The influence of synthetic plastic on our planet is concerning, to say the least. It's everywhere - from the depths of our oceans to the food we eat, even finding its way into our bodies. But, Avinash Manjula-Basavanna, a seasoned research scientist at Northeastern University, sees "MECHS" as a solution. 



"The kind of impact that human-made materials are making on the living world is resulting in&nbsp;climate change, pollution and more," he says. 



"One of the ways that we are able to address this is to make materials sustainable and also make materials which are smart or intelligent."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birth-of-a-new-bioplastic">Birth of a new bioplastic</h2>



Joining forces with Neel S. Joshi, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern, Manjula-Basavanna gave birth to a new bioplastic named MECHS.



It stands for Mechanical Engineered Living Materials with Compostability, Healability, and Scalability.



The team recently showcased their discovery in the journal Nature Communications. Here, they articulated their unique work with engineered living materials, living cells that produce functional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">materials</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wonders-of-bioplastic">Wonders of bioplastic</h2>



What makes MECHS stand out? Manjula-Basavanna and Joshi gave us two major reasons.



Firstly, MECHS exhibits the beauty of nature-inspired solutions, with the ability to regenerate, regulate themselves, and respond to external stimuli such as light. 



The second reason is even more significant in today's context. Unlike the harmful plastics choking our planet and bodies, MECHS is biodegradable in water and even in a compost bin. 



"Right now we use a lot of conventional nonbiodegradable plastics for applications they don't need to be used in at all," Joshi says. "If we replace that with our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-plastic-pollution-lurks-beneath-the-surface-of-rivers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic</a>, you could just flush it down the toilet and it would biodegrade."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-engineered-living-materials">Engineered living materials</h2>



Until now, such engineered living materials haven't been scalable for broad production. Enter MECHS.



Essentially, it's comprised of engineered E. coli bacteria intertwined with a fiber matrix, crafted into a paper- or film-like material. 



The fibrous structure gives MECHS some desirable properties. For instance, the bioplastic can stretch like plastic wrap and be genetically engineered for variable stiffness. And, quite fascinatingly, it has self-healing capabilities.



But the real cherry on top? MECHS is fully dissolvable, be it in large amounts of water or a compost bin. It dissolves rapidly, much faster than other existing biodegradable plastics. Plus, it can be mass-produced similarly to paper.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-applications">Potential applications</h2>



The scientific marvels envision MECHS as the solution to "primary packaging." This includes the plastic cover protecting your new iPhone or the detergent pods for your appliances. Imagine MECHS wrapped around a pot plant, slowly breaking down and releasing proteins to fertilize the plant!



Addressing the global problem of plastic pollution, Manjula-Basavanna sees a strong potential for MECHS in plastic packaging, which covers almost one-third of the plastic market. 



He observes that such packaging’s lifespan could last a few days to two years, but the petrochemical plastics used can take hundreds of years to biodegrade.



"For such a short lifespan of packaging, the petrochemical plastics that can take hundreds of years to biodegrade are unnecessary in many cases and thus a sustainable alternative like MECHS due to its biodegradability, flushability, and mechanical tunability could be a game changer," says Manjula-Basavanna.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-adopting-mechs">Challenges in adopting MECHS</h2>



While MECHS presents a revolutionary solution to the global plastic crisis, adopting this technology on a large scale is not devoid of challenges. One primary concern lies in the genomic stability of the engineered E. coli bacteria used in MECHS. 



Scientists must ensure that the bacteria remain safe and stable under various environmental conditions to avoid unintended consequences. Additionally, transitioning industries reliant on traditional plastics to MECHS involves overcoming significant economic and logistical barriers. 



Production facilities worldwide may need to adopt new techniques and infrastructure to accommodate this novel material, potentially incurring considerable costs in the short term. 



Furthermore, public perception and regulatory hurdles need to be navigated to gain trust and approval for its widespread use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-sustainable-materials">Future of sustainable materials</h2>



Looking to the future, the innovations around MECHS signal a burgeoning era of sustainable and adaptable materials capable of transforming industries. 



As research into living materials progresses, new possibilities emerge, such as enabling the development of dynamic, adaptable materials for technologies yet to be imagined. 



Building on their success with MECHS, Manjula-Basavanna and Joshi envision an expanding palette of biodegradable materials, each tailored for specific applications ranging from environmental conservation to health care. 



Their work emphasizes collaboration across disciplines - bridging biology, chemistry, and engineering - to advance sustainable solutions.



Ultimately, MECHS is a testament to how embracing nature-inspired innovation can lead to breakthroughs with the power to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-on-beaches-is-now-visible-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reshape our relationship with the materials</a> we use and the environment we inhabit.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53052-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Nature-inspired solutions: New bioplastic dissolves rapidly in water

The influence of synthetic plastic on our planet is concerning, to say the least. It's everywhere - from the depths of our oceans to the food we eat, even finding its way into our bodies. But, Avinash Manjula-Basavanna, a seasoned research scientist at Northeastern University, sees "MECHS" as a solution. "The kind of impact that human-made materials are making on the living world is resulting in&nbsp;climate change, pollution and more," he says. "One of the ways that we are able to address this is to make materials...

A new study by geographers at <a href="https://www.staffs.ac.uk/">Staffordshire University</a> has looked at whether ski resorts can survive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/resilience-to-climate-change-does-not-always-promote-well-being/">climate</a> change or if they are doomed to failure. The research suggests that ski resorts will have to diversify by finding new ways to draw visitors.&nbsp;



“At university I developed a passion for understanding human interaction with the environment and the importance of climate change," explained lead researcher Rachael Carver.



"I visited the Stubai Glacier in Austria on holiday and was intrigued by the fact that they were trying to conserve the ski industry. It left me asking lots of questions so I decided to go back and learn more.”



The site where the research was carried out takes proactive measures against warming, using blankets to slow melting and diminish wind erosion on the glacier. There is also a slow transition underway from winter tourism to summer tourism. Among the tourists surveyed, 70 percent said they would return even without a glacier, citing scenery and hiking as reasons.&nbsp;



“At the rate we’re losing glaciers, doing nothing is not an option for these industries. There will be a lot of people adversely affected by the economic impact of not having this tourism," said Carver.



"It was interesting seeing different solutions to the issue. Most places understand that these practices aren’t a long-term solution, but it is buying them time."



Carver said that she believes resorts should give visitors other ways to explore the mountains, including mountain biking and hiking trails as well as viewing platforms and educational activities.&nbsp;



“I think adaptation is key. Yes, they were designed as ski resorts but they can be turned into something else with a little bit of foresight and planning," noted Carver.&nbsp;



Fiona Tweed, professor of Physical Geography and Rachael Carver’s advisor highlighted the importance of such research.



“Climate change is the defining issue of our time with many far-reaching impacts and implications. Several students in Rachael’s year group did projects that had climate change at their core," said Professor Tweed.



"We’re looking forward to equipping more students with the skills to work on climate change related issues as part of our new BSc (Hons) Climate Change and Society degree.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00167487.2021.1970926">Geography</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ski tourism may suffer from climate change

A new study by geographers at Staffordshire University has looked...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00400-y">Nature Food</a> has explored the possible impacts that climate change will have on global agriculture.&nbsp;The scientists have found that factors such as rising temperatures, changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-precipitation-in-the-northeast-linked-to-human-activity/">precipitation</a> patterns, the increased frequency of heatwaves and droughts, and greenhouse gas emissions will fundamentally affect crops worldwide, exacerbating already existing inequalities.&nbsp;



“We see that new climate conditions push crop yields outside of their normal range in more and more regions,” said study lead author Jonas Jägermeyr, a climate scientist and crop modeler at <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/">NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a> (GISS), the <a href="https://www.earth.columbia.edu/">Earth Institute</a> at Columbia University, and the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK).



“Human-made greenhouse gas emissions bring higher temperatures, shifts in rainfall patterns, and more carbon dioxide in the air. This affects crop growth, and we find that the emergence of the climate change signal – the time when extraordinary years become the norm – will occur within the next decade or soon after in many key breadbasket regions globally.”



By analyzing new climate projections and state-of-the-art crop models, Jägermeyr and his colleagues found that, in the next years, regions such as the North and Central America, Central and East Asia, and West Africa will witness a 20 percent decline in maize yields.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, wheat yields could increase in areas like the Northern United States, Canada, or China. Nonetheless, such wheat gains in the Global North will not make up for the significant maize losses in the Global South. And although higher levels of CO2 could actually have a positive effect on wheat growth, it can reduce these crops’ nutritional values.



“One effect the data show clearly is that poorer countries are likely to experience the sharpest declines in yields of their main staple crops. This exacerbates already existing differences in food security and wealth,” explained study co-author Christoph Müller, a researcher at PIK.



“This means that farmers need to adapt much faster, for example by changing planting dates or use different crop varieties, to avoid severe losses, but also to realize gains in higher-latitude regions,” concluded Professor Jägermeyr.



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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

Warming climate will have a global impact on agriculture

A new study published in the journal Nature Food has...

The sounds of nature, particularly the sounds of bird song, give people a sense of connection to the natural environment and are part of our perception of healthy and functional natural surroundings. Bird song helps us connect to and experience <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-improved-mental-health-of-children-during-lockdown/">nature</a>, a process that is vitally important for mental health and for our sense of well-being.&nbsp;



But with declining bird populations and species diversity across the globe, it is possible that bird song choruses (soundscapes) are also becoming depauperate. In a major new study, a team of international researchers&nbsp;led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> (UEA)&nbsp;has developed a method of comparing historical soundscapes over the past 25 years to determine how they have changed.



“The benefits of nature contact are widespread, from improved physical health and psychological well-being to increased likelihood of participating in pro-environmental behavior," said study lead author Dr Simon Butler from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences.



“Bird song plays an important role in defining the quality of nature experiences, but widespread declines in bird populations, and shifts in species’ distributions in response to climate change, mean that the acoustic properties of natural soundscapes are likely to be changing. However, historical sound recordings don’t exist for most places so we needed to develop a new approach to examine this.”&nbsp;



The researchers used annual systematic bird count data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (NA-BBS) and the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) sites. These data on bird occurrence and abundance were largely collected by citizen scientists over the past 25 years. Given this information, the researchers were then able to use an online database of bird calls (<a href="http://www.xeno-109canto.org">www.xeno-109canto.org</a>) to reconstruct the historical soundscapes from 200,000 locations across the two continents.&nbsp;



The separate, five-minute soundscapes constructed in this way for every site in every year were then analyzed using four indices that characterized song diversity, heterogeneity, evenness and amplitude.



The results showed that natural soundscapes across both continents have become more homogeneous and quieter since the 1990s, suggesting reduced soundscape quality. This finding parallels the significant decline, both in species richness and number of individuals, recorded in NA-BBS surveys, as well as in total number of individuals counted during PECBMS surveys over the past 25 years. “We found a widespread decline in the acoustic diversity and intensity of natural soundscapes, driven by changes in the composition of bird communities," said Dr. Butler.



“These results suggest that the soundtrack of spring is getting quieter and less varied and that one of the fundamental pathways through which humans engage with nature is in chronic decline, with potentially widespread implications for human health and well-being."



“Given that people predominantly hear, rather than see, birds, reductions in the quality of natural soundscapes are likely to be the mechanism through which the impact of ongoing population declines is most keenly felt by the general public."



Dr. Catriona Morrison, a post-doctoral researcher in UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, conducted the analyses.&nbsp;



“In general, we found that sites that have experienced greater declines in either total abundance and/or species richness also show greater declines in acoustic diversity and intensity," said Dr. Morrison.&nbsp;



“However, initial community structure and how the call and song characteristics of species complement each other, also play important roles in determining how soundscapes change."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“For example, the loss of species such as&nbsp;skylark or nightingale, which sing rich and intricate songs, is likely to have a greater impact on the complexity of the soundscape than the loss of a raucous corvid or gull species. Critically however, this will also depend on how many occurred on the site, and which other species are present.”&nbsp;



“Unfortunately, we are living through a global environmental crisis, and we now know that the diminishing connection between people and nature may be contributing to this."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“As we collectively become less aware of our natural surroundings, we also start to notice or care less about their deterioration. Studies like ours aim to heighten awareness of these losses in a tangible, relatable way and demonstrate their potential impact on human wellbeing.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.



---



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

The bird songs of spring are getting quieter

The sounds of nature, particularly the sounds of bird song,...

Scientists estimate that five to ten <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanoes-stabilize-temperatures-at-earths-surface/">volcanoes</a> worldwide are capable of producing super-eruptions that would catastrophically affect the global climate. One of these volcanoes lies beneath the waters of Lake Toba in Sumatra and has already caused two super-eruptions in the last one million years.&nbsp;



By analyzing the levels of uranium and lead in zircon from the Toba volcano, an international team of geologists led by the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/">University of Geneva</a> (UNIGE) and <a href="https://english.pku.edu.cn/">Peking University</a> estimated a super-eruption could take place in about 600,000 years.



The Toba volcano caused two of the largest eruptions on Earth: the first 840,000 and the second 75,000 years ago, both measuring about 2,800 km3&nbsp;- enough to cover the whole of Switzerland with 7cm of ash. The researchers estimated these dates by measuring the amount of uranium and lead in zircon – a mineral found in the products of explosive volcanic eruptions: the youngest zircons provided information about the date of the eruption and the older ones about the history of magma accumulation preceding the super-eruption.



The scientists found that the time of magma accumulation between the two super-eruptions was halved due to the progressive increase of the temperature of the continental crust in which Toba’s magma reservoir was assembled.&nbsp;



“This is a ‘vicious circle’ of eruptions: the more the magma heats the crust, the slower the magma cools and the faster the rate of magma accumulation becomes,” explained study lead author Ping-Ping Liu, a professor of Earth and Space Sciences at Peking University. Thus, super-eruptions could become more frequent over time.



&nbsp;“Today, we estimate that about 320 km3 of magma could be ready to erupt within the reservoir of Toba volcano," added study co-author Luca Caricchi, a professor of Earth Sciences at UNIGE. &nbsp;“The next super-eruption of the size of the last two would therefore take place in about 600,000 years.”



The innovative methods used in this study could be applied to any other volcano on the globe and serve to identify those close to a super-eruption. Moreover, the study shows that no extreme events occur before a super-eruption.&nbsp;



“This suggests that signs of an impending super-eruption such as a significant increase in earthquakes or rapid ground uplift, might not be as obvious as pictured in disaster movies by the film industry. At Toba volcano, everything is happening silently underground, and the analysis of the zircons now gives us an idea of what is to come," concluded Caricchi.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/45/e2101695118">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

Volcanic super-eruptions can build up silently

Scientists estimate that five to ten volcanoes worldwide are capable...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.technion.ac.il/en/home-2/">Israel Institute of Technology</a> has found that barn owls (Tyto alba) build mental maps of their surroundings while flying. The experts report that specific neurons in the hippocampus – the part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-and-infants-recognize-words-using-similar-brain-regions/">brain</a> responsible for spatial orientation - become activated when the owls pass through certain locations.



Place cells – clusters of neurons that fire at a high rate when an animal visits a particular location - are known to exist in the human brain, and they were recently discovered in the brains of other mammals too, including various species of rodents and bats. However, this is the first time that evidence of place cells have been discovered in birds during flight.&nbsp;



The researchers implanted wireless neural recording devices in the brains of six barn owls and analyzed their brain activity as they flew back and forth between two perches.&nbsp;



The experts found that certain neurons from the owls’ hippocampus fired more strongly at specific points along their flight path. This neuronal activity did not appear to be affected by the lighting conditions in the testing room or the movements of the experimenters.



“In the barn owl — a central place forager that strongly relies on memory to navigate&nbsp;to strategic standing posts and to its roost at night — we found robust place cell representation,” reported the study authors in a preprint version of their article.



According to Kate Jeffrey, a neuroscientist at University College London, the Israeli team’s evidence for the presence of place cells in barn owls was “fairly convincing.” This discovery is “consistent with emerging findings from other labs that many of the phenomena we have been studying in mammals have counterparts in non-mammals, suggesting an ancient evolutionary origin, more than 300 million years.”&nbsp;



“Across species, the occurrence of place-cells is correlated with strong reliance on spatial memory. We speculate that the owl’s ability to hunt and navigate in nearly-complete darkness is made possible, in part, by an exceptional hippocampal-based spatial memory,” the study authors concluded.



---



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

Barn owls construct mental maps during flight

New research led by the Israel Institute of Technology has...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.bigelow.org/">Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences</a> are hopeful that a unique case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-harms-organisms-living-in-symbiosis/">symbiosis</a> between salamanders and algae will lead to a breakthrough in medical research. The team, which includes biologists and natural product chemists at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Gettysburg College, just received a grant to finance three years of research.



"We are hopeful that the connections between salamanders and algae could lead to exciting and unforeseen discoveries in medicine. And we are grateful to the William Procter Fund for the chance to explore this unique relationship," said lead researcher John Burns.



Interestingly, algae grows on salamander eggs shortly after they’re laid. The algae colonizes and even enters the tissues of the developing salamanders. The amphibians aren’t harmed by the plant but gain oxygen. In return, the algae gets a substrate to grow on.&nbsp;



“These two organisms are coexisting and benefiting one another," explained Burns. "We are trying to find out how the salamander and algae interact, and whether the molecules they are using can be used to regulate immunity in humans.”



Chemical interactions in nature are a traditional source of drugs but as the easily accessed sources for these drugs have been tapped, drug development slowed towards the end of the twentieth century. Symbiotic relationships are still relatively untapped for their possibilities in drug development.



“When we look to the natural world for drugs, we are usually looking at antagonisms. We're looking for the kind of thing that stops bacteria from growing in order to find something we might be able to use in our own bodies," said Burns.&nbsp;



"Studying these organisms in a symbiotic relationship is completely new, and that's why we think it's an interesting place to look for new types of drugs."



Salamanders can regenerate their tails and limbs, and the experts will investigate the potential role of algae in promoting this regeneration. The findings could ultimately lead to the development of treatments to repair human tissue.



"We are taking this natural interaction and trying to figure out how it works to better understand how the two organisms communicate and benefit. This relationship has existed for a long time, so there may be a lot of chemical nuance and possibility to be discovered.”



The study is supported by the <a href="https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2021/08/26/william-procter-scientific-innovation-fund-50000-grant-to-launch-umaine-blue-economy-program/">William Procter Scientific Innovation Fund</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Salamanders have an intriguing partnership with algae

Experts at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences are hopeful...

Have you ever heard of a dog barking softly? Unless a dog’s vocal cords are damaged or in ill health, it can really only bark loudly. Humans, however, are able to modulate the tone of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountain-lions-afraid-humans/">voices</a> and speak loudly or softly at will. Surprisingly, a new study indicates that baby seals may be able to do the same.



In this study, eight harbor seal pups between one and three weeks of age were exposed to noises of different intensities. The pups were held in a rehabilitation center (the Dutch Sealcentre Pieterburen) prior to being released back into the wild.&nbsp;



To investigate whether the baby seals could adapt their voices to noises in the environment, the researchers recorded noises from the nearby Wadden Sea and then played these noises back to the pups for several days.&nbsp;



The recordings were played back at three different levels of loudness (from no sound to 65 decibels). The pitch of the sea sounds was kept at the same level as the regular pitch of the seals pups’ calls. The researchers also recorded the spontaneous calls by the baby seals.&nbsp;



Analysis of the recordings showed that when the seal pups heard louder sea noises, they lowered their tone of voice. The pups also kept a steadier pitch with the more intense noise levels.&nbsp;



One seal behaved in the opposite manner and produced louder calls when the noise got louder. This is known as Lombard effect and it is typical in human speech when people raise their voices against a background noise, in order to be understood better. The pups did not produce more or longer calls when they heard different levels of sea noise.



Overall, however, it was clear that young seals adapted to the noises in their environment by lowering the tone of their voice - an ability they seem to share with humans and bats. Other animals in similar experiments only raise their voice (in other words, make louder calls) in response to louder noise.



“Seal pups have a more advanced control over their vocalizations than assumed up until now,” noted study senior investigator Andrea Ravignani, scientist at the <a href="https://www.mpi.nl/">Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics</a>.



“This control seems to be already present at only few weeks of age. This is astonishing, as few other mammals seem capable of that.&nbsp;To date, humans seem to be the only mammals with direct neural connections between the cortex (the outer layer of the brain) and the larynx (what we use to produce tone of voice)."



“These results show that seals may be the most promising species to find these direct connections, and unravel the mystery of speech.”



“By looking at one of the few other mammals that may be capable of learning sounds, we can better understand how we, humans, acquire speech, and ultimately why we are such chatty animals."



The results of the study were published today in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B; Biological Sciences</a>.



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

Baby seals "talk" more softly when there is background noise

Have you ever heard of a dog barking softly? Unless...

A study led by <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu/">Syracuse University</a> is revealing new clues about Earth’s earliest major mass extinction. The Late Ordovician mass extinction (LOME), was the first of the “big five" extinction events, during which about 85 percent of all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-species-vanishing/">marine species</a> were wiped out.&nbsp;



Today, many scientists believe that we are already in the midst of our planet's sixth mass extinction event as a result of human-induced climate change. It is critically important for scientists to understand the causes of previous die-offs in order to help prevent the same level of catastrophe in the future.&nbsp;



To investigate, an international team of researchers looked at the ocean environment before, during, and after the LOME. Professor Seth Finnegan, an expert in mass extinction at UC Berkeley, said the seas were full of biodiversity during the Ordovician Period. There were early reefs, but they lacked an abundance of vertebrates.



“If you had gone snorkeling in an Ordovician sea you would have seen some familiar groups like clams and snails and sponges, but also many other groups that are now very reduced in diversity or entirely extinct like trilobites, brachiopods and crinoids,” said Professor Finnegan.



He explained that unlike rapid mass extinctions, such as when dinosaurs and other species were suddenly wiped out around 65.5 million years ago, the LOME played out over a substantial period of time, with estimates between less than half a million to almost two million years.



One prevailing theory is that LOME was triggered by a lack of oxygen in the shallow ocean. The experts combined geochemical testing and computer modeling to test this theory.&nbsp;



Professor Zunli Lu led a team of students who measured iodine concentrations in carbonate rocks from the Ordovician Period. By studying concentrations of the element iodine in rocks, researchers can look for changes in oceanic oxygen levels at various ocean depths throughout Earth's history.



The results of the analysis produced no evidence that a lack of oxygen, or anoxia, caused the mass die-off. According to the researchers, it is much more likely that climate cooling during the Late Ordovician period was a major contributor to the LOME.



While there was no significant lack of oxygen in the shallow depths where animals dwelled, the team did find evidence that anoxia expanded at deep ocean depths. This is a mystery that cannot be explained by the classic model of ocean oxygen, explained study lead author Alexandre Pohl of UC Riverside.



“Upper-ocean oxygenation in response to cooling was anticipated, because atmospheric oxygen preferentially dissolves in cold waters,” said Pohl. “However, we were surprised to see expanded anoxia in the lower ocean since anoxia in Earth’s history is generally associated with volcanism-induced global warming.”



According to Lu, recognizing that climate cooling can also lead to lower oxygen levels in some parts of the ocean is a key takeaway from their study.



“For decades, the prevailing school of thoughts in our field is that global warming causes the oceans to lose oxygen and thus impact marine habitability, potentially destabilizing the entire ecosystem. In recent years, mounting evidence point to several episodes in Earth’s history when oxygen levels also dropped in cooling climates.”



The study does not fully explain the causes of Late Ordovician extinction, but the researchers have ruled out changes in oxygenation as the primary cause of the event. The research suggests that changes in temperature helped to set the stage for the Late Ordovician mass extinction, and the experts will continue to seek out additional factors that may have been involved.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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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

New clues about Earth’s earliest major mass extinction

A study led by Syracuse University is revealing new clues...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/">California Polytechnic State University</a> (Cal Poly) has found that the loss of seagrass caused a dramatic shift in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-fish-ingest-plastic-the-impacts-are-complicated/">fish</a> species in Morro Bay, California. The period following the decline of seagrass habitats was characterized by increases in flatfish and staghorn sculpin, and decreases in previous populations of bay pipefish and shiner perch.



Seagrass meadows were very common throughout the Morro Bay estuary and represented one of the most biologically productive biomes on Earth, providing shelter, food, and nurseries to a large variety of fish and invertebrate organisms. Following their significant decay in recent decades, they have been largely replaced currently with a less dynamic, muddy seafloor habitat.



"Seagrass, like the eelgrass in Morro Bay, is important because it supports a range of marine life," said study lead author Jennifer O'Leary, who is now the Western Indian Ocean coordinator for the <a href="https://www.wcs.org/">Wildlife Conservation Society</a>. "It's like the trees in a forest - these underwater plants provide food, structure, and shelter to many of the marine animals that live in the bay."



Morro Bay, one of the 28 estuaries that the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">U.S. Environment Protection Agency</a> deemed critical for the environmental and economic health of the country, has witnessed a dramatic transformation.&nbsp; Seagrass declined by more than 95 percent, dropping from covering 344 acres in 2007 to only 15 acres in 2017.



Instead of resulting in fewer fish, seagrass loss has led to changes in the fish species that are present. The once common pipefish, a species perfectly adapted to hide among seagrass, has been replaced by flatfishes such as the speckled sanddab (Citharichthys stigmaeus) and the staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus), which are more adapted to live among muddy seafloors.



"The relatively sudden and near complete collapse of eelgrass in Morro Bay has not only changed fish populations, but it has also resulted in substantial changes to estuary physics and geomorphology," added study co-author Ryan Walter, a professor of Physics at Cal Poly. The loss of seagrass in Morro Bay has led to widespread erosion, or loss of sediment, throughout the estuary.



According to the scientists, a multifaceted approach to protect the remaining seagrass is essential, including local planting initiatives and transplantation efforts.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12237-021-00917-2">Estuaries and Coasts</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

Seagrass loss leads to changes in fish populations

New research led by the California Polytechnic State University (Cal...

Up until recently, high blood pressure and diabetes have been known as the two main causes of kidney disease. However, new research from the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/">Monash University</a> Planetary Health Department has revealed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperatures-are-rising-unexpectedly-fast-on-the-tibetan-plateau/">temperature</a> change is also a massive contributor to kidney disease, presenting yet another indirect consequence of rising global temperatures.



The study, which was led by Professor Yuming Guo and Dr. Shanshan Li, quantified the risk and attributable burden of ambient temperature for hospitalizations of renal diseases. The researchers focused on data gathered from 1,816 Brazilian cities, and found that 7.4 percent of all kidney disease hospitalizations could be attributed to temperature increases.



The data was gathered between 2000 and 2015. Overall, the analysis showed that a total of 202,000 kidney disease cases were linked to temperature change. The results were presented at the COP26 conference in Glasgow, representing an example of the detrimental indirect effects that climate change is having on the world.



The research followed up on the findings of a landmark research article written in 2017 for The Lancet, which suggested that 2.6 million deaths were attributable to impaired kidney function. This was an increase of 26.6 percent compared to the previous decade, indicating a correlation with rising global temperatures.



According to Professor Guo, every 1°C increase in daily mean temperatures directly correlates with around one percent increase in kidney disease. This statistic was calculated based on a total of 2,726,886 renal disease hospitalizations, and showed that women, the 80+ age group, and children under the age of four were affected the most.



While associations between renal disease and temperature were highest on days of extreme heat, the effects remained for up to two days post-exposure. The experts noted that the research “provides robust evidence that more policies should be developed to prevent heat-related hospitalizations and mitigate climate change.”



As a result of the findings, the study authors are advising governments to urgently incorporate interventions into their policies on climate change. They are also emphasizing that interventions should be focused on targeting particularly vulnerable individuals such as females, children, and the elderly.



“Moreover, attention should be paid to low- and middle-income countries like Brazil, where reliable heat warning systems and preventive measures are still in need,” added Professor Guo.



The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/regional-health">The Lancet Regional Health</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Heat linked to 200,000 cases of kidney disease in Brazil

Up until recently, high blood pressure and diabetes have been...

During a routine analysis of biological samples from two male California condors in the <a href="https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/">San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance</a>’s managed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cooperative-breeding-protects-desert-birds-from-reproductive-failure/">breeding</a> program, a team of conservation scientists reported an amazing discovery that could have a significant impact on wildlife genetics and conservation science. Both male condors had DNA that was 100 percent of their mothers, and were thus biologically fatherless.&nbsp;



This phenomenon is known as parthenogenesis and represents a natural form of asexual reproduction in which an embryo that is not fertilized by sperm continues to develop, containing only the mother’s genetic material. Parthenogenesis is very rare in birds, and usually occurs in females who have no access to males.



“This is truly an amazing discovery,” said study co-author Oliver Ryder, the director of Conservation Genetics at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “We were not exactly looking for evidence of parthenogenesis, it just hit us in the face. We only confirmed it because of the normal genetic studies we do to prove parentage. Our results showed that both eggs possessed the expected male ZZ sex chromosomes, but all markers were only inherited from their dams, verifying our findings.”&nbsp;



Previous examples of aviary parthenogenesis were only found domestic birds such as turkeys, finches, and domestic pigeons. Moreover, these birds did not have access to males. By contrast, the condor females had also produced a large number of offspring with their mates: one had 11 chicks, and the other - which was paired with a male for more than 20 years - had 23 chicks. 



"We believe that our findings represent the first instance of facultative avian parthenogenesis in a wild bird species, where both a male and a female are housed together,” said study co-author Cynthia Steiner, associate director for the conservation research division at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Still, unlike other examples of avian parthenogenesis, these two occurrences are not explained by the absence of a suitable male.”



Although these results represent only two documented cases in the condor population, the discovery could have important implications. Further research is needed to see whether parthenogenesis occurs in other condors, as well as in other species too.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jhered/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jhered/esab052/6412509">Journal of Heredity</a>.&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

“Virgin births” discovered among California condors

During a routine analysis of biological samples from two male...

A new study has found that, contrary to popular belief, time spent alone during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/delta-variants-could-further-prolong-the-covid-pandemic/">pandemic</a> increased well-being across most age categories. The qualitative study of over 2,000 U.K. teenagers and adults revealed that many people experienced benefits from solitude during the early days of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-cheap-antidepressant-may-reduce-severe-covid-19-disease/">COVID-19</a> pandemic.



Although some study participants talked about worsening moods and decreased well-being, a staggering majority described their experiences of solitude in terms of feelings of autonomy and competence.&nbsp;



Autonomy, addressed in terms of self-reliance and self-connection, was a major positive outcome of isolation in adults, who mentioned it more frequently than teenagers. On the other hand, experiences of competence – time spent on skill-building activities – appeared to be consistent across all ages.



“Our paper shows that aspects of solitude, a positive way of describing being alone, is recognized across all ages as providing benefits for our well-being,” said study lead author Dr. Netta Weinstein, an associate professor of Psychology at the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>.



“We know that many people reconnected with hobbies and interests or increasingly appreciating nature on walks and bike rides during [the first U.K. lockdown], and those elements of what we describe as ‘self-determined motivation,’ where we choose to spend time alone for ourselves are seemingly a critical aspect of positive well-being.”



However, working age adults recorded the most negative experiences, with 35.5 percent of the participants mentioning disrupted well-being, 44 percent negative moods, and 14.8 percent feelings of alienation.&nbsp;



“Over those first few months of the pandemic here in the UK, we see that working adults were actually the most likely to mention aspects of worsening well-being and mood, but even those are not as commonly mentioned as more positive experiences of solitude,” said Dr. Weinstein.&nbsp;



“Seeing working age adults experience disrupted well-being and negative mood may in fact be related to the pandemic reducing our ability to find peaceful solitude. As we all adjusted to a&nbsp;‘new normal,’ many working adults found that usual moments of being alone, whether on their commute or during a work break were disrupted. Even for the most ardent of extroverts, these small windows of peace show the important role of time alone for our mental health,” she explained.



More research is needed to investigate the effects of different lockdowns in other parts of the world to determine whether the findings can be generalized.



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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

Solitude increased well-being during the pandemic

A new study has found that, contrary to popular belief,...

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

[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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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...