In a fascinating new study, scientists documented 34 attempts by wild killer whales to give food to humans. These rare cases spanned four oceans and 20 years. Some happened near boats, others in open water or even from the shore. 



The events highlight the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/killer-whales-use-kelp-to-massage-and-groom-each-other/">orcas</a>’ possible interest in humans and raise important questions about whale intelligence, communication, and social behavior.



“Orcas often share food with each other - it’s a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,” said study lead author Jared Towers, of <a href="https://baycetology.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bay Cetology</a> in British Columbia, Canada. “That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-orcas-gave-humans">What orcas gave humans</h2>



The 34 incidents involved six distinct populations of killer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-helps-humans-have-20-minute-conversation-with-humpback-whale-named-twain/">whales</a>. They offered humans a total of 18 species: six fish, five mammals, three invertebrates, two birds, one reptile, and even one piece of seaweed.



In 97 percent of these cases, the orcas waited for a human response. Some hovered for several minutes. 



On several occasions, they tried again when the humans ignored or returned the offering. In two especially curious cases, whales retrieved birds after humans returned them, only to offer them again.



This behavior could be a form of interspecies curiosity, communication, or even social learning. As the authors suggest, these events might represent "generalized altruism" - an advanced trait observed in only a few social animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploration-more-than-play">Exploration more than play</h2>



Though play was observed in 38 percent of the interactions, the researchers argue most cases were not playful. The age of the whales varied widely, and many offered whole, fresh prey. 



In over 75 percent of ignored cases, the whales later used the prey for themselves or their group. This suggests the offerings had purpose and value, not just entertainment.



Curiosity-driven behavior, distinct from play, seemed a stronger motivator. As the study explains, animals often explore to reduce uncertainty. 



Offering food to humans might help orcas learn how we respond, just as they would with unfamiliar members of their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-blow-bubble-smoke-rings-near-humans-to-communicate/">species</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-social-intelligence-at-work">Deep social intelligence at work</h2>



Some whales returned the same item to humans multiple times. Others acted in pairs or small groups. 



Most of the 34 events involved a single whale separating from a larger group. This suggests the act was not for show. Rather, it might reflect the whale's individual decision to interact.



Interestingly, killer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-dolphin-brains-evolved-to-see-underwater-by-using-sound-echolocation/">whales</a> have also been documented cooperating with human fishers in places like Australia and Russia. The authors noted that this history could influence modern interactions, especially as human activity increases near their habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-may-view-humans-as-companions">Whales may view humans as companions</h2>



Killer whales rank second only to humans in brain-to-body ratio. They also show advanced emotional and social behavior. 



These traits support complex social learning, reciprocal behavior, and possibly even empathy.



“Offering items to humans could simultaneously include opportunities for killer whales to practice learned cultural behavior, explore or play and in so doing learn about, manipulate or develop relationships with us,” the researchers wrote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-should-not-approach-whales">Humans should not approach whales</h2>



Despite the remarkable nature of these encounters, the researchers urge caution. Orcas can show complex and sometimes unpredictable behavior. 



While no wild killer whale has killed a person, some interactions have been intense. They warn against seeking out such encounters or encouraging the behavior without proper permissions.



Most of these whales belonged to populations that hunt near the surface and share prey frequently. 



No deep-water, fish-only populations were involved. This suggests that cooperative surface hunting may lead to more frequent and visible interspecies interactions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-minds-of-whales-and-humans">Complex minds of whales and humans</h2>



The findings challenge our assumptions about human-animal relationships. If orcas are experimenting with ways to relate to us, it means they recognize us not as threats, but as potential social partners.



These whales are not just predators. They are thinkers, observers, and maybe, in some way, explorers of culture, curiosity, memory, learning, and emotion. 



Their actions suggest complex minds in both whales and humans, capable of choice, empathy, and communication.



The study is published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2026-29805-001.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Comparative Psychology</a>. 



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Killer whales may be trying to bond with humans

In a fascinating new study, scientists documented 34 attempts by wild killer whales to give food to humans. These rare cases spanned four oceans and 20 years. Some happened near boats, others in open water or even from the shore. The events highlight the orcas’ possible interest in humans and raise important questions about whale intelligence, communication, and social behavior. “Orcas often share food with each other - it’s a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,” said study lead author Jared...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-struggle-to-find-food-in-cloudy-ocean-water/">Birdwatching</a> has become an important form of ecotourism all over the world, generating significant revenue for local communities at birding hotspots. Birders are often willing to pay high prices to see rare or iconic species, and will travel from afar to find specific types of birds. In the past, birdwatching required only a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope, but today many birdwatchers enjoy photographing the birds, particularly at their nests. Since this is a delicate time of a bird’s life, the disturbance has led to questions about whether the mantra “take only photographs, leave only footprints” is quite as eco friendly as it sounds.&nbsp;



According to Xiaocai Tan, an ornithologist and PhD candidate at Guangxi University in China, this focus on birds’ nests has worried scientists, who are concerned that the close proximity of humans to the nesting sites might stress the birds and negatively impact their reproductive success. She and her colleagues decided to study the effect of photographers on the nesting success of birds in the Nonggang National Nature Reserve (NNNR) in southern China. This reserve has 90 percent forest coverage and is rich in birdlife, including seven species that are globally threatened.&nbsp;



Since the 2008 discovery of the Nonggang babbler, Stachyris&nbsp; nonggangensis, the area has become a hotspot for birdwatching tourism, and attracts an increasing number of bird photographers. These photographers wait in groups at the nest sites for several hours to get good images of birds. Nests that are photographed are visited by between 3 and 10 people during the day. Local guides have set up blinds made of dark-colored material, 5–10 m from the nests, and observers stay within these structures. Photography occurs every day and throughout the day (6:00–18:00&nbsp;​h), unless there is strong wind or rain.



During the field work for this project, the researchers monitored 277 different bird nests belonging to 42 species. They recorded nesting success at nests where photographers were able to visit (83 nests), and compared this with the success at nests where no photographers were allowed (194 nests). Previous research in the Reserve had shown that nest predators, including other birds, mammals and reptiles, killed around 60 percent, and sometimes up to 75 percent, of the nestlings in the region, including the young of the globally vulnerable Nonggang Babbler.&nbsp;



The researchers also recorded the feeding frequency of parent birds at nests with and without photographers. They did this for the five species of birds in the Reserve that are most commonly photographed at their nests.&nbsp;



The results, published in the journal <a href="https://avianres.biomedcentral.com/">Avian Research</a>, showed that, contrary to expectations, the predation rate of nests that were photographed (13.3 percent), was significantly lower than the rate seen in nests that were not photographed (62.9 percent). While birds often flush and fly away when a person comes near, it seems that in this case the visiting photographers were doing more to scare away the common nest predators than the nesting birds themselves. This finding applied both to nests where eggs were being incubated, and to those where nestlings were present.&nbsp;



The scientists found no significant differences between parental feeding rates at nests that were disturbed by photographers and nests that were undisturbed.&nbsp;



"In other words, the presence of the photographers increased the survival rate of the bird nestlings. Interestingly, their presence had little effect – positive or negative – on the feeding rates in those nests," said Tan.



According to Aiwu Jiang, the investigator who led the study, this finding is totally contrary to what most scientists had expected. “Like a scarecrow, the presence of photographers seems to scare the nest predators away. Other research we’ve conducted in the same area shows that the presence of traffic noise can draw away birds’ mammalian predators.”



“Although this finding suggests that photography has a positive impact on the successful breeding of birds, it doesn’t mean that we are encouraging photographers to visit nest sites – there needs to be further assessment of other aspects of nesting, and other kinds of stress responses, before the total effect of bird photography can be understood.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How bird photographers improve nesting success

Birdwatching has become an important form of ecotourism all over...

A dramatic decline in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticide-exposure-dramatically-reduces-wild-bee-populations/">bee populations</a> at fruit farms in New Jersey and Pennsylvania has led scientists wonder whether these changes are just natural fluctuations, or warnings regarding significant future threats to the global food supply. Since the study has been conducted over an eight-year period (2005 to 2012), it is not possible to clearly conclude whether this decline represents a true drop in bee numbers, or only a normal variation over a larger cycle.&nbsp;



“This study is important because it is one of the first to assess trends in wild bee abundance in an agricultural system, where bees are providing an economically important ecosystem service,” said lead author Andrew Aldercotte, a doctoral candidate in Ecology and Evolution at <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a>. “Despite widespread recognition of the need for long-term monitoring of pollinator abundances and pollination service provision, such studies are exceedingly rare.”



“We saw two things come out,” Aldercotte added. “One was that the rate of visitation by bees was really low for the last two years of the study. But we also saw that the numbers bounced around a lot from year to year.”



The scientists analyzed data collected at 19 commercial farms in central New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania during peak bloom periods from 2005 to 2012, focusing on pollination visits by 73 species of bees (including wild bees, bumblebees, and honey bees) to the flowers of watermelon plants. The analysis reveled that pollination of watermelon flowers by wild bees and bumblebees declined by more than half during that period, while the population of honey bees – which are not native to those regions and are managed in hives by farmers – remained largely stable.



“Data collectors watched flowers for periods of 45 seconds and wrote down every bee visit they observed and then moved on and observed another flower for a period of 45 seconds,” Aldercotte said. “And they kept doing that throughout the day.”



While in New Jersey the bee populations were still sufficient to pollinate crops, studies of other crops in different parts of the country show that insufficient pollination often reduce crop production. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify whether the population of bees overall is declining or if these drop in numbers reflect a natural variation over time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/icad.12589">Insect Conservation and Diversity</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dramatic decline in bee populations observed in the U.S.

A dramatic decline in bee populations at fruit farms in...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-surprisingly-complex-vocal-sequences/">Chimpanzees</a> don’t only forage for fruit. From time to time they also hunt smaller monkeys in the canopy in order to acquire protein-rich meat. Since these monkeys are usually very agile, chimpanzees are most successful in catching them by having their conspecifics hunt alongside them. 



According to a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a> (UZH) and <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a>, chimpanzees often use communication to coordinate their cooperative behavior during hunting. By producing a specific type of vocalization called a “hunting bark,” they manage to recruit more group members to the hunt, which helps them capture their prey more efficiently.



The scientists studied over 300 hunting events recorded during the last 25 years at the Kanyawara chimpanzee community in Uganda, and discovered that, by making bark vocalizations, the wild apes catalyze group hunting. “Chimps who produce hunting barks provide information to those nearby about their motivation to hunt, and this information may persuade reluctant individuals to join, boosting the overall chances of success,” explained study lead author Joseph Mine, a doctoral student in Comparative Language Science at UZH.



Since hunting monkeys in dense tropical rainforests where visibility is significantly restricted is challenging, vocal communication allows chimpanzees to be more efficient. “Strikingly, following the production of hunting barks, we observed more hunters joining, greater speed in beginning the chase, and a shorter time to make the first capture,” said study senior author Zarin Machanda, an expert in Chimpanzee Behavioral Ecology at Tufts University.



While it is clear that such vocal communication makes hunting more effective, more research is needed to clarify why barks have this effect. “At the moment it is still unclear if these barks are given intentionally to coordinate the precise actions of the group, or whether they simply advertise an individual’s decision to hunt, which in turn, increases the likelihood of others joining them, and with more hunters they are more effective,” said study co-author Simon Townsend, an associate professor of Animal Communication at UZH.&nbsp;



This study suggests that the relationship between group communication and cooperation – which is fundamental in humans and led to the emergence of language and the complex forms of cooperation modern humans engage in – has very deep evolutionary roots. &nbsp;“Our results indicate that the relationship between vocal communication and group-level cooperation is ancient. This link seems to have been in place for at least seven million years, since our last common ancestor with chimpanzees,” Mine concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abo5553">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chimpanzees use vocal communication to coordinate hunting

Chimpanzees don’t only forage for fruit. From time to time...

Researchers have found that cloudy ocean waters caused by climate change can make it harder for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-are-damaging-their-health-by-eating-plastic/">seabirds</a> to catch fish. Off the coast of Ireland, on a small island called Little Saltee, the scientists attached trackers to the feathers of Manx shearwaters.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The aim of the study was to understand how underwater visibility affects seabirds’ when foraging for fish and other prey. It is the first study to examine the impact of ocean clarity on seabirds’ diving abilities.



"An increasingly turbid ocean may have negative consequences for oceanic consumers that use visual cues for prey capture," wrote the researchers.



"Some fishes have reduced movement efficiency when foraging in turbid conditions, and one study found that fish biomass in the North Sea was 76–85% positively correlated with water visibility alone, suggesting that visibility is pivotal in the habitat preference of many fish species."



Study lead author Jamie Darby is a marine ecologist in the School of Biological Environmental and Earth Sciences and the MaREI centre at <a href="https://www.ucc.ie/">University College Cork</a>.



“The chemical and physical properties of the planet’s oceans are changing at an unnatural rate, bringing about challenges for marine life. One consequence of climate change is that large areas of our oceans are becoming cloudier," explained Darby.



The research team investigated the diving patterns of the black and white Manx shearwaters in relation to local environmental conditions like cloud cover and water clarity.&nbsp;



Birds dove deeper when sunlight could penetrate further underwater, suggesting that visibility is key when diving for food. As the planet continues to warm, oceans will become cloudier, leaving seabirds to overcome this challenge.&nbsp;



“Our findings support the idea that the birds needed sufficient sunlight to be able to forage at depth," said Darby. "While this study examined one particular seabird. The results can be extended to other animals. Many visually-dependent predators could find themselves struggling to find food as human activities continue to make the oceans murkier."



The study is published in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2022.0862">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Seabirds struggle to find food in cloudy ocean water

Researchers have found that cloudy ocean waters caused by climate...

According to a new population assessment conducted by the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/">International Union for the Conservation of Nature</a> (IUCN), an estimated 3,726 to 5,578 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tigers-are-threatened-by-road-and-railway-development/">tigers</a> currently live around the world – which represents a 40 percent increase since 2015. While part of this increase can simply be the result of improvements in monitoring, conservation efforts over the past years could also have played a major role in halting – and perhaps even reversing - the decline of this endangered species.



“A fairly significant chunk of that&nbsp;40 percent increase&nbsp;is explained by the fact that we’re better at counting them, that many governments in particular have really sort of moved heaven and earth to do massive scale surveys,” said Luke Hunter, the executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) <a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&amp;ai=DChcSEwjhycOOk5b5AhUIg4MHHdz3DPoYABAAGgJlZg&amp;ae=2&amp;ohost=www.google.com&amp;cid=CAESbeD2gHdx4PS47HzT4ej9WQb5Ew3Q4i04q0k4c_ccs5Qfp2I8nzUIhxwsW8Zk2VbWlpM6Ob0PHS1joQhjgESIu75eoYH-5A_qBWwh06PTdsM9-1znzOAUouRUJrAYYVJyNRzkdGANKjS6-IIzH_o&amp;sig=AOD64_0khdBoNlBMaUaKmaezqZ3uS1Drfw&amp;q&amp;adurl&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj59LWOk5b5AhUsif0HHVwOCyYQ0Qx6BAgCEAE">Big Cats</a> program.



Besides better monitoring, Hunter also attributes the higher tiger numbers to increased conservation efforts in the countries where these rises in tiger populations were identified. However, this species is still considered endangered by IUCN, since tiger populations continue to decline in many parts of the globe and have lost a huge amount of their range due to poaching, habitat loss, and other human-caused factors.



Although tigers are just one among an enormous number of endangered species, efforts to conserve them could benefit other ecosystems surrounding them, as well as humans. “When you succeed in saving tigers or conserving tigers, you are conserving very large wilderness landscapes, with a huge host of biodiversity but also a whole bunch of benefits to the human communities that live in and around those landscapes,” Hunter explained.



IUCN’s tiger assessment is an important proof that conservation interventions can work and tiger populations are beginning to recover. “Expanding and connecting protected areas, ensuring they are effectively managed, and working with local communities living in and around tiger habitats, are critical to protect the species,” IUCN experts concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tiger populations increased by 40 percent since 2015

According to a new population assessment conducted by the International...

A new study led by <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a> has found that, contrary to popular belief, the reproductive capacity of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chemical-found-in-soft-corals-could-be-used-to-treat-cancer/">soft coral</a> is much weaker for deep water reefs than for those living in shallow waters. While many scientists hoped that deep water coral populations may help replenish degraded shallow ones – which endure significant damage from climate change and human activities – the experts discovered that coral spawning events at the deep end of the species’ depth range (30 to 45 meters) occur in fact at much lower intensities than those in shallower water (0 to 30 meters). Thus, in order to survive, deeper coral populations may more often rely on shallow-reef coral than vice-versa.



The researchers examined five breeding seasons of a species of soft coral called Rhytisma fulvum from the Gulf of Aqaba and Eilat, which lives along a large depth range. This type of coral reproduces by “surface-brooding” - a process that begins when male colonies release sperm cells in a synchronized manner, which then reach female colonies where internal fertilization occurs. Unlike in most other coral species, where embryos develop internally within the coral, in this species the fertilized eggs are released and cling to the colony via mucus for about six days before developing into larvae.



“The developing embryos have such a vibrant yellow color that makes it a very colorful event, lasting for several days. Thanks to that fact, we were able to monitor rather easily a large number of colonies along a large depth range throughout five annual reproductive seasons,” said study lead author Ronen Liberman, a doctoral student in Zoology at the Tel Aviv University.



By diving to various depths and positioning temperature sensors, the scientists examined the characteristics of coral breeding events, such as their timing, duration, and intensity. The analysis revealed that the timing and synchronization of reproduction events are associated with fast increases in water temperatures – a type of “heat wave” common in the Gulf of Aqaba and Eilat in early summer. In shallow water, the reproductive events occurred days to weeks earlier than at greater depths, most likely due to the fact that these “heat waves” occurred later on in deeper water.



Moreover, the researchers found that the number of colonies releasing embryos was significantly smaller at depths greater than 30 meters. “Whereas at a shallow depth, about half of the colonies participated in each spawning event, in the deeper water the participation rate dropped to only 10–20 percent,” said Liberman.



These findings suggest that, due to lower breeding intensity, deep-water coral populations are less likely to thrive on their own, and are reliant on corals from shallower reefs. “Therefore, these hidden deep reefs require attention and protection on their own right, perhaps even more than the shallow reefs,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecy.3760">Ecology</a>.



&nbsp;---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Coral reproductive capacity decreases with depth

A new study led by Tel Aviv University has found...

Plesiosaur <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-marine-ichthyosaur-fossils-found-high-in-the-alps/">fossils</a> occur commonly in deposits from the late Triassic Period, through the Jurassic and right to the end of the Late Cretaceous Period. These iconic reptiles, with their small heads, long necks, rounded bodies and four long flippers, reigned for over 100 million years and had a wide geographical distribution. They are considered to be highly successful marine reptiles and so many of their fossils have now been found that over a hundred different extinct species are recognized today.&nbsp;



The majority of these fossil remains have been recovered from ancient marine rocks, although a few have also been found in coastal environments, such as shallow waters, bays or estuaries, where salinity would have been lower than in the ocean. Now, in a new study led by the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a>, the fossil remains of small plesiosaurs have been reported from a Cretaceous-aged river system in Africa.



The fossils have been accumulated from several different regions of the Kem Kem deposits in eastern Morocco and include vertebrae from the neck, back and tail regions, shed teeth and a small flipper bone thought to be from a juvenile individual. Initially, Dr. Nick Longrich from the University of Bath’s Milner Centre for Evolution identified the flipper bone mixed in amongst various fossils in a rock shop in Erfoud, on the edge of the Sahara. He was surprised to find it there, as he thought of plesiosaurs as marine reptiles and the Kem Kem is in an ancient river system.&nbsp;



Once his interest had been piqued, he began to search around for other plesiosaur fossils from the area. His student, Georgina Bunker, identified the flipper bone as a humerus and his colleague Dave Martill, from the University of Portsmouth, recognized the bone as most likely belonging to a member of the Leptocleididae, a family of small plesiosaurs that typically only grows to around 3 m in length. Over next few years, the scientists gathered a small collection of teeth and vertebrae that had been found in the Kem Kem deposits; their analysis of these fossils appears in a publication in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/cretaceous-research">Cretaceous Research</a>.



“It’s scrappy stuff, but isolated bones actually tell us a lot about ancient ecosystems and animals in them. They’re so much more common than skeletons, they give you more information to work with,” said Dr. Longrich, who is corresponding author on the paper.



“The bones and teeth were found scattered and in different localities, not as a skeleton. So each bone and each tooth is a different animal. We have over a dozen animals in this collection.”



The researchers were interested in the fact that the numerous shed teeth showed significant signs of wear, including damage to the tips. This pattern was also found on the teeth of the fish-eating dinosaurs,&nbsp;Spinosaurus, which are found in the same deposits. Damage to the teeth is thought to have resulted from preying upon the heavily armored fish species that are also represented in the Kem Kem fossil record, and that attained enormous sizes. Furthermore, the authors feel that this implies the newly discovered plesiosaurs fed routinely on the same resources as Spinosaurus and were therefore not simply occasional visitors to the freshwater environment.&nbsp;



Although plesiosaur fossils have occasionally been found in estuarine or brackish water environments, they are not thought of as fresh water inhabitants. However, at Kem Kem they lived amongst numerous other freshwater species, such as frogs, salamanders, turtles, Spinosaurus, lungfish and bivalves. This has led the researchers to propose that these plesiosaurs were fully adapted to living in fresh water habitats and spent most of their time, if not all of it, in this environment.



Dr. Longrich said: “We don’t really know why the plesiosaurs are in freshwater. It’s a bit controversial, but who’s to say that because we paleontologists have always called them ‘marine reptiles’, they had to live in the sea? Lots of marine lineages invaded freshwater.”



Marine mammals sometimes enter fresh water environments to seek refuge, while river dolphins and the Baikal seal only inhabit fresh water habitats. In fact, fossils from the family Leptocleididae – to which the Kem Kem plesiosaurs are thought to belong – have been found in brackish or freshwater deposits elsewhere, in England, Africa, and Australia. And other fossil plesiosaurs, including the long-necked elasmosaurs, turn up in brackish or fresh waters in North America and China.



Based on these various lines of evidence, the researchers hypothesize that the new plesiosaurs were adapted to life in fresh water.&nbsp;



“We don’t really know, honestly,” said Dr. Longrich. “That’s how paleontology works. People ask, how can paleontologists know anything for certain about the lives of animals that went extinct millions of years ago? The reality is, we can’t always. All we can do is make educated guesses based on the information we have. We’ll find more fossils. Maybe they’ll confirm those guesses. Maybe not.”



"It's been really interesting to see the direction this project has gone in,” said lead author Georgina Bunker. The study initially began as an undergraduate project involving a single bone, but over time, more plesiosaur fossils started turning up, slowly providing a clearer picture of the animal.



The new discovery also expands the diversity of Morocco’s Cretaceous fauna. “This is another sensational discovery that adds to the many discoveries we have made in the Kem Kem over the past fifteen years of work in this region of Morocco," noted Dr. Samir Zouhri. "Kem Kem was truly an incredible biodiversity hotspot in the Cretaceous.”



“What amazes me,” said co-author Dave Martill, “is that the ancient Moroccan river contained so many carnivores all living alongside each other. This was no place to go for a swim.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plesiosaur fossils found in a 100-million-year old river

Plesiosaur fossils occur commonly in deposits from the late Triassic...

While it is clear that vertebrates can feel pain, whether this holds for invertebrates too has been a matter of fierce debate in the scientific community. Now, a research team led by <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a> has discovered that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperature-changes-negatively-impact-bumblebees/">bumblebees</a> are not only intelligent and innovative creatures, but may also be capable of experiencing pain. These findings suggest that bumblebees – and perhaps many other species of insects - should be included in animal welfare laws.



Previous studies have found that bumblebees are highly intelligent insects, able to do simple mathematics, understand the concept of zero, and distinguish among human – and probably bee – faces. Moreover, they show optimism when successfully foraging, and can become depressed if they are momentarily trapped by a spider. Thus, they are clearly capable of experiencing emotional states.



To discover whether these emotions include pain, the scientists looked at one of the criteria most commonly used to define pain in animals: “motivational trade-offs.” For instance, humans will endure a significant amount of pain at the dentist for the longer-term benefits of having healthy teeth, and hermit crabs will leave preferred shells to escape an electric shock only if the jolt is particularly high.



In order to assess whether bumblebees are capable of similar behaviors, the researchers gave them a choice between two high-quality feeders containing a 40 percent sugar solution, and two feeders with low percentages of sucrose. The feeders were placed on top of individual heating pads, which were initially all turned off. In such a situation, all the bees preferred the feeders containing the most sugar.



When the pads beneath the high sucrose feeders were warmed up to 55°C – a temperature high enough to cause discomfort, but not as high as to cause significant injuries - the bees were still choosing these feeders in order to get more sugar. However, when both the hot and the cool feeders contained high-sugar solutions, the insects always avoided the hot ones. “This is the first direct demonstration that arthropods can also do trade-offs,” said Jonathan Birch, an expert in Animal Sentience at the <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/">London School of Economics</a> who was not involved in the study.



However, it still remains unclear whether bees really feel what we call pain. Nevertheless, given that insects represent at least 60 percent of all animals, this possibility should not be ignored. “There is still anthropocentrism in Western science that rejects the idea of caring about ‘dumb invertebrates.’ Papers like this one will gradually chip away at this self-centered attitude,” concluded Jennifer Mather, a zoologist at the <a href="https://www.ulethbridge.ca/welcome-university-lethbridge">University of Lethbridge</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2205821119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bumblebees may be able to experience pain

While it is clear that vertebrates can feel pain, whether...

Scientists have discovered a new type of pollination interaction between red seaweed, a kind of algae, and Idotea balthica, a type of isopod <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-crustaceans-have-what-it-takes-to-survive-climate-change/">crustacean</a>. This finding is groundbreaking because it represents a different category of pollination interaction.&nbsp;



Professor Jeff Ollerton of the Kunming Institute of Botany of the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> (CAS) believes that the new research extends the phylogenetic boundaries of animal-mediated pollination and potentially stretches its origins back to the earliest evolution of marine invertebrates.



Compared to other seaweed, red seaweed is unique because its male gametes don't have flagella. Since they are not mobile, they must depend on ocean currents or animals to bring them to a female organ.&nbsp;



However, red seaweed has been around 1.2 billion years, while isopods like Idotea balthica emerged about 300 million years ago. Therefore scientists can't say how red seaweed was pollinated before. Perhaps extinct invertebrates could have gotten the job done, but even they are no more than 600 million years old.&nbsp;



The isopods have something to gain from this relationship as well. The seaweed provides protection from predators, and the isopods can feed on the tiny algae (diatoms) that live on the seaweed's surface. And since the diatoms can damage the seaweed's leaves, the seaweed further benefits from isopod presence.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Animal pollination, principally by insects, is the dominant strategy for angiosperms but also occurs in the extant gymnosperms, as well as some species of mosses," wrote the researchers. "Outside of these plants, no other group of organisms has been demonstrated to interact with animals in this way, until now."



Although this relationship is fascinating, it's also precarious considering the destruction of ocean ecosystems. The majority of red seaweed reproduction occurs at low tide in coastal rock pools. However, this habitat is imperiled due to pollution, human-caused physical destruction, invasive species, and climate change. Some red seaweed species, such as Gracilaria, are also being threatened by greenwashing campaigns that proclaim they are a sustainable food source.&nbsp;



Moreover, the crustaceans are jeopardized by ocean acidification which ruins their exoskeletons.&nbsp;



Sadly, scientists are not optimistic about this ancient relationship's continuance, believing it may be threatened before we fully comprehend it.



The article is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rare pollination discovered between red seaweed and crustaceans

Scientists have discovered a new type of pollination interaction between...

When new species of reptiles or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungal-disease-is-decimating-amphibians-in-baja-california/">amphibians</a> invade a region where they are not indigenous, funds are often spent to eradicate them or to cope with the damage they cause. Funding for these operations can run to millions of US dollars, say the authors of a new review study aimed at assessing the global economic costs of amphibian and reptile invasions between the years of 1986 and 2020.



For the study, Ismael Soto and colleagues used data from the InvaCost database, which compiles estimates of the economic costs of species invasions. In addition, information was taken from numerous peer-reviewed articles, documents on governmental, academic and non-governmental organization webpages and documents retrieved from biological invasion experts.



The analysis, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, estimates that between 1986 and 2020, the total cost incurred globally in coping with invasive amphibian and reptile species exceeded US$&nbsp;17.0 billion. Of this, US$&nbsp;6.3 billion was spent on dealing with amphibian invasions, US$&nbsp;10.4 billion was used to cope with invasions by reptiles, and the remaining US$&nbsp;0.3 billion was used in cases involving invasions by both amphibians and reptiles.&nbsp;



A total of US$&nbsp;6.0 billion (96.3 percent of money spent due to amphibian invasions) has been required to deal with the consequences of one single invasive amphibian species, the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). This species is native to North America, east of the Rocky Mountains, but has spread in past decades to other regions of the US and Canada, and to numerous countries around the world. It is a voracious predator that eats almost anything it can fit into its mouth.



As far as invasive reptiles go, 99.3 percent of costs (US$&nbsp;10.3 billion) have been incurred dealing with brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis). Native to eastern and northern coastal&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia">Australia</a>, eastern&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia">Indonesia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea">Papua New Guinea</a>, and many islands in northwestern&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesia">Melanesia</a>, this snake preys on vertebrates such as rodents, birds, bats and reptiles. It was accidentally introduced to the island of Guam shortly after the Second World War and was responsible for exterminating most of the indigenous forest vertebrate species on the island. It also caused power outages which affected private, commercial and military activity.&nbsp;



In order to prevent these snakes from being introduced accidentally from Guam to other Pacific islands, trained dogs are used to search, locate, and remove brown tree snakes before outbound military and commercial cargo and transportation vessels leave the island.&nbsp;



The study also found that 99.7 percent of costs due to invasive amphibians (US$&nbsp;6.3 billion) were incurred in managing these invasions, for example by eradicating the invasive species. In a similar finding, 96.6 percent of costs due to invasive reptiles (US$&nbsp;10.0 billion) were associated with managing damages caused by invasions, such as crop yield losses.&nbsp;



European countries incurred 96.3 percent (US$&nbsp;6.0 billion) of the cost relating to the management of amphibian invasions, while Oceania and certain Pacific Island countries incurred 99.6 percent (US$&nbsp;10.4 billion) of the cost relating to the management of invasive reptiles.



The authors suggest that the economic costs of amphibian and reptile invasions could be reduced by investing in measures to limit global transport of invasive species and to enable the early detection of invasions. This could reduce the need for long-term management of species invasions and the scale of damage incurred, they add.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive reptiles have cost the global economy billions

When new species of reptiles or amphibians invade a region...

Recent research completed by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) and <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en">Radboud University</a> demonstrates that human land use directly influences elephant movement through corridors.



The expansion of human-dominated landscapes means huge consequences for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/huge-win-for-wildlife-endangered-species-act-is-restored/">wildlife</a>. Not only can these environments make navigation more difficult for animals, they are also a driving factor for human-wildlife conflict. Habitat loss and fragmentation are some of the leading threats to biodiversity, and well-managed corridors are essential for species survival.&nbsp;



"This is the first study of this type that takes an in-depth look at comparing how varying land-use affects elephant movements and their use of wildlife corridors," said study lead author Tempe Adams of EWB.



The researchers spent seven years observing elephant movements through six wildlife corridors in Botswana and Zambia. They used camera traps to determine whether elephants used agricultural and urban corridors differently.&nbsp;



The experts found that varying land use can affect the times of day elephants move through passageways. Elephants using corridors in landscapes dominated by agriculture opted for nocturnal movement, thereby avoiding human activity. On the other hand, elephants did not alter when they moved through urban corridors, so their movements often coincided with human activity.



"This was a great opportunity to link our work on examining human pressures on biodiversity at Radboud University with the conservation work being done by Elephants Without Borders,' said study co-author Marlee Stevens. "Our results show that elephants alter their behaviour in human-modified landscapes, but their response varies depending on the human disturbance."



Since the study demonstrates wildlife may alter their behavior based on the type of human environment they encounter, corridor management strategies should consider land use.



"What is truly remarkable is that we found elephants do not perceive all human development the same way, but they are adjusting their behaviors to adapt to the variations and human pressure," said Adams. "It also further highlights the need for transparent documentation of human pressure within and around protected wildlife areas, which is critical to assist in the conservation of species."



This study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/conservation-science">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Land use changes affect elephant movement

Recent research completed by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) and Radboud...

Perfect,Summer,View,Of,The,Lake,Oeschinensee,In,Sunny,Day.

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en">University of Amsterdam</a> (UvA) argues that rapid increases in the scope and effectiveness of global conservation efforts are crucial for maintaining our planet’s ecological integrity. The experts have found that, in order to safeguard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-biodiversity-affect-species-interactions/">biodiversity</a>, 44 percent of the Earth’s land area - about 64 million square kilometers or 24.7 million square miles - requires conservation.&nbsp;



The scientists used advanced geospatial algorithms to map the optimal areas for conserving terrestrial species and ecosystems around the globe, and employed explicit land-use scenarios to assess how much of this land is at risk from anthropogenic activities by the end of this decade.



“Our study is the current best estimate of how much land we must conserve to stop the biodiversity crisis - it is essentially a conservation plan for the planet,” explained study lead author James Allan, a conservation scientist at UvA. “We must act fast, our models show that over 1.3 million km2&nbsp;of this important land – an area larger than South Africa – is likely to have its habitat cleared for human uses by 2030, which would be devastating for wildlife.”



While over a decade ago, governments set a global target to conserve at least 17 percent of terrestrial ecosystems through protected areas and other site-based approaches to safeguard biodiversity, by 2020 it was obvious that this target was too low to stop biodiversity declines and avert a massive biodiversity crisis. Yet, the new target recently set by governmental organizations (30 percent) appears to be still insufficient.



“While this is a great step in the right direction, our study suggests that more ambitious goals and policies to maintain ecological integrity beyond this 30 percent target are crucial,” said study co-author Kendall Jones, a conservation planning specialist at the <a href="https://www.wcs.org/">Wildlife Conservation Society</a>. “If nations are serious about safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin life on Earth, then they need immediately to scale-up their conservation efforts, not only in extent and intensity but also in effectiveness.”&nbsp;



According to the scientists, all this identified land should not necessarily be designed as protected areas, but rather managed through a variety of strategies, including other effective area-based conservation measures, or sustainable land-use policies.



“Conservation actions that promote the autonomy and self-determination of people living on this land, whilst also maintaining ecological integrity are crucial,” said Dr. Allan. “We have many effective conservation tools available, from empowering Indigenous Peoples to manage their natural environment, through to policies that limit deforestation or provide sustainable livelihood options, and of course protected areas.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abl9127#con1">Science</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

World Conservation Day: Can we stop the biodiversity crisis?

A new study led by the University of Amsterdam (UvA)...

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.



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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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" 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 Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&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> Staff Writer 



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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