You've undoubtedly noticed that the Moon has two distinct sides, right? The near side that we see from Earth and the far side that remains a mystery because it is never turned towards us.



This unusual lunar characteristic -- a global dichotomy -- is what a team of scientists led by Professor XU Yigang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (<a href="http://english.gig.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GIGCAS</a>) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been investigating.



They have been studying lunar soil samples collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the Moon, and returned to Earth by China's <a href="https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=CHANG-E-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chang’e-6 mission</a>.



These invaluable samples have allowed them to investigate the Moon's peculiar dichotomy and the results have shed light on some of its secrets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-chang-e-6">What is Chang’e-6?</h2>



The Chinese space program launched Chang'e 6, their latest Moon mission, on May 3, 2024. The spacecraft blasted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on a Long March 5 rocket at 9:27 UT (that's 5:27 PM Beijing time). 



Their goal? To grab about four pounds (2 kg) of Moon rocks from the far side - something no one had done before.



The lander touched down in a huge crater called the South Pole Aitken Basin. The team used both a scoop and a drill to dig up surface samples and even went 2 meters deep into the lunar soil. 



They also sent out a small rover that cruised around taking snapshots of the lander doing its work.



Once they collected the samples, the crew packed them into an ascent vehicle sitting on top of the lander. 



On June 3 at 11:38 PM UT (7:38 AM Beijing time the next day), this vehicle shot up from the Moon's surface and met up with the orbiter waiting above. They made the handoff on June 6, 2024.



After ditching the ascent vehicle (which crashed back into the Moon), the return vehicle hung around in orbit for a couple weeks before heading home. 



It pulled off a tricky skip-entry through Earth's atmosphere and landed in Inner Mongolia's Siziwang Banner region on June 25 at 6:07 UT (2:07 PM Beijing time). 



The final haul? Roughly 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) of Moon rocks and soil from the far side -- marking another big win for China's space program.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-far-side-vs-visible-side-of-the-moon">Far side vs. visible side of the Moon</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-official-earth-now-has-two-moons-captured-asteroid-2024-pt5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moon's</a> dichotomy is visible in its topography, chemical composition, crustal thickness, evidence of volcanism and, most noticeably, in the difference in geomorphology between its near and far sides.



The near side of the Moon is home to the familiar "man in the moon" maria - the dark "seas" that are the result of ancient volcanic activity. 



These areas were flooded with molten lava that created rocks known as mare basalts.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_diagram_credit-YANG-Muhan_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_diagram_credit-YANG-Muhan_1s.webp" alt="Distribution of distinct volcanic episodes on the Moon’s farside. The remote sensing image highlights the Chang’e-6 landing site along with nearby mare and cryptomare basaltic units. Credit: Image by YANG Muhan" class="wp-image-1950782"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Distribution of distinct volcanic episodes on the Moon’s farside. The remote sensing image highlights the Chang’e-6 landing site along with nearby mare and cryptomare basaltic units. Credit: Image by YANG Muhan</figcaption></figure>



How about the far side? Well, here's where it gets intriguing. Only about 2% of this hidden part of the Moon is covered in the basalts, compared to around 30% on the near side.



This inexplicable difference is a vital part of the lunar global dichotomy that the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program aims to unravel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-secrets-of-the-moon-s-far-side">Secrets of the Moon's far side</h2>



Thanks to the Chang’e-6 lunar soil samples, Professor XU's team discovered the existence of two different types of mare basalts, low-Ti, and very low-Ti (VLT). 



“The samples returned by Chang’e-6 provide a best opportunity to investigate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-pt5-mini-moon-say-goodbye-to-earths-second-moon-we-barely-got-to-know-you/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lunar</a> global dichotomy,” said Professor XU.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-eruptions_basalt-types_credit-GIGCAS_1s.webp" alt="The two types of basalts in Chang’e-6 soils and isochrons of the Chang’e-6 low-Ti basalt. Credit: GIGCAS" class="wp-image-1950784"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The two types of basalts in Chang’e-6 soils and isochrons of the Chang’e-6 low-Ti basalt. Credit: GIGCAS</figcaption></figure>



Let's not dismiss the aspect of dating these samples either. With high-precision Pb-Pb dating techniques, the team determined that the low-Ti basalt dates back to around 2.83 billion years ago.



This attests to the presence of "young" magmatism or volcanic activities on the far side of the Moon. But of course, young is a relative term when we talk about 2.83 billion years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-history-of-volcanoes">Mapping the history of volcanoes</h2>



With such valuable information now in our hands, we can clearly chart the volcanic timeline on the far side of the Moon. 



Led by Professor LI Qiuli, the team conducted radioisotope dating on 108 basalt fragments, with 107 of them revealing a consistent formation age of 2807 million years ago.



But there's more. One fragment, a high-aluminum basalt, was dated to a monumental 4203 million years ago, making it the oldest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/harvest-moon-2024-will-feature-a-partial-lunar-eclipse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lunar</a> basalt for which age has been precisely determined.



This implies elevated levels of volcanic activity on the far side of the Moon for at least 1.4 billion years - between 4.2 billion and 2.8 billion years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



These findings, available for everyone to dissect, can help recalibrate the existing lunar crater chronology models. 



Christopher Hamilton, an independent planetary volcano expert, emphasized the importance of obtaining samples from this previously unchartered lunar territory.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_Change-6-mission_landing_credit-CLEP_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_Change-6-mission_landing_credit-CLEP_1s.webp" alt="China's Chang’e-6 mission spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon. Credit: CLAP" class="wp-image-1950787"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">China's Chang’e-6 mission spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon. Credit: CLAP </figcaption></figure>



More than just understanding the Moon, these lunar soil samples also have implications for some broad astronomical theories.



The new data indicates a constant impact flux after 2.83 billion years, which can offer new insights into planet migration in the early Solar System. 



So, by looking at the Moon, we are indirectly learning about our own cosmic neighborhood as well!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



With more missions like the Chang'e-6, the future will undoubtedly bring many enlightening discoveries about our constant celestial companion.



In the end, we see that the Moon, despite its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-may-have-captured-the-moon-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">familiar appearance</a>, still hides untold secrets waiting to be discovered. 



These lunar missions represent a new age of lunar and planetary exploration that pushes the boundaries of our understanding.



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The researchers from the <a href="https://english.cas.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> express their gratitude for the support received from various institutes such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. These institutions' enduring support enables such important lunar explorations.



The study is published in the journals <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08382-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> and <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt1093" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Far side of the Moon had volcanic eruptions for over one billion years

You've undoubtedly noticed that the Moon has two distinct sides, right? The near side that we see from Earth and the far side that remains a mystery because it is never turned towards us. This unusual lunar characteristic -- a global dichotomy -- is what a team of scientists led by Professor XU Yigang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIGCAS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been investigating. They have been studying lunar soil samples collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far...

The current geological age, during which human activity has taken over as the dominant influence on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pandas-can-thrive-in-less-than-perfect-environments/">environment</a> and climate, is unofficially known as the Anthropocene. When looking at how humans have reshaped our planet, some of the biggest disturbances can be found among Earth's tropical forests.&nbsp;



In a new series of articles edited by researchers from the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a> and the Smithsonian Research Institute, a multidisciplinary group of experts describes how deep roots of the human-dominated Anthropocene can be traced in tropical forests.



Patrick Roberts is one of the editors of the special feature. He explained that human alteration of tropical forests is probably not just a recent phenomenon.



“Although tropical forests are often seen as pristine ‘wildernesses’ prior to industrial activities, we now know that hunter-gatherers, food producers, and even city-dwellers have inhabited - and modified - these environments for a long, long time,” said Roberts.&nbsp;



“Given that these habitats are embedded in a variety of Earth systems, this opens up the potential to find very early roots for the Anthropocene.”



Tropical forests provide habitats for more than half of the planet’s biodiversity, generate large amounts of rainfall, and store massive amounts of carbon. The disturbance of these natural ecosystems by human activities can trigger a cascading series of climate changes.&nbsp;



"The papers in this volume investigate a variety of human-forest interactions, including the exploitation of giant bird eggs in New Guinea, the impacts of paddy rice agriculture on ancient, threatened conifers in southeastern China, and a comparison of tropical urban life in the Classic Maya world and Greater Angkor," explained feature co-editor Rebecca Hamilton.



Looking at the origins of the Anthropocene in the tropics is not just important for protecting biodiversity, but also for exposing how Indigenous groups have been marginalized.&nbsp;



“Indigenous populations of tropical regions have often been the most marginalized in recent human history. This collection shows that it is high time to recognize the long-term significance of traditional Indigenous land management in the tropics," said Hamilton.



“The term the ‘Anthropocene’ can suggest that our current sustainability plight was caused equally by all human societies and, in turn, impacts them all equally. However, contributors to this volume show that, particularly over the last 500 years, it has been an unequal and often-imbalanced process,” said Roberts.



Overall, the researchers hope that the papers of this special feature will encourage further engagement of policy makers and ecologists with Indigenous groups and scholars from the palaeo- and social sciences.



“In this way, we have the best chance of developing more fair, sustainable, and resilient futures for human-environment interactions in these critical, often misunderstood, environments,” concluded Roberts.



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

Roots of the Anthropocene can be traced in tropical forests

The current geological age, during which human activity has taken...

Many people are aware that an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-gigantic-asteroids-hit-early-earth-than-expected/">asteroid</a> led to the extinction of the dinosaurs millions of years ago. However, new research from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a> has been investigating how major volcanic eruptions over 230 million years ago actually led to the rise of dinosaurs



By analyzing sediment and fossil plant records from a lake in Northern China’s Jiyuan Basin, scientists have matched volcanic activity pulses with the Late Triassic Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE). This event increased global temperatures and humidity, ultimately resulting in rapidly increased development speeds of animal and plant life.



“Within the space of two million years the world’s animal and plant life underwent major changes including selective extinctions in the marine realm and diversification of plant and animal groups on land," explained study co-author Jason Hilton, professor of Palaeobotany and Palaeoenvironments at the University of Birmingham’s School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. “These events coincide with an interval of intense rainfall known as the Carnian Pluvial Episode."



“Our research shows that this period can actually be resolved into four distinct events, each one driven by discrete pulses of powerful volcanic activity associated with enormous releases of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”



The team discovered that large perturbation of the global carbon cycle, climatic changes to human conditions, and the lake’s deepening with a corresponding reduction in animal life and oxygen, all coincided with volcanic eruption phases.



“In addition to dinosaurs, this remarkable period in Earth history was also important for the rise of modern conifer groups and had a major impact on the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems and animal and plant life - including ferns, crocodiles, turtles, insects and the first mammals," said Professor Hilton.



Increased rainfall also resulted in the widespread expansion of drainage basins converging into swamps or lakes as opposed to rivers and oceans, indicated by geological events within the same timeframe across other continents.



“Our results show that large volcanic eruptions can occur in multiple, discrete pulses, demonstrating their powerful ability to alter the global carbon cycle, cause climate and hydrological disruption and drive evolutionary processes,” noted study co-author Dr. Sarah Greene.



The researchers investigated terrestrial sediments from the ZJ-1 borehole in the Jiyuan Basin of North China. They used high-resolution chemostratigraphy, palynological and sedimentological data in addition to uranium-lead zircon dating in order to correlate regional terrestrial conditions with synchronous large-scale volcanic activity in North America.



Dr Emma Dunne, a paleobiologist at the University of Birmingham who was not involved in the study, commented that “at this time, the dinosaurs had just begun to diversify, and it’s likely that without this event, they would never have reached their ecological dominance we see over the next 150 million years.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS).



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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

Major volcanic eruptions led to the rise of the dinosaurs

Many people are aware that an asteroid led to the...

In a fascinating study led by <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>, researchers have discovered that baby birds can learn sounds from their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/screen-time-is-a-top-concern-among-parents-during-pandemic/">parents</a> before they have even hatched. The birds were found to exhibit physical responses (fluctuating heartbeats) to their parents' calls from inside of the egg.



The experts used non-invasive techniques to study prenatal auditory learning in the embryos of three vocal learning species, including the superb fairy-wren, the red-winged fairy-wren and Darwin's small ground finch.&nbsp;The researchers also analyzed the embryos of two vocal non-learning species - the little penguin and Japanese quail.



"Vocal production learning is only believed to occur in seven lineages of birds and mammals, including humans," said study co-author Sonia Kleindorfer. "This research will hopefully inspire more study into the remarkable capacity of animals to learn sound."&nbsp;



"By moving the time window for sound learning to the prenatal stage, this research direction opens pathways to measure neurobiological downstream effects of early auditory experience on behavior and information processing."



The researchers used fluctuations in heart rate to measure the vocal learning concepts in embryo behavior and response to sound within the egg. This embryonic stage occurs well before baby birds hatch and start making complex calls or songs - which normally takes several months or even years after birth to accomplish.  



"By studying the capacity for sound learning in embryos, we are paving the way to new inroads into evolutionary and developmental timescales," explained study first author Diane Colombelli-Négrel.



"Long before actual vocalization, we found that these tiny songbirds were also discriminating towards non-specific sounds and capable of 'non-associative' - not from parents - sounds, building on the complexity of vocal learning in songbirds." 



According to Kleindorfer, there are many forms of vocal learning but vocal production learning by far stands out as a hallmark achievement in seven orders - primates, songbirds, parrots, hummingbirds, cetaceans, pinnipeds and bats. Among primates, however, only humans can do it.



"As a result of the rarity of vocal production learning, animals have been grouped into so-called 'vocal learners' - those that learn to imitate a vocalization from a vocal tutor - and 'vocal non-learners' - animals that produce vocalizations without imitating a vocal tutor," said Kleindorfer.



Patrick Abbot is a program director in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems at the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a>, which funded the research.



"By showing that pre-hatch auditory learning may be common in birds, this project adds to our growing recognition of the importance of the sound environment and paves the way for new avenues of research on the neuroethology, development and evolution of vocal perception learning in vertebrates," said Abbot.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</a>.



---



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

Baby birds can learn sounds before they've even hatched

In a fascinating study led by Flinders University, researchers have...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01157-9">Nature Climate Change</a> has found that significantly limiting and delaying global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-is-the-northeast-coast-a-global-warming-hotspot/">warming</a> is highly important for protecting millions of people from exposure to an increasing number of tropical cyclones.&nbsp;



"If we add population growth to two degree Celsius global warming, in 2050 we could even see an increase of ca. 40 percent more people exposed to cyclones," explained study lead author Tobias Geiger, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK) and the <a href="https://www.dwd.de/DE/Home/home_node.html">Deutscher Wetterdienst</a> (DWD).&nbsp;



"As the global population is projected to peak around mid-century, more people will face more intense cyclones, due to climate change – putting that higher population at greater risk."



Through a computer-based analysis, the scientists investigated the joint impact of climate change and demographic development. The results show that if global warming continues at a similar pace, countries with an increased risk of tropical cyclones will undoubtedly face a rise in exposure to such extreme weather phenomena by mid-century.



“Due to the projected population growth, we found exposure changes of nearly 300 percent in some East African countries, up to 100 percent in the United States and also a strong increase for the Arabian Peninsula. For the US, this will most likely result in more cyclone damages, while other strongly affected world regions might also face more poverty and forced migration," reported study co-author Johannes Gütschow, a senior scientist at PIK.&nbsp;



Under less rapid global warming scenarios, the situation can significantly improve: delaying two degrees of warming by 2080 or 2100 would result in a reduction of tropical cyclone exposure by 20 percent, particularly in areas such as East Asia and the Caribbean.&nbsp;



"Emission reductions that would limit global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius could cumulatively protect over 1.8 billion people from exposure to tropical cyclones until the end of this century compared to the warming under currently proposed emission reductions. It is thus high time to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep as many people safe as possible," concluded study co-author Katja Frieler, a researcher at PIK.



This study should inform decisions at the 2021 UN world climate summit (<a href="https://ukcop26.org/">COP26</a>) and help reframing the currently insufficient Nationally Determined Contributions (<a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs">NDCs</a>) under the Paris Agreement, which would lead to two degrees of warming by mid-21st century and thus risk exposing many people to tropical cyclones.



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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

Global warming will unleash more intense tropical cyclones

A new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have recently discovered that the melting of polar ice from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-in-the-north-pacific-linked-to-unusual-ozone-hole/">Arctic</a>, Antarctica, and Greenland is not only causing sea levels to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-levels-are-rising-at-an-alarming-rate/">rise</a>, but is also warping the Earth’s crust. According to the scientists, the effects of this phenomenon can be felt thousands of miles away.&nbsp;



When ice sheets build up, their weight is causing the crust beneath the ice to sink in order to compensate. As the ice melts, and this weight is removed, the crust rises up again in a process called “isostatic rebound.” The vertical shifting of the crust as the weight of the ice is removed can also further accelerate ice loss through a positive feedback effect.&nbsp;



“Think of a wooden board floating on top of a tub of water. When you push the board down, you would have the water beneath moving down. If you pick it up, you’ll see the water moving vertically to fill that space,” explained lead study author Sophie Coulson, a researcher in the <a href="https://www.lanl.gov/org/ddste/aldsc/theoretical/fluid-dynamics-solid-mechanics/index.php">Fluid Dynamics and Solid Mechanics Group</a> at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.



While this phenomenon of vertical rebound has long been understood by scientists, Dr. Coulson and her research team have recently found that the crust might also shift sideways due to ice melting caused by climate change.



By analyzing satellite data on polar ice loss from 2003 to 2018, the researchers have discovered that melting Arctic and Greenland glaciers caused the ground to shift horizontally in most of the Northern hemisphere. Moreover, in certain places, even far away from the melting ice, the crust was moving more horizontally than it was rebounding vertically.



According to Glenn Antony Milne, an Earth scientist from the <a href="https://www2.uottawa.ca/en">University of Ottawa</a>, this work&nbsp;“is important because it is the first to show that recent mass loss of ice sheets and glaciers causes 3D motion of the Earth’s surface that is greater in magnitude and spatial extent than previously identified.”



Understanding the factors that cause movements of the Earth’s crust is important for solving a wide range of science problems. “For example, to accurately observe tectonic motions and earthquake activity, we need to be able to separate out this motion generated by modern ice-mass loss,” explained Dr. Coulson.



The study was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095477">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



---



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

Melting polar ice is warping Earth’s crust

Researchers at Harvard University have recently discovered that the melting...

A new study reveals that both adult and juvenile hyenas often play fight with each other, using subtle body language cues to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/puppies-can-communicate-with-people-at-a-very-young-age/">communicate</a> to their opponent that the attacks are playful rather than dangerous. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.unipi.it/index.php/english">University of Pisa</a> analyzed the behavior of 24 wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) on a nature reserve in South Africa.&nbsp;



By analyzing 38 hours of footage of hyenas from the&nbsp;Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve near Limpopo, South Africa, evolutionary biologist Elisabetta Palagi and her colleagues discovered that hyenas rely on visual communication in order to fine-tune their playful interactions.&nbsp;



“It seems that if I want to play hard, I need signals to clarify that I am not attacking you - and that this is only play,” explained Dr. Palagi.



One of these cues is a relaxed, open mouth, resembling laughter, which also occurs in animals such as chimps, bears, dogs, or seals when they play fight. Another is head bobbing, a body language cue also signifying that the hyenas’ behavior should be taken to be playful rather than aggressive.&nbsp;



“They’re not just relying on vocalisations. Visual cues like facial expressions and body postures are important,” said Dr. Palagi.&nbsp;



Regardless of which body language cues they used, the animals always made sure that the opponents were watching them before they made it. This suggests that playmates were highly attentive to each other’s facial expressions and bodily gestures, and were capable of correctly interpreting them.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Additionally, the scientists found that the relaxed open mouth punctuated the play-fighting session at a higher frequency when the offensive patterns were biased towards one of the two players. This stands in contrast with the play behavior of most other animals, who tend to stop play fighting when one of them is clearly winning. Hyenas’ play-fighting sessions are thus longer and more complex than in the case of other species.



By using subtle body cues and facial expressions, the hyenas are able to exchange crucial information regarding the nature of their interaction.&nbsp;



According to the study authors, “spotted hyenas are highly competent and fast in processing facial displays of different nature to correctly 'read others’ intentions' and respond with appropriate motor actions to avoid misunderstanding during one of the most multifaceted and risky social interaction.”



The studies were published in the journals&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.012">Animal Behaviour</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoab076">Current Zoology</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

Hyenas make faces when they want to play fight

A new study reveals that both adult and juvenile hyenas...

It is commonly known that carbon emissions must be reduced to end the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-following-a-pattern-similar-to-earths-largest-mass-extinction/">climate</a> crisis, but few are aware of methane - the invisible gas that contributes 80 times more to global warming than carbon.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">IPCC</a> (UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) are investigating potential mitigation methods for global warming. "The fastest way that we might mitigate existing climate change in the short term is by reducing methane," explained Dr. Charles Koven, a carbon cycle scientist at Lawrence Berkeley and the lead author of the IPCC's latest report.



According to Dr. Koven, even if carbon dioxide emissions were completely banned, elevated CO2 levels would still remain in the atmosphere for many years. However, methane reduction could show positive changes within the next ten years.&nbsp;



While methane output from volcanoes and decomposing plant matter will be difficult to reduce, mitigation within fossil fuel industries is plausible. This could be achieved through more efficient and carbon friendly natural gases.&nbsp;



However, when it comes to natural gases, there are fears of leakage that still present significant challenges. Natural gases are stored in infrastructure that is susceptible to leakage, such as wells and refineries.



In order to regulated usage, technology systems now use infrared cameras and advanced satellites, facilitating the monitoring of methane usage across the globe.&nbsp;



Climatologists at NASA and the National Oceanic explained that pernicious changes throughout the climate system will get significantly worse unless the world reduces its methane usage.&nbsp;



"For carbon dioxide, we've always known about power plants and smokestacks and things like that; but with methane, until recent years, we didn't understand how much of an influence a small number of large sources have really had," said Robert Jackson, a professor of Environmental Science at Stanford University.



The latest IPCC assessment highlights that scientists now have a better understanding of how much methane is being released by human activity like agriculture and the fossil fuel industry, and how much it contributes to the climate.



Though agriculture is a major source of methane, Professor Jackson said the emissions from farming and food production would be harder to tackle.&nbsp;



"There are only certain things we can do with cattle," said Professor Jackson. "We can either ask people to stop eating beef or we can try and give cattle feed additives to change the microbes in the chemistry of their guts. But that's not easy to do for billions of cattle around the world."



Already, pressure is mounting. The planet is already seeing the impact in the form of extreme weather and natural disasters.



President Joe Biden recently announced that the United States and European Union have launched a global pledge to reduce emissions of methane by nearly 30 percent by the end of the decade.



"This will not only rapidly reduce the rate of global warming, but it will also produce a very valuable side benefit like improving public health and agricultural output," said Biden. "We're mobilizing support to help developing countries that join and pledge to do something significant."



"Rapidly reducing methane emissions may be the single most effective strategy to keep the 1.5-degree limit in reach, in terms of near-term actions one can take," a senior Biden administration official told CNN recently, noting that methane currently accounts for about half a degree of warming.



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

Reducing methane is the fastest way to slow global warming

It is commonly known that carbon emissions must be reduced...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.umontreal.ca/en/">University of Montreal</a> has found that boys who engage in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sports-activities-are-particularly-beneficial-for-young-girls/">sports</a> activities in early childhood are less prone to experience emotional distress in middle childhood. Additionally, they are more likely to continue to be physically active during adolescence.&nbsp;



By studying data from a Quebec cohort of children born in 1997 and 1998 (690 boys and 748 girls), the researchers aimed to clarify the long-term and reciprocal relationship between participation in sports and depressive and anxiety symptoms in school-aged children.



“There’s widespread evidence of a crisis these days in childhood physical inactivity, and this may ultimately have implications for later mental and physical health,” said study lead author Marie-Josée Harbec, a doctoral student at the University of Montreal.&nbsp;



“We also wanted to examine whether this relationship worked differently in boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12.”



Together with her PhD supervisor Linda Pagani, a professor of Psychoeducation, Harbec examined the sporting activity habits reported by children at ages 5 to 12 years and their parents, and looked at symptoms of emotional distress from 6 to 12 years that were reported by these children’s teachers.



“We found that 5-year-old boys who never participated in sports were more likely between the ages of 6 and 10 to look unhappy and tired, had difficulty having fun, cried a lot, and appeared fearful or worried,” said Professor Pagani.&nbsp;



“Also, boys who exhibited higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms during middle childhood were subsequently less physically active at 12 years old.”



In the case of girls, however, no significant changes were found. Boys who engage in sports might be more prone to develop life skills such as taking initiative, engaging in teamwork, practicing self-control, and building supportive relationships, while physically inactive ones run the risk of becoming socially-isolated and develop mental health issues.&nbsp;



Girls, on the other hand, appear to be from the start more open to seek help and disclose emotional distress to family, friends, or healthcare workers, and the psychological support they receive might protect them better.



“Also, because more girls experience emotional distress than boys, this gender-related risk may have led to early identification and intervention for girls,” added Harbec.



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/pages/default.aspx">Journal of Developmental &amp; Behavioral Pediatrics</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

Boys who play sports as young children have better mental health

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

Dinosaur bones are the delight of many museum goers, but everyone, from the youngest dino-fan to the most professional paleontologist, has wondered what these prehistoric beasts might have looked like in the flesh. Unfortunately, most fossils preserve the exact opposite - the hard bony skeleton survives the millennia far easier than soft tissue, which decays away. Scant fossils of Triceratops skin and fossil feathers from meat-eating raptors in China have provided scientists with some rare clues.&nbsp;



In the 1990s, the discovery of a unique theropod, Carnotaurus (or meat-eating bull, so named for the twin horns over it’s eyebrows), caused quite a stir when it’s skeleton bore distinct skin impressions - more than any other single theropod skeleton.&nbsp;



The pebbly skin was occasionally dotted with larger triangular knobs, giving the animal an armored appearance. Unfortunately, much of the skin was destroyed during the painstaking process of fossil preparation.&nbsp;



Now, a new study has reexamined the skin that remains, giving dinosaur enthusiasts their clearest glimpse yet of this horned carnivore.&nbsp;



“By looking at the skin from the shoulders, belly and tail regions, we discovered that the skin of this dinosaur was more diverse than previously thought, consisting of large and randomly distributed conical studs surrounded by a network of small elongated, diamond-shaped or subcircular scales," explained study co-author Christophe Hendrickx from the Unidad Ejecutora Lillo.



Previous interpretations had suggested the conical scales formed orderly rows along the spine and sides. This new examination illustrates that the feature scales (or “studs”) had a random distribution across the body, growing out of the finer grained and wrinkled basement scales.&nbsp;



What exactly do these skin patterns mean for the biology of Carnotaurus? The function of the “studs” is unclear. The authors dismiss the notion that they may have aided in defense. They instead speculate that the scales may have served a role in display or coloration, though these ideas are hard to test, given that we can’t directly observe such a behavior.&nbsp;



The experts propose that the pebbled basement scales were important in thermoregulation - or controlling body temperature. Similarly, elephants have wrinkly and cracked skin, which helps both to retain water and lose heat through evaporative cooling. Carnotaurus could have used a similar strategy. Since big animals typically have trouble with overheating, such an adaptation might have come in handy during the warm Mesozoic era.&nbsp;



The researchers conclude that future studies should take a more proactive role in describing dinosaur skin, and consider what role this critical organ system might have played in these extinct animals’ lives. Their analysis must be more than skin deep.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/cretaceous-research">Cretaceous Research</a>.



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By <a href="http://mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dinosaur skin is more diverse than previously thought

Dinosaur bones are the delight of many museum goers, but...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/edrv/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1210/endrev/bnab027/6371193?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Endocrine Reviews</a> has found that time-restricted eating, or intermittent fasting, is an excellent method for the prevention and management of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-and-high-fat-diets-may-contribute-to-hair-loss/">obesity</a>, cardiometabolic diseases, or liver diseases. It can also improve sleep patterns and quality of life in general.



Intermittent fasting, or eating within a consistent window of eight to ten hours each day, is a popular dietary trend that has often been used in order to lose weight.&nbsp;



A research team led by the <a href="https://www.salk.edu/">Salk Institute for Biological Studies</a> has discovered that this method also appears to be a very powerful strategy to prevent and manage a whole range of chronic diseases, including diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.&nbsp;



Study lead author Satchidananda Panda is a professor at the Salk Institute who explores the genes, molecules, and cells that are involved in circadian rhythms.



“People who are trying to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle should pay more attention to when&nbsp;they eat&nbsp;as&nbsp;well as&nbsp;what&nbsp;they eat.&nbsp;Time-restricted eating&nbsp;is an easy-to-follow&nbsp;and effective&nbsp;dietary strategy that requires less mental math than counting calories. Intermittent fasting can improve sleep and a person’s quality of life as well as reduce&nbsp;the&nbsp;risk&nbsp;of&nbsp;obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” said Professor Panda.



The researchers confirmed that the expression of genes, hormone levels, and metabolic processes in general rise and fall during different times of the day. Thus, aligning our daily eating schedules with our bodies’ internal clocks can significantly improve health and reduce the possibility of developing chronic diseases. 



Moreover, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.318155">previous studies</a> have also found that intermittent fasting can reduce hypertension by reshaping the composition of the gut microbiota.



“Eating at random times breaks the synchrony of our internal program and make us prone to diseases,” explained Professor Panda. "Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle that anyone can adopt. It can help eliminate health disparities and lets everyone live a healthy and fulfilling life."



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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

Intermittent fasting improves health

A new study published in the journal Endocrine Reviews has...

In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>, an international team of archaeologists and anthropologists described and contextualized the oldest pieces of jewelry yet discovered, dating back between 142,000 and 150,000 years ago: a set of 33 shell beads found in the Bizmoune Cave from southwest Morocco. Their appearance signals crucial developments in human cognition and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-support-can-protect-your-brain-health/">social</a> relations.&nbsp;



The beads were made from sea snail shells and measured roughly half an inch in length. Holes in their center and other signs of wear and tear indicate that they were hung from clothing or on strings. According to study lead author Steven L. Kuhn, a professor in the <a href="https://anthropology.arizona.edu/">School of Anthropology</a> at the University of Arizona, these beads are the earliest known evidence of a form of nonverbal human communication.&nbsp;



“They were probably part of the way people expressed their identity with their clothing,” he explained. “They show that it was present even hundreds of thousands of years ago, and that humans were interested in communicating to bigger groups of people than their immediate friends and family.”



These ancient beads are associated with the Aterian culture, a Middle and Late Paleolithic tool industry located in northern Africa. The Aterian people were among the first to use bows and arrows to hunt a large variety of animals, including gazelles, rhinoceros, warthogs, and wildebeests. The discovery of the jewelry that they also produced opens new questions regarding their cognitive and social structures.



According to Professor Kuhn, these ornamental pieces of material culture are clearly symbolic and were probably marks of group identity in a period when clans or other allegiances were developed in order to protect limited resources.&nbsp;



Rather than painting their bodies or faces in order to signify their social belonging, as earlier people did, the beads’ makers produced something more long-lasting, suggesting that the message they tried to convey was a very important one and that their sense of social identity was particularly strong.



Further research is needed to shed more light on the cognitive developments that prompted such behaviors and the social and cultural factors that sustained them.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abi8620#con1">Science Advances</a>.



---



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

The world’s oldest jewelry discovered in Morocco

In a new study led by the University of Arizona,...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eth.13199">Ethology</a> has found that giraffe males usually engage in fights with males of similar stature, showing a surprising example of fair play that is rarely seen in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-are-shapeshifting-to-survive-climate-change/">animal</a> kingdom. Scientists believe that such a behavior functions in providing mature males a means of testing their competitive abilities without escalating to dangerous, full-scale fights.



In a longitudinal study, experts from the Universities of <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/">Manchester</a> and <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">Cambridge</a> investigated the sparring behavior of northern giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in the Mogalakwena River Reserve in South Africa between November 2016 and May 2017. They discovered that young giraffe males display a high degree of fairness in their fights with other members of their species.&nbsp;



Besides engaging in fights with individuals of similar size, male giraffes are also respecting the “laterality” of their opponent (their left- or right-orientation). Thus, if one giraffe was right-oriented and the other left, they would stand head-to-head so they could each attack each other from their preferred sides. If both were left-oriented or both right-oriented, they would fight head-to-tail, in a similar display of fairness.



“I don't know if it's a mutual agreement – respect my side and I’ll respect yours. Never did I see a male try and cheat,” said study lead author Jessica Granweiler from the <a href="https://sees.uq.edu.au/">School of Earth and Environmental Sciences</a> at the University of Manchester.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Additionally, Granweiler and her colleagues found that mature giraffe bulls often played the role of ‘referees’ during fights between young adults, quickly intervening in case violence escalated, with the most dominant bull being responsible for the majority of the interventions.



“These results support the suggestion that sparring functions principally to provide maturing males a means of testing their competitive ability without escalating to full-scale fights,” explained the study authors.



Researchers also found that sparring displayed a seasonal peak coinciding with the onset of the wet season and possibly reflecting the increased aggregation of males at that time.&nbsp;



“A more nuanced understanding of how social and environmental factors shape interactions among individuals, such as sparring, will improve our understanding and management of this charismatic animal,” concluded the study authors.



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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

Giraffes engage in fair fights

A new study published in the journal Ethology has found...

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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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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