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-social-lives-of-killer-whales">Social lives of killer whales</h2>



Orcas live some of the most complex social lives in the animal kingdom. They stick together in tight-knit family groups called pods, usually led by an older matriarch. 



These family units aren’t just casual gatherings - they’re lifelong bonds. Calves stay with their mothers for life, swimming, hunting, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/photographer-captures-killer-whales-wearing-fish-hats/">playing together</a>. 



In some regions, pods form larger communities or clans that share unique vocal dialects, kind of like cultural accents passed down through generations. This tight social structure helps them coordinate during hunts and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/killer-whales-use-kelp-to-massage-and-groom-each-other/">protect each other</a> from threats.



But it’s not all business. Orcas socialize for the joy of it too. They engage in what clearly looks like play - tossing kelp, breaching dramatically, or nudging one another during underwater games. 



They form friendships beyond their pods and even flirt, showing preferences and personalities. These interactions suggest that orcas have emotional lives and a sense of identity.



<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 are attempting to bond with humans, according to scientists

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...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, researchers have discovered Meraxes gigas, a new species of dinosaur with short arms just like T. rex. The study demonstrated that T. rex and M. gigas evolved to have tiny arms for functions like mating or movement support.



“The fossil of M. gigas shows never seen before, complete regions of the skeleton, like the arms and legs that helped us to understand some evolutionary trends and the anatomy of Carcharodontosaurids –the group that M. gigas belongs to,” explained&nbsp; Juan Canale, the project lead at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernesto_Bachmann_Paleontological_Museum">Ernesto Bachmann Paleontological Museum</a> in Neuquén, Argentina.



First, the authors clarified that the T. rex did not get their short arms from M. gigas or vice versa. In fact, these species are very far apart on the evolutionary tree. For instance, M. gigas became extinct almost 20 million years before T. rex even became a species.&nbsp;



“There is no direct relationship between both,” said Canale. Instead, it is believed that tiny arms may have been a physical advantage to the survival of each species.



“I’m convinced that those proportionally tiny arms had some sort of function. The skeleton shows large muscle insertions and fully developed pectoral girdles, so the arm had strong muscles,” said Canale. In other words, the arms did not shrink because they were useless to the dinosaurs.&nbsp;



Understanding the functions of these tiny arms is more of a challenge. For dinosaurs like M. gigas and T. rex, the larger their heads were, the smaller their arms became. The study authors also determined that actions related to hunting were more likely performed by the head.&nbsp;



Using a well preserved fossil, the research team painted a picture of the M. gigas before it died. Living&nbsp; in the northern Patagonia region of Argentina, the dinosaur was 45 years old, about 11 meters long, and weighed more than four tons. And, it had a big family.&nbsp;



“The group flourished and reached a peak of diversity shortly before it became extinct,” said Canale. “They may have used the arms for reproductive behavior such as holding the female during mating or support themselves to stand back up after a break or a fall."



The skull of M. gigas was found to be decorated with crests, furrows, bumps and small hornlets. “Those ornamentations appear late in the development when the individuals became adults,” explained Canale. These features were likely used to attract potential mates. “Sexual selection is a powerful evolutionary force. But given that we cannot directly observe their behavior, it is impossible to be certain about this."



The research team looks forward to exploring other questions that the M. gigas fossil can help answer. The work was supported by The National Science Foundation of the United States and the National Geographic Society.&nbsp;



---



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

Newly discovered dinosaur had tiny arms like T. Rex

In a new study published by Cell Press, researchers have...

It has been known since the 1960s that sound can have analgesic effects on people. Accounts from dental operations indicated that music and noise relieved pain to some extent, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-sparks-strikingly-similar-visuals-among-people-of-the-same-culture/">music</a> that is used as an intervention can alleviate postoperative pain and bring relief. Because diverse genres of music and even nature sounds can relieve pain to an equal extent, the inherent characteristics of sound, as well as contextual factors, have been hypothesized to drive these analgesic effects. However, the neural mechanism by which this occurs is still not understood.&nbsp;



New research published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a> has investigated whether sound brings relief to mice with inflammatory pain induced by hindpaw injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant. Inspired by observations in humans, Wenjie Zhou and colleagues evaluated the phenomenon in mice using a suite of methods, including behavioral tests, viral tracing, microendoscopic calcium imaging, and multielectrode recordings.&nbsp;



The researchers found that sounds with a low-signal to ambient noise ratio, specifically a 5 decibel increase in sound intensity over ambient sound levels, caused relief from pain in the experimental mice. This involved inhibitory inputs from the auditory cortex to distinct regions of the somatosensory thalamus, depending on whether the pain was administered in the forepaw or hindpaw.&nbsp;



Furthermore, artificial manipulation of the identified circuits both mimicked and suppressed sound-induced analgesic effects. According to the researchers, their study revealed the corticothalamic circuits underlying sound-promoted analgesia by deciphering the role of the auditory system in pain processing.”



“The neural mechanisms underlying music-induced analgesia in humans are doubtlessly more complicated than those revealed in mice,” said the study authors. In humans, multiple brain areas are involved in pain processing and this warrants further investigation. However, this study suggests that music-induced analgesia could be developed as an alternative or complementary intervention for treating and relieving pain in humans.



“Although this experimental paradigm is not equivalent to using music and pleasant sounds to evoke analgesia in humans, the study of Zhou&nbsp;et al.&nbsp;opens up new directions for research on sound-induced analgesia by creating a model in which the mechanistic underpinnings can be investigated,” wrote Rohini Kuner and Thomas Kuner in a related Perspective.



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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

Sound linked to pain relief in mice

It has been known since the 1960s that sound can...

Biodiversity in marine and coastal ecosystems is under threat from well-known factors, such as climate change, ocean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-reduces-the-hatching-success-of-a-keystone-fish-species/">acidification</a>, pollution and overexploitation. However, there are also many emerging issues that are poorly understood and that may have additional significant impacts on marine biodiversity in the future.&nbsp;



In light of the fact that the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) is now underway, a team of 30 experts from 11 different countries and a range of subject backgrounds has convened to conduct the first ever Marine and Coastal Horizon Scan. The horizon scanning process aims to identify lesser-known issues with potentially serious impacts that may affect marine and coastal biodiversity conservation in the next 5–10 years.



Experts in this horizon scan were asked to list issues that they thought could become critical for marine and coastal biodiversity in the near future, but that had received little or no public attention to date. The initial list contained 75 emerging issues but, through a series of discussions and votes by the panel of experts, this was whittled down to 15 critical issues that fell into three categories: ecosystem impacts, resource exploitation and novel technologies.&nbsp;



In their report, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>, the panel of experts listed issues such as the effect of wildfires on coastal ecosystems, the increased toxicity of metal pollution due to acidification, and the ‘empty zone’ in the tropics due to species’ migration away from warming waters. All these factors could potentially have significant impacts on ecosystems in the near future.&nbsp;



“Marine and coastal ecosystems face a wide range of emerging issues that are poorly recognized or understood, each having the potential to impact biodiversity,” said study first author Dr James Herbert-Read of the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>. “By highlighting future issues, we’re pointing to where changes must be made today – both in monitoring and policy – to protect our marine and coastal environments.”



Under the category of resource exploitation, the panel identified trade in fish swim bladders and marine collagen as potential issues affecting biodiversity in future. They also expressed concern that fishing activities may become increasingly focused on species in the mesopelagic zone, at depths of between 200 and 1,000 meters. Although these fish species are not usually edible, they can be used to make fish meal for aquaculture and fertilizer purposes. This, say the experts, would affect the transport of carbon from the atmosphere to the very bottom of the oceans, making the ocean a less effective carbon sink.



“There are areas where we believe immediate changes could prevent huge problems arising over the next decade, such as overfishing in the ocean’s mesopelagic zone,” said study co-first author Dr. Ann Thornton.&nbsp; “Curbing this would not only stop overexploitation of these fish stocks, but reduce the disruption of carbon cycling in the ocean – because these species are an ocean pump that removes carbon from our atmosphere.”



The experts also warn that the nutritional content of fish is declining as a consequence of climate change. Essential fatty acids tend to be produced by cold-water fish species, so as climate change raises ocean temperatures, the production of these nutritious molecules is reduced. Such changes may have impacts on both marine life and human health.



The potential negative and positive effects of new technology on marine biodiversity include the development of more sophisticated tracking equipment that would help scientists to understand the movements of deep-sea species, and the use of soft robotics for marine research. The report also listed the possible effects of newly developed biodegradable materials to replace plastics, pointing out that definitive research has not yet been conducted on the effects of these potentially toxic materials on marine organisms.



"Governments are making a push for the use of biodegradable materials – but we don’t know what impacts these materials may have on ocean life," said Dr. Herbert-Read.



Horizon scans serve the purpose of identifying lesser-known or novel issues that could soon have impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity. The study authors hope that this will raise awareness and encourage research and investment into these issues before they become seriously harmful.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Our early identification of these issues, and their potential impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity, will support scientists, conservationists, resource managers, policy-makers and the wider community in addressing the challenges facing marine ecosystems,” said Dr. Herbert-Read.



The researchers say horizon scans act as signposts that can bring issues to the forefront of public attention before they become pressing, making it possible to take pre-emptive actions. For example, a horizon scan conducted in 2009 identified microplastics and invasive species as potential issues that could harm biodiversity. In fact, after the 2009 Horizon Scan, 71 percent of the issues identified received increased research and investment from scientists, funders, managers and policymakers in order to understand their potential effects.



"The scale of the issues facing marine and coastal areas emphasizes the need to identify and prioritize, at an early stage, those issues specifically facing marine ecosystems, especially within this UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development," concluded the study authors.&nbsp;



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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

Emerging issues that may impact marine biodiversity are poorly understood

Biodiversity in marine and coastal ecosystems is under threat from...

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13798-7">Nature Scientific Reports</a> has documented large groups of southern fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus quoyi) in ancient feeding grounds in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-groundwater-system-discovered-beneath-antarctica/">Antarctica</a> for the first time since their hunting was restricted in 1976. During two expeditions in April 2018 and March 2019, the experts recorded 100 groups of fin whales with group sizes ranging from one to four individuals, and eight unusually large groups of up to 150 whales that seemed to be actively feeding.



During the nineteenth century, southern fin whales were extensively hunted, particularly around their feeding grounds in Antarctica and, by the time their hunting was banished in 1976, over 700,000 individuals had been killed. Now, their populations seem to be rebounding at an unprecedented rate.



“I’d never seen so many whales in one place before and was absolutely fascinated watching these massive groups feed,” said study co-author Bettina Meyer, a biologist at the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/">Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research</a> (AWI).&nbsp;“Even if we still don’t know the total number of fin whales in the Antarctic, due to the lack of simultaneous observations, this could be a good sign that, nearly 50 years after the ban on commercial whaling, the fin whale population in the Antarctic is rebounding.”



By modelling fin whale population densities in the Antarctic, the scientists predicted a population of 7,909 whales for the total survey area, with a density of 0.09 individuals per square kilometer, which significantly surpasses whale populations in other regions of the world. Moreover, in a noticeable hotspot around Elephant Island, the estimated fin whale abundance is even higher, with 3,618 individuals, or 0.21 per kilometer squared.



According to the researchers, this rebound in fin whale populations could enrich the Antarctic’s marine ecosystem through nutrient recycling from whale feeding and excrement, thus supporting the growth of phytoplankton and krill populations. “When the whale population grows, the animals recycle more nutrients, increasing the productivity of the Southern Ocean. This boosts the growth of algae, which for their part absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, reducing the atmospheric CO2&nbsp;concentration,” Dr. Meyer concluded.&nbsp; &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;

Fin whales are finally rebounding in the Antarctic

A new study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports...

Almost half of the world’s population lives in areas at risk for dengue fever – a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by the dengue virus. Currently, dengue is considered a major public health problem in Sri Lanka. Since it is difficult to develop safe and effective vaccines against this virus, controlling mosquito populations is considered the most effective strategy for preventing the spread of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-pollution-has-been-linked-to-heart-disease/">disease</a>. 



An international team of scientists has now found that increases in three climate factors – rainfall, temperatures, and ocean warming – can reliably predict mosquito population growth in Sri Lanka, and thus provide opportunities to issue early warnings on the prevalence of the insects for the entire dengue season.



In Sri Lanka, dengue transmission patterns closely follow the country’s monsoonal rainfalls, with a peak in July following the southwest monsoon, and another one in December-January, after the northeast monsoon. While scientists have long known that there is a relationship between climate variables and the abundance, feeding patterns, and lifespan of Aedes mosquitoes – the primary vector that transmits the disease – the precise relation between the climate and insect activity is still poorly understood.



“Dengue transmission is expected to intensify due to climate change. If we can use climate and weather data to predict seasonal patterns of mosquitos, this timely information would allow public health authorities to proactively manage mosquito control operations,” said study co-author Yesim Tozan, an assistant professor of Global Health at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU).



In order to quantify the effects of climate on Aedes mosquitoes in Kalutara, a district in Sri Lanka with a high prevalence of dengue, the scientists measured three monthly weather variables – rainfall, temperatures, and Oceanic Niño Index (which shows the degree of ocean warming) - from 2010 to 2018, and compared them with surveillance data of mosquito prevalence in Kalutara. They found that all three climate variables predicted mosquito activity, but with different time lags.



While an increase in rainfall - which frequently leads to outdoor containers filling with water and creating breeding sites - predicted a greater prevalence of mosquitoes within the same month, warmer temperatures were associated with increases in populations of these insects one or two months later. In addition, higher ocean temperatures caused by El Niño&nbsp;predicted increases in mosquito abundance with a five to six months delay.



“These climate factors have the potential to serve as predictors of mosquito activity at different times and may enable us to quantify the risk and implement effective mosquito control interventions before a dengue epidemic emerges,” said study lead author Prasad Liyanage, who conducted the research during his doctoral studies in Epidemiology and Global Health at <a href="https://www.umu.se/en/">Umeå University</a>.



“Tracking El Niño events has the added advantage of predicting the seasonal prevalence of&nbsp;Aedes&nbsp;mosquitoes with a lead time of six months, which could provide opportunities to issue early warnings on mosquito prevalence for the entire dengue season,” concluded Professor Tozan.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00143-7/fulltext#%20">The Lancet Planetary Health</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;

Climate variables can predict future mosquito activity

Almost half of the world’s population lives in areas at...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.sysu.edu.cn/sysuen/">Sun Yat-sen University</a> in China has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-island-birds-are-changing-and-human-activities-are-to-blame/">birds</a> with brightly-colored feathers under their wings may have evolved these traits in order to avoid mid-air collisions. By comparing the underwing colors of 1,780 bird species, the experts found that larger birds, as well as those that flocked together in big colonies, were more likely to have brightly-colored, contrasting feathers – most probably because large birds cannot duck and weave as easily as smaller ones, while birds living in large colonies need to constantly avoid collisions with a multitude of conspecifics.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Collisions between fast-moving objects often cause severe damage, but collision avoidance mechanisms of fast-moving animals remain understudied,” the authors wrote. “Particularly, birds can fly fast and often in large groups, raising the question of how individuals avoid in-flight collisions that potentially are lethal.”



Since heavier bird species, such as the California Condor, the Great White Pelican, and the Whooping Crane, have reduced manoeuvrability, limiting their ability to make fast, sharp turns in order to avoid in-flight collisions, the researchers believe they have evolved their color patterns to help them being easily spotted by their conspecifics during flight. Similarly, birds living in large flocks where the risks of collisions are significantly higher, have also developed such traits.



Besides helping them avoid collisions, the evolution of bright, contrasting underwings may have yet another benefit: increasing the chances of escaping predators. “A number of predators do frequently attack individuals in colonies. For example, African Fish Eagles or baboons regularly try to kill flamingos,” the authors explained. “Upon escaping, individuals display their black-pink contrasting patches on their ventral wings, which could signal the presence of a predator to neighbors, enhance the confusion effect, and reduce collisions during escape.”



In future research, the scientists aim to clarify the mechanisms underlying collision avoidance in gregarious, fast-moving birds, as well as in a variety of other animals.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2022.0678">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&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;

Some birds evolved bright colors to avoid collisions

A new study led by the Sun Yat-sen University in...

Whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-found-a-terrifying-decline-in-flying-insects/">insects</a> feel pain or not has been a matter of heated scientific debate for decades. According to a new study led by <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University</a> in London, insects most likely have central nervous system control of nociception (the ability to detect potentially or actually damaging stimuli), which would make it plausible that they can experience pain. These findings suggest that insects should be included in animal welfare protection lists, particularly as insect farming ramps up.



Nociception is the detection of painful stimuli and is often accompanied by subjective feelings of pain which allows animals to adapt their behavior in a variety of potentially dangerous contexts. In mammals, the modulation of nociception is executed by neurons in the brain – a phenomenon known as “the descending control of nociception.”



“For example, if an animal is injured during a fight, the dampening of their nociceptive processing may increase the animal’s fighting performance by ensuring they do not waste time or energy on responding to the injury,” the study authors explained. “Likewise, when the animal has returned to safety, the descending controls can facilitate nociceptive processing, encouraging the animal to protect the injured location so that its healing is promoted.”



Until recently, few studies have investigated whether this descending control is present in insect species too. By analyzing previous molecular, behavioral, and anatomical evidence in the case of various types of insects, the scientists discovered that, similarly to mammals, they also have evolved descending controls for nociception.&nbsp;



“Behaviorally, changes to the insect brain can change their nocifensive behavior, whether this change is physical manipulation or the processing of motivational stimuli,” the researchers wrote. “Anatomically, insects have descending neuronal projections from the brain to the ventral nerve cord, where nocifensive behavior is executed.”



Although there is no direct way to measure the subjective experience of pain in any animal species, the discovery of brain controls for nociception in insects makes it plausible that they have in fact painful experiences. “Descending control of nociception in humans can also affect pain perception, so it could be argued that pain is also affected in non-verbal animals,” said study senior author Lars Chittka, a zoologist at the Queen Mary University.



“This is certainly the accepted argument for mammals such as mice, where a reduction in nociceptive behavior is accepted as equaling a reduction in pain. This is important in terms of ethics, as insects are subjected to potentially-painful stimuli in research and farming,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2022.0599">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</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;&nbsp;

Insects may be able to experience pain

Whether insects feel pain or not has been a matter...

Alaska, also known as America's final frontier, attracts many visitors. Some come for the wolves, and others for the grizzlies. According to a new study published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0268594">PLoS ONE</a>, nearly 300,000 birdwatchers flock to Alaska each year for a chance to get a glimpse of rare birds.&nbsp;



Regardless of any economic benefits, birds deserve our protection. At the same time, however, the fact that birdwatching boosted Alaska's economy by about $378 million in 2016 could certainly motivate conservation efforts.&nbsp;



The researchers found that In 2016, birdwatching created 4,300 jobs in Alaska. Although those working in the birding industry did not make as much money, the number of jobs created is comparable to those in the mining and telecommunications industries.&nbsp;



"Once you have visitors who are coming to Alaska spending money on viewing rare species that our surroundings provide the critical habitat for on a global scale, it becomes an incentive to keep that habitat high quality for birds," explained study lead author Tobias Schwoerer of the UAF <a href="https://uaf-iarc.org/">International Arctic Research Center</a>.



Also, since birders are more likely to visit remote places, the money gets spread further than in other money-making industries; rural areas, in particular, seem to benefit.&nbsp;



"Independent travelers are more likely to take a flight out to the Pribilofs, or go to the Aleutians to see an exotic species they can't find elsewhere, or book a trip with a small operator who drives Sprinter vans from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay," said Schwoerer.



The study used visitor exit surveys to determine how many birders visited the state. Schwoerer incorporated the visitor statistics into a computer model to show how birdwatchers' spending spreads through the economy.



"This study gives us a glimpse of how diverse our state's tourism is and can be in the future, as well as how intertwined our communities are with visitors in the shared experience of marveling at the wonders of birds," said Natalie Dawson.



"Sustainable and well-managed birdwatching is a growth sector. Birdwatching in Alaska is a type of tourism where Alaskans can capitalize on the region's intact lands and waters," said David Krause of Audubon Alaska. "It's an exciting place of opportunity that protects irreplaceable and fragile ecosystems while supporting jobs."



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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

Birdwatching boosts Alaska's economy by hundreds of millions

Alaska, also known as America's final frontier, attracts many visitors....

Geckos are known for their grippy feet which allow them to scale vertical surfaces. This superpower comes from millions of microscopic, hairlike structures on their toes. Scientists already understood gecko adhesion, but now have a clearer picture of the molecular structures that give the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pipeline-installation-boosts-diversity-of-seafloor-animals/">animal</a> its grip.&nbsp;



In a study from the <a href="https://www.nist.gov/">National Institute of Standards and Technology</a> (NIST), researchers analyzed the setae by zooming in using X-rays called a synchrotron. The experts discovered that the structures are coated in an ultra-thin film of water-repelling lipid molecules.



Setae are flexible and assume the microscopic contours of any surface the gecko is climbing. To release its foot, the gecko changes the angle of the setae, interrupting those forces and allowing the animal to take its next step.&nbsp;



These lipids are hydrophobic, meaning they repel water. “The lipids might function to push away any water beneath the spatulae, allowing them to make closer contact with the surface,” said study co-author Tobias Weidner of Aarhus University in Denmark. “This would help geckos maintain their grip on wet surfaces.”



The setae are made of a keratin protein similar to that found in human hair and fingernails which are extremely delicate. These keratin fibers are aligned in the direction of the setae, which might help them resist abrasion.



“You can imagine gecko boots that don’t slip on wet surfaces, or gecko gloves for holding tools that are wet,” said NIST physicist and study co-author Dan Fischer. “Or a vehicle that can run up walls, or a robot that can run along power lines and inspect them.”



The NIST synchrotron microscope can uniquely identify molecules on the surface of a three-dimensional object, measure their orientation and map their position. It is located at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, where the National Synchrotron Light Source II provides a source of high-energy X-rays for illumination.&nbsp;



This microscope is typically used on advanced industrial materials, including batteries, semiconductors, solar panels and medical devices. “But it is fascinating to figure out how gecko feet work, and we can learn a lot from nature when it comes to improving our own technology," said Fischer.&nbsp;



“A lot was already known about how setae work mechanically,” said study co-author Cherno Jaye. “Now we have a better understanding of how they work in terms of their molecular structure.”&nbsp;



Geckos have inspired many products like adhesive tapes. Understanding the molecular features of setae could further inspire inventors to mimic nature in design, a concept called biomimicry.



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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

What gives gecko feet their grip?

Geckos are known for their grippy feet which allow them...

Wolves are iconic symbols of the wild; perhaps that is why some people love them while others despise them. A new study published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2022.881483/full">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a> demonstrates that the common reason for hating these animals is baseless and that loving them for utilitarian reasons is also unfounded.&nbsp;



“Based on the currently available evidence (not just from the United States) large predators, despite their ability to kill ungulates and livestock, will not eliminate deer, threaten people or lead to intolerable losses of livestock – the myths," explained the researchers. "On the other hand, large predators are unlikely to right all wrongs humans have inflicted on ecosystems – the wishful thinking.”



“I was as fooled like everybody else by the lovely stories that came out of Yellowstone saying, you bring wolves back, and you restore the rivers, and everything’s hunky-dory," said study co-author Professor Bernd Blossey of <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>. "Once I started digging like an archaeologist into the literature, I found things that were not supportive of what I thought I knew.”



Professor Blossey explained that predators still have a place on the land, “The hopes and fears that we have on both sides of the debate – neither are realized. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t allow the wolves, the mountain lions, to return to their traditional landscapes – they’re a part of it.”



When the United States took wolves off the endangered species list, many individuals, organizations, and even state governments claimed that wolves needed to die to safeguard hunting and ranching operations. The study authors note that wolves and other predators do not threaten the most commonly hunted ungulates.&nbsp;



“What we do to landscapes, whether that’s forestry, agriculture or gardening, provide deer with a perfect landscape for them to live in. Hunters don’t remove enough deer, cars don’t remove enough," said Blossey. "Their populations exploded, because the living conditions were just absolutely wonderful.”



As far as ranching is concerned, several factors lead to the loss of livestock, including lighting strikes, extreme temperatures, disease, inadequate husbandry, and poor foraging options. Moreover, there are simple steps that ranchers can take to safeguard livestock from wild predators like wolves.



The researchers want us to stop placing wolves into shallow categories and appreciate them for what they are, beneficial members of the ecological community. “As long as people learn to live with and tolerate the new (old) neighbors, a careful but not fully conflict-free existence appears possible.”



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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

Wolves may not be heroes, but they're not villains either

Wolves are iconic symbols of the wild; perhaps that is...

Plastic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-pollution-has-been-linked-to-heart-disease/">pollution</a> in the world’s oceans has increased exponentially in the past few decades and has become one of the most serious threats to marine organisms. Because plastics don’t decompose naturally, they can persist for long time periods and accumulate in marine environments. It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic waste enters the oceans each year, and either sinks to the bottom or remains suspended in the water column. Currents carry the plastics along and distribute them far and wide.&nbsp;



Just how widely dispersed these plastics are, was brought home by researchers from the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and the International Coral Reef Center, Republic of Palau, in a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>. The researchers wondered whether microplastics were present on and around the islands of the Palau Archipelago, a series of about 340 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. This archipelago is remote and far from most urban locations and pollution sources, and it boasts some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world.&nbsp;



Coral reefs are biodiverse habitats that act as nursery, breeding and feeding grounds for a variety of marine organisms. They also support human activities, such as food provision and tourism. However, coral reefs are already under threat from global climate change that has brought ocean warming and acidification. Plastic contamination would certainly be an additional stressor to these fragile ecosystems.



The researchers chose five study sites at different locations around the archipelago. Their aim was to investigate pollution by microplastics and microfibers in the beaches, reef sediments and seawater of the major islands of Palau. They used simple sampling methods to demonstrate that such research can be carried out without complicated or sophisticated technology.&nbsp;



Microplastics are particles of plastic less than 5mm in size and they pollute the marine environment either as primary microplastics (microfibers from clothing, microbeads or plastic pellets), or as secondary microplastics that have formed from the degradation of larger pieces of plastic by physical abrasion or photochemical oxidation. Microplastics can be ingested by marine organisms that may suffer injury, gut blockage, starvation and mortality as a consequence.&nbsp;



In addition, microplastics often contain toxic additives, absorb persistent pollutants and heavy metals from seawater, and are colonized by a variety of microorganisms, including pathogens. Ingesting microplastics can thus transfer chemical pollutants and pathogens to the marine organisms. Furthermore, microplastics can break down into even smaller fragments, known as nanoplastics (&lt; 1µm).



The researchers used zooplankton trawl nets with a very fine mesh size to drag through the water at a depth of 10cm at each site. The nets were washed carefully while on board and the samples transferred to bottles. Once back at the laboratory the samples were passed through filter paper and dried before being weighed.&nbsp;



Subsurface sediment samples from the coral reefs were collected by SCUBA divers who scraped up the top 5cm of sediment from sample sites at a depth of around 13 meters. Similarly, the top 5cm of sand was scraped up from sample sites at the beaches. The samples were filtered and treated with chemicals to separate the plastics from the sediment. The microplastics were then dyed with an orange dye and counted using a microscope.&nbsp;



The researchers found that microplastics and microfibers were present in all the samples they analyzed. Far from being protected by their relative isolation, the Palau islands harbored plastic pollution in their reefs, beaches and surrounding seawater. In seawater, the abundance of microplastics ranged from 0.01–0.09 particles per liter, while in beach sand there were 0.17–0.34 particles per gram. Analysis of the reef sediments revealed the presence of between 6 and 12 plastic particles per gram, which was greater than the microplastic abundance in the other two habitats.&nbsp;



The researchers were also surprised to find the presence of nanoplastic particles in all their samples. The nanoplastics were more abundant than the microplastics, representing between 54.9 and 96.1 percent of each sample analyzed. This was despite the fact that the equipment used was not designed to trap nanoplastic particles and so their abundance would have been greatly underestimated.&nbsp;



These findings indicate that pollution from microplastics and microfibers is ubiquitous in marine environments and that pristine reefs in remote areas are not protected from this phenomenon. The researchers state that microplastic pollution of ecosystems depends more upon the movement of water currents than on proximity to anthropogenic activities. They expect that microplastics are likely to affect the health of sediment-dwelling organisms as well as filter feeders such as corals.



“Plastic pollution in the reef waters and sediments of Palau, which is not a hotspot of human activity, needs to be considered in future studies, especially during heat waves which, in combination with plastic pollution, can particularly affect coral reef organisms," wrote the researchers.



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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

Pristine coral reefs have been invaded by microplastics

Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans has increased exponentially in...

Paleontologists have recently discovered that hundreds of fossil frogs died in a swamp 45 million years ago while <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-molecule-makes-animals-switch-from-eating-to-mating/">mating</a>. In central Germany, this watery death trap led to the death of over 50,000 ancient birds, horses, bats, fish and frogs.&nbsp;



The Geisltal area was a coalfield with unique geological features housing thousands of fossils. Considered a scientific treasure trove, the area provides a unique window of how plants and animals have evolved over millions of years.&nbsp;



During the middle Eocene 50 million years ago, Earth was much warmer. The Geiseltal area was a swampy, subtropical forest inhabited by ancestors of the horse, crocodiles, giant snakes, lizards, birds and plenty of frogs and toads.



Previous research determined that Geiseltal frogs could have died from oxygen depletion in the water. However, the exact cause of death has long been a mystery - until now.&nbsp;



The team from <a href="https://www.ucc.ie/">University College Cork</a> (UCC) studied the bones of the fossil frogs and were able to narrow down causes of death.&nbsp;



“As far as we can tell, the fossil frogs were healthy when they died, and the bones don’t show any signs of predators or scavengers – there’s also no evidence that they were washed in during floods, or died because the swamp dried up.” said lead researcher Daniel Falk.&nbsp;



Most of the Geiseltal fossil frogs spend their lives on land, returning to the water only to breed. “By process of elimination, the only explanation that makes sense is that they died during mating.”



This phenomenon is common in frogs today. “Female frogs are at higher risk of drowning as they are often submerged by one or more males – this often happens in species that engage in mating congregations during the short explosive breeding season,” said study senior author Professor Maria McNamara.&nbsp;



“What’s really interesting is that fossil frogs from other sites also show these features, suggesting that the mating behaviours of modern frogs are really quite ancient and have been in place for at least 45 million years."



These findings are the first of new discoveries after the reopening of the famous Geiseltal fossil collections of the “Zentralmagazin Naturwissenschaftlicher Sammlungen (ZNS)” in Germany.&nbsp;



The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20562802">Papers in Palaeontology</a>.&nbsp;&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

Hundreds of frogs died while mating in ancient swamp

Paleontologists have recently discovered that hundreds of fossil frogs died...

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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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