A new executive order aimed at deregulating the U.S. seafood industry is raising red flags among scientists and policy experts. While the order claims to boost competitiveness and cut red tape, critics warn it could do more harm than good - weakening the very systems that protect seafood sustainability.



Scientists from <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">UC Santa Barbara</a> and the University of Washington outlined their concerns in a recent paper. They argue that the executive order misses the mark, prioritizing short-term gains over long-term stability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-seafood-deregulation-order">Inside the seafood deregulation order</h2>



Signed in April 2025, the order - titled “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness” - claims that U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-seafood-industry-has-been-hit-hard-by-the-covid-19-pandemic/">seafood markets</a> are held back by overregulation and unfair trade practices. It calls for reducing regulatory burdens, eliminating unsafe imports, and strengthening the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seafood-spoilage-hidden-dangers-in-the-cold-chain/">seafood supply chain</a>.



However, the researchers say the plan is moving too fast and with too little support. They describe it as a policy that risks unraveling decades of scientific progress.



“(It’s) a significant escalation in undoing federal regulatory frameworks, weakening scientific authority and deemphasizing aquaculture development,” said Halley Froehlich of UC Santa Barbara and Jessica Gephart of the University of Washington.



“Instead of reform, it’s dismantling regulations in a very short amount of time,” added Froehlich, the paper’s lead author.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noaa-s-role-under-threat">NOAA’s role under threat</h2>



The scientists point to cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a major concern. NOAA oversees roughly 500 commercial fishery stocks in the U.S. It plays a key role in managing, monitoring, and protecting marine resources.



Under the new directive, NOAA faces budget cuts, staff reductions, and tighter controls on communication. That’s a serious blow to its ability to coordinate sustainable fishing, especially across regions where fish migrate between countries.



“It’s quite problematic because NOAA is so central to how we manage our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bleaching-effect-coral-loss-threatens-fisheries-and-livelihoods/">fisheries</a>,” Froehlich said. “Data collection, monitoring, oversight, you name it, NOAA is part of that, and a really important part.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-plan-ignores-the-ocean-s-limits">The plan ignores the ocean’s limits</h2>



The executive order is supposed to help boost domestic seafood production. But the researchers argue that the ocean has limits - and we’re already close to reaching them.



“We are not going to get more out of the ocean,” Froehlich said. “We’re already near ‘peak fish,’ meaning maintenance and recovery of our stocks.”



Wild fisheries - both in the U.S. and globally - are already producing at or near their maximum sustainable levels. That leaves <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aquaculture-now-produces-more-food-than-wild-fishing/">aquaculture</a> as the only real path for growth. 



However, the new order gives little attention to farmed seafood and offers even less support to the agencies that regulate it. The scientists call it a mismatch between promises and practical outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cutting-data-cutting-capacity">Cutting data, cutting capacity</h2>



One of the most troubling issues is the potential loss of data. The researchers warn that NOAA’s online databases, climate research, and monitoring tools may be defunded or decommissioned.



Without this data, managing fisheries becomes guesswork. It also makes it harder to prepare for climate-driven shifts in marine ecosystems.



“Without the data, expertise and capacity to study and understand these systems we run the risk of fishery collapses becoming more common and long-lasting,” the authors wrote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trade-conflicts-and-mismatched-markets">Trade conflicts and mismatched markets</h2>



The executive order also makes assumptions about seafood markets that don’t align with reality. 



Much of the seafood farmed in the U.S. isn’t what consumers demand most. And a large portion of seafood caught in U.S. waters is processed overseas before being sold back into the domestic market.



If tariffs are imposed on imported or foreign-processed seafood, prices for high-demand products like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-crisis-alarming-virus-threatens-global-seafood-supplies/">shrimp</a> could rise sharply. Right now, only about 10% of shrimp eaten in the U.S. comes from domestic sources.



“In disrupting the market dynamics we do have, especially with trade wars with our trading partners, it’s likely that we’re going to have the opposite effect of creating opportunity long-term,” Froehlich said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-alternative-to-seafood-deregulation">An alternative to seafood deregulation </h2>



The paper was submitted as evidence in a recent hearing by the House Natural Resources Committee’s Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee. The scientists hope their findings will influence how Congress approaches <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seafood-will-help-feed-earths-future-population-of-10-billion/">seafood policy</a> moving forward.



“When it comes to any shifts in production, these high levels of uncertainty are not a beneficial thing to happen for the sector,” Froehlich said.



While deregulation may sound appealing to some, the authors argue that a stable, well-regulated system - backed by science and data - is what actually keeps seafood both sustainable and competitive. In their view, cutting corners now could cost the industry far more in the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X25002106">Marine Policy</a>.



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Why seafood deregulation may hurt more than help

A new executive order aimed at deregulating the U.S. seafood industry is raising red flags among scientists and policy experts. While the order claims to boost competitiveness and cut red tape, critics warn it could do more harm than good - weakening the very systems that protect seafood sustainability. Scientists from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Washington outlined their concerns in a recent paper. They argue that the executive order misses the mark, prioritizing short-term gains over long-term stability. Inside the seafood deregulation order Signed...

Feral cats are pushing the critically endangered Kangaroo Island dunnart to the brink of extinction, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.springer.com/">Springer</a>. The small, mouse-sized marsupial is found exclusively on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia.



The study authors say their research highlights the urgent need to protect vulnerable species from feral cat predation, particularly following natural disasters such as bushfires.



Scientists estimate that there are only around 500 Kangaroo Island dunnarts remaining.



Kangaroo island was heavily damaged during the 2019-20 bushfires. Around 38 percent of the island was burned, 83 percent of which was burned at levels classified as high to very high severity. Overall, 98 percent of the dunnart’s habitat was severely burned.&nbsp;



Feral cats are known to threaten the future of many native Australian species. However, this study is the first to investigate and confirm the impacts that feral cats are having on Kangaroo Island dunnarts.&nbsp;&nbsp;



For the investigation, a team of researchers led by Louis Lignereux assessed the stomach contents and digestive tracts of 86 feral cats. These cats had been captured in specially designated conservation areas on the island between February and August 2020.



According to the researchers, the cats were captured as part of the national feral cat control program, and were euthanized in accordance with South Australia animal welfare laws.&nbsp;



In the digestive systems of seven different cats, the experts found the remains of eight individual Kangaroo Island dunnarts. These results indicate that the cats are very efficient hunters of this species, given the small numbers of dunnarts that remain following the bushfires, explained the researchers.



The experts say that the combined pressures of a small, isolated population, natural disasters like bushfires, and predation from introduced predators such as feral cats could lead to the extinction of this vulnerable species.&nbsp;



The study highlights the urgent need for controlling feral cat populations, particularly those in close proximity to endangered and threatened animals.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.



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

Feral cats are wiping out endangered marsupials

Feral cats are pushing the critically endangered Kangaroo Island dunnart...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> were curious about the development of altruistic behavior in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybee-virus-has-a-new-strain-that-is-even-more-lethal/">bee</a> colonies. While it is well known how altruistic behavior in bee colonies is maintained, the evolution of this behavior has been a mystery until now.&nbsp;



To explore this question, the researchers studied Amphylaeus morosus, a bee species that inhabits montane forests in their native Australia. What's unique about this species is that they are the only ones in their family that recently transitioned from individual reproduction to “selfless” social colonies. This quality made them perfect for studying the beginning of altruistic evolution.&nbsp;



The experts found that these bees do not exhibit the typical morphological distinctions between queen and worker bees seen in more advanced social species such as honeybees.&nbsp;



Using data from DNA, the researchers determined that a typical A. morosus nest is small and usually contains two females. One egg-laying female and another closely related female who guards the nest but does not reproduce. These findings came as a surprise.



"This kind of extreme reproductive skew and high relatedness is very unexpected and challenges our theories about how social complexity evolves," explained study senior author Professor Michael Schwarz.



According to the experts, the findings indicate that the evolution into a "selfless" community can happen more quickly than previously thought. "It seems that some species can quickly skip multiple rungs of the evolutionary 'social ladder," said Professor Schwarz.



The researchers say this study sheds light on the evolution of worker bee sterilization. "This provides some of the first evidence that kin selection can promote worker sterility at the initial transition from solitary to social living," said Professor Schwarz.



According to study lead author Dr. Lucas Hern, the knowledge gained from this study goes well beyond bees. It could possibly inform the evolution of all life on Earth.&nbsp;



"The existence of life as we know it can be broadly separated into the major transitions that define changes in complexity," said Dr. Hern. "This includes the evolution of multicellular life from single-celled organisms or, the origin of sophisticated communication in the form of human language. The ramifications of this understanding are very far-reaching."



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



Image Credit: James Dorey Photography



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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

Bee altruism may be key to understanding social evolution

Researchers at Flinders University were curious about the development of...

A new study in the journal <a href="https://cgejournal.biomedcentral.com/">Canine Medicine and Genetics</a> suggests that the breed standards for English bulldogs should be changed for the health of the dogs themselves. The study authors warn that without such changes, breeding of the iconic English bulldog may be outlawed - even in the UK - for the welfare of the dogs.&nbsp;



The English bulldog was originally bred for athletic ability in fighting bulls. Over time, this breeding standard changed towards a more purely aesthetic standard. Modern bulldogs have short snouts, folds in their skin and squat, heavy bodies.&nbsp;



The standard characteristics of modern English bulldogs have led to many health issues. In response, some nations such as Norway and the Netherlands have restricted breeding of these bulldogs.&nbsp;



The authors of the new research from the <a href="https://www.rvc.ac.uk/">Royal Veterinary College</a> compared the health risks of English bulldogs compared to the health of other dogs. To carry out the study, the scientists used VetCompass, an online database of veterinary records from across the UK from 2016.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



A random sample of 2,662 English bulldogs and 22,039 other dogs was analyzed. The study showed that these dogs were twice as likely to develop some health disorder than other dogs.&nbsp;



English bulldogs were 38.12 times more at risk for developing dermatitis, 26.79 times more likely to develop "cherry eye." They were also more likely to have problems with their jaws and breathing problems due to their shortened snouts.&nbsp;



“These findings suggest that the overall health of the English Bulldog is much lower than that of other dogs," said study co-author Dan O’Neill. "However, what is most concerning is that so many of the health conditions that English Bulldogs suffer from, such as skin fold dermatitis and breathing problems, are directly linked to the extreme structure of their bodies that has been selectively bred for."&nbsp;



"Given the continued popularity of the breed, the body-shape of the typical pet English Bulldogs should be redefined towards more moderate physical characteristics. Doing so will not only improve the dogs’ health, but could also enable the UK to avoid following other countries in banning the English Bulldog on welfare grounds.”



Unfortunately the overall results suggest that English bulldogs live shortened lives due to poor breeding practices. If these practices are changed, it could mean a better and longer life for the dogs.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

English bulldogs are suffering from poor breeding practices

A new study in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics...

The wild house mouse (Mus musculus) is the most common species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-birds-can-change-their-restless-ways/">rodents</a> and can be found across the entire world. Although it is most often considered a pest, this mouse has also been domesticated as a pet and laboratory mouse. 



Laboratory mice have been invaluable to medical and genetic research as animal models, and their genetic structure has been comprehensively studied. However, until recently, the wild house mouse received much less scientific attention. Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/">Hokkaido University</a> has investigated the genetic structure and diversity, as well as the population history, of the wild house mouse in Europe and Asia. Their findings will likely facilitate future biomedical and evolutionary research.



Previous research has revealed that, genetically, wild house mice are highly diverse, consisting of three main subspecies: M. m. musculus from northern Eurasia, M. m. castaneus from southern and southeast Asia, and M. m. domesticus from western Europe. By sequencing the whole genomes of 121 wild house mice, the scientists confirmed that these animals have a greater genetic diversity than humans, with castaneus being the most diverse among the three subspecies. Moreover, samples from Japan and China showed the highest degrees of interbreeding between the musculus and castaneus subspecies.



The researchers also reconstructed the population history of these three subspecies, and found that they diverged between 187,000 and 247,000 years ago, the most recent being the evolutionary split between the musculus and the castaneus. According to the experts, the domesticus and musculus subspecies experienced major population bottlenecks and expansions in the recent past, most likely associated with the worldwide spread of agricultural practices.



These findings suggest that the extent and geographical range of interbreeding between the three subspecies is greater than previously thought, and occurred most likely after their spread alongside human populations. The genomic and evolutionary mappings the experts constructed can significantly contribute to a better understanding of mice models too.



“As the lab mouse was bred from wild house mice, our study paves the way for significantly increasing the understanding of mice models,” concluded study senior author Naoki Osada, a professor of Evolutionary Biology at Hokkaido.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/14/5/evac068/6582302#355559007">Genome Biology and Evolution. </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

Study reveals the genetic diversity of the wild house mouse

The wild house mouse (Mus musculus) is the most common...

A new study led by the <a href="http://www.ufrgs.br/english/home">Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul</a>&nbsp;in Brazil has investigated to what extent the level of emotional closeness between cat owners and their pets is linked to the animals’ <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/repetitive-behaviors-in-dogs-are-influenced-by-many-factors/">behaviors</a>. The experts were surprised to find that cats which have a close emotional bond with their owners are most likely to engage in “unacceptable behaviors” such as scratching the furniture or destroying various objects.



The researchers surveyed a cohort of 500 cat owners in Brazil, asking them questions about their emotional connection to their pets, as well as the animals’ personality traits and behaviors. The vast majority (90 percent) of the participants were women, and exhibited stronger emotional bonds with their pets than men.



“Evidence supports that cats’ behavior influences the level of emotional closeness between the animals and the owners,” wrote the study authors. “In some circumstances, a bad relationship can result in neglecting, mistreating, or abandoning the animal.”&nbsp;



While factors such as having other pets, attributing more characteristics to the animal, and frequent visits to the veterinary were directly linked to higher levels of emotional closeness by the owners, cats’ aggressive behavior, excessive vocalization, or inappropriate elimination did not seem to be correlated to the strength of inter-species emotional bonds.&nbsp;



Most surprisingly though, the results revealed that the level of emotional closeness between cats and their owners also plays a fundamental role in structuring some of the cats’ most destructive behaviors.&nbsp;



“Unexpectedly, in our study, cats with the behavior of scratching furniture or destroying objects were associated with a higher emotional closeness level with the owner,” the experts wrote. “Owners who did not report this behavior had a lower level of emotional closeness than those who did.”



While the reason for such a correlation is not yet clear, the researchers believe that such unacceptable behaviors might be caused by owners’ excessively tolerant attitudes towards their most beloved pets. Further studies are needed to map the complex emotional bonds established between cats and their owners, and to clarify how these bonds structure both human and feline behavior.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787822000491">Journal of Veterinary Behavior</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

The most beloved cats are more likely to be destructive

A new study led by the Federal University of Rio...

An international team of scientists has pioneered a new method to determine where prehistoric warm-water coral <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-coral-reefs-crackle-with-the-sounds-of-busy-inhabitants/">reefs</a> existed. The results of the analysis show that climate can significantly affect where corals grow.&nbsp;



Study co-author Dr. Alex Farnsworth of the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> explained why this was not an easy topic to explore. "Climate has changed significantly throughout geological time, however understanding how it has impacted coral reef ecosystems has been difficult due to a lack of quantifiable data which has significant gaps."



Some of these gaps can be attributed to an incomplete fossil record, while other gaps can be attributed to biased research practices - since most previous coral studies have occurred near wealthy nations.&nbsp;



However, researchers from Spain and the UK found a way to fill in these gaps. By modeling habitats and reconstructing past climates, the researchers were able to predict where corals lived from 250 million to 35 million years ago. They found that corals extended farther from the equator in warmer periods.&nbsp;



"Our work demonstrates that warm-water coral reefs track tropical-to-subtropical climatic conditions over geological timescales. In warmer intervals, coral reefs expanded poleward. However, in colder intervals, they became constrained to tropical and subtropical latitudes," explained study first author Dr. Lewis Jones.



This information may cause some people to assume that global warming benefits warm-water corals, but this is not necessarily the case. "Current anthropogenic climate change will result in the poleward expansion of suitable habitat for coral reefs," said Dr. Jones. "In fact, we are already witnessing the expansion of some tropical reef corals. However, whether coral reef ecosystems – and all the biodiversity they support – can keep pace with the current rapid rate of anthropogenic climate change is another question."&nbsp;



Based on their findings, the researchers believe it is possible that decreasing the acceleration of global warming is more necessary for tropical coral systems than preventing global warming.&nbsp;



The findings are clear evidence that climate and corals have been linked for millions of years. The researchers hope this knowledge will guide further learning.&nbsp;



"Using this new combined data-model approach we can start to better understand reef ecosystems evolution and behavior," said study co-author Dr. Alex Farnsworth.&nbsp;



We can also expect that this research will play a role in preserving these magical rainforests of the ocean.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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

Climate played a key role in shifting ancient coral reefs

An international team of scientists has pioneered a new method...

Female southern right whales make massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/assisted-migrations-could-help-species-survive-climate-change/">migrations</a> to give birth in areas that appear to be dangerous. They seem to prefer shallow bay habitats close to humans and with little food, but why? 



It’s long been hypothesized that the whales may choose such counterintuitive habitats to birth and nurse their young because of lack of predators. Now, a study from <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu/">Syracuse University</a>’s Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab proposes another theory.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The new research suggests that shallow sandy bay habitats may allow acoustics optimal for whale communications, allowing mother whales to better keep in touch with their babies while not being overheard by distant predators.&nbsp;



“Animals that communicate using sound must balance the need to be heard by their intended audience and the risk of being overheard by eavesdroppers such as predators," explained study lead author Julia Zeh, a PhD candidate in Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences.



The research was carried out in Australia, South America and Africa at three different whale nursery sites.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Southern right whales are already known to avoid being overheard by predators by reducing their call amplitude or being silent entirely. They also sometimes use frequencies of calls that make them harder to locate.&nbsp;



All of these techniques are known collectively as "acoustic crypsis." The scientists suggest that the strategy used by the whales is merely another form of acoustic crypsis - this time focused on habitat selection.



“We found that southern right whale mothers and calves spend time in specific locations where they can hear each other, but other animals can’t hear them,” said Zeh. “These results follow on some interesting recent papers that recorded quiet calls, or essentially whispers, from right whale mothers and calves.”



The scientists plan on following up on this research to investigate how common a habitat selection approach to acoustic crypsis may be.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220241">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Habitat is important to keep young right whales undetected

Female southern right whales make massive migrations to give birth...

While many people describe dogs as man’s best friends, Dr. Anna Machin – an evolutionary anthropologist at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> -&nbsp; has argued at the <a href="https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science">Cheltenham Science Festival</a> that the relationship between dogs and their owners is even stronger. She said that the bonds many owners form with their pets are as close as that between parents and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-play-team-sports-have-fewer-mental-health-problems/">children</a>.&nbsp;



For instance, in 2014, a team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/">Massachusetts General Hospital</a> (MGH) has found that mothers’ brains showed a surprisingly similar response when viewing pictures of their babies and their dogs, suggesting that they were experiencing the same type of emotions.



&nbsp;According to one of the <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/10/mothers-brains-show-similar-responses-to-her-baby-and-her-dog/">study</a>’s authors, Lori Palley, Assistant Director of Veterinary Services at MGH, “levels of neurohormones like oxytocin — which is involved in pair-bonding and maternal attachment — rise after interaction with pets, and new brain-imaging technologies are helping us begin to understand the neurobiological basis of the relationship, which is exciting.”



In other words - as Dr. Machin recently put it when describing the findings of this study - “when we look at the brains of humans with their dogs, we see the fingerprint of love and we also see the parenting areas of the brain light up.”&nbsp;However, she admits that there might be a difference in intensity, suggesting that parents “would probably rescue the kid first in a fire.”



According to scans of dogs’ brains, this feeling of love seems to be reciprocated. Moreover, when interacting with humans, dogs have been found to produce beta endorphins – a type of chemicals that play a fundamental role in social bonding, and many of them exhibit strong feelings of loss at the death of their owners.



However, according to Dr. Machin, there are differences between how love is experienced and how it manifests itself in the case of humans versus dogs. “Obviously they don’t have the reflective elements of love, as far as we know, when you dwell upon your relationship, you daydream about your relationship. If dogs daydream, it’s probably about sausages.”



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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;

Dogs are like surrogate children to their owners

While many people describe dogs as man’s best friends, Dr....

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-remove-plastic-debris-from-the-ocean/">Seagrass meadows</a> are often used as a fishing habitat across the Indo-Pacific region, sustaining millions of households. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096456912200223X?via%3Dihub#!">Ocean &amp; Coastal Management</a> has found that seagrass fisheries provide a reliable safety-net for the poor since they are characterized by a high abundance of fish and other animals and provide large catches for fishermen.&nbsp;



The scientists conducted interviews with people relying on fishing from 147 villages across Cambodia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, and were surprised to find that the majority of the persons they spoke to preferred seagrass meadows as fishing habitats.&nbsp;



“Seagrass was the most common habitat used for fishing. Nearly half of all households we talked to preferred fishing in seagrass over other habitats such as coral, mangroves, open ocean, mud and rock for example,” said study lead author Benjamin Jones, a doctoral student at the <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">University of Stockholm</a> and director of <a href="http://www.projectseagrass.org/">Project Seagrass</a>, a nonprofit organization focused on the conservation of seagrass ecosystems.&nbsp;



“This was surprising because most people think of reef fisheries as the key tropical small-scale fishery, but we show that its actually engagement in seagrass fisheries that are much more characteristic of households.”



When asked why they preferred seagrass, most fishermen expressed a general feeling of reliability: due to the major ecological role seagrass meadows play by providing valuable nursery habitats with many places for fish to hide and grow, there is always an abundance of fish present there. However, reliance on seagrass appeared to be also influenced by household income.



“Household income had two different effects. On one hand, poorer households were less likely to own&nbsp;motorboats. These were reliant on seagrass as they were unable to fish elsewhere, seagrass is close to shore and easy to access without a motor. On the other hand, wealthier households were more likely to own certain types of fishing gear that incentivized them to use seagrass due to high rewards and low effort requirements. These were static fishing fences that don’t require a fisherman to be present,” explained Jones.



“Our results highlight the need for empirical household scale data for management of seagrass meadows,” added study senior author Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, the Director of Research and Resources at Project Seagrass. “People use and value seagrass for many different reasons so safeguarding seagrass is vital to ensure that all people, all of the time, have equitable and equal access to the resources seagrass provides,” she 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

Seagrass meadows are very reliable fishing grounds

Seagrass meadows are often used as a fishing habitat across...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/domestic-cats-kill-hundreds-of-millions-of-animals-each-year/">Cats</a> go a bit crazy in the presence of catnip (Nepeta cataria) and its Asian counterpart, silver vine (Actinidia polygama). They roll on it, rub their bodies on it, chew it, lick it and play with it. It appears that cats are completely intoxicated by these plants, which induce a bout of this strange behavior that may last as long as 15 minutes. However, new research indicates that their behavior may not be as crazy as it looks.&nbsp;



Previous research has indicated that the leaves of catnip and silver vine plants contain chemicals known as iridoids that act as insect repellents. The unusual but characteristic response that cats have to these plants, including rubbing the head and face on the leaves and rolling on them, has the effect of coating the body in iridoids - which repel mosquitoes and other pests that can potentially transmit diseases. But the reason that cats lick, chew and otherwise damage the plant leaves as part of this characteristic behavioral response has remained a mystery.



Researchers in Japan have now conducted experiments to test whether damaging the leaves of catnip and silver vine by chewing, crumpling and tearing them has any effect on the chemicals that they release, and therefore on their efficacy in protecting cats from insect pests.&nbsp;



Cats have such an unusual reaction to catnip and silver vine, the world over, that lead author Masao Miyazaki, an animal behavior researcher at Iwate University, felt he had to investigate the phenomenon further. “Even in the famous musical ‘Cats’ there are scenes where you see a cat intoxicate another cat using catnip powder."&nbsp;



Miyazaki began his career in veterinary medicine and developed an interest in how chemicals, such as pheromones, drive companion animals’ instinctual behaviors. Catnip and silver vine leaves contain the compounds nepetalactol and nepetalactone, amongst others, which are iridoids that have an insect repellent effect.&nbsp;



The research team started by measuring the concentration and composition of these iridoids in the space above intact leaves, and leaves that had been chewed or crumpled. They used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for this and found that physical damage to silver vine and catnip leaves promotes an immediate emission of these plant compounds.&nbsp;



“We found that physical damage of silver vine by cats promoted the immediate emission of total iridoids, which was 10-fold higher than from intact leaves,” said Miyazaki.



Not only were more iridoids released by the leaves of both plants, but the chemical composition of the iridoid cocktail released from silver vine leaves also changed. “Nepetalactol accounts for over 90 percent of total iridoids in intact leaves, but this drops to about 45 percent in damaged leaves, as other iridoids greatly increase,” said Miyazaki. “The altered iridoid mixture corresponding to damaged leaves promoted a much more prolonged response in cats.” &nbsp;



According to the results, changes in both the amount of plant iridoid emission (both plant species) and composition (silver vine only) induced significantly longer response behavior by the cats, which included increased self-anointing (rubbing and rolling) that has the effect of transferring plant iridoids onto the cat’s fur.&nbsp;



To test if the felines were reacting to these compounds specifically, the cats were given dishes with pure nepetalactone and nepetalactol. “Cats show the same response to iridoid cocktails and natural plants except for chewing,” said Miyazaki. “They lick the chemicals on the plastic dish and rub against, and roll over on, the dish.”



“When iridoid cocktails were applied on the bottom of dishes that were then covered by a punctured plastic cover, cats still exhibited licking and chewing even though they couldn’t contact the chemicals directly. This means that licking and chewing is an instinctive behavior elicited by olfactory stimulation of iridoids.”



Lastly, the researchers tested the insect repellent properties of the iridoid cocktail from damaged catnip and silver vine leaves against Aedes albopictus, a common mosquito in Japan and China. This species of mosquito is a vector of Dirofilaria immitis, which infects the heart and pulmonary arteries of dogs and cats. Samples of iridoids representing extracts from intact and damaged leaves were introduced to groups of 18 - 26 mosquitoes in acrylic boxes, and the percentage of mosquitoes that moved away from the source and sought refuge in a small shelter about 15 cm away from the source was recorded after 10 and 20 minutes.&nbsp;



The results indicated that the iridoid cocktails from damaged leaves were more effective at repelling the insects than were the intact leaves. The effect of damaged silver vine iridoids was more rapid and occurred at lower concentrations of the cocktail, but the iridoids from damaged catnip leaves also had an effect, albeit at a stronger concentration and over a longer period of time.&nbsp;



The experts conclude that the physical damage of the plant leaves by the cats enhances the release of iridoids that are repellent to arthropods such as mosquitoes. This destructive behavior, in combination with enhanced rubbing and rolling activity, has the effect of enhancing the transfer of iridoids to the cats’ fur.&nbsp; In this manner, the cats obtain stronger chemical pest defense from the leaves of these plants. Their study also provides an insight into how humans could also use plants to obtain potent natural repellents against pest insects.



Next, Miyazaki and his team want to understand which gene is responsible for cats’ reaction to catnip and silver vine. “Our future studies promise to answer the key remaining questions of why this response is limited to Felidae species, and why some cats don’t respond to these plants,” said Miyazaki.



The results of the study are published today in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(22)00726-X">iScience</a>.



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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

Cats know how to use catnip as a potent insect repellent

Cats go a bit crazy in the presence of catnip...

In a collaboration between BP Angola and deep sea researchers, a survey of wildlife was carried out near pipelines being installed off the coast of West Africa.



“We have a long-running collaboration with BP in Angola to use survey imagery material for science,” explained study co-author Andrew Gates of the National Oceanography Centre.



The research shows that there was an immediate increase in animal life near where the pipes were installed.&nbsp;



“In a short space of time the installation of a pipeline led to increases in the abundance and diversity of marine life in most areas,” said study co-author Daniel Jones. “We believe this could be related to the pipeline providing shelter and trapping organic matter that the animals feed on.”



“It was also surprising to see the huge amount of litter, which consisted of plastic bags, bottles and aluminum cans, as this is a remote area ranging from 700 to 1,400 meters deep.”



The footage was collected using a remote operated vehicle, a type of submarine that is roughly the size of a car and controlled by a cable running to a ship above.&nbsp;



“We realized as soon as we saw the footage that it would allow us to explore how the marine life changed after the introduction of a pipeline. Doing this sort of survey is very difficult and expensive, so we were pleased to be able to make use of the footage to understand the deep-sea biology a bit better. This adds real value to video footage originally collected to inspect the pipeline."



The scientists believe that some of the creatures captured on film may be new species to science, but it is usually impossible to identify deep sea animal species by video. The scientists hope to return to collect specimens soon.



"In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the installation of a pipeline may cause considerable changes in the fauna in some areas of the continental slope," wrote the researchers. "These changes are very depth dependent and likely depend on both the nature of the community and the potential for trapping of organic matter by the pipeline."&nbsp;



"It is likely that the results presented here are only an early stage in a succession of ecological change resulting from installation of a pipeline in deep water, with later stages largely unknown."



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



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pipeline installation boosts diversity of seafloor animals

In a collaboration between BP Angola and deep sea researchers,...

The spread of various parasites is one of the main drivers of population decline in both managed and wild <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-enhances-memory-in-bees/">bees</a>. Many of these parasites are transmitted by the shared use of flowers, turning these major sources of nourishment into potential disease hotspots. 



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> has found that the shape of flowers has the biggest effect on how parasites are transmitted to bees. According to the experts, such findings may help stakeholders plant flowers that are less dangerous for pollinators.



The scientists examined the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) and a gut parasite called Crithidia bombi in order to clarify how flower traits, such as the size, shape, and number of flowers, played roles in three steps that usually lead to parasite transmission from flowers to bees: feces deposition on flowers, survival of the parasite on flowers, and the acquisition of the parasite by a new bee host.



“Of the flower traits we measured, floral shape was the best predictor of parasite transmission to bees,” said study lead author Mario Simon Pinilla-Gallego, a former doctoral student in Applied Ecology at NC State University.



“Wide and short flowers – like black-eyed Susans and coneflowers – reduce the survival of the parasite on flowers, but at the same time they collect more bee feces, and bees are more likely to come in contact with and acquire the parasite on these types of flowers,” explained study senior author Rebecca Irwin, a professor of Applied Ecology at the same university.



Identifying floral traits and flower species which have lower rates of parasite transmission to bees could help stakeholders select flower mixes that promote bee health, while offering them the floral resources they need.



In future research, the scientists aim to take into consideration other factors, such as how often and how long bees visit flowers, the behavior of bees while foraging, and environmental factors which could change the effects of particular floral traits.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.3730">Ecology</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

Flower shape influences parasite transmission to bees

The spread of various parasites is one of the main...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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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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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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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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