indonesia. Their striking white plumage, long crests and blue eye patches make them attractive to caged-bird enthusiasts all over the world. Sadly, the trade in these birds is one of the factors that has led to their virtual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-plants-are-facing-extinction-in-the-scottish-mountains/">extinction</a> in the wild. However, there are over a thousand individuals kept in zoos and bird parks, and it is hoped that these captive-bred birds will help resurrect the natural populations.&nbsp;



Currently in Bali, Indonesia, there are several captive breeding programs that produce the myna birds specifically for rewilding into the areas where there are still natural populations. The remaining natural populations total only an estimated 50 birds, despite many decades of trying to bolster these populations by reintroducing captive-bred birds. Either the introductions do not cope well with life in natural surroundings, or the illegal trade in these beautiful birds is continuing unabated from within the nature reserves.&nbsp;



Whatever the reason, it is critically important that those birds introduced into wild areas are strong and resourceful, and are the individuals most likely to survive the obstacles in their wild habitats. With this in mind, a team led by Dr Rachael Miller of <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/">Anglia Ruskin University</a> (ARU) designed ways to test how 22 captive Bali mynas responded to being presented with novel objects and food items, and how well they tackled and solved simple problems.&nbsp;



“We selected the Bali myna for this study specifically because they are on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 50 adults in the wild in Indonesia, but there is a captive breeding program of almost 1,000 birds in zoos around the world,” explained Dr Miller.



The study was carried out over a six-week period at three UK zoological collections – Waddesdon Manor (National Trust/ Rothschild Foundation), Cotswolds Wildlife Park and Gardens, and Birdworld, and researchers monitored the behavior of birds exposed to novel foods and other objects, along with their ability to solve simple problems. These novel items were of types likely to be encountered by myna birds in new surroundings.



The results, published in the&nbsp;journal&nbsp;<a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsos">Royal Society&nbsp;Open Science</a>, show that neophobia (irrational fear of new objects) is a factor for some birds. Overall, birds presented with a food item took longer to touch or handle it if there was also a novel item present in the food bowl. This hesitancy was affected by age, with adult birds proving to be more neophobic than juveniles. The researchers also discovered that those birds that quickly touched familiar food that was placed beside a new object were also the quickest to solve problem-solving tasks.



The researchers believe that gathering this type of behavioral data can aid in new conservation strategies. Behavioral flexibility is crucial for an individual’s adaptability and survival, and so pre-release training and identifying specific birds for release could help with the successful reintroduction of endangered species, such as the Bali myna, into the wild.



"Neophobia can be useful in that it can help birds avoid unfamiliar dangers, but it can also impact their adaptation to new environments, such as through an increased reluctance to approach new foods," said Dr. Miller.



“An understanding of behavioral flexibility, specifically how species and individuals within that species respond to novelty and approach new problems, is vital for conservation, particularly as the world is becoming increasingly urbanized. Many species need to adapt to human-generated environmental changes and how an animal responds to novelty can predict post-release outcomes during reintroductions."



This new study is part of a larger project, which aims to combine avian cognition and behavior research with conservation, to help threatened species.



“As part of active conservation of the Bali myna, there is a need to continually release birds to try to boost the small, wild population. Now we have data on the behavioral flexibility of these birds, this can help to inform which birds may be best suited for reintroduction. Our study has already identified that releasing juvenile Bali myna[s] may potentially be more successful than releasing adult birds, at least in terms of adaptability to new environments,” said Dr Miller.



“Our data can also help with developing training before release, where captive birds may learn to increase fear responses to traps or people, if they were to be introduced in areas where poaching takes place, or to decrease neophobia by exposure to unfamiliar but safe food sources in areas with low resources. We believe the overall project findings will be able to help not just the Bali myna, but hopefully many other endangered species."



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

Neophobic birds are less likely to adapt to rewilding

Bali mynas (Leucopsar rothschildi) are medium-sized, starling-like birds that are...

In a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00719-X">Cell</a>, researchers have delved deeper into horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between plants and insects. They discovered that about 1,400 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-force-the-plants-they-infect-to-feed-them/">bacteria</a>, virus, fungi, and plant genes had been transferred across 218 insect species over the last hundreds of millions of years.



Study senior author Xing-Xing Shen is an evolutionary biologist at Zhejiang University. While HGT is a common phenomenon among microbes, Shen wanted to explore its impacts on insects further.



“Previous studies have shown that HGT may have contributed to insect biodiversity, but nobody knew how large a role it plays in this process, '' said Shen. “Since there are a lot of high-quality insect genomes available for our analysis, I thought that now is a good time to systematically investigate how prevalent HGT is in insects.”



“There were HGT events everywhere we looked,” said Shen. “However, we don’t know whether these transfers of genes are beneficial to the insects, or even the functions for most of these genes."



Jianhua Huang, who studies insect gene functions at Zhejiang University, assisted in the study and was impressed with the findings. “Shen walked into my office with a list of more than 1,400 genes, and we had to decide where to start,” said Huang.&nbsp;



The researchers decided to start with LOC105383139, a prevailing foreign gene that has been with moths and butterflies since they shared a common ancestor more than 300 million years ago. “This gene was horizontally introduced into nearly all moths and butterflies from a donor in the bacterial genus Listeria,” explained Huang.



The researchers discovered that when they removed the gene from diamondback moths, the effects were devastating for moth reproduction.



“Surprisingly, we saw those moths lacking this gene cannot produce many viable eggs,” said Huang. “Then, we found that the gene influences the male courtship behavior.”



The experts hope their research can be used as genetic weaponry to suppress insect populations.



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

Insects have inherited hundreds of genes from microbes

In a new study published in the journal Cell, researchers...

Earth's northernmost lakes have been considered the “canary in a coal mine” of environmental change, but a recent study from <a href="https://www.yorku.ca/">York University</a> indicates that climate change will affect more than 100 million <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-evaporation-from-lakes-is-far-greater-than-expected/">lakes</a> worldwide.&nbsp;



The researchers set out to gain a better idea of how lakes are affected by climate change, so they analyzed freshwater lakes throughout the world. The results of the study imply that climate change has cumulative effects on lakes.



As water temperatures warm, stratification regimes change, dissolved oxygen levels drop, cyanobacterial blooms increase, and native cold-water fish habitats disappear. The researchers highlighted the dangers of deoxygenation and disruptions in the food chain.



“Algal blooms can block sunlight from reaching the deeper waters, and bacterial decomposition of sedimented algae can lead to a decrease in oxygen for deep-water fish and other aquatic life,” study co-author Dr. Iestyn Woolway. “In addition, episodic storms can cause nutrients to suddenly wash into lakes and foster the development of cyanobacterial blooms.”



“Events like an earlier summer season can also cause mismatches in fish spawning and foraging, often with widespread ramifications across the food web. Although a ‘longer summer’ may be welcome to many cottagers and campers, such weather conditions increase the risk of algal blooms, and especially cyanobacterial blooms, which can have far-reaching ecological consequences and even make drinking water toxic,” explained Professor John Smol.



According to Dr. Woolway, the ecological consequences of climate change coupled with the impacts of extreme climate events are already occurring in lakes globally. He said these impacts will continue to occur in the future - often without warning or time to adapt. “The results of these kinds of changes have been felt in lakes from Algonquin Park in Ontario to Lake Chad in Africa, the English Lake District in the U.K. to Lake Mead in the United States.”



The researchers emphasize that these changes in the water cycle will have far-reaching effects,



“The effects of climate change also interact synergistically with multiple environmental stressors exacerbating problems with water quantity and quality, including salinization, contamination, and the spread of invasive species,” said Professor Smol.&nbsp;



“As humans can’t survive without water, a better understanding of how climate change affects lake function is needed along with recognition of early warning signals.”



The experts hope technological advancements and diverse collaboration will lead to a better future understanding of climate change and lakes.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biac052/6639495?searchresult=1&amp;login=false">BioScience</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Climate change is pushing lakes to their boiling point

Earth's northernmost lakes have been considered the “canary in a...

A team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> and the <a href="https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/">South Australian Museum</a> has described the first fossil vulture discovered in Australia. Although the remains – discovered in 1901 in South Australia – were initially thought to belong to an eagle, new analyses have revealed that they are in fact the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-reveal-a-previously-unknown-mass-extinction-event/">fossils</a> of a prehistoric vulture (Cryptogyps lacertosus – meaning powerful hidden vulture) that lived in Australia during the late Pleistocene, between 500 and 50 thousand years ago.



“Today we’re familiar with a wedge-tailed eagle picking at a kangaroo carcass on the roadside.&nbsp;Thousands of years ago, a very different bird would have filled the role of carrion consumer – one most people would now associate with the plains of Africa,” said study lead author Ellen Mather, a paleontologist at Flinders University.



“We compared the fossil material to birds of prey from around the world, and it became clear right away that this bird was not adapted to being a hunter, and so was not a hawk or an eagle. The features of the lower leg bone are too underdeveloped to support the musculature needed for killing prey. When we placed&nbsp;Cryptogyps&nbsp;in an evolutionary tree, this confirmed our suspicions that the bird was a vulture, and we are very excited to finally publish on this species.”



This prehistoric bird shared the skies with wedge-tailed eagles during a period when enormous marsupial herbivores such as Diprotodon or fierce carnivores like the marsupial lion Thylacoleo also roamed parts of Australia. However, despite initial assumptions, the Cryptogyps was not an eagle, but an “Old world” vulture, a group previously unknown to have lived in Australia.



These findings reveal that the diversity of predatory birds was much greater in the past, and that the extinction of vultures has probably had major ecological implications.&nbsp;



“Vultures play a very important role in ecosystems by accelerating the consumption of carcasses and reducing the spread of diseases,” Dr. Mather explained. “The loss of&nbsp;Cryptogyps&nbsp;could have caused a drastic upheaval in ecosystem function for a very long time as other species scrambled to fill in its niche.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="about:blank">Zootaxa</a>.



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

Oldest Australian vulture emerges from the fossil record

A team of researchers led by Flinders University and the...

A new study led by the<a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/"> University of Reading</a> has found that taking high-dose Vitamin B6 tablets can reduce feelings of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pandemic-stress-is-compounded-by-climate-anxiety/">anxiety</a> and depression in young adults after taking these supplements for a month. These findings provide valuable evidence to support the use of vitamin supplements thought to modify levels of brain activity to prevent or treat mood disorders.



“The functioning of the brain relies on a delicate balance between the excitatory neurons that carry information around and inhibitory ones, which prevent runaway activity. Recent theories have connected mood disorders and some other neuropsychiatric conditions with a disturbance of this balance, often in the direction of raised levels of brain activity,” explained study lead author David Field, an associate professor of Psychology at the University of Reading.&nbsp;



“Vitamin B6 helps the body produce a specific chemical messenger that inhibits impulses in the brain, and our study links this calming effect with reduced anxiety among the participants.”



Although previous research has produced clear evidence that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/multivitamins-heart-health/">multivitamins</a> can reduce stress levels, few studies have been conducted to assess which particular vitamins drive this effect. In the current study, over 300 participants were randomly assigned either Vitamin B6 or Vitamin B12 supplements 50 times higher than the daily recommended dose, or a placebo, which they had to take for a month daily.&nbsp;



The results revealed that, while Vitamin B12 had little effect compared to the placebo during the trial period, Vitamin B6 made a significant difference. According to the scientists, Vitamin B6 increased the body’s production of GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), a chemical that blocks impulses between nerve cells in the brain, thus reducing feelings of anxiety and depression.



“Many foods, including tuna, chickpeas and many fruits and vegetables, contain Vitamin B6. However, the high doses used in this trial suggest that supplements would be necessary to have a positive effect on mood,” said Dr. Field.&nbsp;



“It is important to acknowledge that this research is at an early stage and the effect of Vitamin B6 on anxiety in our study was quite small compared to what you would expect from medication. However, nutrition-based interventions produce far fewer unpleasant side effects than drugs, and so in the future people might prefer them as an intervention.”



Further research is needed to identify other nutrition-based interventions that could benefit mental health and well-being in order to allow different dietary interventions to be combined in the future to provide greater results.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hup.2852">Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental</a>.



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

Vitamin B6 can reduce anxiety and depression

A new study led by the University of Reading has...

Maroon,Bells,And,Maroon,Lake,-,A,Wide-angle,Autumn,Midday

Most climate change projections predict that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-arctic-is-warming-four-times-faster-than-the-rest-of-the-planet/">warming</a> temperatures will bring less snow accumulation and increase the proportion of snow that melts during winter in the northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This means less water will be available in ecosystems currently reliant on the slow melting of frozen water during the spring and summer. In addition, the supply of this water will be more variable in terms of timing and availability. 



According to a comprehensive new climate change study led by researchers from the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR), even if these northern regions keep receiving the same amount of annual precipitation, streamflow will become more variable and unpredictable.&nbsp; As the quantity and timing of water from snow-melt runoff becomes less predictable, the supply of this resource in the snow-dominated northern regions will more closely reflect the stochastic character of rainfall.



“Water managers will be at the whim of individual precipitation events instead of having four-to-six months lead time to anticipate snowmelt and runoff,” said study lead author NCAR scientist Will Wieder. “Water management systems in snow-dominated regions are based on the predictability of snowpack and runoff, and much of that predictability could go away with climate change.”&nbsp;



In the study, published recently in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, scientists made use of an advanced set of computer simulations to understand the potential impacts of changes in temperature and precipitation on future snow accumulation and runoff patterns in the Northern Hemisphere. Their specific focus was how variability in water resources could affect water availability in ecosystems previously dependent on the slow melt of snow during spring and summer.



Wieder and his co-authors used simulations derived using the powerful NCAR-based climate model: the Community Earth System Model, version 2. They drew on a recently created database of simulations, known as the CESM2 Large Ensemble, to compare a past period (1940-1969) with a future period (2070-2099). The simulations were run on the Aleph supercomputer at the Institute for Basic Science supercomputer in Busan, South Korea.



The results show that the decline in snowpack which is already being observed in places will become more pronounced by the end of the century. The modeling predicts that by this time, the amount of water contained in snowpack in parts of the U.S. Rocky Mountains could have plummeted by nearly 80 percent. This is likely to have huge consequences for ecosystems that depend on reliable water from snow melt. For example, the combination of more snow-free days and longer growing seasons will lead to water shortages, drying soils and increased fire risks in some ecosystems.&nbsp;



The simulations predict about 45 more snow-free days per year in the Northern Hemisphere by 2100. This assumes that emissions of greenhouse gasses will continue at a high rate (a scenario known as SSP3-7.0), although Wieder admits that the most severe impacts on snowpack, runoff, and ecosystems would likely be avoided if society successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;



The regions that rely the most on predictable relationships between snowpack and runoff will experience the largest loss in predictability because of a sharp decline in reliable pulses of spring runoff. These regions include the Rocky Mountains, Canadian Arctic, Eastern North America, and Eastern Europe. The authors warn that this will substantially complicate the management of freshwater resources, both for society and for ecosystems.&nbsp;



“We are in a race with predictability when it comes to streamflow because we’re trying to improve our forecasts through better data, models, and physical understanding, but these efforts are being canceled by the rapid disappearance of our best predictor: snow,” said study co-author Professor Flavio Lehner. “It might be a race we’ll lose, but we’re trying to win it, and that is why we need to study these topics.”



The simulations also showed that, although the reduced runoff will result in drier summertime soil conditions in much of the Northern Hemisphere, certain regions – including East Asia, the Himalayas, and Northwestern North America – will maintain soil moisture because of increased rainfall.



“Snow-related metrics are critical for informing society’s management of precious water resources,” said study co-author Keith Musselman, a hydrologist at the University of Colorado Boulder. “As utilities and civil works agencies plan new reservoirs and other infrastructure to adapt to a changing climate, we must address basic research questions about the changing characteristics of winter snowpack and resulting streamflow that we have long relied upon.”



The experts state that understanding variability in water resources in future is also critical to assessing the likelihood of extreme events such as floods and droughts, and identifying when tipping points may be reached that fundamentally alter the functioning of ecosystems. &nbsp;



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

Climate change will make water resources less predictable

Most climate change projections predict that warming temperatures will bring...

A staggering 57 percent of threatened species need targeted recovery actions to survive, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a>. Governments around the world are currently negotiating a Global Biodiversity Framework that will outline goals and targets for saving nature. The plan is expected to be adopted by the end of 2022.&nbsp;



The study explored how the framework may potentially reduce the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-plants-are-facing-extinction-in-the-scottish-mountains/">extinction</a> of threatened species. The research project brought together leading ecology and conservation experts, including scientists from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), BirdLife International and a global network of universities.



While targets to expand protected areas or reduce pollution will benefit many species, 57 percent would still need targeted recovery actions. These actions include captive breeding in zoos, reintroduction into the wild, vaccination against disease, and other-specific interventions.



According to Professor Philip McGowan, many species will benefit from policies and actions designed to reduce threats from land- and sea-use change, overexploitation, pollution, and climate, but these alone will not remove the risk of extinction. "Now, we can identify the species that need such action, and we can monitor what is being done and what the impact of action is on those threatened species."



The research was based on the The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Of which, 7,784 species are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. The team considered the targets in the first draft of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s framework.



The study looked at the potential benefits of each target for each threatened species. Target 1 (on planning to retain existing intact ecosystems), Target 2 (on restoring degraded ecosystems and ensuring connectivity among them), and Target 3 (on protecting important areas for biodiversity) were found to benefit 95 percent of threatened species.



The team also found that these actions, and the remaining targets, still leave nearly 60 percent of threatened species (4,428) at risk of extinction.&nbsp;



“This research shows that we can’t stop species from going extinct just by protecting particular areas and addressing key threats: some species need dedicated efforts to help them recover," said study co-author Dr. Stuart Butchart, chief scientist at BirdLife International.



The findings highlight the critical importance for governments to implement conservation for unique plants and animals. The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Most threatened species need targeted action to survive

A staggering 57 percent of threatened species need targeted recovery...

A new study published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2022.83.494">Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs</a> has found that states that legalized recreational <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-changes-mens-sperm/">marijuana</a> have witnessed a subsequent increase in traffic crashes and fatalities. The analysis of data on traffic incidents from 2009 to 2019 in five states that allow the recreational use of marijuana for adults aged 21 and older has revealed a 5.8 percent increase in the rate of traffic crash injuries and a 4.1 percent increase in fatal crash rates after the legalization and the beginning of retail sales.



“Legalization removes the stigma of marijuana use, while the onset of retail sales merely increases access,” said study lead author Charles M. Farmer, the vice president for research and statistical services at the <a href="https://www.iihs.org/">Insurance Institute for Highway Safety</a> (IIHS). “But access to marijuana isn’t difficult, even in places without retail sales. Users who previously avoided&nbsp;driving high may feel that it’s okay after legalization.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, the “legalization of marijuana doesn’t come without cost,” Farmer warned.



According to the researchers, previous studies involving driving simulators have shown that marijuana use affects reaction time, road tracking, lane keeping, and overall attention. In the current study, the scientists collected data on traffic crashes and fatalities in five states that legalized marijuana (Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada) and compared them to six states where marijuana was still illegal (Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that the initial rise in the injury crash rate occurred after legalization but before retail sales began – with an initial increase of 6.5 percent, followed by a slight decrease (by 0.7 percent) after retail sales commenced. However, fatal crash rates increased both after legalization (by 2.3 percent) and authorization of retail sales (by 1.8 percent).



The sharper relationship between marijuana legalization and traffic injuries rather than fatalities may be due to the fact that many drivers under the influence of marijuana slow down and maintain larger distances from other vehicles. In such cases, while drivers may often not be able to avoid a crash, these crashes may be less likely to be lethal, since they are driving at lower speeds.



However, it is not yet clear whether there is a direct causal link between marijuana use and risk of traffic accidents. “Studies looking for a direct causal link between marijuana use and crash risk have been inconclusive,” Dr. Farmer said. “Unlike alcohol, there is no good objective measure of just how impaired a marijuana user has become. Until we can accurately measure marijuana impairment, we won’t be able to link it to crash risk.”



Nonetheless, states considering the legalization of marijuana should consider a few important steps to mitigate its health impact. “First, convince everyone that driving under the influence of marijuana is not okay. Then, enact laws and sanctions penalizing those who ignore the message. Finally, make sure you have the resources (i.e., staffing and training) to enforce these laws and sanctions,” Dr. Farmer concluded.



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

Legalization of marijuana linked to rise in traffic crashes

A new study published in the Journal of Studies on...

Green crabs are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-plants-are-taking-over-ohios-forests/">invasive</a> pests that arrived on merchant boats in the United States from Europe in the 19th century and have spread across the eastern U.S., particularly in New England. Since females can produce over 175,000 eggs over their lifetime, this species can rapidly overwhelm the environments in which they live, causing much damage to local ecosystems. 



To help reducing their numbers, <a href="http://tamworthdistilling.com/">Tamworth Distilling</a>, a New Hampshire distillery specializing in a variety of spirits, has found a surprising and innovative solution: they started to use crabs to produce green, crab-flavored whiskey.



“They are probably one of the most successful invasive species that we have in North America, at least in the marine world,” said Gabriela Brandt, a marine biologist and fisheries expert at the <a href="https://www.unh.edu/">University of New Hampshire</a>. “They can eat about 40 mussels a day, just one crab. And so you multiply that by a bazillion, and you have no more clams.”



According to Will Robinson, the distillery’s product developer, in order to make the “<a href="http://tamworthdistilling.com/spirits/crab-trapper/">Crab Trapper</a>” whiskey, the crabs are initially cleaned and prepared just like the crabs used for cooking. After creating a crab stock, the experts are distilling it using a vacuum still (a glass machine allowing for precise temperature control) and further mix it with spices such as mustard seeds, coriander, and cinnamon. In a final step, this substance is combined with a rich bourbon base.&nbsp;



“It looks like a crazy piece of laboratory equipment,” Robinson said. “It preserves the flavor and aroma molecules that would get destroyed if we were to boil it. People are going to hear crab whiskey, and I’d venture to say three-quarters of them are going to go, ‘No, absolutely not.’ But if you can get them to taste it, they totally change their tune for the most part.”&nbsp;



Since each bottle of whiskey contains about a pound of green crabs, one distillery alone will not make much of a dent in their enormous population. However, this creative initiative can help raise awareness about these pests and the magnitude of the damage they are causing, and perhaps give rise to other creative attempts to reduce their numbers.



In Professor Brand’s opinion, the whiskey is just the “hook” to get people informed. “And the more people hear about it, then we get more and more people who might have a really great, innovative idea that we haven’t touched upon,” she concluded.



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

Invasive crabs used to make whiskey in New Hampshire

Green crabs are invasive pests that arrived on merchant boats...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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

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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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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