Honey bees, the diligent workers of fields and gardens, face three major threats - nutritional stress, viral infections, and pesticide exposure. 



In a new study conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers have intricately dissected this interconnected network of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-face-a-multitude-of-complex-stressors-in-the-field/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stressors</a>. Their discovery? Good nutrition boosts honey bee resilience.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honey-bees-stress-and-nutrition">Honey bees, stress, and nutrition</h2>



“Multiple stressors are often bad for survival,” said graduate student&nbsp;Edward Hsieh, who led the research Professor&nbsp;Adam Dolezal.



“However, it is always context-dependent, and you have to be aware of all these factors when you’re trying to make broad statements about how interactive effects affect honey bees.”



According to Hsieh, most scientific studies focus on just one or two factors at a time. Some may explore the mashup of poor nutrition and pesticide exposure, while others may investigate the union of pesticides and viral infections.



Yet, none have explored how all three stressors together may impact honey bee populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-mix-of-pesticides">Complex mix of pesticides</h2>



Even understanding how bees respond to all of the agricultural chemicals they encounter is a complicated task, said Professor Dolezal.



“Some insecticides will work better against some insects than others, but they tend to be more lethal than fungicides or herbicides. Some fungicides, however, are known to make insecticides more toxic to insects," explained Professor Dolezal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exposing-bees-to-chemicals-and-viruses">Exposing bees to chemicals and viruses</h2>



For the investigation, caged bees were exposed to different combinations of dietary, viral, and chemical treatments.



The agricultural pesticides used were chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate; lambda-cyhalothrin, a pyrethroid; and thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid.



The bees were also exposed to the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus, one of several <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-spread-viruses-to-bumblebees-in-the-spring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">viruses</a> implicated in the global decline of honey bee colonies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-honey-bee-nutrition">The role of honey bee nutrition</h2>



The experiments led to some surprising results. For example, if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-spread-viruses-to-bumblebees-in-the-spring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> were fed artificial pollen and exposed to the virus and pesticide, they died in large numbers. However, when the artificial pollen was replaced with natural pollen, the results were very different.



On the natural pollen diet, virus-exposed bees still faced higher mortality. But if they were also exposed to a mixture of chlorpyrifos and a fungicide, surprisingly fewer of them died.



According to Professor Dolezal, it's as if the bees have an inherent ability to deal with stress, but only if they have the nutritional resources to do so.



The researchers emphasized that this doesn't mean that chemical exposures are harmless. The findings do not advocate careless use of pesticides. It all depends on the chemical - different pesticides have different molecular targets and exert different effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-quality-habitats">High-quality habitats</h2>



The study confirms that creating and maintaining high-quality prairie habitats near agricultural sites can enhance bee resilience.



These habitats are not an “ecological trap,” enticing bees with flowers only to poison them with agricultural chemicals.



According to Dolezal, the study showed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybees-can-sniff-out-lung-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> are quite resilient even to the interaction of pesticides and viruses if they have good nutrition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-diversity-provides-a-buffer">Genetic diversity provides a buffer</h2>



In the quest to enhance bee resilience, genetic diversity emerges as a critical factor. The research indicates that colonies with a greater diversity of worker genotypes tend to exhibit more adaptable responses to stressors. 



This diversity can buffer against the impact of various threats, providing a genetic toolbox that helps honey bee populations withstand nutritional deficiencies, infections, and pesticide exposures. 



By maintaining or even bolstering this genetic diversity, either through selective breeding or preservation of natural wild populations, researchers and conservationists can potentially enhance the adaptability and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/winter-poses-a-challenge-to-the-survival-of-honey-bees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survival</a> of bees amidst increasing environmental challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-agricultural-practices">Implications for agricultural practices</h2>



The insights gained from this study have profound implications for agricultural practices. 



Farmers and land managers can adopt bee-friendly approaches, which involve minimizing pesticide applications, selecting compounds with the least potential harm to bees, and timing applications to avoid periods of high bee activity.



Furthermore, incorporating diverse floral resources in agricultural areas can provide essential nutritional supplements to bees.



These sustainable practices not only safeguard bee populations but also benefit agricultural productivity by ensuring the continued provision of pollination services critical for many crops. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutrition-and-honey-bee-resilience">Nutrition and honey bee resilience</h2>



One thing stands clear – while good nutrition can boost honey bee resilience, it is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for pesticide use. In almost all cases, pesticides (alone or in conjunction with viruses) are harmful to bees.



But in our battle to increase bee resilience, high-quality habitats play a significant role. As Hsieh pointed out, it's gratifying to know that we can help the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybees-need-a-balanced-diet-for-optimal-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> out, at least a little, by providing them a good habitat.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724052756?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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Good nutrition is key to honey bee survival

Honey bees, the diligent workers of fields and gardens, face three major threats - nutritional stress, viral infections, and pesticide exposure. In a new study conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers have intricately dissected this interconnected network of stressors. Their discovery? Good nutrition boosts honey bee resilience. Honey bees, stress, and nutrition “Multiple stressors are often bad for survival,” said graduate student&nbsp;Edward Hsieh, who led the research Professor&nbsp;Adam Dolezal. “However, it is always context-dependent, and you have to be aware of all these factors when...

In a new study from the <a href="http://www.ugr.es/en">University of Granada</a>, experts have shown that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neighborhood-green-space-linked-to-lower-rates-of-smoking/">smoking</a> cannabis significantly impairs vision in more ways than one. At the same time, the researchers found that more than 90 percent of cannabis users believe that it has only a slight effect on their vision, if any. 

The team set out to investigate the visual effects of smoking cannabis compared to the effects that are perceived by the users themselves.

The study revealed that some of the key visual functions that are altered by cannabis are visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, the ability to focus, and glare sensitivity.

"Although visual acuity is the most widely used test to assess the state of visual function, there are other metrics that have been demonstrated to be more important for certain everyday tasks, for example, driving or reading. One of these is contrast sensitivity, and our results have shown that this parameter is significantly worse after smoking cannabis,' wrote the study authors. 

Study lead author Sonia Ortiz Peregrina explained that cannabis use is on the rise even though it is an illegal drug. According to a national survey conducted in Spain, cannabis use has increased since 2011, with 37 percent of Spanish adults having used the drug at some point.

The experts conducted exhaustive visual trials while the participants were under the influence of marijuana, and also while they were not. 

The results of the tests confirmed that visual functions like focus and contrast sensitivity were significantly worsened following consumption. Despite the results, 30 percent of the participants did not believe their vision had suffered at all, and 65 percent said it had worsened only slightly.

"According to the questionnaires we gave to the participants, about two thirds are aware of the negative effect of cannabis on their visual function, although very few indicate that it affects them to any great extent. There is a widespread belief that cannabis is a soft drug and that it even has positive effects at the brain level," wrote the researchers.

The lack of awareness that individuals presented about the visual impairment caused by smoking cannabis indicates that public health campaigns may be necessary. 

"Our results could help generate a better understanding of the visual changes related to cannabis use and their implications for everyday tasks, raising awareness among users of the risks involved consuming this drug," concluded the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Smoking cannabis can cause visual impairment

In a new study from the University of Granada, experts...

Part of the genetic material that makes up the coronavirus can persist in dust for up to a month, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a>. The study was conducted in rooms where COVID-19 patients had been isolated.

Study senior author Professor Karen Dannemiller has extensively studied dust and its relationship to Dust could be used to monitor COVID-19 outbreaks hazards like mold and microbes.

"When the pandemic started, we really wanted to find a way that we could help contribute knowledge that might help mitigate this crisis," said Professor Dannemiller. "And we've spent so much time studying dust and flooring that we knew how to test it."

While some of the genetic material was found to be persistent in dust, the spiked sphere that contains the virus's material is believed to potentially break down over time. The weakening of this sphere, known as the envelope, would make the virus less contractible.

The researchers did not investigate whether the virus is transmittable to humans thug dust, but the study does confirm that dust could be used to monitor COVID-19 outbreaks in specific buildings, including nursing homes, offices, or schools.

"In nursing homes, for example, you're still going to need to know how COVID is spreading inside the building," said study lead author Nicole Renninger. "For surveillance purposes, you need to know if you are picking up an outbreak that's going on right now."

For their investigation, the research team worked with the crews that cleaned the rooms at Ohio State where students were quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19. The experts collected dust samples from the rooms, as well as from two homes that had recently housed COVID-19 patients.

The researchers also tested swabs that were collected from surfaces in the rooms. The study revealed that genetic material from the coronavirus was present in 97 percent of the dust samples and in 55 percent of the surface swabs.

Prior to cleaning and collecting dust samples, the cleaning crews sprayed a chlorine-based disinfectant. The researchers believe that the disinfectant destroyed the envelope, which likely decrease the potency of the virus. 

The samples collected from the rooms were tested right away and then weekly. Even after four weeks,  the virus's RNA did not significantly decay in the vacuum bags.

"We weren't sure that the genetic material would survive - there are many different organisms in dust, and we weren't sure we'd see any viral RNA at all," said Renninger. "And we were surprised when we found that the actual RNA itself seems to be lasting a pretty long time."

According to Dannemiller, testing dust to monitor for COVID-19 outbreaks would likely be most useful for smaller-scale communities with a high-risk population such as nursing homes.

"We wanted to demonstrate that dust could be complementary to wastewater for surveillance," said Professor Dannemiller. "Wastewater is great for a large population, but not everybody sheds the virus in feces, and you have to collect wastewater samples, which not everyone wants to do. People are already vacuuming these rooms, so dust may be a good option for some groups."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.msystems.gr/">mSystems</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dust holds genetic material from the coronavirus

Part of the genetic material that makes up the coronavirus...

When trees die in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-a-memory-of-drought/">drought</a> conditions, the underlying cause is a rapid collapse in the hydraulic system, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.unibas.ch/de">University of Basel</a>. The research suggests that trees die of thirst more quickly than previously realized. 

The extreme summer heatwave of 2018 was devastating for some forests, but also presented the experts with an opportunity to closely monitor the response of individual trees. The previous year, a team led by Professor Ansgar Kahmen had already set up a research area in Hölstein, Switzerland.

The experts randomly selected 10 Norway spruces, all more than 100 years old and about 30 meters tall, and set out to measure the seasonal fluctuations in the water balance in the canopy.

The goal of the study was to determine how the Norway spruce and other native tree species respond to climate change. Soon, the heatwave moved in. 

"This was a unique opportunity for us," said study lead author Dr. Matthias Arend. "It was the first time we were able to observe in nature what drought can do to large, old trees."

With its flat root system, the Norway spruce is particularly susceptible to collapse, explained Dr. Arend. "The tree dies because the hydraulic system that transports the water upwards from the soil collapses."

The researchers were surprised to find that the hydraulic system collapses very quickly. The experts believe that this critical point is reached when a large proportion of the roots lose contact with the moisture in the drying soil. 

"Forecasts are very difficult, because it is not a slow, linear process, but one that happens very suddenly, with the system of water uptake and transport failing in the space of just a few days," said Dr. Arend.

According to the researchers, the Norway spruce responds more sensitively to drought than previously assumed. 

"As we can expect extreme periods of drought to become increasingly common in future, we have to think about other tree species that may be able to deal better with the lack of water."

Dr. Arend and his team were able to observe their findings firsthand. The Norway spruce, which is the most important conifer in Switzerland and in central Europe, suffered the most from the heatwave of 2018. The results can be applied to other conifer species as well.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Drought kills trees faster than previously thought

When trees die in drought conditions, the underlying cause is...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>, experts have determined that adding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/potato-beans-could-become-the-next-big-superfood-in-the-uk/">beans</a> and other legumes to crop rotations could be key to more sustainable and nutritious food production.

The study provides some of the first evidence that complementing traditional crop rotations with legumes produces both environmental and nutritional benefits. 

"This strategy can contribute significantly to the specific European Union Green Deal Farm to Fork objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, chemical pesticide use and synthetic fertilizer use," said study first author Marcela Porto Costa of Bangor University. 

"For example, in Scotland, we've shown that the introduction of a legume crop into the typical rotation reduced external nitrogen requirements by almost half whilst maintaining the same output of food measured in terms of potential human nutrition."

Nitrogen is considered the most important nutrient for plant growth. For most crops, farmers use fertilizers to provide nitrogen. However, chemical fertilizers have harsh environmental consequences, polluting the surrounding water and air and depleting the soil of minerals. 

The European Union Green Deal Farm to Fork strategy aims to address the issue with a goal of cutting greenhouse emissions and chemical pesticide use by 50 percent, as well as reducing synthetic fertilizer use by at least 20 percent by 2030. 

Legumes are among the only crops that are capable of naturally absorbing all of the nitrogen they need. These crops have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that transform atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be accessed by plants.

Beans and other legume crops not only enrich the soil with nitrogen without the need for fertilizer, but also reduce the need for nitrogen fertilizers for future non-legume crops.

Overall, legumes are one of the most nutrient-rich crops, containing protein, fiber, folate, iron, potassium, magnesium and vitamins.

The researchers took a new approach to calculating the environmental footprint of crops by comparing 10 crop sequences using 16 different impact categories. The team assessed crops over three to five years in three European climates across Italy, Romania,  and Scotland.

"Our innovative approach goes beyond simple food footprints by looking at the footprint of delivering a specific quantity of human, or livestock, nutrition from all crops produced within representative crop rotations," said Dr. David Styles of the University of Limerick. "This provides a clearer picture of inter-crop effects and the overall efficiency of different cropping sequences in delivering nutritious food (or livestock feed)."

So far, the experts have only established the potential nutritional benefits of adding legumes to crop rotations. Ultimately, this will depend on how foods are processed and sold. 

"Our results strengthen evidence on the positive role that healthy diet transitions could make to environmental sustainability," said Styles. "Legumes provide a healthier balance of carbohydrates, protein and fiber compared with cereal crops, and could improve the nutritional profile of the food we eat."

"These results also highlight the need for whole-system (multi-crop, farm-to-fork) thinking when designing interventions to drive sustainable food systems so that we can deliver better nutrition whilst reducing environmental impacts," said Costa.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems">Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Legume crops boost nutrition while protecting the environment

In a new study published by Frontiers, experts have determined...

A team of researchers at <a href="https://www.mcmaster.ca/">McMaster University</a> surveyed more than 1,600 individuals to investigate how their mental health, physical activity, and sedentary behavior were affected by the COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preserving-nature-is-key-for-preventing-future-pandemics/">pandemic</a>.

The experts discovered that mental health issues served as a barrier to physical activity by blocking the motivation to exercise among people who could have benefited the most. 

The researchers explained that people wanted to be active to improve their mental health but found it difficult to exercise due to stress and anxiety.

"Maintaining a regular exercise program is difficult at the best of times and the conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic may be making it even more difficult," said study last author Jennifer Heisz.

"Even though exercise comes with the promise of reducing anxiety, many respondents felt too anxious to exercise. Likewise, although exercise reduces depression, respondents who were more depressed were less motivated to get active, and lack of motivation is a symptom of depression."

The survey respondents reported higher psychological stress and moderate levels of anxiety and depression triggered by the pandemic. 

Meanwhile, compared to six months prior to the pandemic, aerobic activity was down by about 20 minutes per week and sedentary time was up by about 30 minutes per day.

Individuals who reported the biggest drops in physical activity also experienced the worst mental health outcomes, noted the researchers, while respondents who maintained their physical activity levels fared much better mentally.

The study revealed that economic disparities also had a significant effect on mental health, particularly among young adults.

"Just like other aspects of the pandemic, some demographics are hit harder than others and here it is people with lower income who are struggling to meet their physical activity goals," said study co-lead author Maryam Marashi.

"It is plausible that younger adults who typically work longer hours and earn less are lacking both time and space which is taking a toll."

The experts have designed an evidence-based toolkit which includes the following advice to get active: some exercise is better than none, move a little every day, and lower the intensity of exercise when you are feeling anxious.

"Our results point to the need for additional psychological support to help people maintain their physical activity levels during stressful times in order to minimize the burden of the pandemic and prevent the development of a mental health crisis," said Heisz.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mental health issues can block motivation for exercise

A team of researchers at McMaster University surveyed more than...

Gray wolves became one of the largest predators to survive the last ice age by changing their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-diet-lowers-the-overall-risk-of-stroke/">diet</a>, according to a new study from the <a href="https://nature.ca/">Canadian Museum of Nature</a>.

The research suggests that wolves survived by adapting their diet over thousands of years. The wolves transitioned from hunting horses during the Pleistocene to primarily relying on caribou and moose today. 

The researchers analyzed evidence preserved in the teeth and skull bones of both ancient and modern gray wolves. The specimens were all collected in the Yukon,  and some dated back as far as 50,000 years. 

Study lead author Zoe Landry conducted the research as a Carleton University student under the guidance of palaeontologist Dr. Danielle Fraser.

"We can study the change in diet by examining wear patterns on the teeth and chemical traces in the wolf bones," said Landry. "These can tell us a lot about how the animal ate, and what the animal was eating throughout its life, up until about a few weeks before it died."

The study was carried out using models that can determine an animal's eating habits by examining microscopic wear patterns on its teeth.

Scratch marks were found in both the ancient and modern teeth which indicate that all of the wolves in this region were primary predators - eating flesh rather than gnawing on bones as scavengers.

Today, gray wolves have a diet that mainly consists of caribou and moose. To investigate what ancient wolves were eating, the study authors looked at the ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes extracted from collagen in the bones."The axiom, you are what you eat comes into play here," said Landry.

The results of the analysis showed that horses, which went extinct during the Pleistocene, accounted for at least half of the ancient gray wolf diet, while about 15 percent came from caribou and Dall's sheep.

"This is really a story of ice age survival and adaptation, and the building up of a species towards the modern form in terms of ecological adaptation," said study co-author Dr. Grant Zazula.

"The gray wolves showed flexibility in adapting to a changing climate and a shift in habitat from a steppe ecosystem to boreal forest," explained Dr. Fraser. "And their survival is closely linked to the survival of prey species that they are able to eat."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/palaeogeography-palaeoclimatology-palaeoecology">Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gray wolves survived the ice age by changing their diet

Gray wolves became one of the largest predators to survive...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> has revealed that squirrels have bigger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-needed-sleep-before-they-even-had-brains/">brains</a> than their closest living relatives, mountain beavers, which live in burrows. 

According to the researchers, greater brain power has given squirrels key abilities that are needed to thrive in woodland habitats, including better vision, motor skills, and head and eye movements.

The study is providing brand new insight into how the brain of rodents have changed since they evolved around 50 million years ago. 

Rodents are a diverse group of animals that make up more than 40 percent of all mammals. By looking into the brain size of extinct rodent species, the experts were able to uncover important changes that have taken place in key parts of the brain. 

The researchers used CT scans of skulls from 38 living and extinct rodent species to examine gradual changes in the brain. The results of their analysis show that the size of the overall brains, as well as specific brain regions, have been shaped by the body mass, lifestyle, and evolutionary history of the rodents. 

For example, the relative brain size of tree squirrels has increased over time, driven largely by a sharp decline in their body mass, said the researchers. 

The experts also found that two key regions of the brain - which are involved with vision, motor skills, and tracking moving objects - have grown larger among tree squirrels. 

The researchers noted that the enlargement of these two regions has helped tree-dwelling rodents adapt to life in complex environments. 

By contrast, these parts of the brain were found to be smaller in mountain beavers, as well as some extinct burrowing species of rodents. This is likely because vision is less crucial for animals that spend most of their time underground with little light. 

"Squirrels' ancestors were at an important juncture 34 million years ago. They were smaller than their closest extinct relatives, and there were far fewer primates living in trees than today, which opened up a new niche for them," explained study lead author Dr. Ornella Bertrand.

"When trees became available to them, squirrels' ancestors seized the opportunity. This transition was a key evolutionary step for squirrels as it enabled them to acquire larger and more complex brains."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bigger brains allow squirrels to live in complex environments

A new study from the University of Edinburgh has revealed...

The way a tomato responds to a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simple-genetic-mutations-can-turn-fins-into-limbs/">mutation</a> is influenced by the plant's unique genetic variations, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.cshl.edu/">Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</a> (CSHL).

Just like humans, each individual tomato has a unique set of genetic variations that affect gene expression. Millions of small genetic variations make it difficult to predict the effects that specific mutations will have on different types of tomatoes.

For the investigation, Professor Zach Lippman and his team used CRISPR, a highly accurate gene-editing technique, on two tomato genes that control fruit size. The researchers generated over 60 tomato mutants by removing little pieces of DNA in areas near the genes that control their expression.

While individual mutations did not change the size of the tomatoes at all, others slightly increased the size. Meanwhile, a few synergistic combinations of mutations caused a dramatic, unpredicted increase in fruit size. 

"The real Holy Grail in all this for crop breeding is predictability. If I mutate this sequence, I'm going to get this effect. Because there is this sea of other variants that nature has accumulated nearby the mutation that you're engineering, as well as scattered throughout the genome, many of which could be influencing the specific mutation that you're creating," said Professor Lippman.

The range of interactions for any two mutations represents the results of a single mutation occurring in different genetic backgrounds. This is comparable to what is found in some human diseases, where certain pre-existing mutations provide protection from disease-causing mutations.

The researchers will continue investigating how individual and combined mutations affect certain crop traits. 

Professor Lippman hopes to study enough measurable interactions to make breeding more predictable and efficient. He noted that his research could lead to the creation of new tomato varieties and the improvement of existing ones.

The study is published in the journal Nature Plants.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genetic variations control how tomatoes respond to mutations

The way a tomato responds to a mutation is influenced...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a>, experts report that foxgloves rapidly changed the length of their flowers after arriving in North and South America. The researchers believe the foxgloves evolved to accommodate their new pollinators, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-hummingbirds-beaks-fighting/">hummingbirds</a>. 

The common foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, is native to Europe where it is pollinated by bumblebees. The researchers have shown, for the first time, how flowering plants can respond to a new environment - and the presence of a new pollinator - with rapid physical changes.

The experts compared foxgloves in the UK with foxgloves that were independently introduced to Costa Rica and Colombia around 200 years ago. In the Americas, the flowers are pollinated by both bumblebees and hummingbirds.

The study revealed that the base of the cone structure of the flowers, the proximal corolla tube, was up to 26 percent larger among foxgloves in Colombia and Costa Rica.

The long proximal corolla tubes found on foxgloves hold the nectar. Due to the narrow shape of the tubes, the only types of pollinators that have access are those with long mouthparts such as long-tongued bumblebees.

"We found foxglove populations in Costa Rica and Colombia now have flowers with longer tubes at the base, when compared to native populations. There is also substantial natural selection on this floral characteristic in the naturalized populations," said study co-author Dr. Maria Clara Castellanos at the University of Sussex.

"Long corollas are a common feature in many hummingbird-pollinated plants, likely because this improves the precision of pollen transfer during the pollination interaction. It is also possible that long corolla tubes exclude other pollinators that are less effective."

The experts confirmed that hummingbirds are effective foxglove pollinators. "We counted pollen grains deposited in flowers and found that after a single visit they can bring in more pollen than a bumblebee." said Dr. Castellanos.

The research also confirms that introducing plants to new environments is a good way to study the evolution of floral structures. Scenarios like this will occur more often as humans influence the range of plants and pollinators, noted the study authors. 

"Our research shows how rapid evolutionary change in a new environment can be an important force behind the extraordinary diversity of flowers," said Dr. Castellanos.

The researchers said that while the changes observed in foxgloves are consistent with changes that hummingbirds have imposed on the native plants they pollinate, the study does not prove that the birds directly caused the rapid changes found in the flowers. The experts emphasized the importance of studying other plants in this context. 

"Plants around the world are experiencing changes in their pollinators and it is important to understand the evolutionary implications of this," said Dr. Castellanos.

The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652745">Journal of Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Foxgloves rapidly evolved in the presence of hummingbirds

In a new study published by the British Ecological Society,...

Crop and timber production are two of the biggest drivers of declining wildlife populations, and collectively contribute 40 percent of the overall extinction risk of mammals, birds, and amphibians.

Sustainable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-identifies-genes-that-control-heat-response-in-crops/">crop</a> and timber production could greatly reduce terrestrial species extinctions, according to a new report from the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/">International Union for the Conservation of Nature</a> (IUCN).

For the investigation, the researchers used a new metric that allows businesses and governments to assess their potential contributions to global species extinction risk. The tool can be used to calculate regional or national targets. 

The work was led by the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Post-2020 Taskforce, a collaboration of scientists from 54 institutions in 21 countries around the world.

"For years, a major impediment to engaging companies, governments and others in biodiversity conservation has been the inability to measure the impact of their efforts," said IUCN Director General Dr. Bruno Oberle. 

"By quantifying their contributions, the new STAR metric can bring all these actors together around the common objective of preserving the diversity of life on Earth. We need concerted global action to safeguard the world's biodiversity, and with it our own safety and well-being."

The study authors applied the new Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric to all groups of terrestrial vertebrate species that are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 

The experts found that removing threats from crop production would reduce global extinction risk among these groups by 24 percent. Eliminating threats caused by unsustainable logging would reduce extinction risk by an additional 16.percent.

STAR can also be used to calculate the benefits of restoration. According to the study, restoring the habitat of endangered species could reduce their global extinction risk by 56 percent.

"We are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis and resources are limited, but our study shows that extinction risk is concentrated in relatively small areas with greater numbers of highly threatened species," said study lead author Louise Mair of Newcastle University.

"The STAR methodology allows us to consistently measure where and how conservation and restoration could have the biggest impact."

"At the same time, our analysis shows that threats to species are omnipresent, and that action to stem the loss of life on Earth must happen in all countries without exception."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</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

Sustainable practices could greatly reduce species extinction risk

Crop and timber production are two of the biggest drivers...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a> have determined that chest beating conveys information about the identity and body size of mountain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-gorillas-without-mothers-get-extra-support-from-their-group/">gorillas</a>.

Chest beating is unique because it is not a vocalization, but a gesture that can be both seen and heard. According to the researchers, the beating sounds can be heard over one kilometer away.

The findings demonstrate how non-verbal behaviors may contribute to communication among mountain gorillas.

It has been widely assumed that gorillas beat their chests to attract females and intimidate rivals. To investigate, the researchers observed and recorded 25 adult male silverback gorillas in Volcanoes National Park that are regularly monitored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

The experts measured body size using a non-invasive technique based on photographs. The analysis revealed that larger males emitted chest beats with lower peak frequencies compared to smaller individuals. This means that chest beating conveys <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collecting-dna-from-rivers-uncovers-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">information regarding body size</a>.

"The gorilla chest beat is one of those iconic sounds from the animal kingdom, so it is great that we have been able to show that body size is encoded in these spectacular displays," said study first author Edward Wright.

Previous research conducted by Wright's team showed that larger males were more socially dominant and more successful in terms of reproduction than smaller males. Body size is an important attribute among many animals because it tends to reflect strength and fighting ability. 

Rival males most likely use the chest drumming sounds to size up their competition. This would help them decide whether to initiate, escalate, or retreat in aggressive contests with them. Females are likely using the same information to identify potential mates.

The researchers were surprised to find a great deal of variation in both the number of chest beats as well as the duration. "This hints at the possibility that chest beats may have individual signatures, but further study is needed to test this," said Wright.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</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

Chest beating conveys important details about mountain gorillas

Experts at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have...

A new study from the <a href="https://environment.yale.edu/">Yale School of the Environment</a> has revealed that marine ecosystems release more methane when they are altered by human activities. The researchers found that aquatic ecosystems are the source of half of global methane emissions.

In the atmosphere, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is capable of trapping much more heat than carbon dioxide. It is estimated that methane is responsible for 25 percent of all warming to date.   

The global contribution and importance of aquatic ecosystems as methane emitters has been underestimated, said study lead author Judith Rosentreter.

The experts reviewed methane fluxes from 15 major natural, man-made, and human-impacted aquatic ecosystems and wetlands. The analysis showed that the cumulative methane emissions from these aquatic ecosystems are potentially a larger source of methane than direct anthropogenic methane sources, such as farming and burning fossil fuels. 

According to the study, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands contribute at least half of the total methane emissions budget.

"An accurate accounting of the sources of methane from aquatic ecosystems, and if they are impacted by human activities, is important to understanding atmospheric methane concentrations,'' said study co-author Professor Peter Raymond.

One particular issue that stood out to the researchers is how humans have impacted methane emissions from aquatic sources. "Anything human-driven or human-impacted had much higher fluxes than more natural sites,'' said Rosentreter.

For example, coastal aquaculture farms have methane fluxes per area that are up to 430 times higher than non-converted coastal habitats, such as mangrove forests, salt marshes, or seagrasses.

The study authors noted that there are opportunities to reduce human-induced emissions with the right management techniques.

"The intense methane emissions from aquatic ecosystems offers opportunities for intervention providing potential quick wins in reducing greenhouse emissions, provided the much large role per molecule emitted of methane compared to carbon dioxide,'' said study co-author Professor Carlos M. Duarte.

A new understanding of the amount of methane emissions coming from aquatic ecosystems will help inform new monitoring strategies.

"Reducing methane emissions from aquatic systems will be an important part of stabilizing the Earth's temperature,'' said study co-author Bradley Eyre.

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

Half of global methane emissions come from aquatic ecosystems

A new study from the Yale School of the Environment...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

[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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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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



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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...