Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Sahara Desert on the afternoon of May 3, 2023, as the International Space Station passed above. An astronaut captured this striking image of hills and sand dunes in southern Mauritania.&nbsp;



"A line of dark, flat-topped hills known as mesas dominate the view," said NASA. "The small town of Guérou is a faint gray patch on the banks of a small stream. The faint line of a road can be seen cutting through the landscape and connecting with Guérou."



"The mesas are remnants of a large Paleozoic Era sandstone formation. They rise steeply 300 to 400 meters (1,000 to 1,300 feet) above the surrounding plain."&nbsp;



"Rocky surfaces in deserts often appear dark-toned as a result of a thin layer of black rock varnish that develops on rock surfaces enriched in manganese."



Southern Mauritania is part of the vast Sahelian region, which serves as a transitional zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the more fertile savannahs of West Africa to the south.&nbsp;



The southern part of Mauritania is generally flatter and has a semi-arid climate. It receives more rainfall than the northern regions, but it's still quite sparse. The Senegal River, which forms the border between Mauritania and Senegal, is one of the major rivers in West Africa and is crucial for agriculture in this region.



The area around the Senegal River is the most agriculturally productive part of Mauritania. Rice, millet, and other grains are commonly cultivated. Fishing in the Senegal River is also a significant activity. Despite these resources, southern Mauritania remains relatively poor and underdeveloped.



The region is home to a mix of ethnic groups, including the Moors (both Arab-Berber Moors and Black Moors or Haratin) and various black African ethnic groups such as the Wolof, Pular (or Fulani), and Soninke.



Southern Mauritania faces a variety of challenges. Periodic droughts can devastate local agriculture. There are also socio-economic issues, including poverty, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to education and healthcare.



The Diawling National Park, located in the southwest corner of Mauritania near the Senegal River, is one of the country's premier protected areas. The park is known for its birdlife and serves as an important wetland habitat.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Hills and sand dunes of southern Mauritania

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

Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features a false-color image of Lake Abbe in northeast Ethiopia. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.&nbsp;



"Visible as the large round dark area, Lake Abbe, also known as Lake Abhe, straddles the border of Ethiopia to the west and Djibouti to the east. The lake is 19 km wide and 17 km long and is extremely salty. It is dotted with clusters of steaming limestone chimneys and surrounded by large salt flats, visible in white, and rift volcanoes," says ESA.



"The biggest volcano in the image is Mount Dama Ali, a dormant 25-km-wide shield volcano that rises on the northwest shore of the lake."



"Lake Abbe and Lake Afambo, which is visible at the top of the image, are part of a chain of six connected salt lakes, fed by the Awash River - one of Ethiopia’s biggest rivers.'



Copernicus Sentinel-2’s near-infrared channel highlights vegetation in bright red. This strategy makes it easy to spot algal blooms, such as the one that is visible in Lake Abbe. According to ESA, the light blue color on the west shore indicates sediment discharged into the lake.



"Because of its dry, desert, almost lunar landscape and the steaming, sulphuric vents, Lake Abbe is considered one of the most inaccessible areas on Earth," says ESA. "Earth observation satellites are key in these cases as they are particularly relevant for monitoring remote regions such as this."



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Lake Abbe in northeast Ethiopia

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

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features vibrantly colored water near the coastline of Vancouver Island.



"The colorful plumes - which are likely comprised of both phytoplankton and sediment - stood out in this image, acquired by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite on July 26," said NASA.



"Clouds covered much of Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia at the time of this image. But coastal areas were cloud-free, exposing water that likely contained flourishing populations of phytoplankton - floating plant-like organisms that are the foundation of the aquatic food web."



During the summer in the northeast Pacific Ocean, phytoplankton blooms are frequent due to offshore winds pushing surface waters away from the coast. This leads to the upwelling of cooler, nutrient-rich waters from the depths, which fuels the growth of phytoplankton.&nbsp;



The Salish Sea plays a significant role in supplying nutrients through its circulation and upwelling, enhancing phytoplankton productivity along the continental shelf near Vancouver Island. Additionally, the bloom may also be fueled by nutrient-rich sediment runoff from the coast.



Vancouver Island is known for its lush landscapes, including mountains, forests, and stunning coastlines. The island is also home to the city of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.&nbsp;



Vancouver Island offers various outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, including opportunities to see whales and bears. The island has a rich Indigenous history, which is reflected in many of its local arts and cultural exhibits



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Vibrant colors off the coast of Vancouver Island

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features a massive smoky storm cloud that developed over Northwestern Canada on September 16, 2023.



"For much of summer 2023, fires burned through boreal forests in northern British Columbia and Alberta, and in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories. The blazes triggered evacuations as they approached towns and unleashed plumes of smoke that occasionally dipped south into the United States," said NASA.



"In mid-September, strong winds from a passing cold front interacted with some of the fires to create a vast smoke-infused cloud spiral. The smoky storm, which spanned hundreds of kilometers, is visible in this image captured by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-20 satellite."



Wind gusts as high as 40 miles per hour intensified the fires and created towering “fire clouds” called pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which boosted smoke up into the storm clouds.&nbsp;



“We see dozens of pyrocumulonimbus clouds each year, but this was an impressive event,” said Colin Seftor, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.&nbsp;



Seftor monitors the spread of the airborne aerosols within wildfire smoke using the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite sensor on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite.



“After the smoke was lofted up and entrained within the circulation of a passing low-pressure system, it resulted in the highest aerosol measurements we’ve seen this year,” said Seftor. “We did see two other smoke events in Canada in mid-August and early September, when aerosol index values were nearly as high,” he added.



Atmospheric scientist Hiren Jethva analyzed data collected by a lidar sensor on NASA’s ICESat-2 to measure the height of the smoke plume. “ICESat-2 data show a rising smoke cloud ranging from 6 to 11 kilometers,” he said.&nbsp;



According to NASA, scientists track smoke heights as part of a broader effort to understand how aerosols within wildfire smoke affect the radiation budget and climate when they form smoke layers above clouds.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Smoke-infused storm cloud over the Northwest Territories 

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

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features the port city of Derna on the northeastern coast of Libya, where heavy rainfall caused catastrophic flooding that killed thousands of people.&nbsp;



"On September 10 and 11, over 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain fell on Derna. The city lies at the end of a long, narrow valley, called a wadi, which is dry except during the rainy season," explained NASA.



"Floods triggered two dams along the wadi to collapse. The failure of the second dam, located just one kilometer inland of Derna, unleashed 3- to 7-meter-high floodwater that tore through the city. According to news reports, the flash floods destroyed roads and swept entire neighborhoods out to sea."



The image was captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9 on September 18. It shows the eroded banks of Wadi Derna, and muddy water off the coast.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Preliminary estimates by the United Nations Satellite Center (UNOSAT) indicate that 3,100 buildings in Derna were damaged by rushing water. According to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 40,000 people in the country were displaced by the storm, and 30,000 of those were displaced from Derna," said NASA.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Aftermath of catastrophic flooding in Derna, Libya

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features the western region of Morocco, where a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on September 8, 2023. The violent earthquake killed thousands of people and many are still missing more than a week later.



"The damage proxy map shown above is a NASA Earth Observatory version of a map created by the Earth Observatory of Singapore - Remote Sensing Lab (EOS-RS). The map uses modified Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite data processed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and with software originally developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech," said NASA.



"To map the landscape, including buildings, Sentinel-1’s radar sends pulses of microwaves toward Earth’s surface and 'listens' for reflected echoes of those waves. In the map above, the damage proxy data from EOS-RS was laid over a Landsat 9 image and combined with a digital elevation model based on data collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission."



According to NASA, the most severe destruction occurred in small rural villages in the High Atlas Mountains. Near the epicenter, entire communities were destroyed.



A resident of the town of Tinzert, Hakim Idlhousein, told CNN that it took just 10 seconds for his whole village to disappear. The homes have been reduced to rubble, and the survivors are still waiting for government aid. These hardest-hit regions have been difficult to reach after roads were destroyed by the earthquake.&nbsp;



"Help has been slow to come and has so far mostly consisted of food and water brought up into the mountains in private cars by volunteers from across Morocco," reported CNN.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Entire villages destroyed by earthquake in the High Atlas Mountains

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Lake Tanganyika, which is the second oldest freshwater lake in existence. The world’s longest freshwater lake

This African Great Lake is also the world’s longest freshwater lake and second deepest, containing about 17 percent of the freshwater on the planet. 

With depths of up to 1,470 meters, Tanganyika supports about 1,500 species of animals.

This false color image was captured on June 18, 2019, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. 

The African Great Lakes (Swahili: Maziwa Makuu) are a series of lakes constituting the part of the Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift. They include Lake Victoria, the third-largest fresh water lake in the world by area, Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-largest freshwater lake by volume and depth, and Lake Malawi, the world's eighth-largest fresh water lake by area. Collectively, they contain 31,000 km3 (7400 cu mi) of water, which is more than either Lake Baikal or the North American Great Lakes. This total constitutes about 25% of the planet's unfrozen surface fresh water. The large rift lakes of Africa are the ancient home of great biodiversity, and 10% of the world's fish species live there.
Countries in the African Great Lakes region (sometimes also called Greater Lakes region) include Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

&nbsp;

The world’s longest freshwater lake

A recent study on Caribbean parrots has revealed that species believed to be unique to specific islands were once more prevalent and varied than previously thought.&nbsp;



The research helps to explain why parrots, particularly those on islands, have become the globe's most endangered bird group.



"Humans did not arrive on most of the world’s islands until relatively recently, making islands favorable places for disentangling the timing and magnitude of natural and anthropogenic impacts on species diversity and distributions," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Here, we focus on Amazona parrots in the Caribbean, which have close relationships with humans."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-the-survivors">Protecting the survivors</h2>



In 1492, during Christopher Columbus' maiden journey to the Caribbean, parrot flocks were so abundant that they reportedly "obscured the sun."&nbsp;



But today, over half of the Caribbean parrot species, ranging from macaws to parrotlets, are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-quarter-of-earths-species-may-be-extinct-by-2010/">extinct</a>. The task of conserving the surviving species has been hindered by the limited knowledge of their historical distributions.&nbsp;



“People have always been obsessed with parrots,” said study lead author Jessica Oswald, a senior biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab.&nbsp;



“Indigenous peoples have moved parrots across continents and between islands for thousands of years. Later, European colonists continued that practice, and we’re still moving them around today.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unclear-origins">Unclear origins</h2>



According to the researchers, centuries of trade have made it difficult to know how parrots wound up where they are now. Half of the 24 parrot species that currently live in the Caribbean were introduced from other areas, and it’s unclear whether native parrots evolved on the islands they inhabit or were similarly transported there.



“There are records of parrots being kept in homes, where they were valued for their feathers and, in some cases, potentially as a source of food,” said study senior author Michelle LeFebvre from the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-fossil-species">Identifying fossil species</h2>



Parrots are often discovered at archaeological sites, and they have a remarkable fossil record in the Caribbean.&nbsp;



Previously, the fragmented nature of these remains made it impossible to identify the fossil species. But now, recent advancements in DNA technology have made it possible.&nbsp;



David Steadman, a retired curator of ornithology, collaborated with Oswald, who successfully sequenced DNA from a 2,500-year-old extinct Caribbean bird.&nbsp;



“For me, the single most satisfying thing about this project is we can use fossils in ways that weren’t even imaginable when they came out of the ground,” said Steadman.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-sequencing">Genetic sequencing</h2>



Using genetic sequencing methods, the experts established connections between extinct flightless Caribbean birds and those in Africa and New Zealand.



The research focused mainly on the Cuban and Hispaniolan parrots of the Amazona genus.&nbsp;



While the Cuban parrot species currently thrives in select areas of the Caribbean, the Hispaniolan species faces potential extinction, restricted to its namesake island.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-extinctions-nbsp">Dark extinctions&nbsp;</h2>



The DNA analysis led to some surprising revelations. For example, fossils from Bahamian sites previously assumed to belong to the more prevalent Cuban parrots were actually from Hispaniolan parrots.&nbsp;



This suggests that Hispaniolan parrots once ranged through the Bahamas before humans reached the islands.



“One of the striking things about this study is the discovery of what could be considered dark extinctions,” LeFebvre said. “We’re learning about diversity we didn’t even know existed until we took a closer look at museum specimens.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-human-factor">The human factor</h2>



The study also illuminates the human role in species distribution. According to Oswald, knowing where species once thrived is the first step to conserving what’s left of their diversity.



“We have to think about what we consider to be natural,” she said. “People have been altering the natural world for thousands of years, and species that we think are endemic to certain areas might be the product of recent range loss due to humans."



"It takes paleontologists, archaeologists, evolutionary biologists and museum scientists all working together to really understand the long-term role of humans on diversity change.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2301128120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Humans have relocated Caribbean parrots for thousands of years

A recent study on Caribbean parrots has revealed that species...

The,Sun,And,The,Earth,-,Elements,Of,This,Image

A new study illuminates the drastic climatic conditions that could lead to a mass extinction of humans and all mammals, rivaling the extinction of the dinosaurs, approximately 250 million years into the future. 



This research posits that the formation of a supercontinent, merging of the world’s current continents, will create a largely inhospitable environment. Extreme temperatures will plague this new <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/supercontinents-101-pannotia-gondwana-and-pangea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supercontinent</a> and will severely endanger most mammal species, including humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supercomputer-predictions">Supercomputer predictions</h2>



For the first time, researchers have employed supercomputer climate models to simulate future climatic conditions, exposing the severe intensification of climate extremes as the Earth’s continents coalesce to form a singular, uninhabitable supercontinent. 



The process would escalate average global temperatures, making survival for most mammals virtually impossible due to their inability to adapt to such extreme heat conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sun-s-brightness-and-tectonic-activity">Sun’s brightness and tectonic activity</h2>



Further, the research projects escalation in the sun’s brightness, which would emit more energy and increase Earth’s temperatures. 



Additionally, the formation of the supercontinent will be marked by frequent volcanic eruptions due to tectonic processes within the Earth’s crust. This would release enormous amounts of carbon dioxide and exacerbate global warming. 



The research team says that the increasing carbon dioxide levels, coupled with a hotter sun and extreme continentality, will create a triple threat. This, in turn, will cause temperatures to rise between 40 to 70 degrees Celsius in most areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extinction-of-humans-and-mammals">Extinction of humans and mammals</h2>



Mammals, including humans, have historically evolved to endure climatic extremes, adapting to cold through features like fur and hibernation. However, their ability to tolerate high temperatures has remained relatively constant, making the survival in prolonged excessive heat almost impossible. 



The climatic conditions portrayed in this study, if they come to fruition, would not be survivable for mammals due to their inability to dissipate heat through sweat and cool their bodies. This would result in the extinction of humans.



Dr Eunice Lo, a co-author of the study, emphasized the urgency to address the current climate crisis resulting from human-induced global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. Extreme heat, which is already detrimental to human health, underscores the immediate need for global efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-projections-and-co2-levels">Future projections and CO2 levels</h2>



To project future climatic conditions and CO2 levels, scientists simulated temperature, wind, rain, and humidity trends for the next expected supercontinent -- Pangea Ultima. 



The models estimate CO2 levels rising from 400 ppm today to over 600 ppm in the future, assuming humanity ceases fossil fuel consumption. Otherwise, such levels may be reached much sooner. 



Professor Benjamin Mills, who led the CO2 calculations, pointed out the grim outlook for the future with potential double CO2 levels, 2.5% more radiation from the sun, and a supercontinent situated in the hot, humid tropics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exoplanet-research-and-habitability">Exoplanet research and habitability</h2>



This study also emphasizes the importance of considering tectonics and continental layouts in researching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/next-generation-telescopes-could-detect-signs-of-life-on-exoplanets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exoplanets</a> or planets beyond our solar system. 



The research illustrates that being in the ‘<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-third-of-our-galaxys-planets-could-be-habitable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitable zone</a>’ of a solar system does not guarantee a planet's habitability for humans. The landmass layout of a distant world plays a pivotal role in determining its livability.



In summary, while the projections paint a bleak picture for life in the distant future due to extreme heat and harsh conditions, it simultaneously accentuates the urgent need for addressing current climate crises and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to preserve the planet’s habitability. 



The collective endeavor to reach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-net-zero-world-will-require-75-trillion-of-investment-and-1-billion-electric-cars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">net-zero emissions</a> is more critical than ever, not only to prevent human extinction, but also for the diverse mammalian species sharing this planet.



The full study by the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> was published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01259-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-mass-extinctions">Past mass extinctions</h2>



The Earth's geological and climatic history is punctuated by several mass extinction events, moments in time when the planet experienced abrupt shifts, leading to the substantial loss of its biodiversity.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ordovician-silurian-extinction-around-443-million-years-ago">Ordovician-Silurian Extinction (Around 443 million years ago)</h3>



In this first notable mass extinction, ice ages predominated and caused substantial marine life loss, wiping out nearly 85% of sea life. Changing sea levels and temperatures reduced habitat range and induced environmental stress, directly affecting marine biodiversity. This extinction primarily decimated marine species, since life on land was scarce during this period.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-late-devonian-extinction-around-360-million-years-ago">Late Devonian Extinction (Around 360 million years ago)</h3>



The Late Devonian extinction left a significant impact, with a 75% reduction in species. This extinction event extensively affected marine life, particularly reef-building organisms and fish. Volcanic activity and asteroid impacts are considered primary culprits, disrupting ecosystems and altering atmospheric conditions, leading to extensive marine anoxia.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-permian-triassic-extinction-around-252-million-years-ago">Permian-Triassic Extinction (Around 252 million years ago)</h3>



Often referred to as "The Great Dying," this cataclysm annihilated around 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species. Massive volcanic eruptions in what is now Siberia released colossal amounts of lava, triggering severe climate change, acid rain, and ocean acidification. These environmental alterations devastated global ecosystems, transforming life on Earth.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-triassic-jurassic-extinction-around-200-million-years-ago">Triassic-Jurassic Extinction (Around 200 million years ago)</h3>



This event marked the end of the Triassic and the rise of the Jurassic period, with around 50% of species perishing. Large-scale volcanic activities and resultant climate changes are believed to be the driving forces, facilitating the dominance of dinosaurs by clearing ecological niches and allowing for adaptive radiations of various species.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cretaceous-paleogene-extinction-around-66-million-years-ago">Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction (Around 66 million years ago)</h3>



This well-known mass extinction event resulted from a colossal asteroid impact, creating the <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/the-chicxulub-disaster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chicxulub crater</a> in present-day Mexico and obliterating approximately 75% of all species, including the non-avian dinosaurs. The impact caused wildfires, tsunamis, and released substantial quantities of sulphur, leading to a "nuclear winter" effect, causing extreme and sudden climate shifts.



Examining these extinction events, we observe the recurring themes of sudden environmental and climatic changes -- often due to volcanic activity or celestial impacts -- that drastically altered life on Earth. 



These past events are crucial in understanding the fragility of life on our planet and underscore the importance of preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance in the face of current environmental changes and challenges. They serve as poignant reminders of Earth's dynamic history and the transitory nature of its inhabitants.



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Scientists predict a new mass extinction that will wipe out humans and all mammals

A new study illuminates the drastic climatic conditions that could...

Every glimmer of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-spectacle-northern-lights-may-be-visible-in-17-states-next-week/">northern lights</a> – also known as aurora borealis - has its origins in a specific area on the solar surface. As a result of escalating solar activity, the upcoming year and a half are set to be replete with such celestial glimmers.



Since the end of 2022, a dramatic surge in the observation of sunspots - a pivotal metric for predicting the aurora borealis - has exceeded prior projections. This upswing has, in certain instances, expanded the observable scope of this natural light display.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-escalation-in-solar-activity">Escalation in solar activity</h2>



If it persists, scientists anticipate that the next 18 months could usher in the strongest northern lights activity of both the upcoming decade and the preceding 20 years. This amazing spectacle will be observable more frequently and from a broader array of locations worldwide.



“Skywatchers are excited,” said Mark Miesch, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA).



In 2019, the <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/solarcycle25/2022/07/27/solar-cycle-25-is-exceeding-predictions-and-showing-why-we-need-the-gdc-mission/">Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel</a>, a globally represented scientific assembly backed by NASA and NOAA, which predicts sunspot activities, had initially projected a below-average count of approximately 110 to 115 sunspots at its peak.&nbsp;



However, revised models from various experts indicate a potential substantial escalation in solar activity.



According to the scientists, there will be a significant rise in solar activity until the autumn of 2024. It is during this period that the probability of witnessing the aurora borealis is at its pinnacle, according to Miesch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-weather">Space weather</h2>



Sunspots, characterized by their darker appearance, reduced temperature, and heightened magnetic activity on the solar surface, give rise to space weather. This occurs when magnetic anomalies propel particles into the cosmos, a phenomenon known as coronal mass ejection.&nbsp;



These particles traverse over 94 million miles before they encounter breaches in the Earth’s magnetic field, leading to collisions with the atmospheric elements and resulting in the radiant hues that fill the sky.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extended-visibility-range-nbsp">Extended visibility range&nbsp;</h2>



Typically, the aurora borealis is most prominent near the Polar regions, where the Earth's magnetic fields are relatively weaker.&nbsp;



However, the increased solar activity has already extended the visibility range of the lights this year. Recent sightings have been reported as far south as Minnesota, Wisconsin, and even Arizona.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetic-field-disturbances-nbsp">Magnetic field disturbances&nbsp;</h2>



Yet, solar weather is not the sole contributing factor. According to Miesch, the spring and autumn equinoxes induce amplified disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field.&nbsp;



This amplification results from the alignment of the Earth’s magnetic field to expose its most vulnerable segments towards the sun and thus granting space particles a more straightforward entry into our planet’s atmosphere.



“When there’s a big disturbance in the magnetic field, then you are more likely to see aurora at lower latitudes,” Miesch told NBC News.



As a consequence, this alignment would nearly double the chances of witnessing the northern lights in the following days.



The documentation of sunspots stands as one of the most enduring observational datasets, with records tracing back to the 17th century.



“Sunspots are our window to the past to compare current activity to what it was centuries ago,” Miesch told NBC.



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Northern lights activity will intensify over the next 18 months

Every glimmer of the northern lights – also known as...

In a recent study led by Professor Adrian David Cheok at the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tokyo</a>, researchers have successfully deciphered the emotional states of chickens through their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zebra-finches-use-both-calls-and-vision-to-coordinate-flight/">vocalizations</a>. This unique endeavor seeks to bridge the interspecies communication gap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chicken-vocalizations">Chicken vocalizations</h2>



The research, which is still awaiting peer review, has reported a groundbreaking achievement. The team determined the six emotional states of chickens - hunger, fear, anger, contentment, excitement, and distress - with 80% accuracy solely based on vocalizations.&nbsp;



The preliminary findings have been documented in a paper submitted to Nature Scientific Reports and initially published in <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-3034567/v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research Square</a>.



Cheok, otherwise recognized for his sex robot research, humorously commented on this novel venture: “It’s a cluckin’ great leap for science! And this is just the beginning."



"We hope to be able to adapt these AI and ML techniques to other animals and lay the groundwork for incredible intelligence in the various animal-related industries. If we know what animals are feeling we can design a much better world for them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-emotional-analysis-learning-deal">Deep Emotional Analysis Learning (DEAL)</h2>



“Our methodology employs a cutting-edge AI technique we call Deep Emotional Analysis Learning (DEAL), a highly mathematical and innovative approach that allows for the nuanced understanding of emotional states through auditory data,” explained Cheok.&nbsp;



The innovative AI technique holds the promise of designing a more humane environment for animals by better comprehending their feelings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collaborative-expertise-nbsp">Collaborative expertise&nbsp;</h2>



"We conducted our study with a sample of 80 chickens, meticulously recording and analyzing their vocalizations under various conditions," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"To ensure the accuracy of our system's interpretations, we collaborated with a team of eight animal psychologists and veterinary surgeons, who provided expert insights into the emotional states of the chickens."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accurate-results">Accurate results</h2>



The researchers meticulously analyzed approximately 200 hours of chicken sounds. The AI system was trained on half of these recordings, where each sound was labeled with a corresponding emotional state.&nbsp;



When tested on the remaining 100 hours of chicken vocalizations, the system impressively pinpointed the chickens' emotional states most of the time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-welfare">Animal welfare</h2>



“This research not only opens up new avenues for understanding and improving animal welfare but also sets a precedent for further studies in AI-driven interspecies communication,” said the study authors.



They noted that chickens are “highly social animals” and plan to create a free app so that farmers can use the technology to communicate with their chickens.



According to the researchers, this study not only enhances our understanding of animal welfare but also sets the foundation for further exploration in AI-facilitated interspecies communication.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



Farming Online recognizes the immense potential of this research, saying that it could redefine animal welfare, advance veterinary medicine, improve poultry farming conditions, and assist animal behavior research, among other applications.



"The novelty of our approach lies in its application of sophisticated AI techniques to a largely unexplored area of study," concluded the researchers.



"By bridging the gap between human and animal communication, we believe our research will pave the way for more empathetic and effective interactions with the animal kingdom."



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AI can now interpret the emotional states of chickens through their noises

In a recent study led by Professor Adrian David Cheok...

Pet,Care,Concept.,Funny,Smiling,Golden,Retriever,Dog,In,The

College life, often depicted as exhilarating and liberating, is also synonymous with stress due to the amalgamation of academic pressures, work, and personal responsibilities. Recognizing the myriad of pressures students face, universities have initiated innovative stress relief programs. One such program named “Pet Your Stress Away” encourages students to pet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/therapy-dogs-boost-cognitive-skills-in-college-students/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dogs</a> and cats. 



The essence of these programs is allowing students to interact with furry friends, aiming to alleviate stress and improve overall mood. Scientists at <a href="https://wsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington State University</a> (WSU) have substantiated the effectiveness of these programs, revealing their capability to yield significant stress-relieving physiological benefits beyond just elevating moods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reaping-benefits-in-just-ten-minutes">Reaping benefits in just ten minutes</h2>



Patricia Pendry, an Associate Professor in WSU’s Department of Human Development, underscores the impact of animal interaction, stating, “Just 10 minutes can have a significant impact”. 



The study, conducted by Pendry along with WSU graduate student Jaymie Vandagriff and published in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2332858419852592" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AERA Open</a>, demonstrated that students experiencing interaction with cats and dogs showed a marked reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone. 



These findings are pivotal as they represent the first instance where reductions in cortisol levels in students were observed during a real-life intervention outside the laboratory setting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted</h2>



The meticulously designed study included 249 college students who were randomly segregated into four distinct groups. The students in the first group were given the opportunity to interact directly with cats and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-dog-feel-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dogs</a>, allowing them to pet and play with the animals for ten minutes. 



To gauge the variable impacts of differing animal exposures, the second group observed others interacting with the animals while awaiting their turn. The third group viewed a slideshow featuring the animals, and the fourth was waitlisted, anticipating interaction but initially without any engagement or stimuli.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significant-cortisol-reduction-from-petting-dogs">Significant cortisol reduction from petting dogs</h2>



The methodological approach included collecting several salivary cortisol samples from each participant from the time they woke up. The subsequent data analysis revealed that students who engaged directly with the animals exhibited significantly lower cortisol levels in their saliva post-interaction. These compelling results remained consistent, even accounting for the varying initial cortisol levels amongst students.



Benefits beyond surface-level



Universities' incorporation of “Pet Your Stress Away” programs is rooted in the acknowledgement of the multi-faceted pressures inundating students. These programs don’t merely serve as a transient mood enhancer. They penetrate deeper, offering tangible physiological benefits by significantly reducing stress levels.



 The study validates the potency of these programs, highlighting their ability to create a holistic, positive impact within a mere ten-minute interaction window.



In summary, the innovative stress reduction programs instituted by many universities manifest a proactive approach to address the escalating stress levels amongst students, combining academic vigor with emotional well-being. The conclusive evidence provided by the study conducted at Washington State University accentuates the vital role such programs can play in fostering a balanced and conducive learning or working environment. 



By allowing a short respite through animal interaction, universities are not just enhancing student mood but are also contributing to their overall well-being by inducing physiological changes that combat stress.



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Petting dogs and cats dramatically reduces stress

College life, often depicted as exhilarating and liberating, is also...

New research led by Dr. Jim Cleaves and Dr. Robert Hazen may soon provide answers to our questions about the existence of life beyond our planet.&nbsp;



A team from the <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/">Carnegie Institution for Science</a> has devised a test that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to detect signs of past or present life on other celestial bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-incredible-accuracy">Incredible accuracy</h2>



The AI-based method can differentiate between biological samples from the ancient and modern era and those of non-biological origin with 90 percent accuracy.



Dr. Hazen believes that this "routine analytical method" will revolutionize the search for life beyond Earth. Not only does it shed light on the earliest life forms on our planet, but it also paves the way for robotic spacecraft, landers, and rovers to scout for life on distant planets and moons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-significance">Study significance</h2>



One immediate application of this test could be on the samples already collected by NASA's Mars Curiosity rover. While some adjustments to align with SAM's (Sample Analysis at Mars) protocols are necessary, it might soon be possible to discern if organic molecules on Mars are remnants of a Martian biosphere.



Dr. Cleaves emphasized the profound implications of this discovery. At its core, this research confirms that there are inherent differences between biochemistry and abiotic organic chemistry.&nbsp;



Additionally, it provides a novel tool to verify the liveliness of samples from ancient Earth and Mars. 



More importantly, the technology could potentially recognize life forms different from those we're familiar with on Earth, which is crucial for future astrobiology missions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-approach-nbsp">Breakthrough approach&nbsp;</h2>



Unlike previous tests that target specific molecules or compound groups, the innovative method uses AI to identify nuanced differences in molecular patterns. These patterns emerge from a pyrolysis gas chromatography analysis followed by mass spectrometry. 



During their research, the team used multidimensional data from 134 biotic or abiotic carbon-rich samples to train the AI.&nbsp;



The experts found that AI could determine whether samples were derived from living organisms, remnants of ancient life, or purely abiotic sources with a success rate of 90 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-samples">Ancient samples</h2>



An important note from the research team is that the origins of numerous ancient carbon-bearing samples remained ambiguous until now.&nbsp;



Over time, both biotic and abiotic organic molecules degrade, making their origins tough to trace. However, this technique, even with decay and alteration, was able to detect signs of biological presence from samples as old as hundreds of millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-chemistry-of-life">The chemistry of life</h2>



“We began with the idea that the chemistry of life differs fundamentally from that of the inanimate world; that there are ‘chemical rules of life’ that influence the diversity and distribution of biomolecules," said Dr. Hazen.



"If we could deduce those rules, we can use them to guide our efforts to model life’s origins or to detect subtle signs of life on other worlds.”



“These results mean that we may be able to find a lifeform from another planet, another biosphere, even if it is very different from the life we know on Earth.&nbsp; And, if we do find signs of life elsewhere, we can tell if life on Earth and other planets derived from a common or different origin.”



“Put another way, the method should be able to detect alien biochemistries, as well as Earth life. That is a big deal because it's relatively easy to spot the molecular biomarkers of Earth life, but we cannot assume that alien life will use DNA, amino acids, etc. Our method looks for patterns in molecular distributions that arise from life's demand for "functional" molecules."



“What really astonished us was that we trained our machine-learning model to predict only two sample types – biotic or abiotic – but the method discovered three distinct populations: abiotic, living biotic, and fossil biotic.&nbsp; In other words, it could tell more recent biological samples from fossil samples – a newly plucked leaf or vegetable, say, versus something that died long ago," noted Dr. Hazen.



"This surprising finding gives us optimism that other attributes such as photosynthetic life or eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus) might also be distinguished.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biotic-and-abiotic-samples">Biotic and abiotic samples</h2>



“From a chemical standpoint, the differences between biotic and abiotic samples relate to things like water solubility, molecular weights, volatility and so on," said Dr. Cleaves.



"The simple way I would think about this is that a cell has a membrane and an interior, called the cytosol; the membrane is pretty water-insoluble, while the cell's content is pretty water-soluble. That arrangement keeps the membrane assembled as it tries to minimize its components' contacts with water and also keeps the ‘inside components’ from leaking across the membrane.”



“The inside components can also stay dissolved in water despite being extremely large molecules like chromosomes and proteins,” he says.&nbsp;



“So, if one breaks a living cell or tissue into its components, one gets a mix of very water-soluble molecules and very water-insoluble molecules spread across a spectrum. Things like petroleum and coal have lost most of the water-soluble material over their long histories.”



“Abiological samples can have unique distributions across this spectrum relative to each other, but they are also distinct from the biological distributions."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solving-mysteries">Solving mysteries</h2>



With this advancement, several scientific enigmas, such as the origins of the 3.5 billion-year-old black sediments from Western Australia, may soon be resolved.&nbsp;



These rocks, which are a subject of debate among scientists regarding their potential to contain Earth's oldest fossil microbes, might finally give up their secrets.



“We’re applying our methods right now to address these long-standing questions about the biogenicity of the organic material in these rocks,” said Dr. Hazen.



“If AI can easily distinguish biotic from abiotic, as well as modern from ancient life, then what other insights might we gain? For example, could we tease out whether an ancient fossil cell had a nucleus, or was photosynthetic?”&nbsp;



“Could it analyze charred remains and discriminate different kinds of wood from an archeological site? It’s as if we are just dipping our toes in the water of a vast ocean of possibilities.”



The research is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, and was financially backed by the John Templeton Foundation.&nbsp;



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Is there really life beyond Earth? AI could soon solve this mystery

New research led by Dr. Jim Cleaves and Dr. Robert...

The Ganges River, also known as the Ganga, is one of the most significant and sacred water bodies in India and has a deep cultural, spiritual, and historical importance to millions of people.&nbsp;



The Ganges originates from the Gangotri Glacier in the central Himalayas. It flows southeast through the plains of northern India, passing through cities like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, and Patna.&nbsp;



After entering the state of West Bengal in India, the river divides into several distributaries and forms the Ganges Delta before flowing into the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastics-in-the-ganges">Microplastics in the Ganges</h2>



In a recent study, scientists analyzed plastic pollution in the Ganges. The goal was to gain a better understanding of the characteristics and flow of plastics in a major river system



The results showed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-are-exposed-to-microplastics-before-theyre-even-born/">microplastics</a> were present throughout the Ganges River system - in the water, sediment, and even in the surrounding air.&nbsp;



This research is the first-ever study to analyze the prevalence of microplastics in these three key environments surrounding a major river system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastic-abundance-nbsp">Microplastic abundance&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers found an average of 41 microplastic particles settling from the atmosphere per square meter per day.&nbsp;



Furthermore, sediment from the riverbed contained an average of 57 particles per kilogram, and there was one particle found in every 20 liters of water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-true-scale-of-contamination-nbsp">The true scale of contamination&nbsp;</h2>



Study lead author Dr. Imogen Napper is a research fellow at the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> and National Geographic Explorer.



“We have known for some time that rivers are key pathways for the transfer of microplastics to marine environments. However, there has always been uncertainty about the sheer amounts being transported, and whether they represent long-term sinks," said Dr. Napper.



"This study goes some way to unraveling that mystery, and revealing the true scale of microplastic contamination that our river systems can represent.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study-nbsp">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



The experts analyzed samples that had been collected by an international team during the National Geographic Society's Sea to Source: Ganges expedition.&nbsp;



Many of the scientists involved in this research also contributed to a 2021 study suggesting that the Ganges River and its tributaries may contribute up to 3 billion microplastic particles daily to the Bay of Bengal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-types-of-microplastics-found-nbsp">Types of microplastics found&nbsp;</h2>



In terms of the types of microplastics found in this recent study, fibers emerged as the dominant form, accounting for up to 99% of microplastics in certain samples.&nbsp;



Among these fibers, rayon - a synthetically altered cellulose - was by far the most prevalent polymer, followed by acrylic and polyester. Additionally, blue emerged as the most frequently found color.



The experts found that areas with higher population densities showed increased amounts of microplastics in both air and water samples. Meanwhile, sediment samples had denser microplastic particles compared to those in water and air.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



The revelations from this research highlight the pervasive nature of microplastic contamination, emphasizing the need for broader studies and comprehensive strategies to address the issue.



The researchers believe clothing is likely the prominent source of microplastics in this particular river system, influenced by atmospheric deposition, wastewater, and direct inputs such as the handwashing of clothes in the Ganges.



Professor Heather Koldewey of the Zoological Society of London said: “Our research shows that clothing is the major source of microplastics in the air, water and sediment of this vast river system, enabling us to work with partners and policy makers to seek locally appropriate solutions."&nbsp;



"These can be informed and supported by the brilliant scientists from Bangladesh and India who were key members of the team involved in this paper.”



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



Dr. Anju Baroth from the Wildlife Institute of India noted that the study could be used to further explore the theory on major sinks and sources of microplastics in major river systems of the world.



“Earlier studies based on modeling had reported rivers in Asia as one the largest source of microplastic pollution to sea," said Dr. Baroth.&nbsp;



"This research based on primary field data has provided clear insight on the levels of microplastics in different environmental matrices of river Ganges and that several major river systems of the world have reported comparatively higher microplastics than the Ganges."&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166640">Science of the Total Environment</a>.



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Study reveals the extent of microplastic contamination in the Ganges River

The Ganges River, also known as the Ganga, is one...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

Total solar eclipse 2020: a view from above Today&#8217;s Image of the Day from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Earth_Observatory">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the shadow of the Moon crossing the face of Earth during the total solar eclipse on December 14, 2020.
According to NASA, the Moon completely blocked the disk of the Sun for about two minutes, and the much dimmer solar corona and its streamers became visible to the naked eye.
Total solar eclipse 2020: a view from above The “path of totality” was approximately 60 miles  wide and passed across South America through Chile and Argentina. However, thick cloud cover from an atmospheric river event made it difficult for many people to view the eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when a portion of the Earth is engulfed in a shadow cast by the Moon which fully or partially blocks sunlight. This occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned. Such alignment coincides with a new moon indicating the Moon is closest to the ecliptic plane. In a total eclipse, the disk of the Sun is fully obscured by the Moon. In partial and annular eclipses, only part of the Sun is obscured.
The image was captured by the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 16 (GOES-16).
Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 
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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Total solar eclipse 2020: a view from above

Today’s Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> shows a thick haze lingering in the sky over northern Thailand. Hazy skies over northern Thailand

The country has been experiencing unhealthy levels of smoke and air pollution for more than a month, as farmers use prescribed burns to clear their land for the planting season.

According to meteorologists, the poor air quality is expected to last until May.

This image was captured on April 12, 2019 by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite.Hazy skies over northern Thailand

Thailand,officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centre of the Southeast Asian Indochinese Peninsula composed of 76 provinces. At 513,120 km2 (198,120 sq mi) and over 68 million people, Thailand is the world's 50th-largest country by total area and the 21st-most-populous country. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, a special administrative area. Thailand is bordered to the north by Myanmar and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Myanmar. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. It is a unitary state. Although nominally the country is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, the most recent coup, in 2014, established a de facto military dictatorship under a junta.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

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