Virginia faces a stubborn enemy: the spotted lanternfly (SLF). These invasive insects damage trees, crops, and gardens by feeding on plant sap and leaving behind sticky honeydew. A research team led by Assistant Professor Scotty Yang at Virginia Tech has discovered an unexpected helper in the battle against this pest: ants.



Yang and his team found that ants, drawn to honeydew, can carry traces of lanternfly DNA in their bodies. By analyzing the ants, scientists can now detect whether the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-swim-in-schools-by-stacking-like-ladder-rungs/">pest</a> has reached an area, even without spotting the insect directly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ants-collect-lanternfly-dna-through-waste">Ants collect lanternfly DNA through waste</h2>



The research is based on environmental DNA, or eDNA. This approach collects genetic material that organisms leave behind in their surroundings. 



Spotted lanternflies leave DNA in their sugary waste, which ants readily consume. Scientists then apply a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, to identify SLF DNA inside the ants.



“Ants are nature’s sugar seekers,” Yang said. “If there’s even a tiny drop of honeydew left behind by a spotted lanternfly, ants are likely to find it.”



Yang’s team named the method “antDNA.” Even a single meal of honeydew lets <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/swarm-intelligence-ants-can-anticipate-obstacles-and-plan-ahead/">ants</a> retain the lanternfly's DNA for up to five days. Because ants roam widely, this method can detect SLF activity from as far as 100 meters from the infestation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-field-tests-across-virginia">Field tests across Virginia</h2>



Researchers tested the method at three Virginia sites: Salem, Lynchburg Site 1, and Lynchburg Site 2. These locations represented low, medium, and high lanternfly densities. 



At each site, they placed honey-baited lure stations along transects, attracting ants with cotton balls soaked in honey.



The Salem site showed a 46.7 percent positive rate for SLF DNA. Lynchburg Site 1 and Site 2 showed 62.1 percent and 62.5 percent, respectively. Most stations attracted ants within 30 minutes, proving the method’s ease of use.



The study also tested ants from nine species. SLF DNA was found even in ants that had not directly fed on honeydew, likely due to food sharing within <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/selfish-dna-in-a-few-ants-can-change-the-behavior-of-the-entire-colony/">colonies</a>. This behavior, known as trophallaxis, helps spread the DNA signal among nestmates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ants-outperform-other-lanternfly-detectors">Ants outperform other lanternfly detectors</h2>



The antDNA technique works across landscapes and does not depend on the pest being visible. Unlike other methods, it does not require water, filtration, or special storage. Ants can be preserved in ethanol without refrigeration, reducing the burden on field teams.



Ants are present in nearly every habitat, from forests to cities. The collection setup is simple and inexpensive. The ants’ ability to hold liquid in their crop allows the DNA to stay detectable longer than in typical surface samples. 



The study confirmed that DNA from honeydew lasts longer than DNA from insect tissue, making honeydew a more stable source.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-early-detection">Importance of early detection</h2>



Spotted lanternflies harm many plants, including grapevines, hardwoods, and hops. As they feed, they weaken plants and coat them in honeydew. This sticky substance promotes sooty mold, which further harms plant health. 



Early detection is critical because removing the pest becomes harder once it spreads. Current surveillance efforts rely on human sightings of the insect or its egg masses. These sightings often occur only when the population has already grown. 



The ant surveillance method allows early detection of lanternfly species even in low-density zones and inaccessible areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scaling-up-and-looking-forward">Scaling up and looking forward</h2>



Yang and his team are now working on a portable test kit for use in the field. This will allow real-time molecular testing without needing a full lab. Faster results mean quicker action against the pest.



“One of the biggest advantages of using ants is that they live almost everywhere, such as forests, farms, cities - you name it,” Yang said. “Their constant search for food makes them ideal frontline samplers for spotted lanternfly DNA.”



This approach offers a new way to watch for invasive species like lanternflies using ants, without depending on visual surveys. It opens up possibilities for surveillance that is fast, flexible, and low-cost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ants-may-detect-other-pests-like-lanternflies">Ants may detect other pests like lanternflies</h2>



The method could be expanded to track other pests. Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-many-ants-live-on-earth-at-any-point-in-time-total-number-is-astounding/">insects</a> excrete honeydew, and ants can pick up their DNA too. This opens the door for broader pest detection strategies using the same principle.



Ants, in their natural role as sugar hunters, may become an essential part of protecting crops, forests, and native ecosystems. With antDNA, researchers are tapping into nature’s own behaviors to find smarter ways of monitoring invasive threats.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ps.8814" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NeoBiota</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

How ants could help stop the tree-killing lanternfly

Virginia faces a stubborn enemy: the spotted lanternfly (SLF). These invasive insects damage trees, crops, and gardens by feeding on plant sap and leaving behind sticky honeydew. A research team led by Assistant Professor Scotty Yang at Virginia Tech has discovered an unexpected helper in the battle against this pest: ants. Yang and his team found that ants, drawn to honeydew, can carry traces of lanternfly DNA in their bodies. By analyzing the ants, scientists can now detect whether the pest has reached an area, even without...

The way some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seafood-watch-may-red-list-fisheries-to-protect-right-whales/">fish</a> respond to stress seems to run in the family, according to new research from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The scientists observed Trinidadian guppies under stress and measured their hormone levels. The research shows that when a fish produces more cortisol, the individual is more likely to flee. On the other hand, when a fish produces less cortisol, the animal is likely to freeze in place.&nbsp;



"In the wild, an instinct to flee can help a fish escape from danger, and a rush of cortisol helps them cope with that stress," said lead author Dr. Tom Houslay of the <a href="http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/cec/">Centre for Ecology and Conservation</a> (CEC) on Exeter’s Penryn Campus. "But in captivity, this reaction is unhelpful - a chronic, high-cortisol stress response is harmful to health and welfare.”



The scientists hope their research may ultimately be useful in breeding more stress-free fish for farms and other captive situations such as aquariums.&nbsp;



"Our finding of a genetic link between the hormonal (cortisol) and behavioral (freeze or flee) reactions suggests fish could be selected for breeding based on their freeze or flee response," said Dr. Houslay. "By selecting fish that tend to freeze in a stressful situation, you create a genetic stock with a lower cortisol stress response."



This is similar to methods already in use for fish breeding that rely on blood sampling to select desired traits. This technique relies on the diversity of fish behavior, which is something most people don’t consider when looking at fish behavior. This works because fish are actually unique individuals with some heritable behavior.&nbsp;



"We need to stop thinking of fish as being all the same," said <a href="https://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=Alastair_Wilson">Professor Alastair Wilson</a>, also from the CEC at the University of Exeter. "Individuals and groups of close genetic relatives vary, and by taking account of this we can selectively breed captive fish with lower stress and better health."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</a>.



---



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

Fish have a stress response that runs in the family

The way some fish respond to stress seems to run...

Biologists have long argued that the vast majority of our planet’s animal and plant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/species-suffer-a-second-extinction-when-society-forgets-about-them/">species</a> remain undiscovered. While many of these species inhabit environments that are extremely hard to reach, some of them may in fact be hiding in plain sight.&nbsp;



For instance, a tiny parasitoid wasp known since 1843 (Ormyrus labotus) has long been considered a generalist, laying its eggs in over 65 different species of insects. However, a new genomic study led by the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a> has discovered that the wasps currently called Ormyrus labotus actually belong to at least 16 different species that are identical in appearance but genetically distinct. While discovering “cryptic species” within one known insect species is not unusual, the number of those found among these wasps is impressive.



“We know so much from ecology about how important even the smallest species can be to an ecosystem, such that uncovering this hidden diversity - and, maybe more importantly, understanding the biology of each species - becomes a critical component of conservation and maintenance of ecosystem health,” said study senior author Andrew Forbes, an associate professor of Biology at the University of Iowa.



Between 2015 and 2019, Professor Forbes and two of his graduate students, Sofia Sheik and Anna Ward, were involved in a research project investigating insects that laid their eggs on plants where their larvae hatched, inducing the plants to form protective structures called “galls” around the larvae.&nbsp;



Since wasps in the genus Ormyrus are known to parasitize such insects, it has not been surprising to find many such wasps emerging from the oak galls that the team collected. However, it was strange to see the same type of wasp emerging from a huge variety of gall types.



“It seemed highly unusual for one parasitoid species to be able to exploit such a wide and dynamic set of hosts,” says study lead author Sofia Sheikh, a former MSc student in Forbes’ lab and currently a doctoral student at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a>.



By examining DNA samples from each of the wasps that emerged from the galls, the researchers were surprised to find that the wasps which originally appeared to belong to a single species were in fact part of 16, and possibly even 18, distinct species.



These findings highlight the importance of biodiversity research and its implications. For example, if these wasps would even be enlisted for control of an invasive oak-galling pest, it would be highly important to know which particular wasp species targeted that specific pest species. Moreover, failing to distinguish between specialist and generalist insects hinders scientists’ ability to understand actual generalists and what enables them to target a variety of hosts.



“More so than any specific number of potential new species, I am excited about how this study and many others are revealing a plethora of cryptic diversity. This, to me, suggests that we still have a lot to learn about the processes that structure species interactions with each other and their environments,” concluded Sheikh.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixac001">Insect Systematics and Diversity</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists reveal hidden diversity among parasitoid wasps

Biologists have long argued that the vast majority of our...

A new study shows that dogs can recognize their human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dairy-calves-prefer-to-be-housed-with-a-companion/">companions</a> by voice alone. The study carried out by researchers at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Hungary eliminated smell and sight as identifying features, confirming that dogs can identify familiar voices.&nbsp;



To carry out the research, scientists recruited 28 human-dog pairs to play a game of hide and seek. The humans were asked to hide behind one of two hiding spots while a stranger was placed behind the other. The owner’s voice was played from where the owner hid and the stranger’s voice was played from where the stranger hid. The recordings were in neutral voices of the people reading recipes.&nbsp;



The dogs were allowed to choose which hiding spots to approach. The test was repeated with 14 different stranger voices, some similar and some very different from the owner’s voice. In 82 percent of cases, dogs found their owners.&nbsp;



To control for smell, the last two rounds of the study were carried out with the stranger playing the owner’s voice. The dogs still went toward their human’s voice, showing they were not using their sense of smell to guide them.&nbsp;



The scientists discussed the ways in which dogs were able to identify human voices. Differences in pitch and noisiness helped the dogs recognize familiar humans, but it appears that timbre and other qualities didn’t make a difference.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“People mostly make use of three properties: pitch (higher or lower), noisiness (cleaner or harsher), and timbre (brighter or darker) to differentiate others. Dogs may make use of the same voice properties or different ones. If two voices differ in a property that matters for dogs, decisions should be easier," explained study lead author Anna Gábor.&nbsp;



The research is unique and verifies something most dog owners already suspect, giving us a window into dog cognition.&nbsp;



"Dogs’ high choosing success rate, their ability to discriminate their owner’s voice from a variety of control voices, and the fact that dogs’ choices were not confounded by either olfactory cues or speaker order indicate that dogs can reliably use identity cues carried by speech," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



Andics Attila is the leader of the Neuroethology of Communication Lab, where the study was conducted.&nbsp;



“This is the first demonstration that dogs can tell apart their owner’s voice from many others," said Attila. "The study also shows that dogs make use of some, but only some of the same voice properties as humans do to recognize who is talking.”&nbsp;



---



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

Dogs recognize familiar human voices

A new study shows that dogs can recognize their human...

Robber flies (Asilidae) are predatory insects that feed by hunting down flying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-of-predators-can-damage-prey-as-much-as-predation-itself/">prey</a> and snatching them out of the air. In open environments, the flies maintain the line of sight to the potential prey, adjusting their position as the target twists and turns on its path. Such maneuvers are done with great speed and agility. 



However, things become much more complex for these hunters when the environment is cluttered with obstacles. So how do they adjust their hunting patterns when there are distractions in the environment?



Researchers from Imperial College London set out to investigate how the predatory robber flies adjust their interception strategy to deal with obstacles in the environment.&nbsp;



“We used&nbsp;Holcocephala fusca&nbsp;because of its predictable interception path," said study co-author Samuel Fabian, who teamed up with Mary Sumner from the University of Minnesota for four weeks to film robber flies in 3D while they hunted a tiny bead that was pulled along a transparent fishing line. This species of robber fly is commonly known as a gnat ogre due to its prodigious hunting skill.



“Field experiments are a joy, because you get the most naturalistic behavior from free animals," said Fabian. Even though the flies were chasing a small, artificial bead on an invisible line, they were still very keen to intercept it. “If something is small enough, they generally seem to assume it’s food, the flies really didn’t know it’s not real prey, even when very close."



When he and Sumner analyzed the approach strategy of insects intercepting the bead, they found that the flies maintained the same line of sight to the target throughout their approach, in order to capture it successfully. However, when the researchers introduced a wide (5&nbsp;cm) or narrow (2.5&nbsp;cm) bar of black acrylic into the insects’ interception path, they took evasive action.



When the black bar blocked the interception path for more than 1 s, the insects often aborted the chase entirely. If their view was blocked for less than 1 s, they swerved away dramatically until they had passed the obstacle, then moved back to their interception course. Interestingly, when the flies could see the black bar but it did not obscure their view, they still veered away from it as they approached the bead, even though the bead remained in sight all the time.



The researchers wondered what strategy the robber flies were using to make these decisions as they approached the bead. The experts compared the insects’ flight paths and the paths they would have taken if there was no obstacle, and realized that the flies were using a very simple obstacle avoidance strategy;&nbsp;



“The faster the obstacle is getting larger in their field of view the more they turn away from it,” explained Fabian. However, after the fly has passed the obstacle and it begins to grow smaller, the fly is then drawn back toward the bead, resulting in the veering flight paths that Fabian and Sumner recorded, even when the fly’s view wasn’t obstructed.



The researchers concluded that the flies, whose brains are no larger than a grain of sand, are combining two different strategies when hunting prey in a cluttered environment. They use a conventional approach of flying in a direct line to the target when their view is unobstructed, but apply avoidance tactics when an obstacle is present in their view. This results in a simple, hybrid approach that allows them to intercept their prey while avoiding distractions and obstacles in their paths.&nbsp;



“They are paying attention to their surroundings even when focused on the target," concluded Fabian. He hopes to inspire robotic designs that use simpler and more computationally lightweight solutions for complex navigation problems in future.



The study is published today in the&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Robber flies avoid obstacles while they hunt moving prey

Robber flies (Asilidae) are predatory insects that feed by hunting...

An international team of researchers from Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom has performed a series of experiments to investigate the role of flexibility and inhibition in problem solving and how they relate to each other in the great-tailed grackle - a behaviorally flexible urban bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/species-suffer-a-second-extinction-when-society-forgets-about-them/">species</a>. By assessing the cognitive abilities of these birds using multiple tests, the researchers found that self-control (a form of inhibition) was linked to flexibility, or the ability to change preferences when circumstances change.



The scientists discovered that grackles who were faster to reverse a color preference were also faster to inhibit their behavior in a “go no-go” test, where they needed to touch one shape but not another on a touchscreen computer to get a reward. This behavior suggests that inhibition is involved in learning how to change preferences.



“The grackles are likely inhibiting themselves from choosing the previously rewarded option so they can instead choose the other option, which is now the only option that has food in it,” explained study lead author Corina Logan, a senior researcher at the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/index/">Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a>.



However, another measure of flexibility – the time it takes to switch to trying to solve a new option on a puzzlebox after previously succeeding on a different option – correlated negatively with the capacity for inhibition in a “go no-go” test: grackles who were faster to switch to a new option were slower in inhibiting their behavior.&nbsp;



The scientists believe that different birds might use different inhibitory strategies, with those less inclined to inhibit being more open to explore a variety of options. This would help them solve the puzzlebox, but would be less useful in situations when they need to stick to one option, such as those assessed through the “go no-go” test.



Strangely, grackles who did better on a different inhibition test previously thought to measure self-control too, the “detour” test (where the birds needed to walk around to the side of a clear plastic tube to get food from the tube’s opening rather than trying to get it immediately through the plastic), did not necessarily perform better at the “go no-go” test. According to the researchers, while the latter measures self-control (the ability to withhold a response towards something present and wait for something that comes later), the former measures a different, simpler trait: motor inhibition, or the ability to stop a movement that is not useful.&nbsp;



“Our results show that different tests, which are widely referred to as tests of self-control actually assess different cognitive abilities,” says co-author Claudia Wascher, an associate professor of Behavioral Ecology at <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/">Anglia Ruskin University</a>.



Further research is needed to assess to what degree can grackles use causal cognition in order to change their behavior in relation to changing circumstances. Better understanding how flexible species react to a changing environment can help inform conservation management plans and facilitate learning how to promote flexibility in animal species that are struggling to adapt to our rapidly changing world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/article.php?id=1301">Animal Behavior and Cognition</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Great-tailed grackles adapt quickly to changing circumstances

An international team of researchers from Germany, the United States,...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a> has found the first tangible evidence that the ancestors of two of Australia’s most venomous snakes – a tiger and a brown “elapid” (front-fanged snakes) - arrived by sea rather than by land, which is the most common dispersal route of other Australian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-accelerates-aging-in-fish-amphibians-and-reptiles/">reptiles</a>.



“While we know all marine and semi-marine sea snakes descended from a common Australian land-based ancestor, the origin of Australian elapids has been debated for some time,” said study corresponding author David Adelson, a biologist at the University of Adelaide. “Some believe their ancestors travelled by land, whereas others hold the more contentious view that a marine or semi-marine ancestor swam here.”



By analyzing the genomes of these two elapid species and comparing them to those of marine and semi-marine elapid sea snakes and Asian elapids, Professor Adelson and his colleagues discovered that the ancestor of all Australian elapids seems to have accumulated self-replicating and self-mobilizing genes (“jumping genes”) which were not present in their land relatives but came from another source.



“In our research we found a number of genes that were present in the ancestor of all Australian elapids but could not be traced to a snake ancestor; instead they could be traced to similar transposable gene sequences found in marine life, including fish, sea squirts, sea urchins, bivalves, and turtles,” explained Adelson.



“This indicates the marine environment transferred the new genetic material into the snakes and offers new support to the argument that the first Australian elapids swam to our shores. They must have previously acquired the new genetic material during an ancestral period when they were adapted to marine life.”



The scientists identified 14 transfer events of genetic material from other marine organisms, with eight genes being present only in the marine and semi-marine sea snake genomes. Thus, the major genetic differences between land and marine/semi-marine snakes appears to be a consequence of migration into a marine environment.



“This is the first time that jumping genes have been used to confirm the evolutionary history of any animal species, and this research definitively proved that the common ancestor of all Australian elapids adapted to a marine environment. It may also have made it easier for the subsequent land to marine transition of sea snakes,” Professor Adelson&nbsp;concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/2/217">Genes</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancestors of Australia’s most poisonous snakes arrived by sea

A new study led by the University of Adelaide has...

Research from the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> has highlighted the phenomenon of societal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lowland-tapirs-in-the-atlantic-forest-are-at-risk-of-extinction/">extinction</a> and its potential impact on efforts to conserve biodiversity. When species disappear from society’s collective memory, they cease to be important or to receive attention from the public. Species can disappear from our societies, cultures and discourses at the same time as, or even before, they become biologically extinct. 



According to a quote attributed to both Banksy and Irvin Yalom, “Species go extinct twice – one time when the last individual stops breathing, and a second time when the collective memory about the species disappears.”



The international and interdisciplinary group of scientists found that whether a species will become societally extinct depends on many factors. These can include its charisma, its symbolic or cultural value, whether and how long ago it went extinct, and how distant and isolated its range is from humans.&nbsp;



For example, not many people have heard of the splendid poison frog (Oophaga speciosa) that was declared extinct from its home range in Panama in 2020. Although there is a remote chance that some specimens may be in captive collections, there are none in zoos or in recognized breeding programs. And because this is not a charismatic or culturally important species, it is unlikely that public funds or interest will be generated to attempt breeding and reintroduction projects. Society does not recognize this species as important.



By contrast, when Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii), a parrot endemic to Brazil’s Amazon forest, was declared extinct in the wild in 2019, captive breeding programs were well underway. “Blu”, a Spix’s macaw who achieved worldwide fame as a character in the 2011 animated movie Rio, helped to bring an understanding of this species’ plight to the world. As a result of greater public awareness and empathy, the Brazilian federal government’s Institute for the Conservation of Biodiversity, together with several partner organizations, established an Action Plan to increase the captive population of the Spix's macaw and begin reintroducing them to the wild.&nbsp;



The fact that children from local communities in the former range of Spix’s macaws incorrectly believed that the species is found in Rio de Janeiro, because of its appearance in the animated movie&nbsp;Rio, is an example of how societal extinction works. As time passes, the knowledge and appreciation of a species is transformed and becomes inaccurate and dislocated from reality.&nbsp;



As more and more species go extinct, they also become isolated from people. This leads to the extinction of experience – the progressive loss of our daily interactions with nature. As time passes such species may fully fade from people’s memories and, as a result, suffer societal extinction as well.



One example presented by the researchers is the replacement of traditional herbal medicine by modern medicine in Europe. This is believed to have degraded general knowledge of many medicinal plants, causing them to become societally extinct. Another example arises from studies conducted among communities in southwestern China and Indigenous people in Bolivia, where people have shown loss of local knowledge and memory of bird species that have become extinct.



Thus, public attention and interest in the fate of endangered species is a crucial prerequisite for effective conservation programs. Societies tend to conserve species they recognize as important. But these factors can only have an impact if people were aware of the species in the first place.&nbsp;



“It is important to note that the majority of species actually cannot become societally extinct, simply because they never had a societal presence to begin with,” said Dr Ivan Jarić, lead author of the study and researcher at the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences.



“This is common in uncharismatic, small, cryptic, or inaccessible species, especially among invertebrates, plants, fungi and microorganisms – many of which are not yet formally described by scientists or known by humankind. Their declines and extinctions remain silent and unseen by the people and societies."



“Societal extinctions can affect conservation efforts aimed at protecting biodiversity because they can diminish our expectations of the environment and our perceptions of its natural state, such as what is the standard or relatively healthy," said study co-author Dr. Josh Firth.



“Societal extinction can reduce our will to pursue ambitious conservation goals. For example, it could reduce public support for rewilding efforts, especially if such species are no longer present in our memory as natural parts of the ecosystem,” added Dr Jarić.&nbsp;



Further research will now assess how societal extinctions can produce false perceptions of the severity of threats to biodiversity and true extinction rates, and diminish public support for conservation and restoration efforts, such as reintroductions of Eurasian beaver to the UK.



The results of the study are published today in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/home">Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Species suffer a second extinction when society forgets about them

Research from the University of Oxford has highlighted the phenomenon...

The theory of sexual selection, first proposed by Charles Darwin, is often used to understand why male birds have brighter colors or more elaborate adornments than females. These attributes would normally make the males more conspicuous to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-of-predators-can-damage-prey-as-much-as-predation-itself/">predators</a>, or less agile when moving around, and could be seen as disadvantages in terms of survival. Darwin proposed that males carrying these “disadvantages” were more often selected as mates by females, who thus drove the selection for these features.



In a new study, researchers used a genetic analysis of male yellowthroats to investigate the link between conspicuous coloration and genes for enhanced survival, such as for robust immunity or stress resistance.&nbsp;This type of investigation has only become possible in the past five years, due to advances in DNA analysis technology.



Yellowthroats are small songbirds that have olive backs, wings and tails but bright yellow throats. In addition to having bold yellow patches on their chests, males also have a very noticeable black mask that runs from the sides of the face, across the eyes and up to the forehead. These features stand out, visually, and certainly make male yellowthroats very conspicuous. The aim of the study was to find out whether the size of these adornments signals the presence of male genes that are superior in terms of survival.&nbsp;



The research involved a comparative study of two different populations of yellowthroats. Peter Dunn and Linda Whittingham at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, tracked female preferences for male ornaments in&nbsp;Wisconsin, while Corey&nbsp;Freeman-Gallant at Skidmore College studied preferences in&nbsp;upstate New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;Interestingly, the females in these two populations prefer different male ornaments.&nbsp;



“We found that the particular ornaments that females tended to prefer in each of our locations didn’t match,” said Dunn, distinguished professor of biological sciences, “even though both characteristics are found among males in both areas.”&nbsp;



Females in the Wisconsin population preferentially selected males with a large black facial mask, while females in the New York population chose males with large yellow “bibs.”&nbsp;



To investigate the relationship between these sexually selected ornaments and genes that influence male fitness, the researchers analyzed the genetic basis of the ornaments in birds with larger-sized features. They found that, despite being produced by different pigments in different parts of the body, the size of the ornament preferred by females in each population was linked to numerous genes that influence&nbsp;beneficial survival traits.



This finding indicates that a large, yellow chest patch or a large black mask present in a male actually signals the presence of other genes for enhanced fitness in that male. A female choosing to mate with a male having a large ornament of this type would thus be choosing superior genes for her offspring.&nbsp;



There have been very few studies that examined the female appeal of male ornaments in different populations. Dunn refers to studies of swallows that indicate females in some locations prefer longer tails, while in other locations they preferentially select males with browner bellies.&nbsp;And even fewer studies have investigated the size of ornaments at the level of genes.



“With this study, we not only found genes related to ornaments, but we also showed that similar genes can be linked to different types of ornaments in different populations,” Dunn said. “It brings us much closer to understanding the function of ornaments.”



The findings don’t explain why the females have different preferences geographically, said Dunn, but they have implications for evolution. The availability of more than one ornament as a mating signal allows females to potentially respond to a different choice if their environment changes.



Although theory predicts that flashy or large ornaments in males are present because they are selected for by females, this may not always be true. Ornaments may also be present because they serve some other purpose, for example antlers and horns may be used in conflicts between males. For this reason, it was necessary to prove the link between female selection of features and the presence of genes for enhanced fitness.



“What we consider flashy characteristics may not be limited to mate choice. For example, they may be used in interactions between two males,” explained Dunn.



In this study, the presence of large ornaments was related to the presence of superior genes and therefore an enhanced chance of survival in offspring. Even though females from the two populations selected different ornaments in males, both of these ornaments were linked to the same superior genes. By choosing males with large ornaments, the females were thus also choosing the best possible genetic input for their offspring.&nbsp;



Nicholas Sly, a&nbsp;postdoctoral researcher at UW-Milwaukee,&nbsp;was first author on the research paper.&nbsp;



The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Female yellowthroats choose flashy features in superior males

The theory of sexual selection, first proposed by Charles Darwin,...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.ntu.ac.uk/">Nottingham Trent University</a>, experts warn that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-have-provided-support-during-the-pandemic/">dogs</a> are not the only pets that are susceptible to heat exhaustion. The researchers found that small pets such as rabbits, cats, guinea pigs have an increasingly high risk of heatstroke as global temperatures rise. 



In collaboration with experts at the University of Liverpool, the researchers analyzed data on dogs and small animals that were taken to a group of UK vets between 2013 and 2018.



The results of the analysis showed that dogs were the most frequent victims of heatstroke, with 146 cases on record. In about 75 percent of cases, the dogs became overheated during exercise, while seven percent of the dogs had been trapped in a hot car.



According to the study, bulldogs and other flat-faced dogs are particularly vulnerable to heat exhaustion, as these pets were involved in 20 percent of the heatstroke cases.&nbsp;



The greatest number of heat stroke cases among cats were tied to older cats over the age of 15. Guinea pigs, rabbits and a pet ferret had also been treated for heatstroke.



“There is a misconception that heatstroke in pets only relates to dogs in hot cars and we need to do more to raise awareness of risk factors not only for dogs but in the wider pet population," said study co-author Dr. Anne Carter.



“Owners of small animals such as rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs may need to review their pet’s housing and take steps to keep their pets cool in the warmer months to reduce the risk of heatstroke.”



The most common symptoms shared by the heatstroke victims included abnormal breathing, lethargy, collapsing, and diarrhea.



The researchers noted that cats seek out warm areas to sleep and can become trapped in greenhouses and sheds. The study authors also pointed out that caged pets are at risk of heatstroke due to confinement in hot accommodation, such as when their housing provides limited access to shade or cooler temperatures.



The researchers say their findings highlight the need for better public awareness of heatstroke and the risk to all animals, and warn that cases will continue to rise as global warming continues.&nbsp;



“Heat-related illness can affect all pets and is likely to become more common as global temperatures rise," said study co-author Emily Hall. “Our findings highlight the need for better public awareness of heatstroke and the risk to all animals."



“The fact that brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs and rabbits were overrepresented in our study suggests that owners of these animals should be particularly vigilant during hot weather.”



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/">Open Veterinary Journal</a>.



---



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

Small pets have a high risk of heatstroke

In a new study from Nottingham Trent University, experts warn...

Recently, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program released several <a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/newsroom/press-releases/seafood-watch-releases-draft-assessments-of-fisheries-that-pose-risk-to-endangered-north-atlantic-right-whale">draft assessments</a> of fisheries that pose a threat to the survival of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/right-whale-populations-reach-new-low/">north Atlantic right whale</a>. The assessments include proposals to “red list” the U.S. American lobster fishery, Jonah crab fishery, and other trap, pot and gillnet fisheries.&nbsp;



The Seafood Watch red list classification is a way to inform consumers and businesses to avoid certain fish that have been caught or farmed in ways that have a high risk of harming wildlife or the environment. Currently, more than 25,000 restaurants and other businesses including Red Lobster and Whole Foods have committed to avoid red-listed seafood.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Following the latest announcement from Seafood Watch, Oceana's senior campaign manager Gib Brogan released a statement:



“When consumers order lobster or crab, they don’t expect it to jeopardize the future of a critically endangered species — it’s beyond time for these fisheries to adapt. Oceana applauds Seafood Watch for flagging concerns about the impact these fisheries are having on North Atlantic right whales and NOAA’s ineffective regulations to protect them."&nbsp;



"Every vertical fishing line and gillnet is a risk to the remaining North Atlantic right whales, which can cause entanglements around their mouths, fins, and tails; make it difficult for them to swim and feed; cause life-threatening infections; and sever their fins and tails," said Brogan.



"To give this species a fighting chance, we must reduce the number of vertical lines and gillnets in the water. Inaction has consequences, as demonstrated by these draft assessments from Seafood Watch. Until fishery managers take their responsibility to save North Atlantic right whales seriously and enact meaningful protections, seafood retailers, consumers, and restaurants might be taking seafood from these fisheries off the menu.”



There are still business practices that could change to lessen the threat by these fisheries to north Atlantic right whales. Oceana recommends a reduction in the number of vertical lines and gillnets and the development of alternative fishing gear. Seasonal closures of fishing during times when whales are present should also be expanded. Finally, an improvement of transparency and tracking of fish would be helpful to the beleaguered whales.&nbsp;



As of now, tangling in fishing gear is a leading cause of death for North Atlantic right whales. Their population peaked at an estimated 21,000 individuals, and then dropped to less than 100 in the 1920s. By 2010, the whale’s population had risen to 483, but that trend has since reversed.&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to a report from Oceana, Seafood Watch assessments and recommendations have proven to be a powerful motivator for fisheries with significant conservation challenges to improve their practices. Seafood Watch is accepting comments on the proposal until February 28.



---



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

Seafood Watch may “red list” fisheries to protect right whales

Recently, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program released several...

Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to human-transmitted respiratory viruses. Respiratory illnesses are usually widespread among gorillas, and are the second leading cause of death in wild, human-habituated populations. 



According to a “Correspondence” report recently published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00331-z">Nature</a>, respiratory illness outbreaks among wild mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda have significantly declined since the beginning of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-is-still-circulating-widely-through-animal-populations/">COVID-19</a> pandemic.



In the five years prior to March 2020, the Volcanoes National Park reported 5.4 respiratory illness outbreaks in gorilla family groups annually. However, from March 2020 to December 2021, the gorilla populations averaged only 1.6 respiratory illness outbreaks. Fortunately, no traces of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected until now in samples collected from gorillas with such illnesses.



This massive decline in respiratory outbreaks during the pandemic is associated with an overall reduction in the number of people coming close to the gorillas, and with the additional health protection measures taken to reduce disease transmission from humans to gorillas, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/masking-and-social-distancing-can-stop-the-spread-of-the-flu/">mask wearing and social distancing</a>.&nbsp;



“Respiratory illness outbreaks are common in wild, human-habituated mountain gorillas, and considering that gorillas are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, this preliminary analysis is such a welcome finding,” said study co-author Kirsten Gilardi, the executive director and chief veterinary officer for <a href="https://www.gorilladoctors.org/">Gorilla Doctors</a>, and the director of the <a href="https://ohi.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/centers/whc">Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center</a> at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “It is a testament to the early and decisive action of park authorities to help protect mountain gorillas and humans.”



Professor Gilardi and her colleagues argue that some of the key factors leading to this reduction in gorilla respiratory illness outbreaks include the temporary suspension of gorilla ecotourism, as well as the mask mandate issued by the <a href="https://rdb.rw/">Rwanda Development Board</a>, and the social distancing rules aiming to keep a minimum of 10 meters between humans and gorillas.



According to Jean Bosco Noheri, a field veterinarian at Gorilla Doctors, “variation in pathogenicity of viruses, gorilla group dynamics, climate conditions and a variety of other factors may also be impacting the decrease in respiratory illness outbreaks we have seen.”



The research findings stress the important of best practice measures that minimize human disease transmission to great apes. Considering the increased contagiousness of the Omicron variant and the return of gorilla ecotourism, Gorilla Doctors and the Rwanda Development Board have recommended these measures to be made permanent.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gorillas got a break from respiratory illness during the pandemic

Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to human-transmitted respiratory viruses. Respiratory...

Scavenging is a highly important ecological process, playing a crucial role in the circulation of nutrients, the stabilization of food webs, and the mitigation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungal-disease-is-decimating-amphibians-in-baja-california/">disease</a> transmission to humans and among various other species. Vultures are some of the most important scavengers worldwide. By eating rotting carcasses that can become hotbeds of disease, and passing them through their highly acidic digestive systems which efficiently wipe out pathogens, vultures play a fundamental ecological role.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, a new longitudinal study led by <a href="https://hawkwatch.org/">HawkWatch International</a> and the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> has found that vulture populations have been declining in recent decades.&nbsp;



The researchers studied scavenger ecology at six abattoirs in Ethiopia with in-person survey and time-lapse photography from 2014 to 2019. They discovered that critically endangered Rüppell's (Gyps rueppelli) and white-backed (G. africanus) vultures declined by 73 percent, while critically endangered hooded vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) declined by 15 percent during this period.&nbsp;



By the end of the study period in 2019, the carrion consumed by vultures year had dropped by 20,000 kg as a result of the declining populations. At the same time, the number of scavenging feral dogs has been steadily increasing, making researchers worry that this may lead to rabies outbreaks.



“We know that the vultures are declining and we know that the feral dogs are increasing, but we don't know exactly why,” said study lead author Evan Buechley, the International Programs Director at HawkWatch.&nbsp;



“Although we can’t say for sure if the decline represents a population crash or if the vultures are being displaced by dogs and moving away from the abattoirs, either way this is really concerning,” added study co-author Megan Murgatroyd, a conservation biologist at HawkWatch.



According to the researchers, the rise of feral dogs may increase rabies rates in humans, as it happened in the late 1990s in India and Pakistan, when vulture populations crashed and feral dog populations rose to take advantage of the uneaten carrion. Although it is not yet clear whether there will be a similar link between spikes in feral dog populations and rabies in Ethiopia too, this country is already burdened by approximately 3,000 deaths caused by rabies each year, most of them children.



“Unlike a lot of diseases which impact the elderly, rabies disproportionately affects young children, which are the most likely to be bit by rabid dogs,” said Buechley.&nbsp;A solution to avoid this could be to improve fencing around abattoir facilities, which would help restrict access by feral dogs, and hopefully increase foraging by vultures.



“The overarching point is that vultures are super important. If they decline, we expect there to be pretty profound ecological consequences and there may be increases in human disease burden. And so we should appreciate vultures and invest in their conservation,” Buechley concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22194">Journal of Wildlife Management</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fewer vultures, more wild dogs linked to greater disease risks

Scavenging is a highly important ecological process, playing a crucial...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

News coming your way