Around 45 million years ago, during the Eocene Epoch, the Geiseltal region of present-day Germany was a vast, humid swamp that teemed with life. Ancient horses, early tapirs, giant tortoises, large land crocodiles, and countless birds flourished in this tropical paradise. Among these creatures roamed Diatryma, a massive, flightless bird that stood 4.6 feet (1.40 meters) tall.



With its robust frame and enormous beak, this prehistoric giant was once thought to be a fearsome predator. However, modern research has revealed a different story - Diatryma was likely a gentle herbivore.



This bird's legacy remained shrouded in mystery for decades, but a recent discovery by an international team of researchers has brought it back into the spotlight. 



Led by scientists from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Senckenberg Research Institute, the research team has analyzed a fully preserved Diatryma skull, making it only the second such specimen known in the world.



The findings, published in the journal&nbsp;Palaeontologia Electronica, highlight how museum collections continue to yield remarkable scientific revelations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fossil-lost-in-time">A fossil lost in time</h2>



The newly examined Diatryma skull was not freshly excavated. Instead, it had been sitting unnoticed in the extensive Geiseltal Collection at <a href="https://www.uni-halle.de/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MLU</a> for decades. It was originally unearthed in the 1950s in a lignite mining area in Geiseltal, a site known for its rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dinosaurs-come-from-missing-fossils-hold-the-secret/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil deposits</a>.



However, due to a misclassification, the fossil led a shadowy existence for years. It was mistakenly identified as a crocodile skull, a forgivable mix-up given the variety of prehistoric reptilian remains found in the region.



For years, the skull sat in storage, unrecognized for what it truly was. It wasn’t until Michael Stache, a geological preparator at MLU's Central Repository of Natural Science Collections, rediscovered the fossil that its true significance came to light. 



"The find was initially misidentified as a crocodile skull," remarked Stache. Upon closer examination, he realized the error and undertook the painstaking process of restoring and analyzing the specimen.



As Stache worked on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-fossil-fills-crucial-gap-in-pterosaur-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a>, he noticed that another fragment in the collection seemed to belong to the same skull. By combining the two pieces, he successfully reconstructed what is now recognized as an almost entire preserved Diatryma skull.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-rare-and-remarkable-find">A rare and remarkable find</h2>



The rediscovery of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grand-canyon-fossils-reveal-secrets-of-the-cambrian-explosion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> attracted the attention of Dr. Gerald Mayr, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.senckenberg.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senckenberg Research Institute</a>. He examined the specimen closely and confirmed what few paleontologists ever expected to find - a nearly complete Diatryma skull.



Until this discovery, only one other fully preserved skull of this species was known to exist; it is housed at the <a href="https://www.amnh.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Museum of Natural History</a> in the United States.



"This shows, once again, that many of the most interesting discoveries in paleontology occur in museum collections. Just a few years ago, nobody would have thought that the Geiseltal Collection would contain such surprises," commented Mayr.



The skull’s excellent state of preservation offers scientists a rare opportunity to study the anatomy of this ancient bird in greater detail than ever before.



The fossil is now part of the Geiseltal Collection, which consists of approximately 50,000 specimens. These fossils, considered a national heritage asset, provide an invaluable window into the ancient ecosystems of the Eocene. 



Even though the mining operations in Geiseltal ceased in 1993 and fossil excavations ended long ago, new discoveries continue to emerge from the collection, reshaping our understanding of prehistoric life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-gentle-giant-not-a-predator">A gentle giant, not a predator</h2>



For decades, scientists debated Diatryma’s place in the prehistoric food chain.



Early theories suggested that this towering bird was a predator that hunted small horses and other mammals in the swamps of Geiseltal. Its size and formidable beak led researchers to compare it to later, more aggressive species of giant flightless birds.



However, recent studies, including those based on the newly examined skull, have painted a very different picture. Diatryma was most likely a herbivore that used its massive beak to process tough plant material rather than to tear flesh.



Its anatomy suggests it was built for foraging rather than hunting, much like modern, large, plant-eating birds such as ostriches and emus.



"This research expands our understanding of the Eocene Epoch in the Geiseltal even though the excavations were completed long ago," says Stache. Scientists now believe that Diatryma lived alongside early mammals that fed on vegetation rather than preying on animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-geiseltal-collection">Significance of the Geiseltal collection</h2>



The Geiseltal region has long been a treasure trove for paleontologists. Once a mining area rich in lignite deposits, it also preserved an astonishing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-capture-a-turning-point-in-the-evolution-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity of prehistoric life</a>. 



Fossils from this region include everything from tiny insects to massive reptiles, providing an unparalleled glimpse into an ecosystem that thrived 45 million years ago.



Even though large-scale excavations in the area ended decades ago, the work of researchers at MLU and other institutions continues to uncover new findings. The rediscovery of the Diatryma skull proves that museum collections hold many secrets that are waiting to be revealed by keen-eyed scientists.



The Geiseltal Collection remains a hub of international research. Scientists from around the world visit MLU regularly to study its fossils, eager to expand the knowledge of life in the Eocene. 



Each fossil offers a new puzzle piece in the story of evolution, shedding light on how prehistoric species adapted and thrived in their environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-from-the-diatryma-fossil">Insights from the Diatryma fossil</h2>



With only about 40 known Diatryma fossils in the Geiseltal Collection, researchers believe the bird was a relatively rare sight in the region.



"Diatryma was probably a rare guest in the Geiseltal. Otherwise, there would probably be more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-reveals-how-plants-use-winged-seeds-to-expand-their-habitats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a>," concluded Stache.



The rediscovery of its skull is not just a victory for paleontology but also a proof of the enduring value of museum collections. 



While excavation sites may eventually close, the knowledge they yield continues to evolve, driven by curiosity and scientific advances.



Diatryma, once lost in the depths of a misidentified fossil collection, now stands as a symbol of how history can be rewritten with patience, research, and a touch of serendipity.



The study was published in the journal <a href="https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2024/5393-review-of-gastornithiformes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palaeontologia Electronica</a>.



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Rediscovered 45-million-year-old skull turns out to be a large, extinct bird species

Around 45 million years ago, during the Eocene Epoch, the Geiseltal region of present-day Germany was a vast, humid swamp that teemed with life. Ancient horses, early tapirs, giant tortoises, large land crocodiles, and countless birds flourished in this tropical paradise. Among these creatures roamed Diatryma, a massive, flightless bird that stood 4.6 feet (1.40 meters) tall. With its robust frame and enormous beak, this prehistoric giant was once thought to be a fearsome predator. However, modern research has revealed a different story - Diatryma was likely...

Gut microbes may be a new therapeutic target to promote healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-control-in-childhood-linked-to-slower-aging/">aging</a>, according to the results of a new study from <a href="https://www.ucc.ie/">University College Cork</a> (UCC).

The researchers have introduced a novel approach to reverse age-related deterioration in the brain through the gut microbiome.

"The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as an important regulator of host immunity and brain health," wrote the study authors. 

"The aging process yields dramatic alterations in the microbiota, which is linked to poorer health and frailty in elderly populations. However, there is limited evidence for a mechanistic role of the gut microbiota in brain health and neuroimmunity during aging processes." 

To investigate, the experts conducted fecal microbiota transplantation from either young or old donor mice into aged recipient mice. The young donor-derived microbiota were found to reduced age-associated impairments in cognitive behavior among the aging recipients. 

The research team was led by Professor John F. Cryan, Vice President for Research &amp; Innovation, University College Cork as well as a Principal Investigator at APC Microbiome Ireland.

“Previous research published by the APC and other groups internationally has shown that the  gut microbiome plays a key role in aging and the aging process," said Professor Cryan.

"This new research is a potential game changer, as we have established that the microbiome can be harnessed to reverse age-related brain deterioration. We also see evidence of improved learning ability and cognitive function."

While the research is very exciting, Professor Cryan cautions that much more research is needed to see how these findings could be translated in humans.

The study is particularly relevant today, as the global population ages. Nearly every country in the world is experiencing growth in the number of older individuals in their population.

With this is mind, it is critically important to develop strategies to maintain healthy brain function. The groundbreaking new research opens up a potentially new therapeutic strategy that targets gut microbes to slow down brain aging and associated cognitive problems. 

“This research of Professor Cryan and colleagues further demonstrates the importance of the gut microbiome in many aspects of health, and particularly across across the brain/gut axis where brain functioning can be positively influenced," said APC Director Professor Paul Ross. 

"The study opens up possibilities in the future to modulate gut microbiota as a therapeutic target to influence brain health."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nataging/">Nature Aging</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gut microbes may be the key to healthy aging

Gut microbes may be a new therapeutic target to promote...

Record-breaking weather events, both hot and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warm-river-habitats-are-important-for-cold-water-fish/">cold</a>, may actually share the same underlying mechanism. An international research team has looked into three extreme events from the past winter to identify the forces that are driving such swings in the weather. 

"By studying these record-breaking cold spells, we can see the ’big picture‘ of extreme weather events.” said study co-author Zhe Han, a scientist in the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>. 

“Though the events can be different, they might share similar underlying mechanisms that are related to the global warming. Along with the warming, the Arctic amplification and intensified ocean thermal anomalies may interact with the atmospheric circulation, such as the polar vortex and sudden stratospheric warming, to cause the occurrence of extreme cold or hot events."

On July 9, 2021, the highest temperature on Earth was recorded at 130 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley, California. This record was broken just months after record-low temperatures were recorded across Asia and the United States. 

“The overarching problem to solve is why extreme weather events have more frequently occurred in a warming climate during recent decades and if the Arctic warming amplification plays a leading driving role,” said first author Professor Xiangdong Zhang of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. 

“The extreme events of the 2020-21 winter provide a unique opportunity to examine what physical processes or mechanisms drive these events.”

The study was focused on two record-setting cold air outbreaks in China from late December 2020 to mid-January 2021. During this time, Beijing and Tiajin experienced their lowest temperatures in 54 years.

The researchers also examined the historic cold spell that struck the United States in the Midwest and the South. In Austin, Texas, the temperature dropped its lowest in almost a century at eight degrees Fahrenheit.

The team used both observational data and simulated models to investigate out how sea and atmospheric events may have driven the extreme weather of the 2020-21 winter compared to the last 42 winters.

“Even though global warming and loss of Arctic Sea ice occurs every year, such extreme weather events that we investigate are intermittent - they do not occur every year,” said study co-author James Overland, an oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. 

“This is because they are caused by a combination of new global warming and extreme, but naturally occurring, precursor weather conditions in the jet stream and polar vortex.”

Zhang explained that abrupt temperature increases in an upper layer of the atmosphere, called sudden stratospheric warming, can drastically alter how the polar vortex and jet stream behave and interact. The weather that results can become even more extreme with fluctuations in ocean temperatures and Arctic sea ice.

“The simultaneous occurrence of anomalous ocean thermal conditions in three ocean basins and the interaction of atmospheric dynamics drove hemispheric-scale, systematic changes in the atmospheric circulation, or weather pattern, to an extremely anomalous state.”

The researchers found that all three events were linked to a sudden stratospheric warming event, but the downstream effects were different in each one. 

In the first event in East Asia, cold polar air steered the midlatitude jet stream southward. During the second event, the polar vortex split, deepening a region of low pressure and circulating with cooler Arctic air. In North America, the polar vortex was also split, but in this case the lower atmosphere settled deeper over the south.

“When attributing the factors responsible for an extreme event, we should have a broad point of view to catch the big picture,” said study co-author Professor Timo Vihma from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. “It may consist of complex interactions of several factors acting far from each other in the hemispherical scale.”

Study co-author Annette Rinke, senior scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research in Germany, explained that extreme winter weather events are often driven by "remote" factors.

“The study shows that anomalies in ocean temperatures in addition to the large-scale atmospheric circulation can play a key role in extreme weather events,” said Rinke.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/376">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Extreme weather events may share the same mechanism

Record-breaking weather events, both hot and cold, may actually share...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, experts report that mountain lions moved less and downsized their territory during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-antibodies-persist-for-at-least-nine-months/">COVID-19</a> pandemic. The research contradicts the idea that carnivores roam wild in the absence of people. 

“We saw a potential silver lining with COVID, which obviously has been generally a negative thing for everyone,” said study lead author Professor John Benson. “We saw an opportunity to get a better sense of how human disturbance and human activities influence animal behavior.”

During 43 days of lockdowns from late March to early May 2020, mountain lions around the Los Angeles area were monitored with GPS trackers. At this time, most of the parks were closed to the public - including those favored by mountain lions. 

The researchers found that the reclusive animals moved around less and occupied smaller territories compared to before the pandemic.

“There was this popular perception that animals were going to start running free, expanding their home ranges, moving greater distances, colonizing cities, coming into areas where they didn’t used to be,” said Professor Benson. “But that goes against theory - the theory that animals should move as efficiently as possible."

“It actually makes sense that when you don’t have to dodge around as many humans, you could use the landscape more efficiently. Without humans, you don’t have to take a circuitous route to get from one place to another.”

The study was focused on 12 mountain lions that had previously been collared with GPS trackers by Jeff Sikich and Seth Riley of the National Park Service. The team found that the mountain lions were generally traveling shorter distances by up to one third compared to their pre-pandemic activity. 

That matters, said Professor Benson, because it helps quantify just how much energy mountain lions in Greater Los Angeles are expanding to avoid people - energy they need to hunt for prey and search for mates. 

“Any additional stressor - like needing to modify your movement patterns, which could come with a cost of finding prey, getting enough to eat, mating, whatever it is - could be the stressor that tilts the balance toward the extinction process,” explained Professor Benson.

One of the mountain lions, surrounded by busy freeways on three sides, was found to occupy what may be the smallest home range ever recorded for an adult male of about eight square miles. This is a fraction of the roughly 150 square miles that most mountain lions call home. 

According to Professor Benson, the case study illustrates a paradox that makes sense in the light of theory: a carnivore, already confined to an artificially small range by human disturbance, choosing to occupy an even smaller range when that disturbance abates.

Avoiding people is necessary and good to some extent, said Benson, given that “bad things usually happen when we get annoyed by mountain lions.” Yet the energy they expend to do so might ironically increase human-wildlife conflict if high energy demands are leading them to seek additional food sources, he noted. 

“This idea of coexistence - that if they stay out of our way, everyone’s happy - maybe it’s not that rosy if it causes them to burn more energy and then potentially makes them more likely to actually attack livestock or pets. This is not something we documented or investigated with our current study, but it would be an interesting hypothesis to test with future research."

“Does it have unintended consequences that we can’t control? I think that may be a good thing to look at and re-evaluate.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/26888319">Ecological Solutions and Evidence</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mountain lions downsized their territory during the pandemic

In a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, experts...

An abrupt increase in extreme precipitation across the northeastern United States is part of a larger trend, according to a new study from <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/">Dartmouth College</a>. 

States from West Virginia to Maine have experienced heavier rain and snowfall since 1996. The experts found that this excess precipitation has coincided with warming sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic. 

Extreme precipitation in the Northeast is typically caused by tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, and extratropical cyclones like Nor’easters.

The new study has linked the last 25 years of extreme precipitation in the Northeast to greenhouse gases from human activity and a warming Atlantic Ocean.

“Our previous work has shown that Northeast extreme precipitation has increased dramatically over the past 25 years, but this study is among the first to demonstrate that this rise is partially due to anthropogenic climate change,” said study lead author Huanping Huang.

In an earlier study, the Dartmouth team found that the Northeast has experienced a 53 percent increase in extreme precipitation since 1996, and that the primary driver of the increase is heavier rainfall from tropical cyclones. 

The researchers linked this weather phenomenon to a warmer atmosphere - which can hold more water - and to a warmer Atlantic Ocean - which drives stronger and more frequent hurricanes. 

“Our results demonstrate that multidecadal variability in Atlantic sea surface temperatures, an important driver of warming in the Atlantic, alongside anthropogenic greenhouse gases and aerosols, also contributed to the increase in Northeast extreme precipitation after 1996,” explained Huang.

The warming of the North Atlantic Ocean since the 1990s is tied to both natural variability and an increase in greenhouse gases. This warming is also tied to a decrease in aerosols, which pollute the air and reflect sunlight, creating a cooling effect. 

“Our analysis illustrates that decreased aerosols and increased greenhouse gases from human activity have contributed to both the rise in Northeast extreme precipitation and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures,” said study co-author Professor Jonathan Winter. 

“Our research team has been exploring this dramatic increase in extreme precipitation for several years now, and this study confirms that humans are in fact, partially responsible for the increase in heavy rain events that we have been experiencing over the past two and a half decades.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/weather-and-climate-extremes">Weather and Climate Extremes</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Extreme precipitation in the Northeast linked to human activity

An abrupt increase in extreme precipitation across the northeastern United...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a>, experts are describing how venom has contributed to the species diversity of insects and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/depending-on-friends-makes-life-easier-for-reef-fish/">fish</a>. The researchers found that venomous animals diversify twice as fast as non-venomous animals. 

Insects and fish have a larger number of species than any other groups in the animal kingdom. Scientists have identified over one million species of insects, and 31,269 species of fish. 

Overall, 16 percent of all insect families and ten percent of fish families contain venomous species, such as wasps or stingrays. The new study has revealed that venom has evolved independently at least 19 times in fish and at least 28 times in insects throughout their evolutionary history.   

Venom helps animals to repel predators and catch prey. This may allow venomous animals to exploit more opportunities in their environment, potentially leading to the formation of new species as they diversify in their ecology, explained the researchers.

The study is one of the first to examine the role of venom in driving biodiversity. By finding that venom has evolved so many times, and that it is associated with faster diversification, the research indicates that venom has played an important role in promoting species diversity.

"Our results provide evidence that venom has played a part in generating the diversity of insects and fishes, which have the largest number of species amongst invertebrates and vertebrates respectively," said study lead author Dr. Kevin Arbuckle.

"Venom is not the only factor driving species richness in these animal groups, but we show that it has played an important but previously unrecognised role in generating the amazing diversity we see today amongst insects and fishes.”

Among insects, venom evolved fairly evenly over time. In fish, however, most venomous species can be traced back to the Late Cretaceous and Eocene periods.

“Mosasaurs - the aquatic behemoths made famous in the Jurassic World series - originated and peaked in diversity in the Late Cretaceous, at a time when other large marine predator groups were declining," explained Dr. Arbuckle.

"Similarly, whales originated and peaked in diversity in the Eocene, when most other large marine predators had gone extinct at the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, which killed off the dinosaurs."

"Both early whales and mosasaurs are thought to have been active predators with similar styles of movement. As a result, we cautiously speculate that most origins of fish venom were linked to similar predation pressures imposed by mosasaurs in the Late Cretaceous and early whales in the Eocene.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcecolevol.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Venomous animals diversify at double the rate

In a new study from Swansea University, experts are describing...

Across generations, humans adapt to a changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cattle-are-becoming-less-adapted-to-their-environment/">environment</a> by passing down knowledge. Corn plants have their own strategy for adaptation, using "jumping genes" to maintain genetic diversity. 

Jumping genes, which are known as transposons, were discovered in the 1940s by Nobel Prize-winning <a href="https://www.cshl.edu/">Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</a> (CSHL) geneticist Barbara McClintock.

In a new study, CSHL Professor Doreen Ware and colleagues have published genome sequences from 26 different strains of corn.

The researchers analyzed the genetic diversity found in the genomes of these modern corn plants, including transposons and genes that regulate desired crop traits. This genetic diversity was established as corn plants were bred in different climates throughout the world. 

“Humans have brains. Our main adaptive component is our ability to transfer culture and knowledge, right? And that’s how we deal with our environment. A plant’s strategy is to have a fluid genome. They have a very intimate relationship with these transposons, where they use them to bring in new genetic diversity so that they can deal with these events because they can’t run away. They’re not going to go into the house, and they’re not going to move water to them," explained Professor Ware.

The CSHL team mapped the first corn genome in 2009, and has continued the research ever since. Recent technology made it possible for the experts to locate and study both important crop genes and the nearby regions that regulate their use. 

"We had little access to the regulatory architecture of corn before," said Professor Ware. The most recent analysis reveals how the corn genome was shuffled over time. 

“These genomes provide us a footprint of that life history. Different strains have experienced different environments. For example, some came from tropical environments, others experienced particular diseases, and all those selective pressures leave a footprint of that history," said Professor Ware.

More than 366 million metric tons of corn was grown in the United States from 2018 to 2019. With the new detailed maps of the corn genome, scientists are now equipped to develop crops for a rapidly changing climate. 

“The Midwest is not going to have the same temperature profile twenty years from now," said Professor Ware. "The genomes provide broader insights into corn genetics, and this, in turn, can be used to start optimizing corn to grow in future environments."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Corn plants use jumping genes to adapt to their environment

Across generations, humans adapt to a changing environment by passing...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/">Queensland University of Technology</a> have developed electrodes for batteries that can be recharged at a much faster rate. The inspiration for the research is a water-carrying membrane that is found inside of bamboo - the fastest growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-foods-linked-to-drastically-lower-risk-of-heart-disease/">plant</a> in the world.

Professor Ziqi Sun was first inspired for the study when he walked past a clump of bamboo in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. His work is focused on mimicking natural objects, such as seashells and fish scales, to develop sustainable energy solutions.

According to Professor Sun, the new study was focused on the multilayer membrane that runs up inside the bamboo stem. This membrane, which is about as thick as a piece of paper, is responsible for the ultrafast transport of water and nutrients. 

Thanks to this tissue, bamboo can grow up to an estimated rate of about 40 millimeters per hour.

Professor Sun said the membrane was made up of layers, with the layers packed very closely together on the side closest to the inner ring of the bamboo, and further apart on the side nearest the center of the bamboo. The layers also have a porous structure on the surface.

“Why does the bamboo have this membrane? It’s not just something for decoration, it must be for some specific function," explained Professor Sun.

Study first author Dr. Jun Mei said the unique structure and its function deserved an in-depth study.

“The membrane is the most important component in the energy storage devices, and it would be very exciting if we could find a potential material candidate for energy storages by learning from the relationship between the membrane structure and the specific function,” explained Dr. Mei.

The researchers found that this multilevel structure enables water and electrolytes to travel through the bamboo in two ways.

The inner layer enables the “superfluidic” travel of the liquid and electrolytes, which means the liquid travels very quickly through the plant. The outer layer allows the liquid to be more quickly dispersed throughout the structure.

The research expands upon previous work that demonstrates the benefits of two-dimensional nanomaterials for the ultrafast transport of ions through a battery.

“Nature has taught us how to design with these kinds of two-dimensional materials, and how a multilevel distribution of the space will be much more helpful for high-performance batteries,” said Professor Sun.

The researchers developed their own membrane using layers of nanosheets of cobalt oxides and graphene. Each individual sheet was about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Ultimately, the bioinspired membranes showed a superwetting behavior towards organic electrolyte. This means there was no barrier for the contact and entry of the electrolyte from the surface into the inside membrane.

“The study offers a new principle in designing high-performance energy materials,”said Professor Sun. “Most importantly, it paves a way for future materials intervention by learning from the greatness of nature.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/16163028">Advanced Functional Materials</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

As the world's fastest growing plant, bamboo inspires new technology

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology have developed electrodes for...

Major depressive disorder is the most common mental illness worldwide. Depression has been associated with a reduction in neuroplasticity, that is a decrease in the brain’s ability to form neurons and reorganize connections between existing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rat-brains-are-wired-to-help-their-loved-ones-in-times-of-crisis/">brain</a> cells.

A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry">Frontiers in Psychiatry</a> has found that physical activity not only reduces the symptoms of depression, but also improves the brain’s ability to change. 

“The results show how important seemingly simple things like physical activity are in treating and preventing illnesses such as depression,” said Professor Dr. Karin Rosenkranz.

Participants in the study were in-patients who were hospitalized for depression at the University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at <a href="http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en">Ruhr-Universität Bochum</a>, Germany. They were divided into two groups; one group took part in a three-week program of organized physical activity, while the other group did not. 

Physical activity involved non-competitive exercises of moderate intensity that included endurance, strength and coordination elements, along with interaction and teamwork.

The severity of participants’ depressive symptoms was assessed before the start of the exercise program, and again after its completion. Symptoms included loss of interest, lack of motivation and prevalence of negative feelings. In addition, brain plasticity was measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

The results showed that brain plasticity improved significantly in participants who took part in physical activity. The individuals even achieved levels of plasticity that were the same as those found in healthy people. “The ability to change is important for all of the brain’s learning and adaptation processes,” explained Dr. Rosenkranz.

Furthermore, the severity of depressive symptoms decreased. The researchers found that the stronger the improvement in brain plasticity, the more the clinical symptoms decreased. 

Previous research has shown that physical activity is associated with greater neuroplasticity in healthy people, and also that it protects people against the onset of depression. 

“It is known that physical activity does the brain good, as it, for instance, promotes the formation of neuron connections. This could certainly also play a role here,” explained Dr. Rosenkranz.

What is clear is that interventions aimed at improving brain plasticity could be crucial in the treatment of depressive disorders in future. 

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise triggers changes in the brain that reduce depression

Major depressive disorder is the most common mental illness worldwide....

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may have been gradually losing stability over the past one hundred years, according to a new study by Niklas Boers from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>.

The results of this study are as concerning as they are surprising. The AMOC, which includes the Gulf Stream, is responsible for much of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-alter-photosynthesis-and-plant-growth/">temperatures</a> in Europe and has an important influence on the overall global climate. 

Until now, the collapse of this ocean system had seemed unlikely. If it’s the new reality, there could be dire consequences. 

“The Atlantic Meridional Overturning really is one of our planet’s key circulation systems,” said Boers. “We already know from some computer simulations and from data from Earth’s past, so-called paleoclimate proxy records, that the AMOC can exhibit - in addition to the currently attained strong mode - an alternative, substantially weaker mode of operation. This bi-stability implies that abrupt transitions between the two circulation modes are in principle possible.”

The AMOC redistributes heat and it’s predicted that if it collapses, there could be major changes to weather patterns. According to Britain's <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a>, a collapse of the AMOC would increase cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, cause an overall drop in precipitation over Europe and North America, and lead to a shift in monsoons in South America and Africa, 

“The difference is crucial. Because the loss of dynamical stability would imply that the AMOC has approached its critical threshold beyond which an abrupt and potentially irreversible transition to the weak mode could occur,” said Boers.

Previous research has shown that the AMOC is weaker than it’s been at any point in the last thousand years. It’s been unclear whether this weakness is due to a slowing in pace or a loss of stability. Unfortunately, the research suggests that it’s the latter. According to Boers, the culprit seems to be warming.   

“Most evidence suggests that the recent AMOC weakening is caused directly by the warming of the northern Atlantic ocean. But according to our understanding, this would be unlikely to lead to an abrupt state transition." 

"Stability loss that could result in such a transition would be expected following the inflow of substantial amounts of freshwater into the North Atlantic in response to melting of the Greenland ice sheet, melting Arctic sea ice and an overall enhanced precipitation and river runoff,”

Direct observation of the AMOC for the last 100 years is non-existent. However, scientists can look at salinity patterns in the Atlantic to look at temperatures and overall climate. Unfortunately, this evidence suggests that indeed AMOC may be close to collapse. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Atlantic Ocean currents may soon change for the worse

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may have been gradually...

Experts in the field of risk analysis feel that too much attention is paid to preparing for Hollywood-style cataclysmic volcanic eruptions while the potential effects of minor eruptions could be more damaging if they occur in areas of sensitive infrastructure. 

A team of researchers led by the University of Cambridge’s <a href="https://www.cser.ac.uk/">Centre for the Study of Existential Risk</a> (<a href="https://www.cser.ac.uk/">CSER</a>) have identified seven potential hotspots where small, active <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-are-volcanoes-in-indonesia-so-dangerous/">volcanoes</a> are clustered together in the vicinity of key infrastructure such as communications or transport hubs. 

In the report, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, the experts state that eruptions within these “pinch points” could cause domino effects with catastrophic consequences.

“Even a minor eruption in one of the areas we identify could erupt enough ash or generate large enough tremors to disrupt networks that are central to global supply chains and financial systems,” said study lead author Dr Lara Mani.

According to Dr. Mani and colleagues, even smaller eruptions measuring up to 6 on the “volcanic explosivity scale” have the power to cause ash clouds, landslides and mudflows that could impact on transport systems, crop production and international communications. Minor eruptions could also put food security at risk and potentially disable communication.

The team refers to the 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland as an example. After a magnitude 4 eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, wind blew plumes of ash towards mainland Europe. This led to the closure of European airspace at a cost of US$5 billion to the global economy. 

By comparison, in 1991, a magnitude 6 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines caused less than a fifth of the economic damage produced by Eyjafjallajökull because of the volcano’s distance from vital infrastructure. 

The pinch point regions identified in the study include volcanic groups in Taiwan, the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Indonesian archipelago, the North Atlantic, and the northwestern United States. 

The Luzon volcanic arc, for example, stretches from Taiwan through the Philippines to the island of Luzon. Even minor eruptions in these smaller volcanoes could disrupt shipping in the South China Sea and disturb major undersea cabling that connects China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. In addition, Taiwan is one of the largest producers of electronic chips, without which the global tech industry would be paralyzed.

The researchers conclude that more attention needs to be focused on preparations for the less spectacular - but potentially more devastating - consequences of minor eruptions in these hotspot areas.

“It’s time to change how we view extreme volcanic risk,” said Dr. Mani. “We need to move away from thinking in terms of colossal eruptions destroying the world, as portrayed in Hollywood films. The more probable scenarios involve lower-magnitude eruptions interacting with our societal vulnerabilities and cascading us towards catastrophe.”

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Minor volcanic eruptions could be the ones to watch out for

Experts in the field of risk analysis feel that too...

It’s already widely known that trees and forests sequester carbon, but this is not the only influence that forests have on the climate. According to new research, forests increase cloud cover by up to 15 percent compared to non-forested areas, creating a cooling effect.

"Forests provide a multitude of essential services to human society. These include the capture, storage and regulation of water flows, the improvement of air and water quality, the supply of timber, energy and erosion control, the provision of habitat for biodiversity and livelihoods for humans," wrote the study authors. 

"There is a particular service that forests have that has come to prominent attention in recent years, and it relates to their interactions with the climate system and their climate change mitigation potential."

In an effort to examine more closely how forests affect the climate, the experts looked at global satellite images. 

“Earth observations are increasingly showing that trees and forests are impacting climate by affecting biophysical surface properties,” said study co-author Dr. Alessandro Cescatti of the European Commission Joint Research Centre.

The researchers found that the cooling trend doesn’t quite hold for boreal forests in the winter. Forested boreal areas actually showed less cloud cover than non-forested areas in the winter, yet showed more cloud cover in the summer by five percent. The increase in cloud cover is greatest in evergreen needle forests. 

Low-level cloud cover, like that enhanced by forests, creates another cooling effect besides carbon sequestration. Looking at global cloud cover would not be possible without satellite imagery. 

“Without global cloud and land-cover type observations from satellites this study would not have been possible on a global scale," said Martin Stengel of the Climate Change Initiative Cloud Project, who was not involved in the research. "The authors of this study appreciated the high-spatial resolution of the initiative’s products.”

“Studies like this one, based on robust satellite observations, are fundamental to characterize the complexity of the climate system and provide benchmarks for climate model developments," said Dr. Cescatti.

The scientists noted that their findings should be additional motivation for reforestation. Forests shouldn’t be considered only for their ability to sequester carbon but the many other benefits they give, including a boost in cloud cover. 

"To avoid the more dire consequences of climate change, humankind not only needs to stop emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but the excess carbon that has already been emitted must also be removed," wrote the researchers.

"Currently, the most realistic technique to effectively capture carbon (among what are known as negative emission technologies or NETs) is to have it sequestered by trees."

"However, to reach the necessary mitigation targets this effectively requires expanding the land covered by forests by means of ambitious forest restoration or afforestation programs."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Forests create cloud cover that cools the climate

It’s already widely known that trees and forests sequester carbon,...

Many research studies have investigated the potential health benefits behind fasting, usually exploring the effect on blood pressure, weight loss, and other health points in humans. However, a recent study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> has explored new ground,  concluding that fasting before and after exposure to Salmonella enterica bacteria prevents mice from developing a full-blown infection. 

The conclusion is based on the discovery that the gut microbiomes of mice change after fasting. The mice were made to fast for 48 hours before and during oral infection of Salmonella, a common foodborne illness in humans. 

We have known for decades that humans and animals alike lose their appetites during an infection, but it has remained unclear whether fasting increases their susceptibility or protects a host from infection. The new study shows that fasting decreased the levels of infection in comparison to fed mice, almost eliminating all inflammation and intestinal tissue damage.

Once mice were re-fed for a day after their 48-hour fast, the presence of Salmonella greatly increased and invaded the intestinal wall. However, inflammation levels that are usually associated with infection were still significantly decreased compared to normal. 

Interestingly, the decreases in infection rates were only identified within mice that were exposed to Salmonella orally, with intravenous exposure showing no effect from fasting. 

Another interesting observation is that fasting did not fully protect mice that were bred to be germ-free, hence lacking a regular microbiome. The researchers recreated the experiment using the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, and similar results were found. 

The study ultimately suggests that fasting promoted highly beneficial changes within the gut microbiome and that these benefits were transferrable to other bacterial infections and were not restricted to Salmonella alone. 

“These data suggest that therapeutic fasting or calorie restriction has the potential to beneficially modulate infectious and potentially non-infectious gastrointestinal diseases," concluded lead researcher Bruce Vallance.

“Our research highlights the important role that food plays in regulating interactions between the host, enteric pathogens, and the gut microbiome," wrote the study authors.

"When food is limited, the microbiome appears to sequester the nutrients that remain, preventing pathogens from acquiring the energy they need to infect the host. While more research is needed, fasting or otherwise adjusting food intake could be exploited therapeutically to modulate infectious diseases in the future.”

The research has been published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/">PLOS Pathogens</a>.

---

By <a href="http://calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fasting may help ward off infections, a new study suggests

Many research studies have investigated the potential health benefits behind...

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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"

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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...