You probably know at least a little bit about ocean circulation around the world, also known as currents. In fact, you may have felt smaller currents yourself on a day at the beach.



But have you heard bout the "great global ocean conveyor belt," which is a vast network of currents that constantly moves water around the entire planet?



This massive system helps distribute heat around the world, influencing everything from temperatures to rainfall. Unfortunately, it's slowing down and on the verge of total collapse.



Scientists have been studying this phenomenon, and according to recent research published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01568-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>, it's a bigger deal than we thought. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-circulation-and-the-amoc">Ocean circulation and the AMOC?</h2>



The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is like a massive ocean conveyor belt that moves warm and cold water around the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-the-atlantic-ocean-may-ultimately-vanish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atlantic Ocean</a>. 



It starts in the Gulf of Mexico, where warm, salty water flows northward along the eastern coast of the United States and across the Atlantic towards Europe. 



As this warm water reaches the North Atlantic, it cools down, becomes denser, and sinks deep into the ocean. 



This sinking process pulls more warm water north to replace it, creating a continuous loop that helps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collapse-of-major-ocean-system-would-cause-weather-chaos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regulate the climate</a> by distributing heat across the planet. 



Thanks to the AMOC, regions like Western Europe enjoy milder winters than they would otherwise.



Humans rely on the AMOC in several important ways. By regulating global temperatures, it helps maintain stable weather patterns, which are crucial for agriculture, ecosystems, and our daily lives. 



Researchers point out that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is now weaker than at any other time in the past 1,000 years.



The research team from several leading universities explains that global warming is behind this slowdown. 



Their new modeling suggests that meltwater from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenlands-melting-icebergs-may-not-be-threat-to-ocean-currents-amoc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland ice sheet</a> and Canadian glaciers could be the missing piece of the puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-should-we-care-about-this">Why should we care about this?</h2>



"Our results show the Atlantic overturning circulation is likely to become a third weaker than it was 70 years ago at 2°C of global warming," says the research team. 



"This would bring big changes to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-arctic-is-melting-fast-but-a-slowing-ocean-current-could-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate and ecosystems</a>, including faster warming in the southern hemisphere, harsher winters in Europe, and weakening of the northern hemisphere's tropical monsoons."



Think about that for a second. A weaker ocean current could mean colder winters in Europe and shifts in rainfall patterns that affect millions of people. It's not just about the ocean; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it's about our daily lives</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meltwater-and-ocean-circulation">Meltwater and ocean circulation</h2>



The Earth has already warmed 1.5ºC since the industrial revolution. And get this: the Arctic has been heating up nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet. 



All that heat is melting Arctic sea ice, glaciers, and the Greenland ice sheet.



"Since 2002, Greenland lost 5,900 billion tons (gigatons) of ice," notes the research team. "To put that into perspective, imagine if the entire state of Texas was covered in ice 26 feet thick."



All this fresh meltwater flowing into the subarctic ocean is lighter than salty seawater, so it doesn't sink as much. 



That messes with the southward flow of deep, cold waters from the Atlantic and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-impact-the-gulf-stream-more-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weakens the Gulf Stream</a> -- the same current that gives Britain its mild winters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-around-the-globe">Ripple effects around the globe</h2>



So, what's the big deal with the Gulf Stream slowing down? Well, for starters, Europe could face harsher winters. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-paradox-ocean-current-collapse-could-plunge-europe-into-cold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Places like Britain</a> might start feeling more like their chilly counterparts at the same latitude, such as parts of Canada.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Atlantic-Meridional-Overturning-Circulation_AMOC_collapsing_Nature-Geoscience_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Atlantic-Meridional-Overturning-Circulation_AMOC_collapsing_Nature-Geoscience_1s.webp" alt="The addition of meltwater in the North Atlantic leads to localised cooling in the subpolar North Atlantic and warming in the South Atlantic. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024)." class="wp-image-1951410" style="width:300px;height:auto"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The addition of meltwater in the North Atlantic leads to localised cooling in the subpolar North Atlantic and warming in the South Atlantic. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024).</figcaption></figure>



"Our new research shows meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet and Arctic glaciers in Canada is the missing piece in the climate puzzle," the researchers explain. 



When they included this meltwater in their simulations, the slowing of the oceanic circulation made sense.



The study confirms that the Atlantic overturning circulation has been slowing down since the mid-20th century. It also gives us a sneak peek into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atlantic-and-arctic-mixing-is-crucial-for-earths-climate-stability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">what's coming next</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northern-and-southern-oceans-connected">Northern and Southern oceans connected</h2>



"Our new research also shows the North and South Atlantic oceans are more connected than previously thought," the team states. 



Changes in one part of the ocean can quickly affect distant regions. When the oceanic circulation is strong, it transfers a lot of heat to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-warming-triggers-rising-north-atlantic-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Atlantic</a>. 



But when it weakens, the surface of the ocean south of Greenland doesn't warm up as much, leading to what's called a "warming hole." Meanwhile, the South Atlantic ends up storing more heat and salt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-is-not-on-our-side">Time is not on our side</h2>



"Our simulations show changes in the far North Atlantic are felt in the South Atlantic Ocean in less than two decades," the researchers reveal. This means the effects of the slowdown are spreading faster than we thought.



Climate projections have suggested the Atlantic overturning circulation will weaken by about 30% by 2060. But hold on -- that's without considering all that extra meltwater.



"The Greenland ice sheet will continue melting over the coming century, possibly raising global sea level by about 4 inches," the study notes. 



"If this additional meltwater is included in climate projections, the overturning circulation will weaken faster. It could be 30% weaker by 2040. That's 20 years earlier than initially projected."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do">What can we do?</h2>



Such a rapid decrease in the overturning circulation will shake things up. 



Europe might see colder winters, the northern tropics could get drier, and places like the southern United States might experience warmer, wetter summers.



"Our climate has changed dramatically over the past 20 years," the researchers warn. "More rapid melting of the ice sheets will accelerate further disruption of the climate system."



So, what does this all mean for us? It means we have even less time to get our act together. Reducing emissions isn't just a good idea -- it's crucial.



Our planet's systems are interconnected in ways we're only beginning to understand. If we want to keep things from getting worse, we need to act now. Every little bit counts, and the clock is ticking.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01568-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Collapse of Earth's main ocean water circulation system is already happening

You probably know at least a little bit about ocean circulation around the world, also known as currents. In fact, you may have felt smaller currents yourself on a day at the beach. But have you heard bout the "great global ocean conveyor belt," which is a vast network of currents that constantly moves water around the entire planet? This massive system helps distribute heat around the world, influencing everything from temperatures to rainfall. Unfortunately, it's slowing down and on the verge of total collapse. Scientists have...

When <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/peatlands-become-fuel-for-wildfires-in-a-warming-climate/">peat</a> fires smolder underground during the freezing winter months, they sometimes persist for so long that they reignite after the ground warms and thaws in the spring. These "zombie fires" are known to release up to 100 times more carbon into the atmosphere than flaming fires.

In a new study, researchers at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> have demonstrated how soil moisture content affects the ignition and spread of smoldering peat fires. The team also used computer models to discover how several small peat fires can merge into one large blaze.

"Peat fires are a devastating yet chronically under-researched phenomenon that spurt millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year," said study first author Dwi Purnomo. "If we can use scientific evidence to help people manage them more effectively, we can perhaps dampen their impact on people and the environment."

Peat fires are most common in regions like Southeast Asia, North America, and Siberia.  Peat is a natural reservoir of carbon, and zombie fires are fueled by soils that are rich in this and other organic content. 

Unlike the smoke from non-peat fires, which is ejected high into the atmosphere, smoldering peat fires burn close to the ground where they produce a haze that is very threatening to human health. 

Zombie fires are notoriously difficult to control. Even when the flames are extinguished, the fire can smolder up to several feet underground for weeks or months at a time, just waiting to flare back up.

These hazardous peat fires can be sparked naturally by lightning strikes or by human activities, such as controlled burns. 

"Although people have been using controlled burns in agriculture for centuries, starting them on peat soils can be particularly dangerous," explained study senior author Professor Guillermo Rein. 

"Peat draws the fire underground, which then hides there before coming back like zombies, making detection and extinction very challenging. The effects are felt in plantations, forests, homes, residents' health and the environment." 

The new study reveals that burning vegetation on peat soils with a higher moisture content is less likely to sustain smoldering, which means that fires will be less likely to burn uncontrollably. 

The research is the first of its kind to investigate the interaction between smoldering peat and flaming vegetation. The findings may ultimately inform land managers and scientists on the safest ways to clear the vegetation in peatlands. 

"It might seem trivial that drier soils sustain faster and larger smouldering fires, but this work can predict the critical moisture values for ignition," said Purnomo. "I've seen the devastation they can cause and want to help my country and others like it which are affected by peat fires."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/proceedings-of-the-combustion-institute">Proceedings of the Combustion Institute</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Soil moisture is key to slowing zombie fires

When peat fires smolder underground during the freezing winter months,...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/">Association for Psychological Science</a>, researchers found that a positive affect is linked to a lower risk of age-related <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/musically-training-children-have-improved-attention-and-memory-skills/">memory</a> decline. 

The extent to which an individual experiences enthusiasm, joy, happiness, and excitement - referred to as positive affectivity - has an influence on how well information is retained throughout life.

The research adds to a growing collection of evidence that positive affectivity contributes to healthier aging. Previous studies have suggested that a positive outlook can lead many desirable life outcomes, such as more marital satisfaction, improved well-being, greater cognitive performance, and the delayed onset of disease.

The study was focused on data from nearly 1,000 middle-aged and older adults who participated in a national study that was conducted over the course of a decade in three phases: between 1995 and 1996, 2004 and 2006, and 2013 and 2014.

For each trial, the participants reported on a range of positive emotions they had experienced over the past 30 days. During the final two assessments, participants were also tested for memory performance. The tests involved recalling words immediately after they were presented and then again 15 minutes later.

The researchers examined the association between positive affect and memory decline, while accounting for additional factors such as age, gender, education, depression, negative affect, and extraversion.

Study senior author Professor Claudia Haase said that the findings confirmed that memory did, in fact, decline with age among the study participants.

"However, individuals with higher levels of positive affect had a less steep memory decline over the course of almost a decade," added study last author Emily Hittner.

According to the researchers, further studies are needed to understand the pathways that may connect positive affect and memory, such as physical health or social interactions.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Psychological Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Positive affect linked to less memory decline

In a new study from the Association for Psychological Science,...

A new <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">MIT</a> study may explain why people have less motivation to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/writing-by-hand-boosts-learning-and-memory/">learn</a> and experience new things as they get older. Using a mouse model, the scientists have discovered a brain circuit that may be the source of our desire to learn, and this neural network appears to shut down with age. 

According to the experts, the brain circuit identified in the study is especially important for weighing the cost versus the reward of a particular decision. 

The study revealed that reactivating this brain circuit boosted the motivation for learning and evaluating decisions among older mice. When the circuit was suppressed, however, so was the motivation to learn. 

"As we age, it's harder to have a get-up-and-go attitude toward things," said study senior author Professor Ann Graybiel. "This get-up-and-go, or engagement, is important for our social well-being and for learning - it's tough to learn if you aren't attending and engaged."

Professor Graybiel's lab has been studying striosomes, clusters of cells in the striatum, for several decades. The striatum is part of a network of brain regions that are linked to habit formation, voluntary movement, emotion, and addiction.

The experts have found that striosomes play an important role in a type of decision-making known as approach-avoidance conflict. These decisions involve weighing options that have both positive and negative elements. For example, you could be offered a new job with better pay that would require you to move away from family and friends.

In a previous study, the MIT team found that stress plays a major role in this type of emotional decision making. The researchers demonstrated that stressed mice were far more likely to choose high-risk, high-payoff options. However, this behavior could be altered by manipulating the circuit.

"A person, or in this case a mouse, may value a reward so highly that the risk of experiencing a possible cost is overwhelmed, while another may wish to avoid the cost to the exclusion of all rewards. And these may result in reward-driven learning in some and cost-driven learning in others," said study co-lead author Emily Hueske.

For the current study, the researchers set out to investigate what happens in striosomes as mice were presented with these types of choices. The researchers found evidence that striosomes could be critical for assigning subjective value to a particular outcome.

"In order to survive, in order to do whatever you are doing, you constantly need to be able to learn. You need to learn what is good for you, and what is bad for you," said study co-lead author Alexander Friedman.

The researchers found that, among older mice, engagement in learning this type of cost-benefit analysis went down. At the same time, their striosomal activity declined compared to younger mice. 

The team found a similar loss of motivation in a mouse model of Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the striatum and its striosomes.

When the experts used genetically targeted drugs to boost activity in the striosomes, the mice became more engaged in learning the task. 

The researchers are currently working to develop drug treatments with the potential to stimulate this circuit. They also speculate that patients could be trained to boost activity in this circuit.

"If you could pinpoint a mechanism which is underlying the subjective evaluation of reward and cost, and use a modern technique that could manipulate it, either psychiatrically or with biofeedback, patients may be able to activate their circuits correctly," said Friedman.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Motivation to learn declines as a specific brain circuit ages

A new MIT study may explain why people have less...

Scientists have discovered that ogre-faced spiders can actually hear their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/top-predators-face-the-most-imminent-threat-from-habitat-loss/">predators</a> and prey, despite the fact that they have no ears. In a study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, the experts report that these spiders use hairs and receptors on their legs to detect sounds from at least two meters away. 

Ogre-faced spiders are named after their huge eyes that give them remarkable night vision for seeking out prey. The spiders dangle from Florida palm fronds, waiting to cast silk nets on insects.

The findings suggest that the big-eyed spiders can hear low-frequency sounds from insect prey as well as higher frequency sounds from bird predators.

Study senior author Ron Hoy is a professor of Neurobiology and Behavior at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>.

"I think many spiders can actually hear, but everybody takes it for granted that spiders have a sticky web to catch prey, so they're only good at detecting close vibrations," said Professor Hoy. "Vibration detection works for sensing shaking of the web or ground, but detecting those airborne disturbances at a distance is the province of hearing, which is what we do and what spiders do too, but they do it with specialized receptors, not eardrums."

After hiding out during the daylight hours, ogre-faced spiders prepare to use their webs as a weapon at night. Instead of passively waiting for prey to get stuck, the spiders dangle out of the trees and throw their web over insects like a net. 

These stealthy spiders use their night vision to catch insects on the ground, but they also catch insects in the air with a skillful backwards strike. 

"In a previous study, I actually put dental silicone over their eyes so they couldn't see," said study first author Jay Stafstrom. "And I found that when I put them back out into nature, they couldn't catch prey from off the ground, but they could still catch insects from out of the air. So I was pretty sure these spiders were using a different sensory system to hunt flying insects."

The current study confirmed that ogre-faced spiders have an incredible audible range. The researchers measured the neural response of the spiders as they were exposed to different tones. The experiment revealed that they could detect sounds of up to 10 kHz in frequency, which is far higher than the sounds of a walking or flying insect.

"When I played low tone frequencies, even from a distance, they would strike like they were hunting an insect, which they don't do for higher frequencies," said Stafstrom. "And the fact that we were able to do that from a distance, knowing we're not getting up close and causing them to vibrate. That was key to knowing they can really hear."

Detecting higher frequencies may help the spiders stay alert when hiding out from birds and other predators.

"If you give an animal a threatening stimulus, we all know about the fight or flight response. Invertebrates have that too, but the other 'f' is 'freeze.' That's what these spiders do," said Professor Hoy. "They're in a cryptic posture. Their nervous system is in a sleep state. But as soon as they pick up any kind of salient stimulus, boom, that turns on the neuromuscular system. It's a selective attention system."

Next, the researchers plan to investigate whether ogre-faced spiders can tell which direction sounds are coming from. If they can hear directionally, this could help explain how they pull off their impressive backwards strike.

"What I found really amazing is that to cast their net at flying bugs they have to do a half backflip and spread their web at the same time, so they're essentially playing centerfield," said Professor Hoy. "Directional hearing is a big deal in any animal, but I think there are really going to be some interesting surprises from this spider."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ogre-faced spiders may not have ears, but they can hear

Scientists have discovered that ogre-faced spiders can actually hear their...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> are sharing intriguing new details about how octopuses can "taste" by using their tentacles to touch objects along the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/organisms-beneath-the-seafloor-barely-need-energy-for-life/">seafloor</a>. The scientists investigated the nervous system of octopuses on a molecular level to gain a better understanding of how sensors located within their suction-cup covered tentacles actually work. 

The experts have identified a previously unknown family of sensory cells inside the suction cups that have evolved to detect molecules that do not dissolve well in water. The sensors, called chemotactile receptors, rely on the poorly soluble molecules to determine what type of object the suckers are touching and whether or not it is prey.

"We think because the molecules do not solubilize well, they could, for instance, be found on the surface of octopuses' prey and whatever the animals touch," said study senior author Professor Nicholas Bellono. "So, when the octopus touches a rock versus a crab, now its arm knows, 'OK, I'm touching a crab [because] I know there's not only touch but there's also this sort of taste.'"

The researchers also found variation in the types of objects that triggered a response from the receptors, as well as in the signals that were transmitted from the receptors to the nervous system.

"We think that this is important because it could facilitate complexity in what the octopus senses and also how it can process a range of signals using its semi-autonomous arm nervous system to produce complex behaviors," explained Professor Bellono.

Study co-author Peter B. Kilian said that the strategies used by octopuses to solve problems in their environment are unique to them, which inspires a great deal of interest from both scientists and non-scientists. "People are drawn to octopuses and other cephalopods because they are wildly different from most other animals."

The team set out to determine how the receptors are able to sense chemicals and detect signals in what they touch, such as a tentacle around a snail. 

Octopus arms contain about two-thirds of the body's neurons, yet they can partially operate independently from the brain. This is why, if an octopus arm is severed, it can still reach for, identify, and grasp items.

When the experts conducted experiments to pinpoint which cells in the suckers are responsible for detecting objects, they were surprised to find that only the poorly soluble molecules activated the receptors.

In the lab, the researchers confirmed that the only odorants that activated the chemotactile receptors were a non-dissolving class of naturally occurring chemicals known as terpenoid molecules.

"The octopus was highly responsive to only the part of the floor that had the molecule infused," said Professor Bellono. This led the researchers to believe that the receptors they identified pick up on these types of molecules and help the octopus distinguish what it's touching. "With the semi-autonomous nervous system, it can quickly make this decision: 'Do I contract and grab this crab or keep searching?'"

According to the study authors, further research is needed to explore a great number of natural compounds that could also stimulate these receptors to control complex behaviors. "We're now trying to look at other natural molecules that these animals might detect," said Professor Bellono.

The researchers believe the findings can help uncover similar receptor systems in other cephalopods. They hope to determine how these systems work on a molecular level and how they evolved.

"Not much is known about marine chemotactile behavior and with this receptor family as a model system, we can now study which signals are important for the animal and how they can be encoded," said study lead author Lena van Giesen. "These insights into protein evolution and signal coding go far beyond just cephalopods."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists discover how octopuses can taste with their tentacles

Researchers at Harvard University are sharing intriguing new details about...

Scientists have made the unexpected discovery that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/male-baboons-live-longer-when-they-have-female-friends/">male</a> fin whales exchange songs. The findings are surprising considering that prior to this research, it was believed that fin whales stick to just one song pattern that is unique to the males of each group.

The study, which is published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>, suggests that the whales sing multiple songs that are spread throughout the ocean by migrating individuals. 

The fin whale, the world's second largest mammal, is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Up until several decades ago, their numbers were greatly depleted by commercial whaling. Today, the biggest threat to fin whales comes from vessel strikes. 

By studying their complex singing behavior, scientists gain new insight into how fin whale populations move and evolve over time, which can help efforts to protect them.

"There is still a lot of uncertainty around the fin whale population size and structure in the North Pacific, and so learning about the song could help us understand population dynamics in this region much better," said Dr. Tyler Helble of the <a href="https://www.public.navy.mil/navwar/NIWC-Pacific">Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific</a>. 

"Male fin whales in the Pacific sing just two very low notes, which are produced in different rhythms to create song. Previously, some marine mammal scientists thought that fin whales each sang a single pattern of notes, which was found only within their specific group and region. Our research indicates that fin whale song is more complex than this."

Over six years, the team used underwater microphones, or hydrophones, to record the songs and locations of 115 whale encounters near Kauai, Hawaii.

"The sound is recorded on multiple hydrophones, allowing us to triangulate on the signal and formulate a position for the animal," said Dr. Regina Guazzo. "By showing that different song patterns were coming from the same location, we demonstrated that these were likely made by the same individual."

The recordings captured five main song patterns. Some of the songs were found to be unique to this region, but others shared similarities with song patterns recorded several years earlier in populations off the northwest coast of the United States. 

"When a new whale song is recorded in a region, researchers often read it as a signal that a new group or individual has arrived from a different part of the world," said Dr. Guazzo. "However, this study suggests that these new song patterns may have been picked up by a local whale on his migratory travels, in a process of cultural transmission between groups from different regions".

The scientists could use additional methods of monitoring to confirm whether the fin whales recorded in Hawaii are from a single group or multiple converging groups.

"Visual identification, genetic analyses, or long-duration tags could be used to determine where these whales go when they are not singing off Kauai," said Dr. Helble.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fin whales pick up on new songs as they migrate

Scientists have made the unexpected discovery that male fin whales...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies</a>, scientists report that by leaving more big <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fish-swim-in-schools-to-save-energy/">fish</a> in the ocean, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into Earth's atmosphere can be reduced. 

"Contrary to most terrestrial organisms, which release their carbon into the atmosphere after death, carcasses of large marine fish sink and sequester carbon in the deep ocean. Yet, fisheries have extracted a massive amount of this 'blue carbon,' contributing to additional atmospheric CO2 emissions," explained the study authors.

"Here, we focus on a previously underrecognized pathway of carbon sequestration by fish: their capacity to sequester carbon in the deep sea after their natural death. More precisely, we estimate how catching large fish from the ocean may have affected this carbon sequestration potential through the sinking of dead fish carcasses."

When a fish dies in the ocean, it sinks to the seafloor along with all of the carbon it contains, where it is absorbed by oceanic sediments and stored as blue carbon.

"But when a fish is caught, the carbon it contains is partly emitted into the atmosphere as CO2 a few days or weeks after," said study lead author Gaël Mariani.

The unprecedented research shows that ocean fisheries have released at least 730 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere since 1950. "Like any other food production sector, fishing also emits CO2 by consuming and burning fuel. In the fishing sector, fuel consumption represents the majority of its carbon footprint," wrote the researchers.

Study co-author Professor David Mouillot said the carbon footprint of fisheries is 25 percent higher than previous industry estimates.

"Fishing boats produce greenhouse gases by consuming fuel," said Professor Mouillot. "And now we know that extracting fish releases additional CO2 that would otherwise remain captive in the ocean."

Large fish like tuna, sharks, mackerel, and swordfish are made up of about 10 to 15 percent carbon.

"When these fish die, they sink rapidly," explained Professor Mouillot. "As a result, most of the carbon they contain is sequestered at the bottom of the sea for thousands or even millions of years. They are therefore carbon sinks - the size of which has never been estimated before."

Professor Mouillot said this natural phenomenon, a blue carbon pump, has been increasingly and greatly disrupted by industrial fishing.

According to the researchers, the disruptions are mainly taking place in areas where fishing is not economically profitable - in the Central Pacific, South Atlantic, and North Indian Oceans.

"Fishing boats sometimes go to very remote areas - with enormous fuel consumption - even though the fish caught in these areas are not profitable and fishing is only viable thanks to subsidies," said Mariani.

The study authors noted that the findings strongly support the need for more reasonable fishing. "We need to fish better," said Professor Mouillot.

 "The annihilation of the blue carbon pump represented by large fish suggests new protection and management measures must be put in place, so that more large fish can remain a carbon sink and no longer become an additional CO2 source," said Mariani. "And in doing so we further reduce CO2 emissions by burning less fuel."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</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

Leaving big fish in the ocean greatly reduces CO2 emissions

In a new study from the ARC Centre of Excellence...

Scientists have discovered an ancient marine reptile that used a flat tail and a buoyant build to float motionless in the water, where it could sneak attack unsuspecting prey with fang-like teeth. The reptile species, which is now known as Brevicaudosaurus jiyangshanensis, lived about 240 million years ago during the Triassic period when reptiles dominated the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/changes-in-ocean-circulation-linked-to-drastic-rise-in-co2-levels/">ocean</a>.

A team of paleontologists led by the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> examined two skeletons recovered from a thin layer of limestone in southwest China. The specimens were identified as nothosaurs - marine reptiles with a small head, long neck, and flipper-like limbs. These reptiles typically had long tails, but B. jiyangshanensis stood out as an exception. 

"Our analysis of two well-preserved skeletons reveals a reptile with a broad, pachyostotic body (denser boned) and a very short, flattened tail. A long tail can be used to flick through the water, generating thrust, but the new species we've identified was probably better suited to hanging out near the bottom in shallow sea, using its short, flattened tail for balance, like an underwater float, allowing it to preserve energy while searching for prey," said Dr. Qing-Hua Shang.

The most complete skeleton, which was found in Jiyangshan quarry, is just under 60 centimeters long. The forelimbs were found to be better developed than the hind limbs, indicating that they played a role in helping the reptile swim. However, the bones in the animal's front feet were rather short compared to other marine reptiles, which would have limited the power that B. jiyangshanensis had to pull through the water. 

According to the researchers, what this reptile lacked in speed was gained in balance. B. jiyangshanensis had thick bones that would have provided stability. 

In addition, greater bone density may have made the animals neutrally buoyant in shallow water. Combined with a flat tail, this buoyancy would have helped the lizard-like predator to float motionless underwater while using up very little energy.

There is also evidence that B. jiyangshanensis had large lungs, which would have increased the time it could spend underwater.

"Perhaps this small, slow-swimming marine reptile had to be vigilante for large predators as it floated in the shallows, as well as being a predator itself," said study co-author Dr. Xiao-Chun Wu.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ujvp20">Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology</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

Ancient marine predator could float motionless in the water

Scientists have discovered an ancient marine reptile that used a...

Habitat loss will have the most immediate impact on the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animals-who-have-suffered-from-hunger-will-take-more-risks/">animals</a> at the top of the food chain, according to new research from <a href="https://liu.se/en">Linköping University</a>. The scientists used computer simulations to predict the effect of habitat loss on various ecosystems and found that the top predators will be wiped out first. 

Humans are transforming natural landscapes for agriculture, development, and industry at an unsustainable rate. These land use changes pose major threats to animals through habitat loss. Climate change adds even more pressure, as habitats that were historically suitable for certain species are now becoming uninhabitable. 

"We can reach two important conclusions from our study. The first is that initiatives to preserve biological diversity must preserve habitat and not only focus on a particular species. It is very important to consider the interactions between the ecosystem's species by looking at the food web - which animals and plants are eaten by which other animals. The second conclusion is that the order in which habitats disappear has a profound significance," explained study co-author Anna Eklöf.

The researchers used computer simulations to study ecological networks, which represent how the various species in an ecosystem interact with each other. The model was designed to distinguish between suitable and unsuitable habitats.

Within the suitable habitat patches, plant and animal species are connected to each other in a food web. The survival of any given animal depends on the availability of their prey in the same vicinity.

Habitats are often fragmented by barriers such as busy roads with heavy traffic that do not allow the animals to move freely. The more difficult that dispersal becomes across a habitat, the more likely it is that a species will vanish from the ecological network, which threatens the survival of other species. 

The Linköping researchers used their model to analyze a large number of simulated networks involving hundreds of species. To investigate how ecosystems are affected by habitat loss, they ranked the habitat patches in order of how important they are for species at the bottom of the food chain. 

Next, the team simulated three different scenarios to represent how habitat loss can occur, with either the least important habitat patches lost first, the most important patches lost first, or with the patches removed in a random order. When humans construct roads or buildings without considering how valuable the region is for different species, the habitat loss usually occurs in a random order. 

"In our model, the species at the upper levels of the food chain die out first when habitat patches are lost. What surprised us was that the damage to the ecosystem was almost the same when patches were lost in a random order as when the most valuable patches were lost first," said study co-author György Barabás.

According to the researchers, the significance of various habitats patches must be given more consideration if humans want to protect ecosystems and prevent species from becoming extinct, especially those at the top of the food chain. They noted that the impacts of habitat loss could be minimized by simply strengthening connections between patches.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy</a>

Top predators face the most imminent threat from habitat loss

Habitat loss will have the most immediate impact on the...

Researchers at the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> have analyzed newly available data to evaluate the effectiveness of China's efforts to mitigate <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/changes-in-ocean-circulation-linked-to-drastic-rise-in-co2-levels/">CO2</a> emissions. The study revealed that China's forests helped the country capture nearly half of its overall CO2 emissions between 2010 and 2016. 

"China is currently one of the world's major emitters of CO2, but China's forest resources have been growing continuously for the past 30 years," said study co-author Professor Yi Liu. "In this study, we achieve a better understanding of CO2 fluxes over China."

In the past, there were few CO2 monitoring stations on the ground across China. This made it difficult to get an accurate estimate of the country's CO2 flux, and fewer studies were conducted due to a lack of data. 

"Therein lies the crux of the challenge faced by science and policy communities: effective mitigation of fossil fuel CO2 emissions within a large-scale dynamic natural carbon cycle that we do not quantitatively understand," said Professor Liu.

"Without good data, it was nearly impossible to assess how China's forestry efforts to mitigate CO2 emissions were actually faring," said study last author Jing Wang.

Everything changed when the China Meteorological Administration made available weekly and hourly continuous atmospheric CO2 measurements between 2009 and 2016.

Professor Liu and his team found that during this time frame, China reabsorbed about 45 percent of the country's estimated annual manmade CO2 emissions.

The data was corroborated by independent satellite measurements of vegetation greenness, soil water availability, satellite column observations of CO2 and forest surveys.

"While our results still have large uncertainties, it's clear that China's forest ecosystem has a huge carbon sequestration effect," said study co-author Paul I. Palmer from the University of Edinburgh. 

Going forward, the researchers plan to refine their results based on additional ground and satellite data. The ultimate goal is to improve their calculation methods to determine the carbon budget of smaller areas, such as cities.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</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

China captures nearly half of its annual CO2 emissions

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have analyzed newly...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>, scientists have confirmed that most migratory <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-vanishing-in-the-amazon-represent-a-global-shift-in-biodiversity/">birds</a> synchronize their movements with vegetation as it turns green or dies out across the seasons. Spring greening is now arriving earlier due to climate change, and scientists are working to understand what the consequences may be for birds that depend on these cues for migration.

"In this study, we evaluated how 230 North American migratory bird species associate with vegetation greenness across the full annual cycle within the Western Hemisphere," wrote the researchers. "Our analysis identified different associations with vegetation greenness and different levels of evidence for phenological synchronization during spring and autumn migration."

The study is the first of its kind to investigate the annual life cycle of migratory birds that feed on vegetation, seeds, nectar, insects, or meat across the Western Hemisphere.

"As you might expect, migration synchronization with vegetation greenness is strongest for birds that eat vegetation, seeds, or both, during spring and autumn migration, but especially during spring," explaimed study lead author Frank La Sorte. "You could say they follow the 'green wave' north in the spring and then follow it in reverse during the fall, keeping pace with a wave that is retreating ahead of the North American winter."

Not all migratory birds adjust their behavior to spring greening. For example, vegetation does not have much influence on the migratory behavior of carnivores like hawks and eagles. 

Birds that eat insects during spring migration in the central and eastern regions of the United States are also less synchronized with spring greening. These particular insect-eating birds cannot rely on synchronization because they winter in Central and South America. With the Gulf of Mexico serving as a barrier, the birds cannot detect vegetation changes on either side of their range.

Climate change is already altering the timing of the seasons, as well as that of migrations for most migratory birds. Spring greening is controlled by changes in temperature and precipitation, while die-back of vegetation in the autumn is controlled by temperature and the hours of daylight.

"Our findings emphasize the need to better understand the environmental cues that regulate migratory behavior and the implications for migratory birds if these cues change," said La Sorte. "Unchecked climate change means it's more likely that there will be a mismatch - migratory birds during stopover or when arriving on their breeding or wintering grounds could miss the peak food supply--no matter what they eat."

The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652656">Journal of Animal Ecology</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

Migratory birds rely on spring greening, which is now changing with the climate

In a new study from Cornell University, scientists have confirmed...

Mountain gorillas are friendly to their neighbors as long as they don't push their luck, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The researchers found that gorillas are not willing to tolerate trespassers in their "core" territory, regardless of how familiar the individuals are. 

Gorillas live in close-knit groups that hunt, relax, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-and-physical-activity-can-optimize-bone-health-in-children/">sleep</a> together across a "core home range" and a wider "peripheral" range. The groups occasionally split up, which separates close relatives and group members permanently.

The new study, which was a collaboration with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, reveals that groups which were previously united are more than four times as likely to be friendly upon encountering each other, even if they had split more than ten years earlier.

Regardless of their level of familiarity, however, mountain gorillas react aggressively when another group strays into their core territory. On the other hand, when it comes to their broader peripheral range, the gorillas only become aggressive with unfamiliar groups.

"Meetings of groups are fairly rare, and at first both groups are usually cautious," said Dr. Robin Morrison. "They often beat their chests and show off their strength, but the interaction can then either become aggressive - with fighting and screaming - or 'affiliative.'

"In affiliative interactions, the initial tension passes and the groups intermingle. They may rest together, and younger gorillas will often play with youngsters from the other group."

Humans cooperate well beyond our immediate group, and the evolutionary benefit of these wider friendships could be that they allow shared access to space and resources with a reduced risk of aggression. The current study is the first to test this theory in nonhuman animals. The findings suggest that mountain gorillas may, in fact, benefit in the same way by maintaining friendships between groups.

"The pattern we found mirrors what we see in humans," said Dr. Morrison."We also have concepts of public spaces outside our 'range' where we tolerate anyone, spaces like our homes where we tolerate certain individuals, and private spaces within those homes reserved for close family or just ourselves."

According to the researchers, it is also important to understand these behavioral patterns for conservation.

"Mountain gorillas have less than 800 km2 of habitat remaining," said study co-author Jean Paul Hirwa. "As a result of extreme conservation efforts, the population has been growing over the last 30 years while their habitat has not."

"Understanding how groups interact and share their limited space is important for estimating future population dynamics and trends in this endangered species."

The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652656">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mountain gorillas are friendly to their neighbors, but this has its limits

Mountain gorillas are friendly to their neighbors as long as...

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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

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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

[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



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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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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...