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...

Mosquitoes need <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-may-become-a-side-effect-of-climate-change/">sleep</a> in order to function well, just like we do. In fact, mosquitoes in the lab sleep between 16 and 19 hours a day, depending on the species and the levels of activity going on around them.&nbsp;



Sleep in humans is important in maintaining the immune system and in restorative functions such as tissue repair and protein synthesis. It has also been demonstrated that sleep is vital for peak memory and brain function. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can blur cognitive function and is associated with the development of numerous ill health conditions.



In a recent study from the <a href="https://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati</a>, researchers demonstrated the importance of sleep to mosquitoes. The study revealed that mosquitoes whose slumber was disturbed the night before were more likely to spend the next day catching up on rest rather than seeking out a host on which to feed. The research highlights how vital this biological function is, even in insects.



“It was a bit surprising. Sleep deprived or not, a blood meal should appeal to them,” said UC doctoral student and study lead author Oluwaseun Ajayi.



Sleep is an evolutionarily conserved process that has been observed and described in different animal systems, including insects. But sleep in mosquitoes, which are important vectors of disease-causing pathogens, has not been directly examined. This is surprising as circadian rhythms, which have been well studied in mosquitoes, influence sleep in other systems. In addition, the phenomenon of catching up on missed sleep, called sleep rebound, has been observed in other insects such as honeybees and fruit flies, and is also well known in humans.



The researchers from UC’s College of Arts and Sciences and Virginia Tech’s Department of Biochemistry, found it challenging to study sleep patterns in mosquitoes. They spent more than a year developing protocols to study the phenomenon effectively – mosquitoes are easily disturbed by the presence of an observer, whom they detect as a potential host. This means that any experiments on mosquito sleep are likely to be confounded by the presence of the observer – a phenomenon called the observer effect – according to UC biologist Joshua Benoit.



“It’s really hard to quantify sleep in mosquitoes when, as soon as you walk in the room, you’re considered their Thanksgiving dinner,” Benoit said.



Mosquitoes detect the presence of potential hosts through their body heat, odors, movement, vibrations and the carbon dioxide they exhale from their lungs and emit from their skin. Because of this sensitivity, the researchers had to install the mosquitoes in rooms isolated within other rooms, and make use of cameras and infrared sensors that could record when the mosquitoes were moving around, without disturbing them. Virginia Tech researcher and study co-author Clément Vinauger used these video observations to document mosquito behavior.



In this way, the researchers studied the sleeping and feeding behavior of three species of mosquitoes for about a week, once they were acclimatized to their laboratory homes. Mosquitoes spend a lot of time perching between activities, in order to conserve energy, and it is not easy to detect when they are actually sleeping. However, the scientists identified a subtle postural change that occurs when a mosquito falls asleep.&nbsp;



“When mosquitoes enter a sleep-like state, their hind legs droop and their body comes closer to the surface,” Ajayi said.



Using this knowledge, the researchers were able to establish from the video footage how much time mosquitoes spent asleep.&nbsp;The three species under investigation slept at different times of the 24 hour cycle – Aedes aegypti, a “day biter,” slept mostly at night while Anopheles stephensi, which is most active at night, slept during the daytime. Culex pipiens, which seeks a meal at dusk, could be found sleeping during the daytime and the night.



In a second experiment, researchers subjected the mosquitoes to sleep deprivation during their normal sleep time by vibrating their enclosures at regular intervals during.&nbsp;



The results of the experiments, published in the <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>, showed that, while more than 75 percent of mosquitoes fly around actively seeking a blood meal when they are not subjected to sleep deprivation, less than one-quarter of them had any interest in food after a sleepless night. This represented a 54 percent decrease in the propensity to feed among sleep-deprived mosquitoes.



“What’s surprising to me is that as much as mosquitoes need blood to produce eggs, they will give it up to recover the sleep they lost,” Benoit said. “They might not be aroused as much because of the need to catch up on sleep.”



The overtired mosquitoes were also less likely to land on a host in both laboratory and field settings, suggesting that the same behaviors would occur in natural settings like your back yard. Tiredness also impaired blood feeding on a human host at times when mosquitoes would normally be active.&nbsp;



Lucas&nbsp;Gleitz&nbsp;participated in the research project as a&nbsp;UC&nbsp;undergraduate biology student. In his opinion, the study’s findings are&nbsp;relatable&nbsp;to the lives of college students, given the sleepless nights most of them endure.



Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other animal, according to the World Health Organization. Malaria alone kills more than 400,000 people annually. And mosquitoes carry pathogens for other deadly diseases such as dengue and yellow fever. By understanding the mosquitoes’ circadian rhythms, researchers hope to find better ways to prevent infection.



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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

Sleep-deprived mosquitoes are less interested in feeding

Mosquitoes need sleep in order to function well, just like...

Bumblebee,Insect,On,White,Blooming,Cherry,Blossom.,Bumblebee,Insect.,The

The decline of pollinators is threatening ecosystems and economies around the world. According to a new study, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drones-can-assist-efforts-to-save-bees-and-other-pollinators/">pollinator</a> decline is likely the result of increased pesticide use in agriculture. The world's most widely used herbicide, glyphosate, may contribute more to this development than was previously known.



The study was led by Dr. Anja Weidenmüller, an expert in the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour at the <a href="https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/">University of Konstanz</a>. The researchers set out to investigate how bumblebee colonies regulate the temperature of their brood.



Bumblebee colonies use nectar as "fuel" to keep their broods at a temperature of about 32 degrees. "Just as we humans keep our body temperature constant, the animals in a colony collectively show homeostasis in the temperature regulation of their brood," said Dr. Weidenmüller.&nbsp;



This thermoregulation is important for colony development. The study clearly showed that glyphosate impacts the collective thermoregulatory capacity of bumblebee colonies.



Broods require high temperatures to develop from egg to bumblebee, and to develop a colony from a single queen to several hundred individuals. When these colonies are exposed to glyphosate, resources become limited and the collective thermal behavior is affected. Unfortunately, the impacts don’t stop there.&nbsp;



"Bumblebee colonies are under really high pressure to grow as quickly as possible within a short period of time," explained Dr. Weidenmüller. If the colony cannot maintain the necessary brood temperature, the brood will develop slowly or not at all. This limits the growth of the colony. "Only when they reach a certain colony size during the relatively short growth period are they able to produce the sexually reproductive individuals of a colony, i.e. queens and drones."



Bumblebee colonies contaminated by glyphosate are less able to keep their brood warm. In Germany’s agricultural landscape, fewer wild flowers are available to insects, resulting in resource scarcity. "The combination of resource scarcity in cleared agricultural landscapes and pesticides can therefore pose a massive problem for colony reproduction."&nbsp;



According to Dr. Weidenmüller, rethinking the approval process for pesticides is critical to bumblebee survival. Current approvals only test how many animals die after coming into contact with a substance after 24 or 48 hours.&nbsp;



"Sublethal effects, i.e. effects on organisms that are not lethal but can be seen, for example, in the animals' physiology or behaviour, can have a significant negative impact and should be taken into account when pesticides are approved in future," noted Dr. Weidenmüller.&nbsp;



The study revealed that bumblebees exposed to glyphosate also lived an average of 32 days, thus reaching an average bumblebee age. This research approach can be applied to many of the commonly used pesticides, such as other herbicides and fungicides. Currently, information is lacking on the effects of pesticides on wild bees and other pollinators.&nbsp;



Glyphosate is currently approved for use in the EU until 15 December 2022. The Glyphosate Renewal Group (GRG) applied for renewal in 2019.



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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

Glyphosate disrupts brood care in bumblebees

The decline of pollinators is threatening ecosystems and economies around...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> has found that, as greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the world’s oceans, marine biodiversity could plummet within the next few centuries to levels not seen since the extinction of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-of-the-dinosaurs-were-warm-blooded/">dinosaurs</a>. According to the experts, tropical waters would experience the greatest loss of biodiversity, while polar animal species will be at the highest risk of extinction. However, reversing greenhouse gas emissions could reduce these risks by up to 70 percent.



The scientists combined existing physiological data on marine species with models of climate change in order to predict how environmental changes will affect the survival of sea animals over the next few centuries.&nbsp;



The experts compared their models to past mass extinctions captured in the fossil record, such as the end-Permian extinction about 250 million years ago (the Earth’s deadliest extinction event, in which 81 percent of marine species was wiped out). This analysis revealed that, as in the case of previous extinctions, factors such as increased water temperatures and low oxygen availability will make large swaths of the ocean uninhabitable, leading to massive losses of marine life.



Although marine animals have physiological mechanisms flexible enough to allow them to cope with many environmental changes, the massive upheaval caused by unmitigated emissions would probably lead most polar species to extinction. While tropical marine animals may likely fare better because they have traits allowing them to adapt to warmer, low-oxygen conditions – and, in addition, they might have the possibility to migrate to newly suitable habitats – tropical biodiversity would nevertheless be severely affected.&nbsp;



Fortunately, if urgent actions are taken to curb emissions, the risks of extinction and biodiversity loss could be reduced by 70 percent. “Aggressive and rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are critical for avoiding a major mass extinction of ocean species,” said study senior author&nbsp;Curtis Deutsch, a professor of Geosciences&nbsp;at Princeton.



“The silver lining is that the future isn’t written in stone,” added study first author&nbsp;Justin Penn, a postdoctoral research associate working together with Professor Deutsch. “The extinction magnitude that we found depends strongly on how much carbon dioxide [CO2] we emit moving forward. There’s still enough time to change the trajectory of CO2&nbsp;emissions and prevent the magnitude of warming that would cause this mass extinction,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe9039">Science</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

Unchecked emissions may lead to marine mass extinction

A new study led by Princeton University has found that,...

A new species of dinosaur has been described by scientists from Japan and the USA. First found in 2008 in the Osoushinai Formation, a fossil-rich geological feature in Nakagawa, Hokkaido, the fossil remains include a partial vertebra, a partial wrist and a front foot with some large claws.&nbsp;At the time of discovery, the specimen was thought to be from a maniraptoran theropod <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-of-the-dinosaurs-were-warm-blooded/">dinosaur</a>, possibly therizinosaur, but not enough evidence existed to confirm this and so its taxonomic status remained unresolved.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In the current study, led by Professor Yoshitsugu Kobayashi at the <a href="https://www.museum.hokudai.ac.jp/english/">Hokkaido University Museum</a> and Anthony R. Fiorillo at Southern Methodist University (SMU), the fossil remains have been revisited and analyzed in the light of more recent evidence and knowledge of the therizinosaurid family of dinosaurs. The findings are published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-11063-5">Scientific Reports</a>.



The therizinosauridae (a name meaning ‘scythe lizards’) is a family of theropod dinosaurs characterized by having long necks, thick hind limbs with four-toed feet, large, keratinous beaks and forelimbs with unusually long, curved claws or unguals. It is this last feature that gives the group its name. Their fossils have been found in deposits dated from the Early to the Late Cretaceous Period, distributed widely in Asia and North America. This group of therapods is considered to be herbivorous and closely related to birds.



Asian therizinosaurs have been found mainly from the Cretaceous deposits in Mongolia and China. Japan, which was located at the eastern edge of the Asian continent during the Cretaceous, before the opening of the Japan Sea during the Miocene, has produced two therizinosaur specimens from the Lower and Upper Cretaceous deposits, but neither one has been named because of the difficulty in identifying the fragmentary specimens.&nbsp;The new fossil analyzed in this study is the third, and youngest specimen discovered in Japan.



Asian therizinosaurs had enormous claws on their hands and, based on the morphology of these claws (their length, width at the base, and strength), they are divided into basal therizinosaurs and derived (advanced) therizinosaurs. The basal species have claws that are shorter, stronger and more generalized, implying that they were all-purpose structures not specialized for any particular use. Derived species, in contrast, have some of the longest claws ever recorded in any animals (some measuring 50 cm in length) and these are thought to have specialized functions such as raking taller vegetation towards the mouth as the animal browsed.



The fossil under investigation showed a unique combination of traits in the metacarpal I bone, as well as in the claws, which led the researchers to identify it as a new species of therizinosaur. They named it Paralitherizinosaurus japonicas, which means reaper reptile by the sea from Japan, as its fossilized remains were found in sediments of marine origin. The morphology of its strongly curved claws was compared with that of many other therizinosaur species and the results placed it among the derived therizinosaurs, based on four shared, derived characteristics.&nbsp;



Paralitherizinosaurus japonicus&nbsp;represents the youngest occurrence of therizinosaur remains in Japan. Its discovery indicates that therizinosaurs in Asia existed over a much longer time period, and a much larger geographical area, than previously known. It is also the first therizinosaur record from marine sediments in Asia. Along with a fossil from Utah, USA, this suggests that some of the derived therizinosaurs were adapted to life in coastal environments.&nbsp;



“This study also tells us how much more we still have to learn about the incredible history of life on Earth,” said Fiorillo, a research professor in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smu.edu/Dedman/Academics/Departments/Earth-Sciences">SMU’s Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences</a>.



Co-authors of the study include Ryuji Takasaki of Okayama University of Science, Tsogtbaatar Chinzorig of North Carolina State University and Mongolian Academy of Sciences, and Yoshinori Hikida of Nakagawa Museum of Natural History.&nbsp;



Image Credit: Masato Hattori



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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

New dinosaur species distinguished by its fearsome claws

A new species of dinosaur has been described by scientists...

To discern evolutionary relationships and family trees, biologists focus on physical characteristics (morphology), but this can be tricky. For example, the wings of birds, bats and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-pollution-disorients-monarch-butterflies/">butterflies</a> may look superficially similar, yet it is not a sign of close relatedness.  



Now, scientists at the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> have managed to use molecular data to reconstruct family trees and to examine the relatedness of organisms. The study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>, compares the older method with the molecular method for building family trees.&nbsp;



Interestingly, the research shows that family trees of organisms built by molecular methods are more closely grouped together geographically than those in evolutionary trees based on morphology.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“It turns out that we’ve got lots of our evolutionary trees wrong," said Matthew Wills, professor of Evolutionary Paleobiology at the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/research-centres/milner-centre-for-evolution/">Milner Centre for Evolution</a>. “For over a hundred years, we’ve been classifying organisms according to how they look and are put together anatomically, but molecular data often tells us a rather different story."



“Our study proves statistically that if you build an evolutionary tree of animals based on their molecular data, it often fits much better with their geographical distribution."



“Where things live – their biogeography – is an important source of evolutionary evidence that was familiar to Darwin and his contemporaries. For example, tiny elephant shrews, aardvarks, elephants, golden moles and swimming manatees have all come from the same big branch of mammal evolution - despite the fact that they look completely different from one another (and live in very different ways)."



“Molecular trees have put them all together in a group called Afrotheria, so-called because they all come from the African continent, so the group matches the biogeography.”



It makes sense that biogeography might be more important than morphology as something pointing towards relatedness. Similar body parts might develop independently, something called convergent evolution, and a huge red herring in the search for a tree of life.



“We already have lots of famous examples of convergent evolution, such as flight evolving separately in birds, bats and insects, or complex camera eyes evolving separately in squid and humans," explained Professor Wills.



"But now with molecular data, we can see that convergent evolution happens all the time – things we thought were closely related often turn out to be far apart on the tree of life."



"People who make a living as lookalikes aren’t usually related to the celebrity they’re impersonating, and individuals within a family don’t always look similar - it’s the same with evolutionary trees too."



"It proves that evolution just keeps on re-inventing things, coming up with a similar solution each time the problem is encountered in a different branch of the evolutionary tree. It means that convergent evolution has been fooling us - even the cleverest evolutionary biologists and anatomists - for over 100 years!”



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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

We may have family trees all wrong

To discern evolutionary relationships and family trees, biologists focus on...

According to previous research, cuttlefish transformation is a relatively simple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-in-school-linked-to-slower-cognitive-development/">cognitive</a> process involving one of three body patterns to help the animals blend in with their background. Still, scientists have yet to explain how these stunning masters of disguise can express approximately 30 different body pattern components.&nbsp;



Like other cephalopods (i.e., octopi), cuttlefish are able to camouflage themselves by using their brains to control chromatophores - special cells all over their body surface. A new study led by <a href="https://www.city.ac.uk/">City University London</a> has shown that European cuttlefish (sepia officinalis) camouflage may be more complex than previously thought.&nbsp;



"To examine how cuttlefish deploy this vast potential, we recorded cuttlefish on seven experimental backgrounds, each designed to resemble a pattern component, and then compared their responses to predictions of two models of sensory control of component expression," wrote the study authors.



The scientists observed and analyzed 15 European cuttlefish and found that the patterns displayed by cuttlefish could only be explained by the involvement of more than one distinct neural system. These systems are activated selectively and process features from the cuttlefish’s immediate environment and the overall background, which allow the cuttlefish to camouflage themselves on the ocean floor.&nbsp;



“The cuttlefish provides a fascinating window into perceptual processing of such an alien species by expressing its perception of the surroundings on the dynamic canvas of its skin surface," said study co-author Professor Christopher Tyler.



The research supports the findings of a previous study, which suggests that cuttlefish have the cognitive ability to process specific and background features. Furthermore, the results support another model suggesting that cuttlefish only employ these cognitive skills when they deem them necessary to improve their camouflage.&nbsp;



“The findings also lay the groundwork for further study to investigate which specific aspects of the patterned features used here are responsible for activating distinct groups of body components in cuttlefish, and indeed, whether these artificial visual cues are reflective of what is encountered in the animal’s natural environment," concluded Professor Tyler.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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

Cuttlefish camouflage: more than meets the eye

According to previous research, cuttlefish transformation is a relatively simple...

Rudyard Kipling might very well have chosen to write a "Just So" story about how the giraffe got its long neck. It would probably have been about how the leaves of the tall Acacia trees are preferred food for giraffes but only those with the longest necks could reach them. For although there have been many different views about the exact evolutionary process of giraffe neck elongation, scientists have never doubted that the impetus for neck elongation was high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-adapt-to-altitude-by-sensing-oxygen-levels/">altitude</a> foliage.



However, the analysis of a strange new fossil by researchers from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> may cast new light on this age-old story. The fossil is a type of early giraffoid known as Discokeryx xiezhi, and among the fossilized remains are a well preserved skull and four neck vertebrae. The remains were found in early Miocene strata, dated at about 17 million years ago, on the northern margin of the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang.&nbsp;



Details of the study, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>, point to some unusual morphological adaptations in this ancient species. Although it is a giraffoid and possible precursor to modern giraffes, it did not have a long neck. It did, however, have a most unusual bony pad right in the middle of its forehead, and its cervical vertebrae showed unique connections that hint the animal was adapted to survive the heavy impacts associated with head-butting.&nbsp;



“Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;featured many unique characteristics among mammals, including the development of a disc-like large ossicone in the middle of its head,” said study co-author Professor Deng Tao. He noted that the single ossicone resembles that of the&nbsp;xiezhi, a one-horned creature from ancient Chinese mythology – thus giving the fossil its name.



As far as the neck vertebrae are concerned, the researchers report that these were very stout and strong, and the animal had the most complex joints between head and neck and between adjacent cervical vertebrae of any mammal. The team demonstrated that the complex articulations between the skull and cervical vertebrae of&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;were particularly adapted to high-speed head-to-head impact, a behavior often associated with conflict between rival males during breeding time.



They researchers found that the large, bony pad (or ossicone) of&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;was far more effective than that of extant animals, such as musk oxen, that are also adapted to tolerate severe head impacts. In fact,&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;may have been the best adapted head-butting vertebrate ever.



Interestingly, modern giraffes also show butting behavior. Male giraffes compete for females by fighting with other males. During this fighting, a male swings his heavy skull, armed with bony ossicones and osteomas, into his opponent’s vulnerable soft tissues. The authors of the study propose that this aspect of giraffe behavior would conceivably also favor the possession of a long neck. The longer the neck, the greater the momentum of the swing and the more damage done.



“Both living giraffes and&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;belong to the Giraffoidea, a superfamily. Although their skull and neck morphologies differ greatly, both are associated with male courtship struggles and both have evolved in an extreme direction,”&nbsp;said WANG Shiqi, first author of the study.



The experts state that this unusual fossil giraffoid helps to understand how the modern giraffe's long neck may have evolved as well as to appreciate the extensive integration of courtship struggles and feeding pressure. In fact, they propose that the neck size of male giraffes is directly related to social hierarchy, and that courtship competition is the driving force behind the evolution of long necks.



When the research team compared the horn morphology of several groups of ruminants, including giraffoids, cattle, sheep, deer and pronghorns, they found that horn diversity in giraffes is much greater than in other groups. In addition, the horns of giraffes tend toward extreme differences in morphology, indicating that courtship struggles are more intense and diverse in giraffes than in other ruminants.



Furthermore, the ecological environment that Discokeryx xiezhi occupied was most probably fairly dry, barren grassland, which would not necessarily have contained an abundance of available food. The Earth was in a warm period and generally densely forested at that time, but the Xinjiang region, where&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;lived, was somewhat drier than other areas because the Tibetan Plateau to the south had been rising dramatically, thus blocking the transfer of water vapor.



“Stable isotopes of tooth enamel have indicated that&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;was living in open grasslands and may have migrated seasonally,”&nbsp;said study co-author Meng Jin. For animals of the time, the grassland environment was more barren and less comfortable than the forest environment, which may have led to the violent fighting behavior of&nbsp;Discokeryx xiezhi&nbsp;as it competed to survive in this more stressful landscape.&nbsp;



Around seven million years ago, when the genus Giraffa first emerged on the East African Plateau, the environment was also undergoing a change from forest to open grassland, and the direct ancestors of giraffes had to adapt to these changes. It is possible that, among giraffe ancestors during this period, mating males developed a way of attacking their competitors by swinging their necks and heads. This extreme struggle, supported by sexual selection, could thus have led to the rapid elongation of the giraffe's neck.



Thus, the researchers propose, the original purpose of a long neck in early Giraffa species was to compete successfully with other males for access to females. However, having a long neck would also have predisposed these animals for the niche of feeding on high altitude foliage. Furthermore, occupying a marginal ecological niche may have led to more extreme intraspecific courtship competition, which in turn may have promoted even more extreme morphological evolution.



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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

Strange fossil suggests giraffes evolved long necks for courtship

Rudyard Kipling might very well have chosen to write a...

Deep in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-will-be-our-allies-in-the-fight-against-climate-change/">forests</a> of India, scientists have discovered a colorful new gecko. The species has been named Eublepharis pictus, also known as the Painted Leopard Gecko.



In 2017, researchers Zeeshan A. Mirza of the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore and C. Gnaneswar of the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai found a gecko in a water tank during a field survey. At the time, the creature was identified as the East Indian Leopard Gecko species (Eublepharis hardwickii).



The researchers conducted a phylogenetic study to look for the evolutionary history within the leopard gecko species. The team made morphological comparisons using molecular data from specimens across natural history museums. The results revealed that the gecko may represent a distinct new species.



“These lizards have conserved morphologies and most species are quite similar in general appearance,” explained Mirza. “With a few characters based on the number of specimens examined, we described the species and named it the Painted Leopard Gecko – in Latin, Eublepharis pictus, for its colouration.”&nbsp;



With this new addition, the gecko genus Eublepharis now contains 7 species. Two of them - E. pictus and E. satpuraensis - were described by Mirza.



The new species lives in dry evergreen forests mixed with scrub and meadows. The gecko is nocturnal, and forages along trails in the forest after dusk. It licks surfaces to look for food as it moves, which suggests it might use its tongue as a sensory organ.



Although the Painted Leopard Gecko is newly discovered, the researchers are already concerned about its conservation. “The species is collected for the pet trade and even now may be smuggled illegally," said the researchers. For this reason, they have refrained from identifying the exact locations where it may be found.



To protect the gecko, the authors suggest listing it as Near Threatened based on IUCN conservation criteria, until more is known about the size of its populations.



Further research may also encourage better protection of biodiversity in the area. “The Eastern Ghats are severely under-surveyed, and dedicated efforts will help recognize it as a biodiversity hotspot,” concluded the study authors.



This study is published in the open-access scientific journal<a href="https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/"> Evolutionary Systematics</a>.



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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

Colorful new gecko found in the forests of India

Deep in the forests of India, scientists have discovered a...

A virus that infects honeybees has a dangerous new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpaca-nanobodies-can-neutralize-coronavirus-variants/">variant</a> on the rise worldwide. The virus deforms their wings, causing the animals to die.&nbsp;



The new variant, which has already replaced the original strain in Europe, is spreading to other regions of the world and collapsing entire bee colonies. As pollinators, honeybees play a major role in fruit yields and preserving biodiversity. The loss of honeybee colonies is a major concern to experts around the world.



A new international study led by <a href="https://www.uni-halle.de/?lang=en">Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg</a> (MLU), analyzed data on virus variants over the past 20 years.&nbsp;



Deformed wing virus (DWV) is transmitted by the parasitic Varroa mite. “These mites not only transmit viruses between honeybees, they also eat the bees’ tissues,” explained Professor Robert Paxton, a bee researcher from MLU. “Deformed wing virus is definitely the biggest threat to honeybees”.



The original strain of the virus (“DWV-A”) was discovered in Japan in the early 1980s and the new variant “DWV-B” was first identified in the Netherlands in 2001.&nbsp;



“Our laboratory studies have shown that the new variant kills bees faster and is more easily transmitted,” said Professor Paxton. It will only be a matter of time before it becomes the dominant strain around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The team wanted to find out how widespread the new variant has become. They evaluated 3,000 datasets for honeybees, large earth bumblebees and Varroa mites.&nbsp;



In the 2000s, the new variant was found in Europe and Africa, the homeland of the honeybee. It was discovered in North and South America in the early 2010s, and in Asia in 2015. The variant has now been detected globally with the exception of Australia.&nbsp;



Evidence of the virus was also found in samples taken from large earth bumblebees. “Whether the virus will have similarly devastating consequences in bumblebees and other wild bees remains uncertain. So far, commercial bumblebee colonies infected with the virus are not dying at a significantly higher rate,” said Professor Paxton.&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224422000451">International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife</a>.



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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

Honeybee virus has a new strain that is even more lethal

A virus that infects honeybees has a dangerous new variant...

Today, June 1st, 2022, is the 4th annual <a href="https://worldreefday.org/">World Reef Day</a>, which serves as a call to action to raise awareness about the critically important benefits of healthy coral reef ecosystems.



Coral reefs are among the world's most diverse ecosystems. They provide shelter and food for 25 percent of all marine life. Across the globe, about 500 million people depend on coral reefs for food and income. Through recreation and tourism, reefs generate billions of dollars for coastal communities every year.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, the future is uncertain for coral reef ecosystems. Global warming is set to continue for decades, or even centuries, and a hotter world will be a difficult place for coral reefs to exist. Experts around the world are urgently studying how corals are responding to rising temperatures - in an effort to save them before it is too late.



Beyond climate change, coral reefs are under an enormous amount of strain from human activities, such as extreme fishing, plastic pollution, and sedimentation. One of the greatest dangers to corals is ocean acidification, which corrodes coral skeletons and causes them to dissolve. To make matters worse, as CO2 levels rise, corals have fewer carbonate ions to rebuild and strengthen their skeletons.&nbsp;



When corals are exposed to elevated temperatures, they respond by expelling algae that they need for survival. This phenomenon, known as bleaching, leaves corals vulnerable to infection and death. Back-to-back bleaching events in 2016 and 2017 destroyed about half of the Great Barrier Reef, the biggest reef system on the planet.



"Coral reefs support more species than any other marine environment and rival rainforests in their biodiversity. Countless numbers of creatures rely on coral reefs for their survival. These important habitats are threatened by a range of human activities," reports NOAA.



"Many of the world’s reefs have already been destroyed or severely damaged by an increasing array of threats, including pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, and global climate change. However, we can still protect and preserve our remaining reefs if we act now."



NOAA is leading efforts to study and conserve reefs for future generations through the activities of the <a href="https://coralreef.noaa.gov/">Coral Reef Conservation Program</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

World Reef Day: We must act now to protect coral reefs

Today, June 1st, 2022, is the 4th annual World Reef...

After years of field and laboratory work, and the collection and analysis of thousands of samples of feces, scientists have been able to develop a detailed reconstruction of chimpanzee (Pan troglodites) population structure and historical patterns of isolation, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/assisted-migrations-could-help-species-survive-climate-change/">migration</a> and connection across the species’ range. Apart from giving support to the existence of four separate subspecies of chimps, the method can also be used to identify any illegally traded, confiscated or orphaned chimp to its place of origin, within about 100 kilometers.&nbsp;



Study first author Claudia Fontsere is an expert at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), a joint center of CSIC and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain.



“Chimpanzees are an endangered species with massive population declines in recent years,” said Fontsere. “Our efforts to describe the current genomic diversity of this species are an attempt to provide a fine-scale map of connectivity between populations that can be of service to conservationists as a baseline and guide to build upon their conservation efforts.”&nbsp;



The research was conducted under the auspices of the Pan African Program (PanAf) that coordinated the sampling of thousands of chimpanzee fecal samples at 48 locations across the species’ range. This was followed by years of effort to develop successful methods to retrieve and enrich the portions of the host DNA (hDNA) of interest, and then to analyze and compare the results for the 828 individual chimps involved.&nbsp;



Previously, only 59 whole chimpanzee genomes had been sequenced and this gave limited information about geographical differences. And, although large datasets from thousands of geo-referenced fecal samples do exist, the genetic analysis used on these samples only focused on very small fragments of the entire genome, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms on a few autosomal, sex-linked, or mtDNA markers.&nbsp;



In the current study, the researchers focused on the entire genetic sequence of chromosome 21, which is the smallest contiguous nuclear sequence in the chimpanzee genome. Using this chromosome provided a wealth of genomic sequence data that was helpful for inferring chimpanzee population structure and relationships between subspecies. Since the fossil record and the existence of ancient DNA are limited for chimpanzees, the analysis of population genetics for this species is restricted to the use of modern DNA.



“Since we are using sequencing of a whole chromosome with thousands of independent markers, compared to few microsatellite markers, we have a much broader view of the genome [that] is needed to refine and describe the very complex evolutionary history of chimpanzees,” said study co-lead author Tomas Marques-Bonet, principal investigator from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE).&nbsp;



“Impressively, we are doing it with non-invasive samples, which, in a sense, are the best of all worlds - a valuable source of genomic DNA but collected in a way that animals never need to be contacted or disturbed beyond researchers existing in their habitat.”



The findings support the existence of four distinct subspecies of chimpanzees. These subspecies are often geographically separated by the presence of large rivers, such as the Ubangi River, which would have been a barrier to gene transfer most of the time, but not always. During peak glacial periods, lower river levels may have allowed migrations between the groups, thus introducing new genetic variations.



“We were able to show, using different analyses that look at very old and more recent variation, that the history of chimpanzees is complex, much like that of our own species,” said co-lead author Mimi Arandjelovic, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.



“Chimpanzee subspecies were indeed separated in the past but have since also experienced genetic exchange between populations. This nicely explains why different studies aiming at reconstructing different ancestral periods have come to different conclusions about the evolutionary history of chimpanzees.”



By using genetic sequences on chromosome 21, the researchers were able to discover many new variations in the genes, in comparison with previously published chimpanzee whole genomes. They hypothesize that these rare variations likely emerged recently (during the past few hundreds to thousands of years), and are probably specific to particular geographic locations. The experts thus used the rare variant data from 434 samples of sufficient quality, in 38 locations, to develop a strategy to deduce the genetic origin of fecal samples.&nbsp;



“Just by our sampling method, we have discovered around 50 percent more, and new, genetic variants on chromosome 21 than previous studies,” said Fontsere. “Our dataset has been key in understanding recent and past gene flow between populations where previous sampling gaps impeded their study. Also, it has allowed us to describe if populations have been isolated recently or whether there was a historical event that did so.&nbsp;By characterizing the genomic singularities of each community or population, we also created a map that links genomic information to geographic location so that we were able to devise a strategy to infer the geographic location of chimpanzee individuals.”



This catalog of genomic diversity in wild chimp populations has important conservation applications. It can help ensure that confiscated chimpanzees from the illegal pet trade are placed into sanctuaries in their countries of origin, as mandated by international standards. In addition, the sequencing of confiscated chimps or wildlife products, such as trophies or bushmeat, can identify hotspots of poaching to which the relevant authorities can be directed. This is particularly useful when dealing with endangered species that need to be protected urgently.&nbsp;



The authors of the study state that retrieving useful hDNA from fecal samples is challenging for many reasons. The samples usually contain only small amounts of rather poor quality DNA, and can be contaminated with the DNA from dietary organisms. In this study, some 100 fecal samples contained DNA that was very similar to that of chimpanzees, but that came from other primate species. The researchers concluded that this was due either to chimpanzees including these primate species in their diets, or due to the erroneous collection of the feces of other primate species by the field workers.&nbsp;



Despite these challenges, the use of feces has the advantage that many samples may be collected with negligible disturbance or interference to the animals. The researchers now feel that the methods they’ve developed for chimpanzees can be used with other great apes and primates. Their findings in chimpanzees confirm that fecal samples, although more complex than blood samples, are a good source of host DNA for any species



The PanAf continues to analyze data collected over eight years from 18 countries across Africa, at over 40 temporary and long-term research and conservation sites. The goal is to understand the evolutionary and ecological drivers of chimpanzee cultural and behavioral diversity.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-genomics/fulltext/S2666-979X(22)00062-3">Cell Genomics</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

Genetic catalog of chimpanzees will help conservation efforts

After years of field and laboratory work, and the collection...

Scientists have previously documented a variety of intricate mating behaviors in the animal kingdom, such as the elaborate dances of the birds-of-paradise or the geometric seafloor sculpting of the white-spotted pufferfish. Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a> has found that, in order to woo receptive females, male wolf <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/spiders-are-using-their-webs-to-extend-their-hearing/">spiders</a> (Schizocosa stridulans) will often perform appendage-scraping, abdomen-quivering, leg-tapping performances that can last up to 45 minutes.



“Females prefer to mate with males that can produce more complex signals than others,” said study lead author Noori Choi, a doctoral student in Biology at the University of Nebraska. “We wanted to understand why the males use complex signals instead of just simple ones. The complex signals take a lot of energy and time to produce and can even increase the risk of (attracting) predators.”&nbsp;



By analyzing the courtship routines of 44 wolf male spiders, Choi and his colleagues discovered that the nine successful males that managed to mate with the females produced more complex vibratory signals than the 35 males which were turned down. In addition, the successful males were more likely to direct their intricate performances to woo heavier females, which usually give birth to larger, healthier clusters of spiderlings.



The scientists were surprised to find that, as the courtship ritual went on, the successful males ramped up the complexity of their performance, suggesting that they may have been responding to signs of interest from the females. “Signalers are paying attention to the receivers, they’re paying attention to their environment, and they’re adjusting accordingly,” said study senior author Eileen Hebets, a professor of Biology at Nebraska. “We see that in lots of other animal groups, but people who work on other animal groups are often surprised when they see stories of spiders engaging in these sophisticated behaviors.”



According to Professor Hebets, females are not necessarily looking for the biggest, loudest, or strongest males. “But maybe they're looking for a male that is really athletic and can coordinate all of these different signals into one display,” she said. Alternatively, females may just be better at processing complex signals, or may simply prefer novel sounds. “There are a lot of studies which show that animals prefer novelty, in some capacity,” Professor Hebets added. “Increasing complexity, especially through time, you could almost think of as novelty - the males constantly changing things up to keep the females’ interest.”



Further research is needed to elucidate the structure and functions of this fascinating behavior, in order to better understand the sexual dynamics at play between males and females wolf spiders.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0052">Biology Letters</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

Male wolf spiders perform elaborate dances to woo females

Scientists have previously documented a variety of intricate mating behaviors...

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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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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



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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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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



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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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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