Do you recall those childhood days when you eagerly anticipated bedtime stories about Peter Rabbit, Toad or Ratty from The Wind in the Willows? Or the excitement that washed over you every time you opened a children's book teeming with playful, animated animals? 



Well, a new study is giving us a fresh perspective on the role of these furry, iconic characters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-children-s-books-animal-characters">Children's books animal characters</h2>



The research has shed light on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toddlers-learn-faster-after-witnessing-impossible-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential influence</a> of non-human characters in children's books.



The researchers aimed to gauge how these animal characters affected children's theory of mind skills - crucial abilities which include deciphering social changes in the environment based on voice tone, word choice, or facial expressions.



They worked with over 100 children aged five to 10, each of whom were tested on their theory of mind skills after hearing stories featuring animal characters, as well as those highlighting human characters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-vs-animal-characters-in-books">Human vs. animal characters in books</h2>



The study unveiled an interesting pattern. When exposed to stories centered around human characters, an age-related progression was observed. 



Older children were consistently outperforming their younger counterparts, with 3rd grade children surpassing the researchers' expectations in tests featuring human characters.



But the revelations didn't stop there. The tests that involved animal characters threw up another surprise. 



The younger participants were able to match the scores achieved by pupils in 3rd grade, who were two years their senior. That's quite a feat for our young champions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-insight-into-children-s-development">New insight into children's development</h2>



These findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, highlight the importance of both human and non-human characters in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/outdoor-classes-improve-childrens-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">children's developmental stages</a>.



The research was led by Dr. Gray Atherton and Dr. Liam Cross from the University of Plymouth’s <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Psychology</a>.



"Animals play a huge part of children’s stories, whether that is in books and comics or through TV and film. We wanted to test if that is down to more than simply liking the characters, and whether there are actual benefits of children learning through by watching or reading about animals and if this changes over time," said Dr. Atherton.



"Our findings showed that both human and non-human characters are important in helping children interpret the world around them, and that they play differing roles at different stages in their development. Adapting activities and lessons in nurseries and the early school years to take that into account could be hugely effective in helping to support their development."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-educators-and-parents">Implications for educators and parents</h2>



The insights gained from this study have substantial implications for educators and parents aiming to support children's cognitive and social development.



By incorporating both human and animal characters into books, educators can craft a more balanced learning environment that caters to the diverse needs of children across age groups. 



Parents, too, can enrich their children's home learning experiences by selecting a variety of stories that include both human and animal protagonists. 



This approach not only makes reading sessions more engaging but also aids in developing empathy and understanding of complex social scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



While this study provides valuable insights, it also opens avenues for further exploration. 



Future research could go deeper into the types of animal characteristics that are most effective in nurturing children's theory of mind. For instance, exploring whether anthropomorphized animals or more realistic portrayals have differing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-who-use-humor-have-better-relationships-with-their-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impacts</a>. 



Similarly, cross-cultural studies could investigate whether the affinity towards animal characters holds true in diverse cultural contexts. These inquiries could refine understanding and application in educational strategies, enhancing the efficacy of storytelling as a developmental tool.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-characters-and-autism-treatment">Animal characters and autism treatment</h2>



In previous studies, Dr. Atherton and Dr. Cross examined the factors influencing the educational and social development of individuals with autism and learning difficulties.



The experts launched initiatives proving how board and online games can bolster confidence among people with autism. 



Borrowing insights from this research, the scholars now plan to dig deeper to explore if their findings could provide specific benefits to children with such conditions.



Dr. Cross envisions a significant impact of this study on individuals with autism or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kids-with-behavioral-issues-have-high-cortisol-levels-in-their-hair/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other conditions</a> affecting their learning. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-way-of-looking-at-animal-characters">A new way of looking at animal characters</h2>



The researchers have observed how tasks involving animal characters can result in autistic individuals performing on par with non-autistic children. 



The plan is to replicate this study with autistic children in an effort to unveil more effective ways to support them at a critical stage in their development.



In a nutshell, this study has unraveled an entirely new dimension of how we view animals in children's books. 



Those delightful animal characters do more than simply entertain; they help shape our children's minds and understanding of the world around them in their formative years.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002209652400256X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Experimental Child Psychology</a>. 



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Animal characters boost social and emotional skills in children

Do you recall those childhood days when you eagerly anticipated bedtime stories about Peter Rabbit, Toad or Ratty from The Wind in the Willows? Or the excitement that washed over you every time you opened a children's book teeming with playful, animated animals? Well, a new study is giving us a fresh perspective on the role of these furry, iconic characters. Children's books animal characters The research has shed light on the potential influence of non-human characters in children's books. The researchers aimed to gauge how these...

NASA scientists are training <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/using-supercomputers-to-combat-covid-19/">computers</a> to search for signs of life on other planets, beginning with Mars. The new intelligent systems, which can identify geochemical signatures of life in rock samples, will be deployed for the first time with the 2022 ExoMars mission. 

Victoria Da Poian of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) presented the exciting research at the <a href="https://goldschmidt.info/">Goldschmidt Conference</a>.

"This is a visionary step in space exploration. It means that over time we'll have moved from the idea that humans are involved with nearly everything in space, to the idea that computers are equipped with intelligent systems, and they are trained to make some decisions and are able to transmit in priority the most interesting or time-critical information," said Da Poian.

Eric Lyness of the GSFC the Planetary Environments Lab emphasized the need for smart instruments in planetary exploration.

"It costs a lot of time and money to send the data back to Earth which means scientists can't run as many experiments or analyze as many samples as they would like," said Lyness. "By using AI to do an initial analysis of the data after it is collected but before it is sent back to Earth, NASA can optimize what we receive, which greatly increases the scientific value of space missions."

The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) is a mass spectrometer-based instrument that analyzes and identifies organic molecules in rock samples. The instrument will use these capabilities to search for past or present life on the surface and subsurface of Mars.

Preliminary testing has shown that the system can categorize a spectrum from an unknown compound with up to 94 percent accuracy and match it to samples with 87 percent accuracy, and the instrument is still being refined. 

"What we get from these unmanned missions is data, lots of it; and sending data over hundreds of millions of kilometers can be very challenging in different environments and extremely expensive; in other words, bandwidth is limited," said Da Poian. 

"We need to prioritize the volume of data we send back to Earth, but we also need to ensure that in doing that we don't throw out vital information. This has led us to begin to develop smart algorithms which can for now help the scientists with their analysis of the sample and their decision-making process regarding subsequent operations, and as a longer-term objective, algorithms that will analyze the data itself, will adjust and tune the instruments to run next operations without the ground-in-the-loop, and will transmit home only the most interesting data."

The system will transmit most of the data back to scientists here on Earth. In the future, these intelligent systems will be used in the outer solar system and will have the intelligence to decide what information to return to Earth.

"When first gathered, the data produced by the MOMA life-searching instrument is difficult to interpret. It will not shout out 'I've found life here,' but will give us probabilities which will need to be analyzed," said Lyness. 

"These results will largely tell us about the geochemistry that the instruments find. We're aiming for the system to give scientists directions, for example our system might say 'I've got 91% confidence that this sample corresponds to a real world sample and I'm 87% sure it is phospholipids, similar to a sample tested on July 24th, 2018 and here is what that data looked like.' We'll still need humans to interpret the findings, but the first filter will be the AI system."

The researchers noted that it is very expensive to send data back from Mars. "Data from a rover on Mars can cost as much as 100,000 times as much as data on your cell phone, so we need to make those bits as scientifically valuable as possible." said Lyness.

The research was presented at the virtual Goldschmidt 2020 conference. 

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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

&nbsp;

Intelligent systems will search for life on other planets

NASA scientists are training computers to search for signs of...

For the first time, important ocean currents have been observed in the Southern Ocean with the help of robots and scientific sensors carried by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/leopard-seals-sharing-food/">seals</a>. These currents control the amount of heat and carbon that moves between the ocean and the atmosphere - a process that has a major influence on the global climate. 

In two separate studies from the <a href="https://www.gu.se/english">University of Gothenburg</a>, researchers used advanced technologies to collect data in the ocean surrounding Antarctic sea ice.

The ocean currents, which are too small to appear in satellite and ship-based data, were found to interact with strong storms in the Southern Ocean and with physical processes that occur under sea ice.

"Using the data collected by the seals, we're able to look at the impact these upper ocean currents have underneath the sea ice for the first time. It's a really valuable insight into what was previously completely unknown in the Southern Ocean," said Dr. Louise Biddle.

The research shows that the upper ocean currents have a significant effect on the ocean during the winter, which was assumed to be a relatively calm season.

The study revealed that when the storms subside and the winds are weak, the newly-discovered upper ocean currents start to become much more active. The energetic currents enhance the rate of ocean mixing and the transport of heat, carbon, and nutrients throughout the Southern Ocean.

"These new ocean robots, so-called gliders, which we control by satellite for months at a time, have allowed us to measure the ocean at unprecedented high resolution. The measurements have revealed strong physical linkages between the atmosphere and ocean," said Professor Sebastiaan Swart. 

"It's pretty amazing we can remotely 'steer' these robots in the most far-flung parts of the world - the ocean around Antarctica - while collecting new science data."

Collectively, the studies provide new insight into small-scale ocean processes that have global climate impacts. 

"We are excited to grow this research capability at the University of Gothenburg," said Professor Swart. "This is really a world-leading direction we should be taking to collect part of our data in marine sciences."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</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

&nbsp;

Unknown ocean currents discovered with the help of seals

For the first time, important ocean currents have been observed in...

For more than a decade, 2003 was ranked as the driest and hottest year in documented history. But from April to October of 2018, temperatures exceeded the record <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/robusta-coffee-has-a-much-lower-heat-tolerance-than-expected/">heat</a> of 2003 by an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius.

Temperatures in 2018 were 3.3 degrees Celsius higher than the long-term average, and the heat led to dramatic consequences across forests in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

In a new study, researchers led by Professor Bernhard Schuldt of <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/">JMU Würzburg</a> investigated how forests have responded, and will continue to respond, to prolonged extreme heat.

"The past five years were among the warmest in Central Europe since record, and 2018 was the most extreme one," said Professor Schuldt. "At such temperatures, our Central European vegetation reaches its limits."

In collaboration with researchers from Germany and Switzerland, Professor Shuldt analyzed the physiological impacts of heat stress on trees in Central Europe. 

The study revealed that in excessive heat, trees lose too much water through the surface. This causes more tension in the wood's conducting tissue that it can handle, which ultimately leads to hydraulic failure.

In the summer of 2018, drought-related stress symptoms were almost immediately observed in the most ecologically and economically important tree species, including leaf discoloration and premature leaf shedding.

By 2019, the effects were even more severe. According to the research, many broad-leaved trees did not unfold their leaves because they had already died. Some of the trees that managed to survive the 2018 event were unable to endure heat and drought the following year, and others became increasingly susceptible to invasive beetles and disease.

"Spruce was most severely affected, mainly because this mountainous species has been planted outside its natural habitat in Central Europe," said Professor Schuldt. "Unexpected was, however, the extent to which beech trees were affected. Here in Northern Bavaria, I have seen several stands with complete dieback, especially on sites with shallow soil."

This year, once again, the climate conditions in spring started out extremely warm and dry. "Now, in June 2020 we have fortunately received high amounts of rainfall." 

However, Professor Schuldt expects that trees severely affected by the 2018 and 2019 droughts will continue to die in the coming years. He also noted that extreme drought and heat events will become more frequent in near future due to climate change. This means that forests will have to be restructured with the addition of tree species that are as drought-resistant as possible. 

"However, we still have to identify what species combination is best suited, also from an ecological and economic perspective. This is going to take some time," said Professor Schuldt.

"Although damages to our forests are obvious, it is difficult to quantify them at high temporal and spatial resolution." For this reason, remote monitoring systems are needed to support ground-based measures. 

"In the US, such systems are operating in given regions, but they are currently lacking for Central Europe. We will not be able to monitor forest health from the ground at larger scales."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/basic-and-applied-ecology">Basic and Applied Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Extreme heat in 2018 drastically impacted forests in Europe

For more than a decade, 2003 was ranked as the...

Shield bugs transform into different colors throughout their lives to avoid <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/guppies-use-black-eyes-and-quick-reflexes-to-escape-predators/">predators</a>, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/">University of Melbourne</a>. The researchers discovered that it is impossible to predict the appearance of adult shield bugs based on their colors in early life. 

"We found that in most species, the same individual bug will use different color combinations as nymphs - young bugs - and adults, going for example from red and green to yellow and green," said study lead author Dr. Iliana Medina.

"This is significant because many of these species use color to warn predators that they are distasteful, and for years it has been thought that animals living in the same environment - like nymphs and adults of the same species - should use similar warning colors, not different ones."

The research team, which also included scientists at Australian National University, analyzed the colors of more than 100 species of shield bugs worldwide. In the field, the experts observed interactions between white-winged choughs and an Australian species of shield bug, the cotton harlequin bug.

The researchers conducted experiments to assess how quickly two-week-old chicks could learn to avoid nymphs and adults. They also tested whether previous encounters with adults would reduce the number of times the chicks attacked the young shield bugs.

"Our experiments with the cotton harlequin bug showed that predators could quickly learn to avoid both types of color signals from nymphs and adults, but nymphs get a larger benefit," said Dr. Medina.

"Although young and adult cotton harlequin bugs have different colors, previous experience with adults make chicks less likely to attack the nymphs. Also, chicks and wild predators that have never seen the insects before do not show much interest in eating them. The colors in these insects are a great strategy against predators."

Bright colors are used by many animals to alert predators to unpleasant taste or toxicity. It would seem that these warning signals would be consistent in the same environment so predators could learn to avoid one pattern instead of many different ones. 

In some cases, distantly related species have mimicked each other's warning colors, such as black and red or black and yellow. However, the researchers explained that there are multiple examples of variation in local warning signals and an overlooked type of variation is that which occurs across life stages.

"If predators were able to learn to avoid only one type of warning color, we would expect nymphs and adults to look similar in many species," said Dr Medina. "What our findings show, however, is that the wide color variation in shield bugs is probably the result of predators being able to learn to avoid different types of colorful signals."

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rspb/2020/287/1925">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</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

&nbsp;

Shield bugs shift their colors in adulthood to avoid predators

Shield bugs transform into different colors throughout their lives to...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a>, experts have introduced a groundbreaking method of water treatment that does not require the use of solvents. The new technique, which was made possible using a machine created by the team called the Matrix Assembly Cluster Source (MACS), can remove toxic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bee-colony-deaths/">chemicals</a> from water without harming the environment. 

Study lead author Professor Richard Palmer is the head of the Nanomaterials Laboratory in the College of Engineering at Swansea. 

"The harmful organic molecules are destroyed by a powerful oxidizing agent, ozone, which is boosted by a catalyst," said Professor Palmer. "Usually such catalysts are manufactured by chemical methods using solvents, which creates another problem - how to deal with the effluents from the manufacturing process?"

"The Swansea innovation is a newly invented machine that manufactures the catalyst by physical methods, involving no solvent, and therefore no effluent. The new technique is a step change in the approach to water treatment and other catalytic processes."

According to Professor Palmer, the new approach to making catalysts for water treatments uses a physical process which is vacuum-based and solvent free. The catalysts are clusters of silver atoms that were created using the MACS machine.

"It solves the long-standing problem of low cluster production rate - meaning, for the first time, it is now possible to produce enough clusters for study at the test-tube level, with the potential to then scale-up further to the level of small batch manufacturing and beyond."

The catalyst clusters are about 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The new MACS method scales up the intensity of the cluster beam to produce enough grams of cluster powder for practical testing. The addition of ozone to the powder destroys pollutant chemicals from water.

"The MACS approach to the nanoscale design of functional materials opens up completely new horizons across a wide range of disciplines - from physics and chemistry to biology and engineering. Thus, it has the power to enable radical advances in advanced technology - catalysts, biosensors, materials for renewable energy generation and storage," said Professor Palmer. 

"It seems highly appropriate that the first practical demonstration of Swansea's environmentally friendly manufacturing process concerns something we are all concerned about - clean water!"

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/aamick">Applied Materials and Interfaces</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Breakthrough water treatment method is eco-friendly

In a new study from Swansea University, experts have introduced...

For the first time in 35 years, a complete list of all fossil birds in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/australia-had-huge-predatory-dinosaurs-during-the-late-jurassic/">Australia</a> has been published. The review describes 95 bird species known from fossils, 78 of which are now extinct. 

Among the Australian birds that have disappeared are three species of pink flamingos that thrived in the outback across lush green landscapes for about 25 million years.  

According to the experts, some of the birds were much larger than the flamingos we see in Africa and other parts of the world today. When the inland lakes were wiped out by climate change about 140,000 years ago, the last of the Australian flamingos vanished. 

Study co-author Professor Trevor Worthy is an expert in fossil birds of Australia and New Zealand at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>.

"The once verdant interior of the country dried out during the last two Ice Ages," explained Professor Worthy. "Feeding on tiny crustaceans, which gave them the familiar pink color, these birds evolved to live in shallow lakes and breed during the seasonal blooms of algae and zooplankton. But when all the lakes dried up, the flamingos were doomed."

Australia currently has about 936 species of living birds. Prior to the study, the most recent checklist of Australian fossil birds was published in 1984. 

The researchers pointed out that "our understanding of modern bird relationships has considerably transformed in the last two decades." 

"Here we provide a new checklist, which is a timely update of the taxonomy and systematic status of fossil birds so far recorded for Australia. The known fossil record of birds in Australia spans the Lower Cretaceous to the Holocene."

Professor Worthy hopes the list will stimulate future study of ancient extinct birds. He noted that flamingos are just some of the bird diversity lost in Australia's history.

"What we show is that there is much yet to learn about the evolution of Australia's birds through more work on the fossils described so far," said Professor Worthy. 

"It shows we know very little about the evolution of important Australian groups such as raptors, pigeons, parrots and songbirds. In fact, there is much yet to learn about land birds generally."

Study co-author Dr. Jacqueline Nguyen is an avian paleontologist at The Australian Museum. 

"Our understanding of Australian birds is enriched by the fossil record, which offers a unique window into past bird diversity," said Dr. Nguyen.

"This list covers the amazing range of fossil birds that once lived in Australia, such as flamingos and giant penguins, but it also reveals the gaps in our knowledge. We see it as a challenge to fill those gaps."

The scientific review and checklist is published in the journal <a href="https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/16197">Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Pink flamingos once thrived in the Australian outback

For the first time in 35 years, a complete list...

A new study published by the <a href="https://www.srcd.org/">Society for Research in Child Development</a> has investigated the effects of overbearing parenting. The researchers found that psychologically controlling tactics imposed on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-media-television-depression/">teens</a> at age 13 were detrimental to educational attainment and romantic relationships later in life. 

"Parents, educators, and clinicians should be aware of how parents' attempts to control teens may actually stunt their progress," said study lead author Emily Loeb, a postdoc researcher at the University of Virginia. "This style of parenting likely creates more than a temporary setback for adolescent development because it interferes with the key task of developing autonomy at a critical period."

Previous studies have also shown that psychological control is damaging to children. An overbearing parent attempts to control children through harshly manipulative actions, such as withdrawing affection or making the child feel guilty. 

Children of over-controlling parents tend to have lower grades and diminished self-esteem, which is likely because they are discouraged from becoming assertive and independent at a crucial time in life.

The researchers examined the effects of psychological control on 184 adolescents at age 13, and followed up with them every year through age 32. The teens were from urban and suburban areas in the southeastern United States, and came from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. At the beginning of the study, the experts accounted for factors such as family income, gender, and grade point average.

The teens responded to surveys that contained questions about themselves and their parents. In adulthood, the participants also reported on their relationship status and level of education. 

The researchers collected information from peers and observed the teens interacting with their closest friends and romantic partners over the years.

The analysis revealed that having overbearing and over-controlling parents at age 13 was associated with less supportive romantic relationships by age 27, a lower likelihood of being in a relationship by age 32, and lower educational attainment by age 32. 

According to the experts, the outcomes can be largely explained by problems at ages 15 to 16, when the teens lacked maturity and were less well-liked compared to their peers.

"Even though parents routinely attempt to guide their children toward successful adaptation, over-controlling parenting in adolescence has the potential to impede development in a fundamental way that's not easy to repair," said study co-author Professor Joseph Allen.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678624">Child Development</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Teens with overbearing parents lack self-esteem in adulthood

A new study published by the Society for Research in...

Barn swallows have a huge range, with breeding grounds across the Northern Hemisphere and much of the Southern Hemisphere. Many of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-changing-where-migratory-birds-breed/">birds</a> look slightly different in each region, while some are so distinctive they have diverged into separate species. 

Experts at <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">CU Boulder</a> have found a surprising explanation for why barn swallows are transforming in appearance. The study suggests that local parasites are changing the way barn swallows select their mates, which ultimately changes their physical traits. 

According to the researchers, parasites could be playing a major role in the creation of new species. "It's possible we haven't appreciated just how important parasites might be in shaping the evolution of their hosts," said study lead author Amanda Hund.

Humans and all other living organisms have co-evolved with a unique community of parasites. Previous studies have shown that parasites influence the human immune system, pheromones, and even mate selection. 

For the current study, the team set out to examine as many parasite communities as possible in barn swallows. The researchers spent four years investigating barn swallows at sites in Colorado, the Czech Republic, and Israel. 

The experts documented the number and types of parasites present in the nests and in the blood of barn swallows. The team also recorded details about the mates chosen by females in a given breeding season - including their breast color, throat color, and tail shape - and tracked the health and the survival rate of the offspring.

Overall, the males that were found to be most attractive had fewer parasites. Somehow, the females had made informed choices about the health of potential mates based on their breast color, throat color, and tail shape.

Many birds had multiple parasites with connections to the same physical trait. In Colorado, for example, male barn swallows with darker breast color were less likely to have mites and more likely to have malaria. Nest mites are detrimental to the survival of offspring, while malaria only impacts the male bird.

"Males are investing in traits to attract females, and it looks like that comes at a cost - where they are more attractive, but also more susceptible to malaria," said Hund. "It is a tradeoff."

The researchers are currently investigating why local parasites are linked to certain sexual traits.

"And once you really figure that out, you can export that knowledge and our study methods to other populations and actually watch mate selection decisions and the associated reproductive consequences unfold," said study co-author Professor Safran. "It's like watching evolution in action."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15585646">Evolution</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Parasites influence mate selection and evolution of barn swallows

Barn swallows have a huge range, with breeding grounds across...

Experts at <a href="https://www.cedars-sinai.org/">Cedars-Sinai</a> have identified the brain pathway that retrieves knowledge from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/too-much-sleep-memory/">memories</a> to inform decisions. The study provides new insight into the neural networks that allow the conscious recollection of information.

The research may ultimately lead to improved treatments for memory disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

"This study sheds important light on how memories are retrieved to allow us to make decisions based on past experience," said study lead author Dr. Ueli Rutishauser. "Our long-term goal is to enable the development of new treatments that combat the devastating effects of memory disorders."

Many everyday tasks require cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to think about multiple tasks simultaneously and the capacity to rapidly adapt to various conditions. 

"What we discovered is a key aspect of the neural networks that are engaged when we effortfully search our memory for a piece of information needed to make a decision," said study first author Dr. Juri Minxha.

For the investigation, a group of participants were presented with two tasks - a categorization task and a memory task. 

The categorization task involved a series of images that included human faces, monkey faces, fruit, and cars. After each image, the individuals indicated which visual category the photo belonged to by responding to yes or no questions. 

During the memory task, the subjects viewed a series of images and were asked whether each image was new or familiar. 

The researchers monitored the activity of single neurons in the brains of participants with small electrodes. The experts discovered that "memory pathways" were activated during the memory task. 

These pathways involved the coordination of neurons in the medial frontal cortex, the brain region involved in decision-making, and neurons in the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory.

When the participants switched to performing the categorization task, the pathways were no longer active.

"Our study showed that the pathways between the hippocampus and the medial frontal cortex are selectively switched on when the person needs that information," said Dr. Rutishauser.

The researchers are studying ways to strengthen the memory pathways. They theorize that strengthening these pathways will be key to treating memory disorders.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</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

&nbsp;

Brain pathway activates to connect memories and decisions 

Experts at Cedars-Sinai have identified the brain pathway that retrieves...

Paper wasps may have brains that are a million times smaller than ours, but they still have the capacity to learn, remember, and even make social deductions about others. A new study shows that paper wasps conduct a personal risk assessment by eavesdropping while other wasps are fighting. This allows the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hungry-bumblebees-bite-plants-to-make-them-bloom-early/">bees</a> to evaluate the skills of their potential rivals.

Many animals, including some birds and fish, use "social eavesdropping" to minimize the personal costs of conflict. Until recently, this type of evaluation process was thought to be too mentally challenging for insects. However, a growing collection of evidence suggests that the tiny brains of insects are capable of deliberation. 

Study senior author Elizabeth Tibbetts is an assistant professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>.

"It is surprising that wasps can observe and remember a complex network of social interactions between individuals without directly interacting with them," said Professor Tibbetts. "Complex social relationships are thought to favor the evolution of large brains and increased social intelligence, but paper wasp brains are relatively small."

Paper wasp colonies are hierarchies that contain several reproductive females, or foundresses, that establish dominance and rank based on the outcome of fights. 

For their investigation, the researchers collected female paper wasps from sites around Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the lab, the wasps were marked with unique color patterns on the thorax. Two at a time, the "fighter" wasps were placed in a small container known as the fighting arena, and two "bystander" wasps were placed nearby to observe.

The fights were videotaped, and each fighter was scored based on an aggression index that awards points for behaviors like biting, mounting, and stinging. Bystanders were later paired in the fighting arena under one of two experimental conditions: either with a wasp they had observed or a fighter they had never seen before. The researchers compared the wasps' behavior to establish the role of social eavesdropping.

The study revealed that bystander wasps were more aggressive when paired with an individual that was the victim of aggression in a previous fight. Bystanders were also more combative with individuals who they had observed behaving submissively.

Based on the comparison of the two experimental conditions, social eavesdropping was the only explanation for the observations.

"The results show that P. fuscatus wasps use social eavesdropping," said Professor Tibbetts. "Bystanders observe other individuals fight, and they use  information about the fight to modulate subsequent behavior."

Over the last decade, Professor Tibbetts was involved in previous studies which showed that paper wasps recognize individuals through their facial markings and behave more aggressively toward wasps they do not recognize.

Professor Tibbetts and colleagues also found that paper wasps have  long memories and behave based on previous social interactions.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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

&nbsp;

Paper wasps use eavesdropping to size up the competition

Paper wasps may have brains that are a million times...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>, experts report that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/brazilian-river-dolphins-communication/">dolphins</a> can learn foraging techniques outside of the mother-calf bond. The research has produced the first evidence of socially learned foraging behaviors in dolphins.

The findings suggest that dolphins share cultural similarities with great apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, and humans.

The dolphins of Shark Bay in Western Australia have been observed by scientists for decades. In the 1990s, it was discovered that the dolphins were using a new foraging technique called "shelling."

When prey hides inside of empty snail shells, the dolphins use their beaks to bring these shells to the surface and then shake the food into their mouths.

Foraging techniques are usually passed from dolphin mothers to their offspring, which is referred to as vertical social transmission. Up until now, this was thought to be the only way dolphins learned methods for finding food. However, the new study shows that some dolphins in Shark Bay learned shelling by observing individuals other than their mothers, or through horizontal social transmission.

For the current study, an international team of researchers surveyed the western gulf of Shark Bay between 2007 and 2018 to investigate how shelling behavior spread across the population. 

Overall, 42 shelling events performed by 19 individual dolphins were documented. Even though shelling seems to be rare, the entire process of shelling happens in a matter of seconds, so it is difficult to observe. 

The team analyzed behavioral, genetic, and environmental data to model the different transmission pathways of shelling, which revealed that the behavior had been learned through horizontal social transmission.

"These results were quite surprising, as dolphins tend to be conservative, with calves following a 'do-as-mother-does' strategy for learning foraging behaviors," said study lead author Dr. Sonja Wild.

"However, our results show that dolphins are definitely capable, and in the case of shelling, also motivated to learn new foraging tactics outside the mother-calf bond. This opens the door to a new understanding of how dolphins may be able to behaviorally adapt to changing environments, as learning from one's peers allows for a rapid spread of novel behavior across populations."

"For example, an unprecedented marine heatwave in 2011 was responsible for wiping out Shark Bay's critical seagrass habitat. There was a subsequent die off of fish and invertebrates, including the gastropods that live in those giant shells." 

"While we can only speculate as to whether this prey depletion gave the dolphins a boost to adopt new foraging behavior from their associates, it seems quite possible that an abundance of dead giant gastropod shells may have increased learning opportunities for shelling behavior."

Study senior author Professor Michael Krützen has been studying social evolution of great apes and marine mammals for nearly 25 years.

"The fact that shelling is socially transmitted among dolphin peers rather than between mother and offspring sets an important milestone, and highlights similarities with certain primates, who also rely on both vertical and horizontal learning of foraging behavior," said Professor Krützen.

"Despite their divergent evolutionary histories and the fact they occupy such different environments: both dolphins and great apes are long-lived, large-brained mammals with high capacities for innovation and the cultural transmission of behaviors."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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

&nbsp;

Dolphins can learn foraging techniques by observing others

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

Wildfire smoke damages the respiratory and cardiovascular system almost immediately, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a>. The researchers established a link between elevated levels of fine <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/life-expectancy-fine-particulate-matter/">particulate</a> matter and increased ambulance dispatches during wildfire seasons. 

The study showed a spike in emergency calls related to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions within just one hour of exposure. In addition, the researchers found that individuals with diabetes were significantly more likely to experience health complications within 48 hours of wildfire smoke exposure.

"We have long known about the harmful health effects of wildfire smoke, but it's alarming to see just how quickly fine particular matter seems to affect the respiratory and cardiovascular system. And the acute effects for people with diabetes is relatively new to us," said study lead author Jiayun Angela Yao.

Particulate matter, or particle pollution, consists of tiny pieces of dust, soot, and dirt suspended in the air. Larger atmospheric particles can irritate the eyes and throat, but the fine particles are even more dangerous because they can get into the deep parts of the lungs or enter the bloodstream.

The researchers used statistical modeling to investigate the health impacts of particulate matter in wildfire smoke. They developed a mathematical model to analyze ambulance dispatches, paramedic assessments, and hospital admissions related to respiratory, circulatory, and diabetic conditions during wildfire seasons in British Columbia from 2010 to 2015. 

Overall, more than 670,000 ambulance dispatch calls from over 500,000 individuals were included in the study.

The researchers said that the findings add to limited evidence on how quickly exposure to wildfire smoke can cause harmful health effects. 

The study is particularly relevant during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Viral infections that affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems can become even more severe with exposure to air pollution in wildfire smoke.

Wildfire season is quickly approaching in British Columbia, and the research emphasizes an urgent need for public health measures to limit exposure to wildfire smoke, said the researchers.

"It is vital that everyone start preparing for wildfire smoke events to ensure that they are ready, especially since COVID-19 still a serious public health threat in B.C.," said Yao. "Anyone with pre-existing heart and lung disease and diabetes is especially vulnerable and should consider purchasing air cleaners, and ensuring that they have adequate supplies of medication at home."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/">Environmental Health Perspectives</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Wildfire smoke can cause immediate health complications

Wildfire smoke damages the respiratory and cardiovascular system almost immediately,...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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

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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

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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

[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"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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