Did you know you can read a chicken's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-can-now-decipher-the-emotional-states-of-chickens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emotions</a>? It turns out our feathered friends have a surprising way of showing their feelings - their faces blush a deeper red when they're distressed. 



A revolutionary study has confirmed this, opening up new ways to understand how chickens feel and build better relationships with them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-chickens-express-their-emotions">How do chickens express their emotions?</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chicken-psychology-birds-smart-complex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chickens</a>, like many animals, experience a spectrum of emotions ranging from joy and excitement to frustration and fear. However, their ways of expressing these emotions differ from ours. They don't rely on facial expressions like smiling or frowning to communicate how they feel.



Instead, changes in chickens' facial coloration offer clues about their inner state. The skin around their faces, including the comb and wattle, is particularly sensitive. These areas maintain a lighter red hue when chickens are relaxed and content. 



When chickens experience negative emotions, the blood flow to these areas increases significantly. This causes a visible change as their faces become flushed with a much brighter scarlet shade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-chickens-blush">Why do chickens blush?</h2>



Researchers from <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INRAE</a> (France's National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment) embarked on a detailed investigation to decipher how a chicken's blush reveals its emotions. They focused on Sussex hens, a popular breed of laying chickens. 



To ensure accuracy, the research team employed advanced camera technology and specialized software. This allowed them to precisely measure and analyze subtle changes in facial redness.



The researchers exposed hens to various stimuli and carefully documented the changes in coloration. When presented with appetizing feed such as mealworms, the hens did get a bit red but their entire face became scarlet red during negative experiences such as capture. This demonstrated a clear connection between the hens' emotional state and the intensity of their flushing.



Intriguingly, the study also shed light on how chickens perceive humans. Hens who had been gradually accustomed to the presence of a friendly researcher over time showed a reduced stress response. 



This was evident in their calmer demeanor and the less intense flushing of their faces in the researcher's presence. In comparison, hens without this positive exposure exhibited a more pronounced stress response when near humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotions-in-chickens-and-humans">Emotions in chickens and humans</h2>



The ability to accurately interpret chicken emotions provides invaluable insights for farmers, animal scientists, and veterinarians. Using this knowledge, they can tailor environments and care practices to promote positive emotional states in chickens. 



This includes minimizing stressful situations, providing opportunities for enrichment, and fostering a sense of security. Such changes in animal management can lead to improvements in overall chicken well-being and health.



While chickens and humans may seem worlds apart, this study highlights a shared emotional language. By learning to recognize the subtle cues chickens use to express their feelings, we can develop greater empathy and understanding towards them. 



This awareness can promote more respectful and compassionate interactions, potentially transforming our relationship with these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zebra-finches-use-both-calls-and-vision-to-coordinate-flight/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> even in backyard settings or small-scale farming.



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



The study serves as a springboard for numerous exciting avenues of future research. Scientists are keen to delve deeper into the diverse ways chickens might communicate their emotions.



Beyond facial flushing, changes in the position or movement of head feathers could hold clues to a chicken's emotional state. For instance, during moments of excitement, a hen might rapidly raise and lower her head feathers. 



Conversely, fear or stress might be signaled by flattened or ruffled feathers. Careful observation and analysis are needed to decode this potential new emotional language.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tech-uses-chicken-feathers-to-generate-clean-electricity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chickens</a> live within complex social structures, often with clear dominance relationships. Researchers want to understand how emotional signals play a role in these interactions. 



For example, a dominant hen might display specific feather patterns or facial coloration changes to assert her position, while a subordinate hen might exhibit different signals to indicate submission. Understanding these nuances could unlock secrets about chicken communication and social dynamics.



The next time you see a chicken, take a good look at its face. Is it pale, relaxed, and content? Or is it flushed, indicating the chicken might be feeling stressed or worried?



Remember, our awareness and empathy can make all the difference in the lives of animals around us, even backyard chickens.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124001163?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Applied Animal Behaviour Science</a>.



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Chickens' faces change color depending on their emotions

Did you know you can read a chicken's emotions? It turns out our feathered friends have a surprising way of showing their feelings - their faces blush a deeper red when they're distressed. A revolutionary study has confirmed this, opening up new ways to understand how chickens feel and build better relationships with them. How do chickens express their emotions? Chickens, like many animals, experience a spectrum of emotions ranging from joy and excitement to frustration and fear. However, their ways of expressing these emotions differ from...

Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to have overweight dogs. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english">University of Copenhagen</a> have identified a correlation between unhealthy weight in dogs and their owners. Compared to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pet-owners-medical-marijuana/">pet owners</a> who maintain a healthy weight, overweight or obese individuals are more than twice as likely to have a heavy or obese dog.

This can be partly explained by how people are managing their dog's treats, according to the study. Overweight dog owners were found to have a tendency to give their dogs treats as a comfort food.

"Whereas normal weight owners tend to use treats for training purposes, overweight owners prefer to provide treats for the sake of hygge," said study lead author Charlotte R. Bjørnvad. "For example, when a person is relaxing on the couch and shares the last bites of a sandwich or a cookie with their dog."

For the investigation, the team recruited 268 adult dogs from animal clinics. Overall, 20 percent of the dogs were either heavy or obese.Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to have overweight dogs

"Oftentimes, people don't consider their dog's weight status to be a problem. And this might contribute to a dog's being overweight. But being heavy or obese does have a great impact on dog health - which on average results in a shortened lifespan," explained study co-author Peter Sandøe.

Previous studies have shown that heavy dogs live an average of 1.3 years less than dogs on restrictive diets, which may be driven by an earlier development of osteoarthritis.

The researchers also investigated how castration and sterilization may affect a dog's weight. The study revealed that castrated male dogs are three times more likely to have weight problems, while sterilization seemed to have no impact on the weight of female dogs. 

"When males are castrated, they face just as high of a risk of becoming overweight as females. Castration seems to decrease the ability to regulate the appetite in male dogs and at the same time, it might also decrease the incentive to exercise which results in an increased risk of becoming overweight. Therefore, an owner should be careful about how they feed their dog after it has been castrated," said Bjørnvad.

"They might even want to consider not neutering. As long as there are no runaway females in the area, there are in most cases no reason to neuter," noted Sandøe.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-veterinary-medicine">Preventive Veterinary Medicine</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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/MarinaP

Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to have overweight dogs

Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to...

Plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes may have backfired. In a new study from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a>, scientists have found that a plan to kill off disease-carrying mosquitoes in Japan may have inadvertently made the population stronger. The team identified <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-malaria/">hybrid mosquitoes</a> that appear to be much more robust and resilient than the insects were before the experiment. 

For about two years, the British biotech firm Oxitec released tens of millions of genetically modified mosquitoes throughout the city of Jacobina. The insects were engineered so that their offspring would be nonviable. After mating with mosquitoes in the wild, the population was expected to dwindle. 

"The claim was that genes from the release strain would not get into the general population because offspring would die," study co-author Jeffrey Powell told <a href="https://newatlas.com/">New Atlas</a>. "That obviously was not what happened."

Working with researchers in Brazil, the Yale team found that the genetically-altered mosquitoes had, in fact, mixed with the wild population, and the number of mosquitoes in Jacobino declined for a brief time period. 

According to a report from <a href="https://newatlas.com/">New Atlas</a>, however, the population bounced right back 18 months later. The scientists found a mix of three populations, and the hybrids appear "sufficiently robust to be able to reproduce in nature."Plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes may have backfired

Climate change has boosted the number of mosquitoes that carry deadly viruses like Zika, dengue, and West Nile. As the weather becomes warmer and wetter across many regions, dangerous mosquitoes will continue to spread farther than ever before, invading areas that have been historically protected by cooler climates.

"Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world," states the World Health Organization. "Their ability to carry and spread disease to humans causes millions of deaths every year. In 2015 malaria alone caused 438,000 deaths. The worldwide incidence of dengue has risen 30-fold in the past 30 years, and more countries are reporting their first outbreaks of the disease."

Although the new hybrid mosquitoes identified by the Yale team are no more dangerous than their predecessors, Powell told New Atlas that it is the unanticipated outcome of the project that is concerning.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/guestedited?gclid=Cj0KCQjwzozsBRCNARIsAEM9kBOsrLLcP9aDXi0TIeDk3JzNZdmuY0mWILPWKtB0w5ZGGV4g7nspSzgaArkKEALw_wcB#mountain-surface-processes-and-regulation">Nature 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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/frank60

Plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes may have backfired

Plan to release genetically modified mosquitoes may have backfired. In...

Radio waves may interfere with the circadian clocks of cockroaches. Researchers in the Czech Republic have discovered that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cockroaches-inherit-pesticide-resistance/">cockroaches</a> are sensitive to weak radiofrequency (RF) fields. The team found that the fields slowed down the circadian rhythm of the insects - an effect that was previously demonstrated in fruit flies.

The scientists were surprised to find that the cockroaches appeared to be much more impacted by the exposure compared to fruit flies. 

"Remarkably, 300 times weaker RF fields likewise slowed down the cockroach clock in a near-zero static magnetic field. This demonstrates that the internal clock of organisms can be sensitive to weak RF fields, consequently opening the possibility of an influence of man-made RF fields on many clock-dependent events in living systems," wrote the study authors. 

Many studies have investigated the potential for electromagnetic fields - like the radio frequencies that cell phones use - to adversely affect humans, yet no such link has been confirmed. 

Martin Vacha, lead author of the current study, told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a> that he is "very cautious" about the findings. He said that his team is not making any claims about possible effects on people, and that the insects may not be affected under normal conditions. 

For the investigation, the cockroaches were exposed to constant dim UV light, with no indication as to whether it was daytime or nighttime. Using image analysis software, the researchers measured the activity of the insects to determine what time their body clocks were keeping.

When the cockroaches were exposed to either static magnetic fields or weak radio frequency broadband noise, they became active for one to two hours longer. This means that their circadian clocks had been significantly slowed down. 

According to Vacha, the team tested frequencies much lower than those from mobile phones or other electronic devices. He theorized that the cockroaches may not have been as impacted in natural light conditions. "My guess is that in real life it does not have such a big effect," Vacha told New Scientist. 

Previous studies have shown that weak radio frequency noise can disorient small songbirds. It is believed that birds use proteins called cryptochromes to detect magnetic fields. 

Cryptochromes are also known to be involved in the circadian rhythms of plants and animals, and Vacha proposes that it may be the effect of radio waves on these particular proteins that interferes with the body clock. 

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsif">Journal of the Royal Society Interface</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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/The Yooth

Radio waves may interfere with the circadian clocks of cockroaches

Radio waves may interfere with the circadian clocks of cockroaches....

Using antibiotics in animal feed to boost growth and prevent disease is contributing to growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antimicrobial-resistance-worldwide/">rates of antimicrobial resistance</a> (AMR) in both food animals and humans, according to a new study. 

Low and middle-income countries are especially susceptible to antimicrobial-resistant infections as demand for meat increases, and yet, systems to monitor and track resistance rates in animals are lacking.

To understand how meat production impacts antibiotic resistance rates in developing countries, researchers from the <a href="https://cddep.org/">Centers for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy</a> analyzed data from 901 surveys on foodborne pathogens. 

“Animal production is increasing worldwide, and the consequences of intensive use of antibiotics on resistance in animals is amply clear from our analysis,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, an author of the study. “We have a small window of opportunity to help low- and middle-income countries transition to more sustainable farming practices.” 

The surveys were conducted between 2000 and 2018 and centered on pathogens like Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., non-typhoidal Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus. 

The number of food animals with antimicrobial resistance higher than 50 percent (P50) increased significantly between the years studied, and the highest rates of resistance were found in antibiotics like penicillins which are commonly added to animal feed. 

The researchers were able to develop a geospatial model and identify hotspots where animals were resistant to multiple antibiotics in India, China, Turkey, Brazil, and Mexico City. 

“It is of particular concern that antibiotic resistance is rising in low- and middle-income countries because this is where meat consumption is growing the fastest while access to veterinary antimicrobials remains largely unregulated,” said Thomas Van Boeckel, an author of the study.

Having a model that maps antimicrobial resistance in food animals can aid efforts to curb AMR infections and improve tracking resistance rates in developing regions. 

“Antibiotic resistance is a global problem, and there is little point of making considerable efforts to reduce resistance on one side of the world if it is increasing dramatically on the other side,” said Van Boeckel.

The study findings were published in the journal Science. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/SerhiyHorobets

Antibiotic resistance in food animals is a cause for major concern

Using antibiotics in animal feed to boost growth and prevent...

More than 1,600 scientists have called on Congress to fully fund conservation programs and help solve the growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decreases-biodiversity-habitat-loss/">biodiversity crisis</a>. 

Currently, up to one million species are at risk of extinction, according to the latest <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/">Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Assessment</a>. 

Even though the US Endangered Species Act is considered the gold standard of conservation law, decades of underfunding have undercut its full potential. 

In a <a href="https://defenders-cci.org/sign-on/conservation-funding/">letter</a> published in the journal Science, researchers from the <a href="https://defenders.org/">Defenders of Wildlife </a>and universities across the US are asking Congress to fully fund conservation programs in order to prevent catastrophic biodiversity loss. 

“We are simply running out of time: Congress must act decisively to save endangered and threatened species now,” said Jamie Rappaport Clark, the president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife in a statement. 

Less than 25 percent of the funding needed for species recovery has been provided in the past few decades. For example, of the $468 million that the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">US Fish and Wildlife Service</a> needs to implement conservation effectively, the agency receives less than half that amount each year. 

Scientists have warned that we are nearing a sixth mass extinction due to the rapid rate of wildlife declines. 

The current global biodiversity crisis demands action, and adequate funding could go a long way in protecting wildlife populations. 

“The science is clear: biodiversity faces unprecedented threats and decline, with about 1 million species at risk of extinction,” said Dr. Jacom Malcom, the lead author of the letter and Director of the Center for Conservation Innovation, Defenders of Wildlife. “Scientists stand united in the need for Congress to fully fund proven conservation programs to stem the tide of extinction. We must act now before it’s too late.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Ethan Daniels

Why conservation funding is vital to solving the biodiversity crisis

More than 1,600 scientists have called on Congress to fully...

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The Penguin Genome Consortium, which is comprised of experts in ten countries, has sequenced the genomes of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/penguin-foraging-behavior-habitat-health/">penguins</a> in an effort to better understand their past. Combined with two genomes that were previously sequenced, the 19 penguin genomes acquired by the team represent all surviving penguin species.

The work will promote many areas of research, from penguin evolution to the impact of human activities and environmental changes.

Penguins are equipped with an enhanced thermoregulation system which allows them to adapt to extreme cold or tropical conditions. Their diverse range across the Southern hemisphere includes the Galápagos Islands on the equator, the oceanic temperate forests of New Zealand, the rocky coastlines of the sub-Antarctic islands, and the sea-ice around Antarctica. 

Over the last 60 million years, the birds have evolved from a group of flying seabirds to flightless marine divers. Many penguin populations have recently experienced rapid declines, such as the collapse of the King penguin population, which plummeted by 88 percent in just three decades. 

Further losses are expected among other penguin species as the birds face global warming, pollution, environmental degradation, exotic predators, and other stressors. High-quality genome sequences will help scientists understand the reasons for specific population declines.

"The population history of different penguin species can be seen in their genome," said study co-author Theresa Cole. "We will provide new insights into the population history of all penguins over dramatic climate events, to predict population trends under future climate change scenarios. This research will help us understand how future climate change may affect other species, to help us develop conservation strategies."

The team is also sequencing the genomes of recently extinct penguin taxa. "The penguin ancestor experienced rapid radiation leading to the current approximate 20 extant species, accompanied by many ancient lineages that are now extinct," said study senior author Guojie Zhang. "The radiation of penguin thus provides an excellent example for the study of speciation."

The researchers faced both technical and cultural challenges in their attempts to collect high-quality specimens in some remote areas. The way the team addressed sensitive cultural issues could serve as a model for building trust and collaboration with indigenous groups during future projects.

"Genome research in New Zealand is currently moving into novel cultural contexts, especially for penguins, which are Taonga or treasured possessions in Māori culture. As such, our consortium have undertaken rigorous indigenous consultation to sequence the genomes from six New Zealand Taonga species," said study co-author Bruce McKinlay. "We believe these genomes will be important for a cultural context."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gigascience">GigaScience</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

Image Credit: Laurie Goodman

Genome project will promote a better understanding of penguin evolution

The Penguin Genome Consortium, which is comprised of experts in...

Self-sharpening sea urchin teeth could lead to new material technology. As if <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sea-urchins-feet-see/">sea urchins</a> weren’t pointy enough, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/matter/home">Matter</a> reveals how the teeth of the pink sea urchin are able to sharpen themselves.

Sea urchins have five teeth, each of which is attached to a separate jaw in a circular arrangement at the center of their bodies. 

These teeth are structured so that they chip in a way that allows them to keep their sharp edge rather than wearing down. The researchers compare it to the sharpening of a knife by selectively removing material from the cutting edge.

“The material on the outer layer of the tooth exhibits a complex behavior of plasticity and damage that regulates ‘controlled’ chipping of the tooth to maintain its sharpness,” explains Horacio Espinosa of <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a>. 

Because the teeth are gradually losing material, they continue to grow throughout an urchin’s life.

In the past, researchers had posited that urchins might have a self-sharpening tooth mechanism. This new study combined sophisticated mechanical testing and electron microscopy to capture 3D movies showing how the urchin’s teeth wear down. 

Analysis showed that the teeth are made up of ceramic composites arranged in a specific pattern. On the convex side of the tooth, calcite fibers provide structural integrity. These fibers transition to another composite made of inclined calcite plates on the convex side of the tooth. The calcite plates chip away to maintain sharpness as the tooth wears.

Espinosa’s primary interest is in understanding the behavior of natural and synthetic nanomaterials. He believes these new findings could help inform the design of microstructure and the selection of material constituents in a range of cutting, grinding, and boring applications. It’s possible that this research could lead to new kinds of synthetic materials for use in many different ways.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Horacio Espinosa

Self-sharpening sea urchin teeth could lead to new material technology

Self-sharpening sea urchin teeth could lead to new material technology....

According to a new study from researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California, Santa Cruz</a>, most of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/elephant-seals-rivals-rhythm/">elephant seal</a> pups born in a California colony spanning five decades were produced by a small number of elephant seal “supermoms.”

Researchers saw during their long-term study, which documented the lifetime reproductive success of 7,735 female northern elephant seals located at the Año Nuevo rookery, that only 6% of the females gave birth to the majority of seal pups — a whopping 55% of the total seal pup production.

"It's surprising because there are so many more young females than older females, and you expect them to contribute more to the population,” said lead author Burney Le Boeuf, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz. “But it doesn't work out that way, because most of them don't live very long.”

Sadly, the researchers saw that three-quarters of weaned female pups die before reaching maturity and therefore never get the chance to breed. And those who do reach maturity usually only breed one to three times before they die. According to Le Boeuf, breeding takes a toll on the young females, who must put a lot of energy into raising their pups while still growing, themselves.

"The supermoms are able to pull it off," he said. "There aren't many of them, but they have a tremendous influence on the next generation."

During this study, the longest-lived female lived to age 23 and birthed 17 pups. Another elephant seal supermom produced pups in 16 consecutive years.

"It's unusual to be able to follow a wild animal throughout its life and determine how successful it is at breeding," Le Boeuf said. "With the elephant seals at Año Nuevo, we've been able to follow them for two generations, more than 50 years, in part because of the proximity of this colony just up the coast from the UCSC campus." 

Female elephant seals give birth to a single pup each winter, and spend four weeks on the beach nursing their pups before weaning them off and leading them out to sea to feed. However, it’s often during this first trip that naive weaned pups struggle to find food or fall victim to sharks or orcas. 

Le Boeuf said that surviving females grow larger the older they get, and larger mothers give birth to larger pups, which are more likely to survive to maturity and breed. Supermoms generally live longer than other females, and therefore breed as often as possible.

This study is published in the <a href="https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/journal/cjz">Canadian Journal of Zoology</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Dan Costa

Select few elephant seal mothers produce majority of the population

According to a new study from researchers at the University...

Humans may share an ancient form of communication with great apes. A team of scientists at the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/">University of St. Andrews</a> has been investigating the various gestures used for communication among <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-hunting-eating-crabs/">chimpanzees</a> and bonobos, which are two of the closest related species to humans. After discovering that chimps and bonobos share many of the same gestures, the researchers theorize that this language may have been inherited from our last common ancestor.

Gestures may not be full-blown languages with grammatical rules, but these signals still have meaning. For example, chimpanzees stroke their mouths to request food or raise their arms to request grooming. 

While shooting and analyzing videos of wild bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the researchers observed signals that were very similar to those used by chimpanzees. In fact, the scientists found that 90 percent of gestures used by bonobos and chimps were shared. 

Study lead author Kirsty Graham said that this percentage is significantly higher than what would be expected by chance. She believes the gestures may be part of a basic sign language used by the last common ancestor of humans and apes.

"This gestural communication is probably biologically inherited among the great apes - including humans," said Graham. 

The St. Andrews team has documented the gestures and their meanings in an online collection called the Great Ape Dictionary. They have identified 70 gestures, some of which share the same meaning. 

The researchers conducted an experiment where participants watched short video clips of ten common signs made by chimpanzees and bonobos. Presented with four options, the individuals chose the correct meaning of the signals at least 52 percent of the time. According to Graham, some gestures had success rates of over 80 percent, such as when a chimp strokes near its mouth to request food.

A previous study by psychologists at St. Andrews looked for great ape gestures among preverbal children between the ages of one and two years old. The researchers filmed infants in Germany and Uganda as they interacted with parents and caregivers. 

Out of 52 types of gestures recorded by the team, almost 90 percent were shared with chimps. "46 of the 52 gestures described for children were also present in the chimpanzee repertoire, an overlap of 89%," <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-018-1213-z">wrote the study authors</a>.

"As seen in great ape gesturing, the production of gestures and other signals by children were not necessarily a clear production of a single signal followed by a response. Instead gestures, and other signals, could be produced in series, could overlap with each other, and could be exchanged."

Graham presented the research this week at the <a href="https://primobevolab.web.ox.ac.uk/european-federation-primatology-2019-primate-society-great-britain-winter-meeting">European Federation of Primatology meeting</a> in Oxford.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Patrick Rolands

Humans may share an ancient form of communication with great apes

Humans may share an ancient form of communication with great...

Two new species of giant salamander have been identified thanks to a recent analysis of early 20th-century museum specimens. One of the newly described species could hold the record as the world’s largest amphibian. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/endangered-delicacy-disappearing-salamander/">Chinese giant salamanders</a> were once widespread throughout China but are now critically endangered. It was long assumed that all Chinese giant salamanders belonged to the species Andrias davidianus. 

However, researchers from the <a href="https://www.zsl.org/">Zoological Society of London</a> and <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/">London’s Natural History Museum</a> have discovered DNA evidence showing that this isn’t the case. 

The researchers analyzed tissue samples from both wild salamanders and museum specimens.  

The results of the DNA analysis revealed three genetic lineages in salamanders represented by separate species, Andrias davidianus, Andrias sligoi, and one species that has yet to be formally described. 

This is not the first time that researchers have suggested that the species Andrias sligoi is different from other giant salamanders. First proposed in the 1920s, Andrias sligoi was later dismissed until the researchers confirmed the species’ place on the salamander family tree.  

Chinese giant salamanders are the biggest amphibians in the world, but Andrias sligoi may be the largest of them all, reaching almost six feet in length.  

“Our analysis reveals that Chinese giant salamander species diverged between 3.1 and 2.4 million years ago,” said Professor Samuel Turvey, the lead author of the study. “These dates correspond to a period of mountain formation in China as the Tibetan Plateau rose rapidly, which could have isolated giant salamander populations and led to the evolution of distinct species in different landscapes.” 

Salamanders are critically endangered, but the addition of two new species can help inform conservation policies and management, the researchers say. 

“Conservation plans must now be updated to recognise the existence of multiple giant salamander species, and movement of these animals should be prohibited to reduce the risk of disease transfer, competition, and genetic hybridisation.” said Turvey. 

The new species were detailed in a study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20457758/0/0">Ecology and Evolution</a>. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: ZSL

Newly identified giant salamander species could be the world’s largest amphibian

Two new species of giant salamander have been identified thanks...

A previously unknown hybrid zone for hummingbirds has been discovered along the coast of northern California and southern Oregon. 

Hybrid zones are areas where two species interact with each other and sometimes interbreed. Interbreeding can result in new mutations, adaptations, and increases in biodiversity. 

Hybrid zones offer a key resource for understanding how rare instances of interbreeding impact species diversity. 

In a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.sdsu.edu/">San Diego State University</a> mapped out a hummingbird hybrid zone where Allen’s Hummingbirds and Rufous Hummingbirds overlapped. 

The researchers observed courtship behavior and collected data from more than 300 hummingbirds in the region by trapping the male birds at feeders and carrying around females in cages. 

“Sometimes the birds outsmart me,” said Brian Myers, a member of the research team. “They’ll only visit a feeder when the trap isn’t on it, or they won’t perform their courtship displays to the female hummingbird I’m carrying around, and this can make things very slow sometimes.”

Both Rufous and Allen’s hummingbirds have distinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-songs-tail-feathers/">acrobatic mating displays</a> unique to their perspective species.

The breeding males in the hybrid zone, which spanned nearly 100 miles along the Pacific Coast, had mating displays that were a mix of both species. This mix shifted more toward Rufous mating displays further north to more Allen’s-like toward the south end of the zone. 

“When a hybrid zone is so large, and when one of the hybridizing species has as small a range as Allen’s Hummingbird, it raises the possibility of their range shrinking even further as they’re swamped by hybrids that carry Rufous Hummingbird traits and pass these genes into Allen’s Hummingbird populations,” said Myers.

The study, published in the journal<a href="https://academic.oup.com/auk/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/auk/ukz049."> the Auk: Ornithological Advances</a> offers insight into interbreeding and biodiversity. 

“As biodiversity continues to drop, it’s more important than ever to understand how new species form and what maintains species barriers once they’re made - is there a certain habitat or other resources that require protection,” asked Meyers. Is it more related to sexual selection? Hybrid zones are an ideal tool with which to study this.” 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Brian Myers

Hummingbird ‘hybrid zone’ sheds light on species interbreeding

A previously unknown hybrid zone for hummingbirds has been discovered...

According to a new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.monash.edu/">Monash University in Australia</a>, a strange-bodied group of giant marsupials, called palorchestid marsupials, roamed ancient <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/first-inhabitants-australia/">Australia</a> about 25 million years ago.

Palorchestids were large in size, had tapir-like skulls, and giant claws. However, until recently, scientists did not know exactly how their limbs looked or worked. 

Researchers studied more than 60 fossil specimens of varying geologic ages to characterize the function and evolution of palorchestids’ arms and legs.

Throughout their existence, palorchestids grew larger and looked stranger they more they evolved. Researchers believe the latest palorchestid could have weighted over 2,200 pounds. 

[caption id="attachment_1877891" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marsupials.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1877891" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marsupials.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="365" /></a> Image Credit: Hazel Richards (2019)[/caption]

The team also found that the creature’s forelimbs were extremely muscular and most likely adapted in a way to help the animal grab and scrape at leaves and branches. Furthermore, the palorchestids’ elbow joins were immobile and fixed at a 100-degree angle, likely for the same purpose.

"This study has allowed us for the first time to appreciate just how huge these mega-marsupial palorchestids were, while also providing the first comprehensive view of a strange limb anatomy unprecedented in the mammalian world,” the authors state. “This research reveals yet more about the diversity of unique large marsupials that once roamed Australia not so long ago."

This study is published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0221824">PLOS ONE</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Alizada Studios

Strange-looking giant marsupials roamed Australia 25 million years ago

According to a new study from researchers at Monash University...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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> 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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" 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.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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" 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> 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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...