A new study led by <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> and Texas A&amp;M University adds to a growing collection of evidence that bears are not <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/african-carnivores-face-range-losses-in-the-future/">carnivores</a>. The research suggests that bears are omnivores like humans - even though they are fed high protein diets like carnivores while in captivity.&nbsp;



“Bears are not carnivores in the strictest sense like a cat where they consume a high-protein diet,” said study lead author Professor Charles Robbins. “In zoos forever, whether it's polar bears, brown bears or sloth bears, the recommendation has been to feed them as if they are high-protein carnivores. When you do that, you kill them slowly.”



The WSU Bear Center is the only research institution in the United States with a captive population of grizzly bears. Professor Robbins, who founded the center, has studied bear nutrition for decades. In a previous project, he and his graduate students discovered that grizzly bears gain the most weight when they are fed a combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates.



For the latest study, the researchers set out to investigate the food preferences of captive giant pandas and sloth bears by conducting feeding studies. Under human care, sloth bears are dying up to 20 years early, and there is a lack of data on their nutritional requirements. One theory is that the bears are fed too much protein, which is causing cancer and disease.



"Consumption of diets with inappropriate macronutrient profiles has been associated with increased energy expenditure, ill health, failed reproduction, and premature death. Consequently, we conducted feeding and preference trials with giant pandas and sloth bears, a termite and ant-feeding specialist," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"We found that giant pandas are low-protein, high-carbohydrate omnivores, whereas sloth bears are low-protein, high-fat omnivores. The preference for low protein diets apparently occurred early in the evolution of ursids and may have been critical to their world-wide spread."



When presented with unlimited avocados, baked yams, whey and apples, the sloth bears almost exclusively preferred the fat-rich avocados. The exports said that this high-fat, low-carb diet is similar to their wild diet of termites and ants as well as their eggs and larvae.



The researchers also found that giant pandas preferred the carbohydrate-rich bamboo culm found in the woody stalks over the more protein-rich leaves. The results of the study suggest that, when given the chance, bears know what to eat to maximize their health and fitness.&nbsp;



“There's certainly this long-standing idea that humans with PhDs know a lot more than a sloth bear or a brown bear,” said Robbins. “All of these bears started evolving about 50 million years ago, and in terms of this aspect of their diet, they know more about it than we do. We’re one of the first to be willing to ask the bears: What do you want to eat? What makes you feel well?”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-19742-z">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

Bears are not carnivores, and they crave a healthy diet

A new study led by Washington State University and Texas A&amp;M University adds to a growing collection of evidence that bears are not carnivores. The research suggests that bears are omnivores like humans - even though they are fed high protein diets like carnivores while in captivity.&nbsp; “Bears are not carnivores in the strictest sense like a cat where they consume a high-protein diet,” said study lead author Professor Charles Robbins. “In zoos forever, whether it's polar bears, brown bears or sloth bears, the recommendation has been...

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> have determined that seabirds rely on their sense of smell to guide them home from trips at sea. The study may put to rest a long-standing debate of whether the birds are using Earth's magnetic field or their olfactory senses to keep them oriented while over the water.

The research team monitored 32 free-ranging Scopoli's shearwaters off the coast of the Spanish island Menorca. The birds were divided into three groups. The scientists used a zinc sulphate treatment to temporarily make the first group of birds anosmic, which means their sense of smell was removed. A second group of birds was equipped with small magnets, and the rest of the birds were left unaltered as a control group. 

Tiny GPS trackers were attached to the birds while they were nesting so that the researchers could observe their foraging patterns once they were at sea. The results of the study showed that all of the birds were able to forage, gain mass at sea, and return home to incubate. The group of birds with a lack of smell, however, became disoriented when attempting to return to the colony.

According to the experts, the birds regained a sense of orientation when they could see land again, indicating that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-seabirds-poop-cools-arctic/">seabirds</a> rely on a type of “olfactory map” when there is no land in sight.

The study, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, was led by Dr. Oliver Padget.

“Navigation over the ocean is probably the extreme challenge for birds, given the long distances covered, the changing environment, and the lack of stable landmarks,” said Dr. Padget.

Dr. Padget pointed out that previous studies were criticized for using birds which were displaced. “Our new study eliminates these objections, meaning it will be very difficult in future to argue that olfaction is not involved in long-distance oceanic navigation in birds,” said Dr. Padget. 
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How do birds find their way home? They use their sense of smell

Researchers at the University of Oxford have determined that seabirds...

Logging, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-electricity-europe/">climate change</a>, and booming economic development have all had devastating consequences on natural habitats. But changing environments don’t just threaten native species by destroying vital food sources and shelter. They can also introduce invasive species that have the same predators as the native species. When this happens, native predators, like wolves, have more prey to choose from, and so predator populations actually increase. As a result, caribou, a native prey species, have drastically dropped in population size to endangerment levels.

Trying to maintain the native species has proven difficult, as allowing more wolf and predator hunting in those areas where invasive prey are thriving is just a “band-aid” solution. 

An experiment carried out by Robert Serrouya from the <a href="http://www.abmi.ca/">Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute </a>specifically monitored moose populations in Southern British Columbia, which have increased due to logging. This, in turn, has caused a sharp decline in woodland caribou numbers. 

Serrouya and his colleagues used a government policy that aimed to reduce the invasive moose population so the numbers evenly matched records before logging operations. Reducing the moose population actually reduced the wolf population, and so the caribou's population increased. 

Caribou survival rates increased from 0.78 to 0.88 in areas where moose populations were reduced. The researchers also compared their experiment to a “reference area” where no change was taken and the invasive prey and predators were allowed to thrive. The study notes that in the reference area caribou herds declined. 

The study, published in the open access journal PeerJ, documents the incredible effectiveness of reducing invasive prey from an area that was just as successful, if not more so, than removing or reducing wolf populations. By reducing invasive prey, nature was allowed to balance itself out, and the native prey species stabilized. 

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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

Caribou are endangered, but native predators aren’t the problem

Logging, climate change, and booming economic development have all had...

White shark sightings off the coast of Massachusetts startled beachgoers and closed multiple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sharks-cape-cod-rising/">Cape Cod</a> beaches last week. Experts say the sharks are most likely arriving to the area in pursuit of seals, and do not pose a major threat to humans.

Cleveland Bigelow was paddleboarding approximately 30 yards off the shore of Marconi Beach when he was thrown off his stand-up board by a white shark. The shark bit the board, but Bigelow escaped without injury. 

"I would be telling you a fish story if I said that I wasn't scared," Bigelow told <a href="http://www.wcvb.com/">WCVB</a>. "I count my blessings from God.”

14 miles south of the incident, a white shark attacked a seal just feet from the shore at Nauset Beach. Surfers and swimmers panicked to get to safety as a large pool of blood appeared in the water.

In recent years, great whites have been appearing in larger numbers off Cape Cod in the summertime. Researchers believe that they are attracted to a thriving seal population, which has been growing since the 1972 federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. Scientists also believe that changing ocean currents and the depletion of food due to overfishing are also explanations for the presence of more white sharks in the region.

Marie Levine is the executive director of the <a href="https://www.sharks.org/">Shark Research Institute</a> in Princeton, New Jersey.

"We are the interloper in the ocean," Levine told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>. "White sharks prey on seals. Seals come ashore, so if seals are coming ashore on any beach, people should stay out of the water there. It's just common sense."

Greg Skomal is a state biologist in Massachusetts who has been studying the migratory patterns of white sharks. His team has electronically tagged dozens of animals for their research, and identified 80 sharks off Cape Cod in 2014, 141 in 2015, and 146 in 2016. 

While data for 2017 is not yet available, Skomal said there is evidence that great whites are spreading out to cover most of Cape Cod’s eastern coast. He indicates, however, that the event at Nauset Beach is a perfect example of why there is no need to panic.

"We had people who were surfing, we had swimmers, and we had a shark attack a seal among them all," said Skomal. "That's a level of selection that we need to realize. The shark decided the seal was the prey item."

There have been no fatal shark attacks reported in the United States so far this year, and sharks have not killed a person in Massachusetts since 1936.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Shark sightings shut down beaches on Cape Cod

White shark sightings off the coast of Massachusetts startled beachgoers...

Understanding your pet’s behavior and personal tastes are all part of being a pet parent. Cats, in particular, are known for their very specific preferences. But due to an unfortunate language barrier, we never quite know why our pets like certain things more than others. But now, new research has revealed that cats love getting their head scratched so much because it reminds them of being groomed by their mother as a kitten. It also releases scent glands which can cause a pleasurable response in your cat.

When an owner scratches their cat’s head, it reinforces bonding and the maternal or paternal role of the owner, and feline experts suggest that it serves as a reminder for the cat to groom himself. 

“The head and neck are some key areas groomed but mum cats groom their kitties all over until they are old enough to take care of coat care on their own,” said Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a professor emeritus at the <a href="https://vet.tufts.edu/">Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University</a>.

The scent glands on top of cat's head serve an important purpose for marking territory and spreading a soothing scent that cats find very calming, which could explain why your cat is fond of butting his head up against you. 

“When cats scent mark objects with their cheeks and chin, they are simply leaving an olfactory reminder of their erstwhile present,” Dodman said. 

Dogs are also fond of a good head scratch, but canine behavior experts recommend treading carefully as touching the head can be seen as a sign of dominance. While many dogs love getting their ears and head scratched, it’s best to spot any signals that your dog is giving off to let you know to stay away from that area. 

Not all cats and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/guide-dogs-overbearing-mothers/">dogs</a> are created the same, so it’s always best to read your pet's body language before you start lunging for a chin or head scratch. However, if your cat is calm and purring away when you scratch their head, it’s probably because it reminds them of their mother.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why cats love getting their head scratched

Understanding your pet’s behavior and personal tastes are all part...

Scientists have long studied coral to understand how they grow their bony, calcium carbonate skeletal covering and how they respond to external threats. As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-havoc-hawaiian/">we’ve reported</a>, coral bleaching caused by warming waters has wreaked havoc on reefs worldwide. But increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has also led to ocean acidification, where the pH of seawater decreases to dangerous levels.

Now, a new study has revealed that coral is amazingly resilient when it comes to forming its skeletal outer layer, growing at a faster rate and in larger chunks than was previously thought. The discovery also suggests that coral may be more resistant to ocean acidification.

Previous studies have led researchers to be divided on how the coral skeleton formed. Either the coral used a calcium-rich fluid and slowly added to its outer structure one molecule at a time, or the coral harvested seawater and turned it into a concentrated liquid that was used to form the outer layer, again, one molecule at a time. 

Pupa Gilbert, a professor of physics at the <a href="http://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>, along with colleagues from the <a href="http://www.haifa.ac.il/index.php/en/home-eng">University of Haifa </a>and the<a href="http://www.lbl.gov/"> Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a>, discovered through advanced image mapping technology that the coral skeleton formed much faster and in larger pieces, rather than molecule by molecule. 

The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and outlines an exciting new way to map coral growth that Pupa created called component mapping. She used high-energy light from the Advanced Light Source at Berkeley Lab to discern different minerals. Gilbert and her team then created a pixel map to create an image of the formation of the coral skeleton for the specific species Stylophora pistillata, also known as hood coral. 

Through Gilbert’s component mapping, the researchers were able to see that some of the particles formed were about 400 billionths of a meter across, much larger than a single molecule or calcium carbonate group. 

The growing threats that endanger coral and coral reefs make research like Gilbert’s vital to understanding how the coral survives and thrives. One exciting result of Gilbert’s study is that coral may not be as susceptible to acidifying ocean water as previously thought. 

The study did just focus on one species of coral, but Gilbert has high hopes that her results will transfer to other coral species. 

“If this mode of formation is verified in other species of coral, then it could be a more general mechanism, and that would enable us to predict that corals will actually form just as well in acidifying oceans,” said Gilbert.

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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

Coral proving to be resilient against ocean acidification

Scientists have long studied coral to understand how they grow...

For anyone looking to adopt a pet, it can be overwhelming to decide which companion will best complement your lifestyle. Animals have personalities as colorful and diverse as people, and finding the right pet can make a big difference in your life. 

Studies have shown that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/difference-animal-shelters-rescues/">pet</a> owners are happier and healthier than people who do not have pets. You want to give your pet a great quality of life as well, and that comes very naturally if you select a furry friend who is compatible with your personality. 

German Shepherds

For the disciplined and driven person, you need a pet who is every bit as capable as you are. Known for their obedience, German Shepherds are intelligent and hardworking. You are too focused on your goals to worry about being popular, and the socially reserved German Shepherd will not mind at all.

Labrador Retriever

If you are an outdoors person who is friendly and inquisitive, you need a Labrador Retriever by your side. These outgoing dogs never meet a stranger, and they are athletic and playful enough to keep up with your energetic lifestyle. This match is even more ideal if you are drawn to the water, as Labrador Retrievers are excellent swimmers.

French Bulldogs

If you are laid back, reserved, and your idea of exercise is a quiet walk in the evening, you need a French Bulldog. He does not require a ton of exercise and is happy just chasing a ball while you watch the television. In fact, your French Bulldog will grow into quite the couch potato in his adult years. He is mainly quiet and politely unsociable, just like you.

Siberian Huskies

On the other hand, if you are an extroverted daredevil with a love for the mountains, the Siberian Husky makes the perfect sidekick. These dogs thrive in cold weather and love rugged hikes and hard work. They are gentle, good-natured, and alert, yet not overly suspicious or aggressive. They love the company of humans and will fit right in with your adventurous group of friends.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

For the quiet homebody who is affectionate and easygoing, your match made in heaven is  the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These dogs are sweet and compassionate and get along with everyone. The only thing your little dog will love as much as lying in your lap is sleeping in it. This gentle dog just goes with the flow and lives in the moment.

Cats

Despite how perfect some of these dog breeds may be for your personality, if you are too busy to devote time to a dog then you may want to consider adopting a more independent pet. Cats, for example, may be a better fit for the person who is never home. Some breeds such as Siamese cats and Burmese cats, however, depend more on human contact than others.

The best approach to adopting a pet is to do your research. If you have children or other pets, it is important to learn about the temperament of an animal before bringing it home. Some shelters will let you walk a dog or even take it for a hike, which is a great way to get to know a new animal. 

<a href="https://www.petfinder.com/">Petfinder.com</a> offers a searchable list of pets from over 12,000 shelters and rescue groups in the the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Here you can search for birds, cats, dogs, and even horses which are available for adoption in your local area. No matter what animal you decide to adopt, just remember that by adopting you are saving a life, and finding the right pet can drastically improve your life as well.

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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

Adopting a pet that fits your personality

For anyone looking to adopt a pet, it can be...

Sometimes the consequences of climate changing and a warming environment may not be very obvious. In this case, they may be hiding out of sight, inside the bark of the trees within our forests. A new study has found that over the next few decades, increases in winter temperatures caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-facilitate-spread-diseases/">climate change</a> could significantly extend the range of the southern pine beetle, which is one of the planet’s most aggressive tree-killing insects. The southern pine beetle’s range used to be from Central America to the southeastern United States, but in roughly the last decade they have begun to show up in northern forests of the Northeast and New England.

The range of this insect is generally curtailed by annual extreme temperature lows. However, these lows are rising a lot faster than average temperatures, which could result in the beetle’s spreading faster than previously predicted. The study’s authors predict increases in annual minimum air temperatures of 6.3 to 13.5 degrees Fahrenheit across the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada by 2050 to 2070.

What are the consequences of this spread? “We could see loss of biodiversity and iconic regional forests,” says Corey Lesk, lead author and a graduate student at <a href="http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>. “There would be damage to tourism and forestry industries in already struggling rural areas.” Infested forests may also be at risk to dry out and burn, causing property loss and even loss of life, as well as emitting large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

The researchers predict that by 2020, the southern pine beetle will have an established territory that extends up the Atlantic coast and into Nova Scotia. They further predict that by 2080, suitable climates for the beetle could extend to 71 percent of red pines and 48 percent of jack pines, which stretch across more than 270,000 square miles of the northeastern United States and southern Canada.

In the southeastern United States, pine beetle infestation have cost an estimated $100 million per year in timber losses from 1990 through 2004, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

It should be noted that although the researchers incorporated 27 different global climate models in their study, the paper did not address some uncertainties. For example, the possibility that cold extremes could change more dramatically than climate models suggest, which may occur if atmospheric circulation patterns or snow cover shift in unpredictable ways. Another question is how these beetles will respond to droughts or heat waves, as well as new predators.

In the southeast, land managers have already been using adaptive strategies to combat the spread of these beetles – with limited success. These strategies include thinning of forests where tree density is high, and removal of infested trees. If the southern pine beetle’s range continues to grow, northern forests may have to adapt these strategies as well – and hope that they work.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kevin Krajick/Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Climate change could drive deadly beetles to northern forests

Sometimes the consequences of climate changing and a warming environment...

A new study may have solved the mystery of why fish are becoming smaller. The research found that fish could shrink by as much as 30 percent if ocean temperatures rise two degrees Celsius, which is predicted to happen by the middle of this century.

Many scientists have suggested that fish are shrinking due to rising ocean temperatures, but they could not explain the connection. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> have a hypothesis that sheds new light on this phenomenon.

“Fish, as cold-blooded animals, cannot regulate their own body temperatures,” said co-author Dr.William Cheung. “When their waters get warmer, their metabolism accelerates and they need more oxygen to sustain their body functions. There is a point where the gills cannot supply enough oxygen for a larger body, so the fish just stops growing larger.”

Lead author Dr. Daniel Pauly explained that as fish get older they need more oxygen to support a bigger body mass. The gills, however, do not grow as quickly as the rest of the body. This biological rule, which Dr. Pauly refers to as the “gill-oxygen limitation theory,” confirms that fish will continue to shrink with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-weapon-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

Making matters worse, the amount of oxygen in the ocean decreases as temperatures warm up. Fish will have access to less oxygen at a time when they require more due to increased metabolism rates. 

“As the oceans warm up, their bodies will do so as well,” explained co-author William Cheung “Higher temperature within the scope that the fish can tolerate generally increases the rate of biochemical reactions in the fish’s body and thus increases their body metabolic rate.”

Bluefin tuna and sharks will be among the species that are impacted the most. For example, Atlantic bluefin tuna are expected to decrease in size up to 30 percent with a rise in ocean temperatures by two degrees Celsius.

The researchers say that shrinking fish will affect fisheries production and disrupt marine ecosystems. They explain that reducing carbon emissions is the best solution to this problem.

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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

Climate change causing fish to shrink in size

A new study may have solved the mystery of why...

Opioid addiction in the United States has become a national health crisis, one that still seems far from under control. The problem is that science still doesn’t have a firm grasp on what motivates drug abuse and addiction in humans. 

A new study from the <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/">University of Utah Health</a> used zebrafish to examine addiction and the corresponding neural responses in the brain. Zebrafish are a small tropical fish whose genetic makeup and neural pathways are incredibly similar to humans, which makes them excellent lab specimens.

The researchers dosed a group of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zebrafish-spinal-discs-repair/">zebrafish</a> with hydrocodone, a common pain medication. They then created a self-administering set-up whereby conditioned zebrafish would have to swim over a panel in their tank to trigger the release of the dosed out drug. 

Water flow in the tank would flush out the drug and the zebrafish would have to keep swimming over the trigger to release the drug. 

“The fish needed to perform an action to get the drug rather than receiving it passively. Drug-seeking has been modeled before in rodents and primates, but having a model to study this in zebrafish could move the [study of addiction] forward,” said Gabriel Bossé, first author of the study. 

The zebrafish sought out the drug and increased the number of doses if placed in a shallower tank of water to compensate for the stress of the situation. The researchers also found that the fish exhibited classic signs of withdrawal within 48 hours of the last dose administered.

As of now, the only available treatments for people with opioid addictions are substitution therapies, which have an extremely low success rate and have been linked to a high likelihood of relapse. 

The similar comparisons of zebrafish and humans in responses to opioid misuse could lead to promising new therapies to help hinder drug seeking behavior. 

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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

The fish that could help science fight opioid addiction

Opioid addiction in the United States has become a national...

The connection between climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and meat consumption is somewhat of a tangled and complicated web. We know that the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock industry come in the form of methane <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cowspiracy-film-review/">emitted by cows</a> via belching and flatulence. Unfortunately, there isn’t one clear cut solution for reducing these emissions.

It has been estimated by the <a href="http://www.fao.org/home/en/">United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization</a> that 2.2 billion tons of greenhouse gasses, or 35 percent of total emissions, are anthropogenic methane emissions from cattle.

Livestock production and agricultural practices also contribute to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-start-regulating-gas-emissions-cows/">methane emissions</a> through the use, or misuse, of fertilizer, the crops that are fed to cows, and the land and pastures that cows graze on. 

Grass-fed beef have a slightly lesser impact on the environment, but it’s still a significant amount. Research has also shown that grass-fed cows are smaller in size but still emit more greenhouse gasses per pound of meat produced than those that are grain-fed. 

Meat production and the cattle industry also have a significant impact on increasing carbon emissions. Cattle farms require more land and water than pig or chicken farms, and grain-fed cows only uses a fraction of the energy and nutrients in grain. 

Environmentalists and scientists are quick to point out the connection between livestock, meat consumption, and high methane emissions and offer up suggestions for reducing meat consumption. It is true that demand for meat is on the rise and the United States is known for its meat-centricity, but simply eating less meat would not be a sustainable or effective way to cut those emissions from cows and livestock. 

As a society, eating less meat may not be a bad thing. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10584-008-9534-6">One study</a> found that transitioning to a low-meat diet on a global scale would cut climate mitigation costs by 50 percent by 2050. 

But these studies do little to factor in the growing demand for meat, and the positive impact that a cheap source of reliable and nutrient-rich protein could have on impoverished countries. 

Meat consumption, livestock, agriculture and methane emissions might seem like a cut and dry case of flatulence and belches from cows, but reaching a solution to reduce these emissions is anything but simple. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

What does meat consumption have to do with climate change?

The connection between climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and meat...

Scientists are warning that there is a dangerous discrepancy between what we know about life deep in our oceans and the pressure that human activities are placing on these ecosystems. The experts say that without an urgent review of ocean conservation strategies we will lose deep sea populations faster than we can understand them.

The seafloor, which makes up 60 percent of the Earth’s surface, is the largest and most diverse habitat on the planet. A report by researchers at <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a> points out that there are large gaps in our understanding of how sea creatures are interconnected.

'Today humans have an unprecedented ability to affect the lives of creatures living in one of the most remote environments on earth - the deep sea,” says co-author Christopher Roterman. “At a time where the exploitation of deep sea resources is increasing, scientists are still trying to understand basic aspects of the biology and ecology of deep sea communities.”

The researchers analyzed every available study on deep sea invertebrates, which include corals, snails, and urchins. There have only been 77 population genetics studies on these marine species in the last three decades, and the majority of these investigations have focused on commercial species in more shallow parts of the ocean.

The research team discovered that only one study has been conducted on creatures that live deeper than 5,000 meters. They also found only nine reports on depths below 3,500 meters, which accounts for half of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-ocean-floor/">seafloor</a>.

The researchers used the limited information they collected in an effort to establish the relationships of marine ecosystems over depth and distance. Their report, published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-294X">Molecular Ecology</a>, explains that animals are generally disconnected over a few hundred meters of depth, but manage to remain well connected over a few thousand kilometers in distance.

Pollution, extreme fishing, deep sea mining, and climate change are increasingly affecting invertebrates on the seafloor. Coral reefs, which are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, are vanishing at shocking rates. The scientists will continue research in an attempt to understand how future activities will impact corals and other species.

“Population genetics is an important tool that helps us to understand how deep sea communities function, and in turn how resilient they will be in the future to the increasing threat of human impacts,” explains Roterman. 

The research team acknowledges that getting data from deep in the ocean is expensive and time-consuming, but new technology is making it more feasible.

“As scientists it is our duty to gather as much basic information about these creatures as we can and share it, and work with the people that set the rules of the seas - who have the power to make management decisions,” says co-author Michelle Taylor. “We cannot bury our heads in the sand and think that people are not going to try and exploit resources in the deep sea so science needs to catch up.”
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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

Deep sea life may disappear before we even understand it

Scientists are warning that there is a dangerous discrepancy between...

The end of the Cretaceous period was marked by a mass extinction event that scientists estimate wiped out more than three-quarters of all species on Earth. This extinction event is known as the K-Pg extinction. Evidence shows that an asteroid ten kilometers wide struck the earth 66 million years ago prompting the K-pg extinction. 

If an asteroid that large were to strike Earth today, it would cause earthquakes, tsunamis, falling soot and ash due to volcanoes, massive wildfires, and launch soot into the atmosphere that would almost completely block out the sun and halt photosynthesis.

New research created a model of the Earth’s climate to see what the end of the Cretaceous period might have looked like after the asteroid strike occurred. The soot in the atmosphere could have caused over a year and a half of darkness and created a dangerous early greenhouse effect with the barrier of soot absorbing the sun's rays. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR) and the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado-Boulder</a> used a computer model to simulate the Earth’s conditions during the end of the Cretaceous period. The team found that this standstill in photosynthesis might have caused marine life to die off later than land animals, but still at a devastating rate. 

“The extinction of many of the large animals on land could have been caused by the immediate aftermath of the impact, but animals that lived in the oceans or those that could burrow underground or slip underwater temporarily could have survived,” said lead author, Charles Bardeen from NCAR. 

The study used the computer model and the recorded amount of soot in the geological record at that time, 15,000 million tons, to gauge the effect it would have had on climate and photosynthesis. 

The model showed that even if the amount of soot in the atmosphere was less than recorded or predicted, it would still block out the sun and impair photosynthesis. 

There are limitations in the study however, as the model uses modern day Earth rather than looking at how the Earth was at the time of the Cretaceous period. An improved model could be useful in determining the exact impact a nuclear event will have on our atmosphere should we ever encounter a nuclear warfare 

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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

Dinosaur extinction event caused years of darkness on Earth

The end of the Cretaceous period was marked by a...

Astronomer,With,A,Telescope,Watching,At,The,Stars,And,Moon.

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Today’s Video of the Day from NASA's <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> describes what you can get a glimpse of this month in the October sky. 



"Giant planets Jupiter and Saturn are visible throughout the night in October. Early in the evening, you'll find them to the southeast, moving slowly westward with the stars over the course of the night. They form a triangle with bright star Fomalhaut," says NASA.



"When observing this trio, note how the planets shine with a steady light, while the star twinkles. This can be an easy way to know if what you're looking at is a planet or a star."



Over the next few months, Mars will appear to change direction. This is called retrograde, and occurs when the apparent motion of a planet is in the opposite direction of other bodies within its system,



The Orionid meteor shower is active in October and November, and will peak on the night of October 20. At its peak, this shower usually produces 10 to 20 meteors per hour.



Video Credit: NASA JPL



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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

October stargazing: Mars retrograde and the Orionid meteor shower

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. The archipelago consists of eight main islands including Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and La Palma, as well as many small islands and islets. The Canary Islands make up the southernmost region of Spain in the Atlantic Ocean.&nbsp;



Tenerife is dominated by Mount Teide, the third largest volcano in the world. Teide National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is located in the center of the island. Tourists flock to the beaches of Tenerife, which have sand that ranges in color from golden yellow to black.&nbsp;



"Owing to the island’s diverse topography and unique climatic factors, Tenerife has multiple microclimates, which means that the weather can vary drastically from one part of the island to the other," says ESA.



"Weather and climate are heavily influenced by the trade winds blowing from the northeast for most of the year, bringing humidity and precipitation to the north of the island, as well as to the northern slopes of Mount Teide."&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency



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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

Tenerife in the Canary Islands

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> explores how climate patterns influence the behavior of migratory birds. Each year, several billion birds migrate north to the United States in the spring, but the timing of their arrival varies each year.&nbsp;



"Every spring, migratory birds arrive in the continental United States from south and central America to breed. But precisely when they arrive each spring varies from year to year," says NASA.



"To better understand what is driving variability, scientists decided to turn to climate models, radar stations and a little bit of math. By studying the link between climate patterns and bird migration, scientists can better prepare to protect these birds and the habitats on which they rely."



The experts analyzed 23 years worth of data collected by a network of 143 NOAA radar stations located throughout the United States. The goal was to see if some of the stations had similar year-to-year variability in migration observations.



"What they found is that the U.S. can be divided into two regions - east and west - each with its own specific pattern of variability of migratory bird arrival times," explains NASA.



For example, when climate patterns bring warm temperatures to the eastern United States, the migratory birds arrive earlier.&nbsp;



"Variations in the West, however, seem to be linked to more regional climate conditions, such as sea surface temperatures of adjacent waters."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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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

How does the climate affect the behavior of migratory birds?

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

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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Aerial,View,Of,Lush,Coastal,Wetlands,In,Uk

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> explores how rising sea levels and increasing levels of salinity are impacting coastal wetlands.



The salinity of ocean water is 400 times that of fresh water, and the salt water that is left behind after an ocean intrusion can lead to intolerable salt levels for the plants and animals in a wetland ecosystem.&nbsp;



The Discovery Files video focuses on the work of Dr. Sparkle Malone, a professor in the Department of Biological Science at Florida International University.&nbsp;



In the Florida Everglades, Dr. Malone is taking measurements to assess how plants and animals are responding to changes in salt levels. High salt levels reduce vegetation cover and have a negative effect on productivity throughout the entire wetland ecosystem.&nbsp;



Video Credit: National Science Foundation/Florida International University



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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

Coastal wetlands are threatened by salt water intrusion

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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 data release from the Gaia observatory, which was launched in 2013. The observatory has been mapping our galaxy from Lagrange point 2, creating the most accurate and complete multi-dimensional map of the Milky Way.



"By now two full sets of data have been released, the first set in 2016 and a second one in 2018. These data contained stellar positions, distances, motions across the sky, and colour information, among others," says ESA.



On June 13, 2022 a third full data set was released. ESA said this data release contains even more and improved information about almost two billion stars, Solar System objects and extragalactic sources. 



"It also includes radial velocities for 33 million stars, a five-time increase compared to data release 2," explains ESA. "Another novelty in this data set is the largest catalog yet of binary stars in the Milky Way, which is crucial to understand stellar evolution."



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

Gaia is mapping the Milky Way in unprecedented detail

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Young,Plants,Grow,Towards,The,Sun,,Blue,Sky,And,Clouds

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a wearable sensor to help monitor the water levels of plants.&nbsp;



When plants are in need of water, there are not always obvious signals. Plant leaves do not turn brown or shrivel until most of the water is gone.&nbsp;



The new system is designed to detect water loss earlier. According to ACS, the system can wirelessly transmit data to a smartphone app, allowing for remote management of drought stress in gardens and crops.



"Impedimetric wearable sensors are a promising strategy for determining the loss of water content (LWC) from leaves because they can afford on-site and nondestructive quantification of cellular water from a single measurement," explained the study authors.&nbsp;



"Because the water content is a key marker of leaf health, monitoring of the LWC can lend key insights into daily practice in precision agriculture, toxicity studies, and the development of agricultural inputs."



The experts have published their research in the ACS journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/aamick">Applied Materials &amp; Interfaces</a>.



Video Credit: ACS



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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

Plant sensor can remotely track water levels

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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. 



"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 <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the explosive nature of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption on January 15, 2022. The eruption was so powerful that it sent a tsunami around the world and set off a sonic boom that circled the globe twice, says NASA.



"The underwater eruption in the South Pacific Ocean also blasted an enormous plume of water vapor into Earth’s stratosphere – enough to fill more than 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. The sheer amount of water vapor could be enough to temporarily affect Earth’s global average temperature."



NASA explains that with the help of satellites, we've been able to see the birth of the island happen in ways we haven't been able to before. "And with modern satellite technology, we're also able to see the end of the island's life cycle in new detail, as we did with the January eruption."



"This has happened in Earth's history in famous places like Yellowstone, Taupo, New Zealand, Krakatoa… And now in the island nation of Tonga."&nbsp;



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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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

The death of an island, captured by satellites

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, part of the Canary Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. The false-color image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"The Canary Islands are a group of ocean island volcanoes that were formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. The Spanish region and archipelago is located around 100 km off the north coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula," says ESA.



"The eight main islands are (in order of largest to smallest in area) Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa. The archipelago also includes many smaller islands and islets."



Lanzarote is the third most populous Canary Island, with a population of 150,000, and is also the easternmost island in the archipelago.



"Lanzarote has a long history of eruptions and is often referred to as the ‘Island of the 1000 volcanoes,' yet it is actually the least mountainous Canarian Island," reports ESA.



"The highest mountain is the volcano Peñas del Chache near Haría in the northern part of the island, which is 670 m above sea level. The Timanfaya National Park can be seen in the southwest part of the island and is entirely made up of volcanic soil."



Fuerteventura Island is the second largest of the Canaries. It is also the oldest, emerging between 12 and 20 million years ago.



"The island is fairly flat and has a desert landscape of sand and stones as well as long beaches," says ESA. "The center of the island is made up of a wide, elongated valley and, from north to south, is dissected by a series of extinct, eroded volcanoes. The west coast is dotted with rugged cliffs and small bays."



Video 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

Fuerteventura and Lanzarote of the Canary Islands

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA) reveals an image from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission which illustrates the extreme temperatures that struck Britain in August. Summer heatwaves also affected North Africa, Asia, and the United States.



"The image, captured on 12 August 2022, shows the United Kingdom’s previously green land appear brown (particularly in the southeast) amid the scorching conditions. The heatwave comes after months of extreme temperatures and low rainfall left the landscape parched. The dry conditions are also visible in parts of France, Belgium and the Netherlands," says ESA.



"The severe heatwaves experienced across Europe this summer are a harsh reminder of what is in store for our future.&nbsp; Extreme weather events will happen more frequently and intensely according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This trend is set to worsen unless the rise in atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities is addressed."



Video 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

Impacts of UK heatwaves can be seen from space

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video 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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video 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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.gatech.edu/">Georgia Tech</a> describes how skin plays an important role in giving elephant trunks flexibility. The researchers found that the skin on an elephant’s trunk does not stretch uniformly.&nbsp;



“When people extend their tongue – a muscle-filled, boneless tissue similar in composition to an elephant’s trunk – it stretches uniformly. We expected the same when we challenged an elephant to reach for food,” said study lead aptly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.schulzscience.com/">Andrew Schulz</a>.



“But when we looked at our high-speed camera footage and plotted the trunk’s movements, we were surprised. The top and bottom weren’t the same at all."



When an elephant is stretching to reach food or other objects, the skin folds on the dorsal surface prove to be more stretchy than the wrinkled ventral skin - allowing the trunk to extend further.&nbsp;



“Flexible skin folds are the elephant’s innovation,” said Professor &nbsp;<a href="https://www.me.gatech.edu/faculty/hu">David Hu</a>. “They protect the dorsal section and make it easier for the elephant to reach downward, the most common gripping style when picking up items.”



In addition to gaining a better understanding of elephants, Schulz sees applications for the knowledge in the field of soft robotics.



“Soft robotics created with biologically inspired design are always based on muscle movement. If they were wrapped with a protective skin, like an elephant’s muscle-filled trunk, the machines could apply larger forces,” said Schulz. “Last year we learned that a trunk is a multi-purpose, muscular hydrostat. Now we know that skin is another tool at its disposal.”



Video Credit: Georgia Tech/Zoo Atlanta



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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

Flexible skin folds help elephants stretch their trunks

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> describes the sacrifices made by Weddell seal moms for their offspring. A recent study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution revealed that Weddell seals give so much iron to their pups during lactation that they dramatically limit the energy they have left over for diving and foraging. 



“Offload of large amounts of iron hinders female Weddell seals’ ability to maintain their own endogenous heme (hemoglobin and myoglobin) stores, and post-partum females have shorter dive durations following weaning than skip-breeders,” wrote the study authors. “High iron demand during lactation ultimately impacts dive capacity as a cost of reproduction in marine mammals.”



Study lead author Michelle Shero explained that seals have much greater iron loads than terrestrial mammals because the seals need those proteins to carry oxygen in their bodies.



“That basically acts as a sort of internal scuba tank for those animals that allows them to dive for so long,” said Shero. “The females are essentially transferring their dive capacities to the pups when they nurse, through this transfer of iron. No one has looked at that before.”



The experts determined that a female seal transfers 309 to 614 milligrams of iron per day to her pup. “This is an exceptional rate of transfer relative to terrestrial mammals,” wrote the researchers.



Weddell seals are incredible divers. They routinely dive and hunt for food underwater for 20 minutes at a time. The longest recorded dive by a Weddell seal was 96 minutes. When the mothers are lactating, however, they are giving up the hemoprotein levels they need to carry oxygen for long dives.



Video Credit: National Science Foundation&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

Weddell seals sacrifice large amounts of iron to their pups

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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. 



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

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.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video 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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier 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> features Patagonia, which includes Argentina and Chile at the southern tip of South America. The region is known for its rugged beauty, with an abundance of glaciers and dramatic mountain peaks.&nbsp;



"Covering an area of around 673,000 square kilometers, Patagonia is split by Argentina and Chile," reports ESA. "The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains, with lakes, fjords, rainforests and glaciers in the west and deserts and tablelands to the east."



"The island archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, located at the southern tip of Patagonia, is shared by Argentina and Chile, with the eastern part of the main island belonging to Argentina and the southern point of the archipelago, which forms Cape Horn, belonging to Chile. The Strait of Magellan, named after the discoverer, lies between Tierra del Fuego and mainland Argentina."



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

Patagonia: the southernmost region of South America

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Puglia, a coastal region in southern Italy. Puglia forms the heel of Italy’s "boot," and has the longest coastline of any Italian mainland region.



"Covering almost 20,000 sq km, it is Italy’s seventh largest region and its coastline, dotted with some of Italy’s finest sandy beaches and azure seas, runs for around 800 km," reports ESA. "With a population of around four million, Puglia borders the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west."



"Puglia is the least mountainous region of Italy, consisting of broad plains and low-lying hills. It is home to two national parks, the Alta Murgia National Park and Gargano National Park. The area is one of the largest and most productive plains in Italy where a significant amount of both wine and olive oil is produced."



Puglia, which is also called Apulia, is known for its vibrant culture. The region provides around 40 percent of Italy’s olive oil, and is the birthplace of many unique Italian foods.&nbsp;



Video 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

The coastal region of Puglia in southern Italy

[sendtonews key="r28dhEJ2og-2027515-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...