Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the world's largest iceberg currently in existence, known as Iceberg A-23a. It is a colossal tabular iceberg that originated from Antarctica’s Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf.&nbsp;



“The ice mass is currently lodged on the seabed 73 kilometers (45 miles) from the remote island of South Georgia, which can be seen just poking out from beneath the cloud cover,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/05/Earth_from_Space_World_s_biggest_iceberg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“Although the size of the island is not clearly visible in this image, it is only marginally bigger than the iceberg.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-largest-active-iceberg">Largest active iceberg</h2>



This massive chunk of ice initially calved off the ice shelf in 1986, making it not only the largest active iceberg today but also among the oldest still afloat.



For decades, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-a23a-undergoing-major-erosion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A-23a</a> remained grounded in the Weddell Sea, lodged against the seafloor and relatively immobile. However, in recent years - particularly in 2020 - it began to drift again, having finally dislodged.&nbsp;



Since then, it has slowly but steadily been moving northward, driven by ocean currents and winds. By late 2023, A-23a had entered the open waters of the Southern Ocean and was heading toward the region around South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic - a typical path for icebergs from the Weddell Sea. 



This drift raised concerns about possible ecological impacts, especially if the iceberg were to run aground near South Georgia, potentially disrupting local marine ecosystems and wildlife, such as seals and penguins that rely on open access to the ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-enormous-chunk-of-ice">An enormous chunk of ice</h2>



A-23a is enormous in scale. At its peak size, it covered an area of around 3,900 square kilometers - that’s larger than the U.S. state of Rhode Island or roughly one-and-a-half times the size of Luxembourg.&nbsp;



It’s around 400 meters thick, about the height of the Empire State Building, and the portion visible above water represents only a fraction of its total size, as most of the iceberg lies below the surface.&nbsp;



“A23a has started to disintegrate and many smaller blocks of ice are visible in the dark blue ocean, particularly to the north of the berg. The disintegration is typical of icebergs that reach this far north and is caused by the warmer sea temperatures and weather conditions,” said ESA.



Despite these losses, however, it has retained much of its original bulk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-iceberg-a-23a-nbsp">Significance of Iceberg A-23a&nbsp;</h2>



Iceberg A-23a carries significance not just due to its size but also for what it tells scientists about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-losing-the-battle-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> and ocean dynamics.&nbsp;



Iceberg drift patterns are closely monitored via satellite imagery to study how changing climate conditions affect calving rates, iceberg longevity, and meltwater inputs into the ocean.&nbsp;



As it continues its journey, A-23a will gradually shrink, releasing vast quantities of freshwater into the sea, which can affect local salinity levels and nutrient distribution.



While icebergs this large are rare, they’re not unprecedented. In 2000, an even larger iceberg, B-15, broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf and initially covered more than 11,000 square kilometers. But that iceberg has long since broken into smaller fragments and dissipated.&nbsp;



What makes A-23a remarkable is its longevity and recent reactivation, allowing researchers to witness the slow transformation of a giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-ecosystem-sea-creatures-never-before-seen-revealed-antarctica-iceberg-breakup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frozen relic</a> that had remained stationary for most of its existence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-icebergs-and-potential-collisions">Large icebergs and potential collisions</h2>



Large icebergs, particularly those calved from Antarctica’s vast ice shelves, can span hundreds to thousands of square kilometers and weigh billions of tons. When they break away, they typically drift into the Southern Ocean, carried by wind and powerful ocean currents like the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.&nbsp;



These icebergs gradually melt as they travel into warmer waters, but some, like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-a23a-breaks-free-from-ocean-cyclone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A23A</a> or the infamous B-15, can persist for years or even decades.



As they drift, large icebergs can become hazards - primarily to the environment but occasionally to shipping lanes. Potential collisions usually involve these ice masses grounding on continental shelves or crashing into islands or seafloor ridges.&nbsp;



When such collisions occur, they can damage benthic ecosystems, which are sensitive and often host slow-growing, endemic species. The scraping of a massive iceberg across the seabed disrupts sediments and organisms, potentially changing that habitat for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-chain-reactions">Ecological chain reactions</h2>



Additionally, when a large iceberg grounds near biologically rich areas like South Georgia Island, it can block access to feeding zones used by marine mammals and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-all-seabirds-have-ingested-microplastics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seabirds</a>, forcing them to take longer, more exhausting foraging trips.&nbsp;



This can lead to increased mortality, especially during breeding seasons when animals are tethered to colonies or nurseries.&nbsp;



These disruptions highlight how icebergs, though natural parts of the cryosphere, can trigger ecological chain reactions as they interact with biologically productive and topographically complex regions.



The image was captured on April 5, 2025 by the Ocean and Land Color Instrument on <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Copernicus Sentinel-3</a>.



Image Credit: ESA



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Satellite captures a glimpse of the world's largest iceberg

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features UGC 5460, a spiral galaxy that is located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.&nbsp;



“This image combines four different wavelengths of light to reveal UGC 5460’s central bar of stars, winding spiral arms and bright blue star clusters. Also captured in the upper left-hand corner of this image is a far closer object: a star just 577 light-years away in our own galaxy,” said <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“UGC 5460 has hosted two recent supernovae named SN 2011ht and SN 2015as. It’s because of these two stellar explosions that Hubble targeted this galaxy, collecting data for three observing programmes that aim to study various kinds of supernovae.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-core-collapse-supernova-nbsp">A core-collapse supernova&nbsp;</h2>



SN 2015as is an example of a core-collapse supernova. This type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> occurs when the core of a massive star - typically with more than 8 times the mass of the sun - can no longer support its own gravity after exhausting its nuclear fuel. 



This causes the core to collapse under its own weight, leading to an extremely violent explosion. The collapse triggers the release of an enormous amount of energy, expelling the outer layers of the star into space.



In the aftermath of the explosion, a dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shockingly-bright-carbon-monoxide-detected-in-supernova-remnant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remnant</a> is created. This is often a neutron star or black hole, depending on the mass of the original star. Core-collapse supernovae are some of the most powerful events in the universe.



According to ESA, Hubble observations of SN 2015as will help researchers understand what happens when the expanding shockwave of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-dandelion-year-1181-leaves-behind-zombie-star-defying-death/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> collides with the gas that surrounds the exploded star.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-stars-with-large-eruptions-nbsp">Rare stars with large eruptions&nbsp;</h2>



“SN 2011ht might have been a core-collapse supernova as well, but it could also be an impostor called a luminous blue variable. Luminous blue variables are rare stars that experience eruptions so large that they can mimic supernovae,” noted ESA.



“Crucially, luminous blue variables emerge from these eruptions unscathed, while stars that go supernova do not. Hubble will search for a stellar survivor at SN 2011ht’s location, and the explosion’s identity may be revealed at last.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-spiral-galaxy">What is a spiral galaxy?</h2>



Spiral galaxies are some of the most recognizable and beautiful structures in the universe. They are known for their distinctive arms that spiral outward from a central bulge.&nbsp;



These galaxies are typically composed of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter. The arms are often sites of intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>, where clouds of gas collapse to form new stars. 



In the center of a spiral galaxy lies a dense concentration of older stars and, often, a supermassive black hole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structure-of-a-spiral-galaxy-nbsp">Structure of a spiral galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



The structure of a spiral galaxy is generally divided into three main components: the disk, the bulge, and the halo.&nbsp;



The disk is where the spiral arms are located and contains most of the galaxy's visible stars and interstellar medium.&nbsp;



The bulge is a tightly packed region of older stars at the core, and the halo consists of a sparse collection of stars and globular clusters that surround the galaxy.&nbsp;



Spiral galaxies can be classified into different types based on the tightness and number of their spiral arms, as well as the size of their central bulge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-milky-way-galaxy">The Milky Way galaxy</h2>



Our solar system is located within a large spiral galaxy known as the Milky Way. The name refers to its appearance as a dim, milky band of light stretching across the night sky.&nbsp;



The term "Milky Way" comes from ancient Greek mythology, where it was associated the goddess Hera's milk spilling into the sky. In Greek, it was called "Galaxias Kyklos," meaning "milky circle."&nbsp;



Spanning about 100,000 light-years in diameter, the Milky Way is composed of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter. The galaxy has a distinct disk shape with spiral arms that wind outward from a central bulge, which houses a supermassive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-black-hole-unleashes-mysterious-flares/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a>. 



Our sun is located in one of the spiral arms - known as the Orion Arm - positioned roughly halfway from the center to the outer edge.&nbsp;



The Milky Way is part of a small group of galaxies called the Local Group, which includes the Andromeda Galaxy and several smaller galaxies.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Hubble views a spiral galaxy with stellar explosions

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a blanket of dust over the Tarim Basin - a vast, arid region in northwestern China. 



Mountain peaks are visible through a break in the dust. These peaks are part of Tekilik Shan, a subrange of the Kunlun Mountains.



Though not as widely known as some other mountain ranges in the area, Tekilik Shan plays a significant role in shaping local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weather</a> patterns and geography.



Its snow-covered peaks can rise above 13,000 feet, contributing to the dramatic elevation differences that define the basin’s borders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-storms-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Dust storms in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



Spring marks the height of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sahara-desert-dust-storms-carry-harmful-bacteria-and-fungi-around-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dust storm</a> activity in the Tarim Basin, particularly in its southern region.&nbsp;



“It’s a time of year when regional wind patterns shift in ways that cause winds and storm systems to sweep in from the northwest,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154126/a-curtain-of-dust-over-the-tarim-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.



“In early spring, when landscapes in this region are especially dry and have minimal vegetation, land surfaces warm rapidly under the Sun’s heat every morning, fueling convection that can help loft dust upward by the afternoon.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerlike-dust-formations-nbsp">Fingerlike dust formations&nbsp;</h2>



Satellite images revealed dust formations with fingerlike shapes that mirrored the landscape below. These projections aligned with valleys, which channeled and directed the airborne dust.&nbsp;



Ralph Kahn is an atmospheric scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and scientist emeritus at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.



According to Kahn, the dust may have been “self-lofting.” In this process, sunlight heats recently stirred-up surface dust, creating pockets of convection that lift it even higher into the air.



This interpretation is supported by hourly observations from Japan’s Himawari-9 geostationary satellite, which showed dust gradually rising into the Tekilik Shan throughout the day. By late afternoon, the storm had grown dense enough to obscure the mountains.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decline-in-atmospheric-dust">Decline in atmospheric dust</h2>



Long-term satellite data from MODIS suggest that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-in-the-gulf-of-alaska-help-shape-the-global-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric dust</a> levels in this region have declined by about 1.5 percent each year since the early 2000s.&nbsp;



NASA researcher Hongbin Yu attributes this trend mainly to springtime changes - such as altered wind speeds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-moisture-can-predict-severe-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil moisture</a>, or vegetation cover - rather than shifts in other seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Rainfall in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



“The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Takla-Makan-Desert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Takla Makan Desert</a> is one of the driest, most barren expanses on Earth. Flanked by mountain ranges on three sides and parched by the resulting <a href="https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Rain_shadow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rain shadow</a>, parts of the Tarim Basin receive no more than 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) of rain per year,” noted NASA.



“Dust storms can lead to public health problems in populated areas downwind by transporting small particles, bacteria, and viruses that infiltrate human respiratory systems.”&nbsp;



NASA added that dust storms can also affect Earth’s climate by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation and changing the properties of clouds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-landscape-of-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Landscape of the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



The Tarim Basin is one of the largest endorheic basins in the world, meaning that its rivers do not drain into the sea but instead flow into interior lakes or evaporate.&nbsp;



The basin is encircled by three mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west. These ranges create a powerful rain shadow effect, making the region exceptionally dry.



At the heart of the Tarim Basin lies the Taklamakan Desert, one of the most extreme deserts on Earth. The desert is known for its high dunes, intense temperature swings, and minimal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-will-wreak-havoc-on-mountain-ranges-as-warming-climate-turns-snow-to-rain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-and-geology">History and geology</h2>



Despite its harsh environment, the basin has been historically significant. It was a key section of the ancient Silk Road, with several oases such as Kashgar, Khotan, and Loulan serving as vital trading and cultural centers for centuries.



Geologically, the basin is rich in natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas, and has become a focal point for China's energy exploration and development.&nbsp;



The region’s challenging climate and remote location, however, make infrastructure development and human habitation difficult.&nbsp;



The image was captured on March 27, 2025 by the Operational Land Imager instrument on Landsat 8.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Blanket of dust covers China’s Tarim Basin

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features NGC 5335 - a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. 



The photo was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. According to <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/04/Barred_Spiral_Galaxy_NGC_5335" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, thousands of distant galaxies are speckled throughout the image in a variety of colors.&nbsp;



Hubble is revealing how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-galaxies-discovery-would-upend-current-understanding-of-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> form, grow, and evolve over cosmic time by capturing detailed images of galaxies at various stages of development, from the nearby universe to billions of light-years away. 



Hubble images have shown us that galaxies collide and merge, that star formation varies across different types of galaxies, and that supermassive black holes often lie at their centers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-ngc-5335">Studying NGC 5335</h2>



The galaxy NGC 5335 lies approximately 160 million light-years from Earth. It is classified as an SB(s)bc type galaxy, indicating a well-defined bar structure across its center with less distinct spiral arms. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on May 13, 1793. 



Like many galaxies of its type, NGC 5335 features active <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>, especially in its spiral arms, where interstellar gas and dust provide the raw material for new stars. 



Observations in different wavelengths, including infrared and ultraviolet, help astronomers study its stellar population and the dynamics of its central bar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-s-view-of-the-spiral-galaxy-nbsp">Hubble’s view of the spiral galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



“NGC 5335 is categorized as a flocculent spiral galaxy with patchy streamers of star formation across its disk. There is a striking lack of well-defined spiral arms that are commonly found among galaxies, including our Milky Way,” noted ESA.



“A notable bar structure slices across the center of the galaxy. The bar channels gas inwards toward the galactic center, fueling star formation.”&nbsp;



“Such bars are dynamic in galaxies and may come and go over two-billion-year intervals. They appear in about 30 percent of observed galaxies, including our Milky Way.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galactic-bar-in-the-milky-way-nbsp">Galactic bar in the Milky Way&nbsp;</h2>



The bar in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> is a vast, elongated structure composed mostly of stars, stretching across the galaxy’s central region. It is a key feature of our galaxy’s architecture, spanning about 27,000 light-years and oriented at an angle relative to the galaxy’s spiral arms.&nbsp;



Astronomers believe it plays a crucial role in the dynamics and evolution of the Milky Way by funneling gas inward toward the galactic center, which can feed star formation and fuel the supermassive black hole at the core.&nbsp;



The bar is thought to have formed from instabilities in the galactic disk and continues to influence the motion of stars and the overall gravitational balance of the galaxy.&nbsp;



Observations in infrared and radio wavelengths, which can pierce through the dust in the galactic plane, have helped scientists map the bar’s size, shape, and orientation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-virgo-nbsp">The constellation Virgo&nbsp;</h2>



Virgo is one of the most prominent and well-known constellations in the night sky, both astronomically and mythologically. It is the second-largest constellation by area and lies along the zodiac, making it one of the twelve constellations through which the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/team-creates-video-showing-the-sun-in-gamma-rays-over-a-14-year-period/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sun</a> appears to move during the year. 



Virgo is most visible in the evening sky in the Northern Hemisphere during spring, particularly in April and May. Its name means “virgin” in Latin.



Virgo is traditionally associated with various fertility and agriculture goddesses across different cultures, including the Greek goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone, as well as the Roman goddess Ceres. 



In some myths, Virgo represents Astraea, the virgin goddess of justice who fled to the heavens during the corruption of mankind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-astronomical-significance-of-virgo">Astronomical significance of Virgo</h2>



Astronomically, Virgo is situated between Leo to the west and Libra to the east. One of its most notable stars is Spica, the brightest star in Virgo and one of the brightest in the night sky.&nbsp;



Spica is a blue-white giant, located approximately 250 light-years from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/was-early-earth-a-purple-planet-scientists-say-its-possible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>. It has been important for navigation and agriculture for centuries, marking planting and harvest times in ancient calendars.



Virgo is also of great interest to astronomers because it hosts the Virgo Cluster, a massive cluster of galaxies about 65 million light-years away.&nbsp;



This cluster contains more than 1,000 galaxies, and it's part of the larger Virgo Supercluster, which also includes our own Local Group of galaxies. This makes Virgo a key area for studying large-scale structures in the universe.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Hubble spotlights galaxies in the constellation Virgo

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features dust streaming off the coast of Iran in January 2025.



“Some of the desert dust was carried across the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Peninsula, degrading air quality for those in its path,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153859/desert-dust-streams-from-iran" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.



“The airborne material appears to primarily originate in the dried bed of the intermittent lake known as Hamun-e Jazmurian (Hamun-e Jaz Murian), while some may be blown from coastal areas." 



"Along with arid regions such as the Garagum and Lut deserts and the Sistan Basin, the lakebed is a major source of dust in southwest Asia.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-precipitation-in-the-jazmurian-basin">Precipitation in the Jazmurian Basin</h2>



According to NASA, some areas of the Jazmurian Basin receive less than four inches of rain annually, on average, and evaporation rates are high. During wet times, however, parts of the basin may be covered by an intermittent lake, marshland, or other vegetation.&nbsp;



“Terra’s MODIS sensor has previously captured images of the area when water is present in Hamun-e Jazmurian and when green vegetation fringes the lakebed,” said NASA.



“In early 2025, the land was dry enough for winds to blow dust plumes south-southwest over the Gulf of Oman. Dust traveled across the water to the coast of the United Arab Emirates, where the haze reduced visibility in places, according to news reports.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-particles-in-dust-storms">Particles in dust storms</h2>



In addition to disrupting transportation and other daily activities, the suspended particles in dust storms can pose significant health risks. 



Recent research has revealed that dust from the Jazmurian Basin often contains heavy metals and other potentially harmful substances, such as silica and organic pollutants, which can negatively impact both human and ecosystem health.&nbsp;



Prolonged exposure to these particles has been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular issues, as well as the exacerbation of pre-existing health conditions like asthma and bronchitis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-impact-of-dust-storms">Environmental impact of dust storms</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-is-an-understudied-contributor-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental impact</a> of dust storms extends beyond human health. The fine particles can settle on vegetation, reducing photosynthesis and agricultural productivity.&nbsp;



Dust deposition can also alter soil composition by introducing heavy metals and changing nutrient balances, which may affect crop growth and soil microbial communities. 



Such changes can lead to long-term degradation of arable land and disrupt local food security.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-in-the-jazmurian-basin-nbsp">Dust in the Jazmurian Basin&nbsp;</h2>



Communities near the Jazmurian Basin are particularly vulnerable to the effects of dust storms due to limited access to healthcare and mitigation resources.



Seasonal changes and climate conditions, including prolonged droughts and desertification, further intensify the frequency and severity of dust storms in the region.&nbsp;



This creates a cycle of environmental and health challenges, making it imperative to develop strategies for prevention and adaptation.



Potential measures include reforestation and soil stabilization projects to reduce dust emissions, stricter regulations to limit activities that contribute to desertification, and public health initiatives to educate communities on protective measures during dust events.&nbsp;



Investing in early warning systems and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-driven-wildfires-worsen-u-s-air-quality-and-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air quality</a> monitoring can also help minimize exposure and protect both human populations and the environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-jazmurian-basin">Significance of the Jazmurian Basin</h2>



The Jazmurian Basin is a prominent endorheic basin located in southeastern Iran, spanning parts of the provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan as well as Kerman. It lies at the heart of an arid region characterized by sparse vegetation, high temperatures, and limited rainfall.&nbsp;



The basin is primarily fed by the Halil and Bampur rivers, which provide seasonal water flow to the basin's low-lying areas. At its center lies the Jazmurian Depression, which forms a seasonal playa or shallow lake, though it often dries up during extended dry periods.&nbsp;



The area holds geological and archaeological significance, offering insights into ancient human settlements and environmental changes over time.&nbsp;



Despite its harsh climate, the basin supports small-scale agriculture and serves as a critical habitat for certain desert-adapted wildlife. 



The image was captured on January 22 by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite.&nbsp;



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Dust rises from the Jazmurian Basin in Iran

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a brilliant stellar nursery located about 163,000 light-years away.



According to ESA, the image is one of the most photogenic examples of the many stellar nurseries observed by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope during its 30-year lifetime. 



“The portrait features the giant nebula NGC 2014 and its neighbor NGC 2020 which together form part of a vast star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-stellar-nursery">What is a stellar nursery?</h2>



Stellar nurseries are regions in space where new stars are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-stars-release-sneezes-of-gas-and-dust-as-they-develop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">born</a> - often within vast clouds of gas and dust called molecular clouds.&nbsp;



These areas are fascinating because they are cradles of stellar evolution, where gravity causes clumps of gas to collapse, eventually forming protostars.&nbsp;



Over time, the protostars will heat up and start the nuclear fusion process that powers a star.



One of the most well-known stellar nurseries is the Orion Nebula, which is visible to the naked eye and located about 1,350 light-years from Earth.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamic-nature-of-a-stellar-nursery-nbsp">Dynamic nature of a stellar nursery&nbsp;</h2>



Within these nurseries, the balance between gravity and pressure determines the types of stars that form, from massive, luminous stars to smaller, cooler ones like our Sun.&nbsp;



The environment is incredibly dynamic, with powerful winds from young stars shaping the clouds and triggering the birth of even more stars.



These regions are often illuminated by the light from massive newborn stars - creating stunning, colorful displays. The light reveals the intricate structure of the dust and gas, sculpted by the energy of young stars.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-stellar-nurseries-nbsp">Significance of stellar nurseries&nbsp;</h2>



Stellar nurseries are essential for understanding the early stages of planetary formation, as protoplanetary disks (the material from which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-formation-new-insights-mechanics-physics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planets form</a>) are often found around young stars in these regions.



Stellar nurseries play a crucial role in the ongoing evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>. They are responsible for the continuous birth of new stars that enrich the interstellar medium with heavier elements. This constant recycling of material is key to the development of future generations of stars and planets.&nbsp;



Furthermore, the study of these regions helps astronomers understand the fundamental processes that govern the life cycles of stars and the overall dynamics of the universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-local-group">The Local Group</h2>



The Local Group is a collection of over 80 galaxies that includes the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Triangulum Galaxy, along with numerous smaller dwarf galaxies. These galaxies are bound together by gravity and span a region roughly 10 million light-years across.&nbsp;



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-thin-disk-is-billions-of-years-older-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> and Andromeda are the dominant members, with their respective satellite galaxies orbiting them.&nbsp;



The Local Group is part of a larger structure known as the Virgo Supercluster, and its galaxies are moving toward the gravitational center of the Local Group, contributing to its dynamic nature.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-magellanic-cloud">Large Magellanic Cloud</h2>



The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the fourth largest galaxy in the Local Group and can be seen with the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



This irregular dwarf galaxy is home to the Tarantula Nebula, one of the most active star-forming regions in our cosmic neighborhood.&nbsp;



The Large Magellanic Cloud played a key role in astronomical history, particularly when the supernova SN 1987A was observed, providing valuable insights into stellar evolution.&nbsp;



The LMC's interaction with the Milky Way, along with its own companion, the Small Magellanic Cloud, is believed to influence its shape and star formation activity. Its proximity and unique properties make it a crucial object of study for understanding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-galactic-explosion-provides-clues-about-galaxy-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy evolution</a>, star formation, and the dynamics of interacting galaxies.



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Hubble captures a stunning stellar nursery

When studying rare earth elements, noticing a violet glow in the lab used to be a sign for scientists that something intriguing lay on the other side of an impenetrable wall. That glow belonged to promethium, element 61, a shy neighbor on the periodic table that gives off faint light but avoids easy study. 



Chemists had long known it existed, yet they couldn’t pin down how it acts in ordinary water, a gap that left textbooks with a dangling question mark.



The lanthanide family, stretching from lanthanum to lutetium, shows a steady shrink in ionic size - an effect known as the lanthanide contraction. 



Every member had been measured except promethium. Without promethium’s data, the pattern looked like a half‑finished sketch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-rare-earth-elements">Understanding rare earth elements</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-coal-ash-holds-tons-of-rare-earth-elements-worth-8-4-billion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rare earth elements</a> (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements tucked away in the periodic table, and despite their name, they’re not actually rare - they’re just tricky to extract in usable form. 



You’ll find them in everything from smartphones and electric cars to wind turbines and military gear. What makes them special is their magnetic, phosphorescent, and catalytic properties. 



These elements power the modern world, often quietly, behind the scenes. Neodymium, for example, helps make the powerful magnets inside your earbuds, while europium gives LED lights their bright red glow.



But mining and refining rare earths isn’t exactly clean or easy. Most of the world’s supply comes from China, which has mastered the complex processes needed to isolate and purify these elements. 



The challenge now is finding more sustainable, less toxic ways to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crucial-rare-earth-elements-discovered-coal-mines-united-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">source and recycle rare earths</a> - without wrecking the environment or getting tangled in geopolitical knots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-neighbor-of-the-periodic-table">Hidden neighbor of the periodic table</h2>



Promethium was first spotted in 1945 inside the wartime reactors of Clinton Laboratories, the forerunner of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (<a href="https://www.ornl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORNL</a>). 



Only about a pound of the element exists naturally in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mantle-heat-shaped-earths-crust-3-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s crust</a> at any moment, and none of its isotopes stay stable. That scarcity, coupled with radioactivity, explains the long wait for clear chemical measurements. 



In practical terms, scientists must manufacture the element themselves. ORNL remains the sole U.S. source, producing tiny batches of promethium‑147, whose half‑life is 2.62 years.



"The whole idea was to explore this very rare element to gain new knowledge," said Alex Ivanov, an ORNL scientist who co‑led the research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-catching-promethium-in-water">Catching promethium in water</h2>



The team crafted a diglycolamide ligand - a claw‑like organic molecule - that latches onto promethium atoms in solution. That grip allowed them to dissolve the isotope safely in water and direct intense X‑ray beams at it. 



Using ORNL’s High Flux Isotope Reactor, hot‑cell chemistry labs, and later the beamlines of Brookhaven’s <a href="https://www.bnl.gov/nsls2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Synchrotron Light Source II</a>, the researchers recorded the bond length between promethium and surrounding oxygen atoms. 



This marks the first time anyone has seen the element’s hydrated radius rather than estimating it.



"Because it has no stable isotopes, promethium was the last lanthanide to be discovered and has been the most difficult to study," said ORNL’s Ilja Popovs, who co‑led the research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contraction-curves-and-promethium-dots">Contraction curves and promethium dots</h2>



By plotting the new bond length against those of the other 14 lanthanides, the scientists filled in the missing coordinate and could trace how quickly the ionic radius shrinks across the series. They found that the contraction speeds up until it reaches promethium, then slows in later elements. 



Computer simulations on ORNL’s Summit supercomputer backed the measurements, allowing the group to confirm a subtle shift that had been predicted but never proved.



"There are thousands of publications on lanthanides' chemistry without promethium. That was a glaring gap for all of science," said ORNL’s Santa Jansone‑Popova, who also co‑led the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-isotope-big-jobs">Tiny isotope, big jobs</h2>



Unlike the showier rare earth metals used in magnets or lasers, promethium’s chief value lies in its steady beta radiation. 



Promethium‑147 has powered long‑lived <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/could-a-nuclear-powered-spacecraft-shorten-the-trip-to-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nuclear batteries</a> that once kept heart pacemakers ticking and that still illuminate spacecraft instruments. 



Because its half‑life is short on a cosmic scale, engineers can design devices that fade safely over decades rather than millennia. 



Understanding how the element interacts with solvents and extractants will help purify it more efficiently and open new applications, such as miniature power sources for deep‑sea sensors.



"It's really astonishing from a scientific viewpoint. I was struck once we had all the data," said Ivanov.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skylines-and-stethoscopes">Skylines and stethoscopes</h2>



Rare earths underpin fluorescent lighting, wind‑turbine generators, electric‑vehicle motors, and the contrast agents that light up <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-can-detect-if-your-brain-is-aging-too-quickly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MRI scans</a>. 



Separating each lanthanide from its neighbors remains a stubborn cost driver, often involving miles of solvent‑extraction columns. 



Precise knowledge of ionic size informs that separation, letting chemists tune ligands so they latch onto one element while ignoring another.



According to Jansone-Popova, "You cannot utilize all these lanthanides as a mixture in modern advanced technologies, because first you need to separate them. This is where the contraction becomes very important; it basically allows us to separate them, which is still quite a difficult task."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-promethium-and-future-technology">Promethium and future technology</h2>



These fascinating discoveries underscore how specialized facilities knit together to solve an atomic‑scale puzzle. 



ORNL’s radiochemical engineers produced the isotope, Brookhaven’s synchrotron captured the spectra, and supercomputers crunched quantum calculations that once seemed out of reach. 



Frontier, the lab’s new exascale machine, will take the next round of simulations from hours to minutes and may let researchers test how promethium bonds to advanced battery materials or medical chelators.



"Anything that we would call a modern marvel of technology would include, in one shape or another, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chinas-rare-earth-jackpot-1-15-million-tons-of-minerals-uncovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rare earth elements</a>," Popovs said. "We are adding the missing link."



The violet glow that puzzled chemists eight decades ago now illuminates a complete picture of lanthanide behavior. 



With promethium’s properties finally charted, the periodic table feels a little tidier - and the tools built from its elements stand to grow even smarter.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07267-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Rare earth element that glows violet has scientists excited about the future

When studying rare earth elements, noticing a violet glow in...

It has long been accepted that dinosaurs had dwindled in numbers before the asteroid hit. Many people believed they were already on their way out, based on the fact that fewer fossils turned up from that period.



<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/earth-sciences/people/research-staff/dr-chris-dean" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christopher Dean</a> from University College London, along with an international research team, now challenges that storyline. 



Their new study indicates that dinosaurs were not fading away prior to the asteroid’s impact, and that a biased fossil record skewed the data we’ve relied on for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revisiting-old-assumptions">Revisiting old assumptions</h2>



Previous ideas about declining dinosaur populations came from simple fossil counts. Researchers saw fewer remains toward the last part of the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/timeline/early-cretaceous/gallery.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous</a> and interpreted that as the dinosaurs’ slow fade. That conclusion stuck around for decades.



Yet these authors suggest that many fossils went undiscovered because rock layers in certain regions are difficult to access or simply not preserved. 



They point out that the world was changing in big ways, with mountain formations and receding inland seas reshaping the land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-occupancy-modeling-approach">Occupancy modeling approach</h2>



This work centers on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780124071971/occupancy-estimation-and-modeling" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">occupancy modeling</a>, an ecological method that helps scientists estimate the presence of species, even when evidence is incomplete. 



The researchers took thousands of fossil records covering hadrosaurs, ceratopsians, ankylosaurids, and tyrannosaurids. They then calculated how likely it was to find traces of these animals across North America.



The results were surprising. Instead of confirming a genuine decline in dinosaur variety, the team found that the apparent reduction lined up with spots where fossils had a slim chance of surviving or being unearthed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-numbers-looked-off">Why the numbers looked off</h2>



The study singled out geological factors as the real culprits behind the missing dinosaur evidence. Changes in land elevation and the retreat of a shallow sea reduced places where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jaw-fossil-reveals-fruit-eating-mammal-from-the-dinosaur-age/">dinosaur</a> bones could be buried and preserved. 



Much of that land is now covered by vegetation, buildings, or other features that hide potential fossil sites.



The researchers learned that certain dinosaur groups seemed to be more easily detected than others. Some, like the duck-billed hadrosaurs, might show up better in formations we’ve explored. 



Others, like the armored ankylosaurids, often turned up less, possibly because their favored habitats didn’t fossilize so well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-extinction">Rethinking extinction</h2>



This fresh perspective also implies that dinosaurs were not globally struggling before the asteroid impact. They appear to have maintained strong populations up until a <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.208.4448.1095" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">catastrophic event</a> ended everything at once. 



If the asteroid had missed Earth, it’s possible that these creatures might have continued to do just fine for a much longer stretch of time.



By focusing on areas where remains had little chance to form fossils, the investigators highlight how easily scientists can be misled by blank spots in the data. 



The old narrative of dinosaurs in gradual decline could be more a reflection of Earth’s changing terrain than of genuine biological trends.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-outlook-on-extinction-risk">An outlook on extinction risk</h2>



These findings show that surviving or vanishing isn’t always tied to a group’s natural trajectory. Sometimes it’s a wild card event, like an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-that-once-threatened-earth-may-target-the-moon/">asteroid collision</a>, that seals a species’ fate. The difference between lasting millions more years and disappearing overnight might boil down to pure luck.



This insight resonates with discussions around present-day biodiversity. Many modern species could be widespread and healthy, yet vulnerable to sudden environmental disasters. Fossil records teach us that success can flip to extinction if a global-scale shock arrives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-past-and-present">Bridging past and present</h2>



Scientists are now more cautious when interpreting gaps in ancient records. The notion of consistent and smooth data through time is flawed. 



Much like detectives, paleontologists have to piece together scattered clues, aware that some bits are missing or distorted.



Occupancy modeling and related methods give researchers a sharper toolset. They can spot hidden patterns that once escaped notice, reshaping our view of iconic events such as the dinosaur die-off.



It appears that dinosaurs were thriving until the sky quite literally fell on them. The mismatch between earlier fossil counts and the true state of dino populations may indicate a biased rock record. 



By accounting for that bias, the team provides a picture of a world that was still teeming with dinosaur life right up to the final curtain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-future-fossil-research">What this means for future fossil research</h2>



This study opens the door for broader use of occupancy modeling in paleontology. By estimating how likely it is to detect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-animals-become-fossils-while-others-just-disappear/">fossils</a> under different conditions, scientists can now better separate real biological changes from sampling artifacts. 



That help will help sharpen the accuracy of diversity estimates across different regions and time periods.



Going forward, this approach could reshape how researchers investigate other extinction events or global biodiversity shifts. 



If similar sampling biases exist elsewhere in the fossil record, entire chapters of Earth’s history might need to be rewritten through this updated lens.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00310-0?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982225003100%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read?<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/"> Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Study claims that dinosaurs thrived until the asteroid hit, debunking decades of accepted beliefs

It has long been accepted that dinosaurs had dwindled in...

For decades, farming has chipped away at insect biodiversity, often in ways less obvious than bulldozing forests. Frequent mowing, pesticide use, and habitat loss converge to create a hostile landscape for countless insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>.



Now, a research team from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (<a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JMU</a>) has thrown new light on just how severe the damage really is.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insect-decline-in-farmlands">Insect decline in farmlands</h2>



In Bavaria, a team led by Professor Jörg Müller wanted to look past assumptions. From forests to farmland, the researchers studied 400 insect families. But they didn’t just count what they saw.



They used DNA metabarcoding - a technique that scans genetic material from environmental samples. Combined with precise statistical tools, this allowed the team to detect not only the insects themselves but also the hidden patterns in their decline.



The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, revealed a stark contrast between agricultural and near-natural habitats. What they found changes the story on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insect</a> loss - and sharpens its urgency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-and-insect-diversity">Farming and insect diversity</h2>



The researchers used Malaise traps to catch insects from a range of environments. Farmland samples, surprisingly, gave the clearest data. 



These landscapes, open and simplified, make it easier to catch and identify insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/very-little-is-known-about-99-of-all-insects-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>. Yet even with this advantage, the results were grim.



After adjusting for how completely each sample captured the existing diversity, the researchers recorded a 44 percent decline in total insect species diversity on farmland. 



This isn’t a seasonal dip. It’s a structural collapse, cutting across species lines. Farmland has become less of a home for insects and more of a barrier to their survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unseen-collapse-in-insects">Unseen collapse in insects</h2>



Counting species wasn’t enough. The team introduced a new method to standardize how completely each habitat’s insect community had been sampled. That meant creating fair comparisons across very different environments.



They filtered out sequencing errors, focused on real trends in species presence, and sharpened the lens on insect biodiversity. 



The method accounted for both how many different kinds of insects were present (taxonomic diversity) and how distantly related those insects were from one another (phylogenetic diversity).



What they saw was not just fewer insects - but fewer kinds of insect lineages, going back through evolutionary time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-erases-insect-history">Farming erases insect history</h2>



When insects disappear, ecosystems don’t just lose pollinators or prey. They lose deep genetic history. The JMU team found nearly a 30% reduction in evolutionary diversity in farmland <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-populations-dramatically-declining-around-the-world-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insects</a>.



This means entire branches of the insect family tree are vanishing - lineages shaped over millions of years, wiped away in a few decades. Such a loss affects ecosystem resilience, narrowing the genetic pool that might once have buffered against future environmental shifts.



"This study underscores the urgent need for biodiversity-sensitive land use. A continued decline in insect diversity could have far-reaching consequences for the health and stability of ecosystems," stated Dr. Mareike Kortmann, the study’s lead author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biodiversity-crisis-in-agriculture">Biodiversity crisis in agriculture</h2>



Forests and semi-natural habitats still support varied insect life. They offer shade, cover, and food webs rich with interactions. Agricultural lands, in contrast, have become biodiversity hotspots in reverse. Instead of buzzing life, they teem with absence.



Dominant insect species - those you’d expect to be hardy survivors - are dropping fastest in taxonomic diversity. 



Meanwhile, rare species face a deeper erasure. Their entire evolutionary lineages are disappearing. Farmland is not just hostile to insects. It’s selectively erasing their past, present, and future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-needed-for-insects">Action needed for insects</h2>



This study introduced a powerful new toolkit for understanding insect decline and extinction. By combining genetic analysis, statistical rigor, and evolutionary context, researchers can now draw a clearer map of biodiversity loss and fragmentation.



But the view it reveals is bleak. Knowing more means little if it doesn’t drive action. The researchers call for focused conservation efforts - especially in farmlands where both common and rare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-farming-insect-waste-reshapes-soil-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insects</a> edge closer to disappearance.



They have made the warning unmistakable. The question now: will we change course before the silence spreads?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.2927" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B Biological Sciences</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Modern farming is causing many insect species to collapse

For decades, farming has chipped away at insect biodiversity, often...

Glaciers can serve as giant archives of what is floating around in our atmosphere. They accumulate carbon and other matter carried by the wind, and preserve it in frozen layers for decades or even centuries.



Experts have found that these icy landscapes offer special insight into <a href="https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Anthropogenic_carbon_emissions">anthropogenic carbon</a>, which is carbon introduced by human activities like burning fossil fuels.



A team of researchers led by Amy Holt from the <a href="https://uas.alaska.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska Southeast</a> has uncovered details about these contributions by sampling meltwater from ten glaciers in Alaska, Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, and Ecuador.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-reveal-carbon-clues">Glaciers reveal carbon clues </h2>



Each glacier examined in the study had outflows carrying dissolved organic matter. This includes <a href="https://www.ccacoalition.org/short-lived-climate-pollutants/black-carbon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black carbon</a>, which is the black residue left from fires and fossil fuel combustion.



Glaciers are different from forests or fields because they do not store large amounts of soil or vegetation. Scientists can therefore see how much carbon is deposited from the air, without much interference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-carbon-sources-in-meltwater">Identifying carbon sources in meltwater</h2>



Carbon arrives in glaciers from several sources. Some samples showed <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022169424001409" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">isotopic signals</a> that indicated older, fossil-fuel-derived material, while others pointed to younger carbon that is often linked to biomass burning.



Working out the right proportions of each source meant looking at <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9805314/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiocarbon ages</a>. Older signatures correlated with high levels of carbon from ancient geologic deposits, which is a strong sign of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-release-vast-quantities-of-unknown-microbes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil fuel</a> impacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-differences-across-glaciers">Carbon differences across glaciers</h2>



Alaskan glaciers had more fossil-fuel-derived material in their meltwater. In Ecuador, the researchers noted a larger chunk of carbon from wildfires and microbial growth on the glacier surface.



This variation highlights the link between local pollution sources and the ice. One glacier might collect emissions from heavy industry while another picks up carbon from regional forest fires.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-carbon-moves">How carbon moves</h2>



Anthropogenic carbon contributed anywhere from 12% to 91% of the total carbon found in glacier outflows. The precise percentage depends on where the glacier sits and how air currents carry pollutants.



Sooty particles do not just darken the ice. They can get carried by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-could-run-out-of-water-if-glaciers-continue-to-melt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meltwater</a> into downstream ecosystems, where they may enter food chains or affect water chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-chemistry-matters">Why the chemistry matters</h2>



The researchers discovered that chemical structures in glacier outflows shift when fossil fuel sources dominate. These shifts can change how easily the carbon is used by living things downstream.



Some carbon compounds remain in streams and rivers, while others might break down more quickly. The presence or absence of certain molecules can shape the balance of nutrients in aquatic habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-s-role-in-earth-s-cycles">Carbon’s role in Earth’s cycles</h2>



These findings add to knowledge about <a href="https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/earth-system/biogeochemical-cycles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biogeochemical cycles</a>, which study how elements like carbon move through living and nonliving parts of Earth. Even remote, high-altitude glaciers are not immune to human activity.



Carbon that was once locked away underground is making its way into icy landscapes. That same carbon then travels to river basins when ice melts, linking industrial emissions to food webs.



“We highlight that spatial variability in the deposition of anthropogenic fossil fuel combustion byproducts to glacier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> affects both the age and character of dissolved organic matter, likely influencing its fate,” said Holt, who was lead author of the study.



That perspective helps clarify the bigger picture. Each glacier becomes a window into how far pollution travels and how old sources of carbon can keep circulating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-traces-in-meltwater">Carbon traces in meltwater</h2>



Scientists commonly analyze surface ice for soot buildup. Fewer have examined dissolved black carbon and other molecular traces in outflow streams.



This shift in approach allows them to see what type of carbon flows away from the glacier. It also highlights the different forms that carbon can take once it leaves the ice.



Fossil fuels contain carbon that formed millions of years ago, so they leave an older isotopic signature. Wildfires, on the other hand, release carbon from plants and recent organic matter.



Some glaciers gather both ancient and modern carbon. Others tilt toward one type, reflecting local pollution patterns or repeated fires near their source regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microscopic-life-on-glaciers">Microscopic life on glaciers</h2>



Tiny organisms live on glacier surfaces, and feed on whatever nutrients they can find. They can create organic compounds that also wind up in meltwater.



In some regions, microbial production plays a larger role in dissolved organic matter. The study indicated that glacial streams in Ecuador held more fresh, microbially produced carbon.



Many local communities rely on glacial melt for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-threaten-global-water-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drinking water</a>, agriculture, or hydropower. If the chemistry of that meltwater changes, it may carry unexpected pollutants downstream.



Fish and wildlife depend on these waterways too. Changes in carbon content might alter food availability for the smallest aquatic organisms; this effect can then ripple up the food chain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-look-at-tomorrow-s-glaciers">A look at tomorrow’s glaciers</h2>



As average temperatures rise, glaciers around the world continue to shrink. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-hidden-sources-of-greenhouse-gases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meltwater</a> rates may accelerate, possibly boosting the volume of anthropogenic carbon that enters rivers.



Understanding today’s levels of carbon will help researchers predict future shifts. If industrial emissions remain high, these icy reservoirs could see further changes in what they carry.



Glaciers do more than keep records of Earth’s past climate. They also show us how modern-day pollution spreads across continents and emerges in unexpected places.



Scientists intend to expand these studies to additional mountain ranges. They hope to see whether remote glaciers share the same patterns or if some remain relatively clean.



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



Future research may measure the fate of dissolved black carbon once it enters rivers. Some forms might break down, while others could linger or accumulate in lake sediments.



These next steps will deepen our understanding of how humanity’s energy choices connect to polar and alpine regions. Glaciers, despite their isolated appearance, reflect our global environmental footprint.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GB008359" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Biogeochemical Cycles</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Carbon in glacier meltwater reveals pollution history

Glaciers can serve as giant archives of what is floating...

Human-caused climate change is already cutting lives short in the United States, and now scientists can attach a grim number to one key pathway. A new study shows that wildfire smoke intensified by climate change triggered about 15,000 additional deaths between 2006 and 2020.



The work, led by <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) researcher Bev Law, is the first to tie a death toll directly to climate-driven increases in fine particulate matter from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-is-deadlier-than-storms">Smoke is deadlier than storms</h2>



Wildfires emit PM2.5 - sooty particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers that slip deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream. 



Using climate projections, fire-behavior models, smoke-dispersion simulations, and county-level health data, the team found that wildfire PM2.5 killed an estimated 164,000 people in the lower forty-eight states during the 15-year window.



The researchers calculate that 15,000 of those lives were lost because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rising temperatures</a> and drier landscapes made fires larger or more intense. The average annual death rate came to 5.14 per 100,000 people - roughly twice the national rate from hurricanes and other tropical cyclones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-billions-lost-to-wildfire-smoke">Billions lost to wildfire smoke</h2>



The human cost is only part of the burden. Factoring in lost productivity, medical bills, and the federally accepted “value of a statistical life,” the researchers peg the economic damage from those extra smoke deaths at $160 billion.



“Without efforts to address climate change, wildfires and associated fine particulate matter will continue to increase,” said Law, professor emerita in the OSU College of Forestry. 



According to Professor Law, smoke-related deaths could climb at least 50% by mid-century and push annual damages to $244 billion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-western-u-s-is-hit-the-hardest">Western U.S. is hit the hardest</h2>



Although the analysis spans every county in the continental United States, the heaviest mortality and economic losses fell on California, Oregon, and Washington.



About 35% of the climate-linked deaths occurred in 2020 alone, a year dominated by California’s record fire season and the unprecedented Labor Day blazes that swept through the Pacific Northwest. Major fires in Colorado and Arizona added to the smoke plume that summer and fall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-a-hidden-killer">Tracking a hidden killer</h2>



Law’s group pulled together about 44,000 documented fire-smoke events dating back to 1958, then used the subset from 2006 onward to match modern satellite and ground-sensor coverage.



They fed those fire fingerprints into atmospheric transport models that estimate surface PM2.5 concentrations downwind. Finally, they applied health-risk functions from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Protection Agency</a> to translate the exposure into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-fires-linked-to-1-53-million-deaths-per-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mortality</a>.



By rerunning the chain with and without the climate-induced boost in fire activity, the researchers isolated the share of deaths attributable to global warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-erodes-air-quality-gains">Smoke erodes air-quality gains</h2>



For decades, regulators had chipped away at urban smog and tailpipe emissions, steadily lowering average PM2.5 across the nation. Wildfire smoke is reversing those gains.



The authors note that fires now account for almost half of all fine-particle pollution in the United States, a proportion likely to grow as hotter, drier summers extend burning seasons and speed up daily fire growth.



“Exposure to PM2.5 is a known cause of cardiovascular disease and is linked to the onset and worsening of respiratory illness,” Law said.



She pointed to climate fingerprints that have already increased fires: earlier snowmelt leaves forests drier by midsummer; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat waves</a> stress trees; and low humidity turns lightning ignitions into runaway blazes. Those same conditions are projected to intensify unless greenhouse-gas emissions fall sharply.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-more-smoke-deaths">Preventing more smoke deaths</h2>



The study arrives as fire-prone states weigh investments in forest thinning, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/controlled-fires-can-help-us-save-grasslands-from-disappearing/">prescribed burning</a>, and community protection.



By putting a dollar value on smoke mortality, the work gives lawmakers a fresh metric to compare against the price of mitigation. It also highlights the need for national strategies to alert vulnerable groups - such as people with heart or lung disease - when smoke plumes threaten.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-travels-nationwide">Smoke travels nationwide </h2>



While western states dominate the tally, the models show that smoke travels far, bringing elevated PM2.5 to the Midwest and even the East Coast on certain wind patterns.



Communities hundreds of miles from a flame front can still see emergency-room visits rise when fine-particle concentrations spike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-s-future-looks-worse">Smoke’s future looks worse</h2>



Law and colleagues plan to refine their estimates with newer satellite instruments and higher-resolution health data. They also hope to model how different climate-policy scenarios would change future smoke impacts.



Their message is stark though. The deaths tallied through 2020 reflect atmospheric conditions already locked in by past emissions. If warming continues on its present course, today’s lethal smoke seasons may soon look mild by comparison.



The study turns a statistical spotlight on a threat many people only smell or glimpse as a haze on the horizon. 



By counting lives lost to smoke intensified by climate change, the research underscores how quickly the abstract math of global warming translates into human tragedy  - and why cutting emissions now could spare thousands of lives in the decades to come.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-hit-a-record-high-in-2023/">Nature Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Climate change is making wildfire smoke more deadly

Human-caused climate change is already cutting lives short in the...

Modern ideas about reality sometimes sound like a wild story. The notion that everything around us might be bits and bytes is easy to brush aside, yet it continues to intrigue many curious minds.



This perspective has led some researchers to wonder if physical forces might be signals of an underlying information system. 



According to physicist <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/melvin-vopson" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Melvin M. Vopson</a> of the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>, certain features of gravity may hint at information contained in a universal computational code.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-does-gravity-hold-information">Does gravity hold information?</h2>



Many scientists have explored unconventional interpretations of gravity. They have argued that it might emerge from a principle of data organization instead of being a traditional force.



In this view, the fabric of space might function like an information grid. If bits of matter or energy are arranged in a chaotic way, the grid has to track excessive details, so the system looks for simpler states that require fewer data points.



If space is made of discrete units - like pixels in a digital image - then every object we see is built from a finite set of positions and states. This idea challenges the old belief that space is smooth and continuous.



It also suggests that the universe doesn’t just follow rules - it might actually be running instructions. In that view, everything from stars to atoms could be behaving the way they do because they’re following coded commands.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-infodynamics-as-a-guiding-concept">Infodynamics as a guiding concept</h2>



When objects in space come together, information about their individual positions can be condensed. This process can reduce the complexity of the entire system.



“My findings in this study fit with the thought that the Universe might work like a giant computer,” said Vopson, who has described this as a computational shortcut. 



The term <a href="https://pubs.aip.org/aip/adv/article/13/10/105308/2915332/The-second-law-of-infodynamics-and-its" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infodynamics</a> refers to an approach that connects information and physical processes. It suggests that matter behaves in ways that minimize data clutter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravity-as-an-information-warehouse">Gravity as an information warehouse</h2>



That might mean gravity, which is often seen as an attraction between bodies, could be the result of nature’s tendency to optimize store information. 



If everything is seen as an information construct, the universe may keep track of fewer details by grouping objects together.



Skeptics may wonder how to test something so abstract. Some suggest that phenomena like gravitational lensing or cosmic expansion could be examined from a data-centered perspective.



Others point to earlier ideas of <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.111.066001" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">entropic</a> gravity, as proposed by different theorists who saw gravity as emerging from <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/JHEP04(2011)029" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">holographic principles</a>. 



There is still much debate over whether these models capture the whole truth or only scratch the surface.



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



If gravity truly points to a computerized universe, then other puzzles might gain fresh explanations. Dark matter and dark energy, for instance, currently remain major mysteries. 



An information-based framework for gravity might offer alternate ways to interpret these elusive effects.



No one can say with certainty whether the entire cosmos is coded like sophisticated software. Many experts, however, see value in this approach because it unites physics and information theory in a single narrative.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radical-theory-unites-gravity-spacetime-and-the-quantum-realm/">Gravity</a>, in this context, becomes an organizing tool that simplifies the cosmic puzzle. The more that matter lumps together, the fewer bits the system must handle. This idea, if confirmed, would change how we think about the nature of reality.



Researchers continue seeking ways to validate these claims, though it is a challenging job. In the meantime, theories like Vopson’s keep the conversation lively. They remind us that science can evolve in surprising directions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tension-with-current-physics-models">Tension with current physics models</h2>



Vopson’s theory doesn’t replace general relativity or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-rely-on-quantum-mechanics-to-transfer-energy-from-sunlight/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum mechanics</a> - it competes with them conceptually. 



Traditional models describe gravity as the curvature of space-time or the result of quantum fields, not a byproduct of data compression.



This raises questions about compatibility. Could both models be true in different ways? Or might one framework eventually prove more complete? 



The answers depend on whether experimental evidence can confirm any specific predictions unique to the computational theory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-gravity-information-theory">Testing the gravity information theory</h2>



One major challenge is testing the theory. If the universe operates like a computer, what tools could reveal its source code? Right now, there’s no clear experiment that could definitively confirm or rule out this theory.



Another issue is perspective. Even if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-can-map-subtle-shifts-in-earths-gravity-using-atoms/">gravity</a> works as a kind of data-saving function, that doesn't prove we’re inside a simulation. It just means information plays a deeper role in physics than we once thought. 



Whether that requires the existence of a programmer or is just due to nature being efficient is still up for debate.



For most people, whether gravity is a force or a file-saving trick doesn’t change how we live. Apples still fall from trees. Planes still fly. But how we understand the “why” behind those things is shifting.



Even if the simulation idea is never proven, thinking this way can shape new technologies and ways of solving problems. It opens up new questions about how information works - not just in physics, but also in biology, computing, and beyond.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.aip.org/aip/adv/article/15/4/045035/3345217/Is-gravity-evidence-of-a-computational-universe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AIP Advances</a>.



-----



Like what you read?<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/"> Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Gravity could be the definitive clue that the universe is one giant computer

Modern ideas about reality sometimes sound like a wild story....

Hummingbirds normally patrol the scarlet blooms of the western United States, sipping nectar and carrying pollen from one monkeyflower to the next.



Yet along the outer edges of that crimson range botanists once noticed something odd: scattered stands of Mimulus cardinalis and Mimulus verbenaceus (two monkeyflower species) had traded their fiery petals for butter-yellow ones.



Earlier fieldwork hinted that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-show-surprising-adept-teamwork-skills/">bumblebees</a>, not hummingbirds, seemed drawn to these rare morphs, but decades ago researchers lacked the genomic and biochemical tools to learn why.



A team led by Kelsey Byers at the <a href="https://www.jic.ac.uk/">John Innes Center</a> has now reopened the case. In a recent study, the group combined controlled pollinator trials, floral chemistry, and comparative genetics. 



The findings reveal how color, scent, and shape interact when a plant begins shifting from one pollination strategy to another. Researchers documented an adaptive walk - evolution’s slow path from ancestral traits to new ecological niches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-prefer-a-yellow-color">Bees prefer a yellow color</h2>



Inside climate-regulated glasshouses, the researchers offered captive bumblebees paired arrays of yellow and red flowers from both species.



The insects showed a clear preference, visiting yellow twice as often as red. 



Chemical analysis then uncovered a clue: the yellow morphs emitted higher volumes of volatile compounds, a likely adaptation because bees, unlike <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-have-an-incredible-strategy-to-survive-food-shortages/">hummingbirds</a>, rely heavily on scent when foraging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-struggle-despite-color">Bees struggle despite color</h2>



Color and fragrance alone do not guarantee reproductive success. High-speed video revealed that bees wrestled awkwardly with the tubular corollas, structures sculpted through millennia of hummingbird visitation.



Many bees tore the delicate petals while probing for nectar and often failed to brush against the floral reproductive organs, a prerequisite for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-transforming-pollen-science-and-health-planning/">pollen</a> transfer. As a result, the bees’ frequent visits did not translate into efficient pollination.



The researchers interpret this mismatch as evidence that the yellow monkeyflowers represent an early stage in the switch from bird to bee service: color mutation and heightened scent have arisen first, but corolla architecture has yet to catch up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-genes-same-traits">Different genes, same traits</h2>



A long-standing question was whether the yellow trait in the two Mimulus species emerged through the same molecular pathway. The team’s genomic scans show the answer is partly yes and partly no.



Both species boosted yellow and orange carotenoid pigments by changes to the same suite of genes, a textbook example of convergent evolution. Yet other alterations - loss of red anthocyanin pigments and shifts in scent chemistry - arose through different genetic tweaks in each lineage.



“Even though these species are closely related, they have followed different paths to the same endpoint for many of their traits,” Byers said.



“We have identified ways that flowers can change and affect pollinator visitation, as well as some genetic pathways that can underlie these changes and how they have evolved in different but closely related species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-timeline-for-trait-evolution">A timeline for trait evolution</h2>



Because floral color strongly influences pollinator choice, mutations in pigment genes may surface first during a pollinator shift. Secondary adjustments, such as boosted scent emission or re-shaped petals, could then fine-tune the interaction.



The Mimulus data support that sequence. Large-effect color mutations preceded subtler changes in odor bouquet, while corolla morphology still lags behind, leaving the bee–flower fit imperfect. 



The researchers argue that this hierarchy of changes - big steps followed by smaller refinements - may be typical whenever plants embark on new mutualisms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bee-friendly-color-affects-farming">Bee-friendly color affects farming</h2>



Pollinator partnerships underpin terrestrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/effective-conservation-efforts-key-to-saving-biodiversity/">biodiversity</a> and sustain many food crops. By dissecting how wild species recalibrate those relationships, scientists gain conceptual tools for conservation and agriculture.



“By understanding how traits evolve in the wild, we understand biodiversity better, and by understanding how these traits can be affected by plant genetics, we have the foundation of the ability to engineer traits to impact pollinator preference and thus crop yield,” Byers said.



Tuning color and scent may let breeders align crops with local pollinators, improving output without extra chemicals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-on-the-research-agenda">Next on the research agenda</h2>



The team plans gene-editing and transgenic experiments to verify the precise functions of the carotenoid biosynthesis genes that acted convergently and the anthocyanin regulators that diverged.



They are also surveying another yellow population of Mimulus cardinalis to see whether it repeated the same genetic tricks or invented new ones. Such comparative work will refine our picture of how predictable - or idiosyncratic - evolutionary innovation can be.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-floral-traits-still-changing">Floral traits still changing</h2>



For now the yellow monkeyflowers stand as living waypoints on an evolutionary journey not yet complete. Bumblebees like their color and perfume, but the floral entrance still suits a hovering hummingbird more than a burrowing bee.



With time and mutations, petal tubes may evolve to guide bees directly to stamens and stigmas. Should that happen, future botanists might find a fully bee-adapted Mimulus lineage where once only hummingbirds ruled - and they will have these early studies to trace how the transformation began.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57639-3">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

These wildflowers changed color to attract bees

Hummingbirds normally patrol the scarlet blooms of the western United...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

Once it was accepted by the group, the spy gorilla got to work filming. After beating its chest, for example, it was able to observe some young apes during playtime! Photo Credit: WJCT

Playtime

News coming your way