In a fascinating new study, scientists documented 34 attempts by wild killer whales to give food to humans. These rare cases spanned four oceans and 20 years. Some happened near boats, others in open water or even from the shore. 



The events highlight the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/killer-whales-use-kelp-to-massage-and-groom-each-other/">orcas</a>’ possible interest in humans and raise important questions about whale intelligence, communication, and social behavior.



“Orcas often share food with each other - it’s a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,” said study lead author Jared Towers, of <a href="https://baycetology.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bay Cetology</a> in British Columbia, Canada. “That they also share with humans may show their interest in relating to us as well.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-lives-of-killer-whales">Social lives of killer whales</h2>



Orcas live some of the most complex social lives in the animal kingdom. They stick together in tight-knit family groups called pods, usually led by an older matriarch. 



These family units aren’t just casual gatherings - they’re lifelong bonds. Calves stay with their mothers for life, swimming, hunting, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/photographer-captures-killer-whales-wearing-fish-hats/">playing together</a>. 



In some regions, pods form larger communities or clans that share unique vocal dialects, kind of like cultural accents passed down through generations. This tight social structure helps them coordinate during hunts and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/killer-whales-use-kelp-to-massage-and-groom-each-other/">protect each other</a> from threats.



But it’s not all business. Orcas socialize for the joy of it too. They engage in what clearly looks like play - tossing kelp, breaching dramatically, or nudging one another during underwater games. 



They form friendships beyond their pods and even flirt, showing preferences and personalities. These interactions suggest that orcas have emotional lives and a sense of identity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-orcas-gave-humans">What orcas gave humans</h2>



The 34 incidents involved six distinct populations of killer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-helps-humans-have-20-minute-conversation-with-humpback-whale-named-twain/">whales</a>. They offered humans a total of 18 species: six fish, five mammals, three invertebrates, two birds, one reptile, and even one piece of seaweed.



In 97 percent of these cases, the orcas waited for a human response. Some hovered for several minutes. 



On several occasions, they tried again when the humans ignored or returned the offering. In two especially curious cases, whales retrieved birds after humans returned them, only to offer them again.



This behavior could be a form of interspecies curiosity, communication, or even social learning. As the authors suggest, these events might represent "generalized altruism" - an advanced trait observed in only a few social animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploration-more-than-play">Exploration more than play</h2>



Though play was observed in 38 percent of the interactions, the researchers argue most cases were not playful. The age of the whales varied widely, and many offered whole, fresh prey. 



In over 75 percent of ignored cases, the whales later used the prey for themselves or their group. This suggests the offerings had purpose and value, not just entertainment.



Curiosity-driven behavior, distinct from play, seemed a stronger motivator. As the study explains, animals often explore to reduce uncertainty. 



Offering food to humans might help orcas learn how we respond, just as they would with unfamiliar members of their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-blow-bubble-smoke-rings-near-humans-to-communicate/">species</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-social-intelligence-at-work">Deep social intelligence at work</h2>



Some whales returned the same item to humans multiple times. Others acted in pairs or small groups. 



Most of the 34 events involved a single whale separating from a larger group. This suggests the act was not for show. Rather, it might reflect the whale's individual decision to interact.



Interestingly, killer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-dolphin-brains-evolved-to-see-underwater-by-using-sound-echolocation/">whales</a> have also been documented cooperating with human fishers in places like Australia and Russia. The authors noted that this history could influence modern interactions, especially as human activity increases near their habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-may-view-humans-as-companions">Whales may view humans as companions</h2>



Killer whales rank second only to humans in brain-to-body ratio. They also show advanced emotional and social behavior. 



These traits support complex social learning, reciprocal behavior, and possibly even empathy.



“Offering items to humans could simultaneously include opportunities for killer whales to practice learned cultural behavior, explore or play and in so doing learn about, manipulate or develop relationships with us,” the researchers wrote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-should-not-approach-whales">Humans should not approach whales</h2>



Despite the remarkable nature of these encounters, the researchers urge caution. Orcas can show complex and sometimes unpredictable behavior. 



While no wild killer whale has killed a person, some interactions have been intense. They warn against seeking out such encounters or encouraging the behavior without proper permissions.



Most of these whales belonged to populations that hunt near the surface and share prey frequently. 



No deep-water, fish-only populations were involved. This suggests that cooperative surface hunting may lead to more frequent and visible interspecies interactions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-minds-of-whales-and-humans">Complex minds of whales and humans</h2>



The findings challenge our assumptions about human-animal relationships. If orcas are experimenting with ways to relate to us, it means they recognize us not as threats, but as potential social partners.



These whales are not just predators. They are thinkers, observers, and maybe, in some way, explorers of culture, curiosity, memory, learning, and emotion. 



Their actions suggest complex minds in both whales and humans, capable of choice, empathy, and communication.



The study is published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2026-29805-001.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Comparative Psychology</a>. 



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Killer whales are attempting to bond with humans, according to many observations

In a fascinating new study, scientists documented 34 attempts by wild killer whales to give food to humans. These rare cases spanned four oceans and 20 years. Some happened near boats, others in open water or even from the shore. The events highlight the orcas’ possible interest in humans and raise important questions about whale intelligence, communication, and social behavior. “Orcas often share food with each other - it’s a prosocial activity and a way that they build relationships with each other,” said study lead author Jared...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17524598">Insect Conservation and Diversity</a> reveals a previously unsuspected diversity among iberian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-explain-spiders-complex-mating-choreography/">spiders</a>. The research shows that iberian spiders- which use silk to create aerial webs and "balloon" to travel through air carried by their silk - are more homogenous and connected genetically than nocturnal spiders that hunt on the ground at night.&nbsp;



The research is one of many studies using new genetic methods to catalog a quickly disappearing biodiversity in an attempt to also save vulnerable species. The study was led by Professor Miquel Arnedo at the <a href="https://briwildlife.org/">Biodiversity Research Institute</a> of the University of Barcelona.



"In different cases, the delimitation of species based on genetic information has revealed the existence of well differenced lineages within the same species," said Professor Arnedo.



"These lineages could simply reflect populations that are less connected to each other. However, in some cases, this could indicate the potential existence of a hidden diversity that we had not found before, if we consider the morphological characters exclusively."



"Therefore, we have found that species such as Eratigena montigena or Nuctenea umbratica have different lineages that had been unnoticed due to the strong morphological similarities between them. Future studies with these species will determine whether these lineages correspond to different species”.



Study first author Marc Domènech said that variability in a population is important for the survival of a species. He explained that genetic variability is a fundamental factor to ensure the adaptation skills and to deal with environmental changes since it is the substrate on which natural selection acts.



Dispersal is also important, allowing a larger population settling in diverse habitats, thus giving a greater likelihood of survival.



“Regarding the species with a low dispersal capacity, if a population disappears due to some external perturbation, it is even harder to repopulate the area it occupied at the beginning," said Domènech.



"The fragmentation of the habitats is one of the most negative effects derived from the alteration of natural environments. Therefore, it is important to ensure the existence of biological corridors that ease the connectivity among populations that are separated by altered environments and that are inhospitable by these species."



Studies like these may become increasingly important in making conservation and management decisions, not just for spiders but for many lineages of life on Earth.&nbsp;



---



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

Scientists find a hidden diversity among Iberian spiders

A new study published in the journal Insect Conservation and...

Aerial,View,To,Ocean,Waves.,Blue,Water,Background

New research published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a> shows that small freshwater fish called sulfur mollies have the ability to work together in groups to create waves. This cooperative action from hundreds of thousands of fish helps protect them from predatory birds.&nbsp;



“The surprises came once we realized how many fish can act together in such repeated waves," said Jens Krause of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin and Cluster of Excellence Science of Intelligence.



"There are up to 4,000 fish per square meter and sometimes hundreds of thousands of fish participate in a single fish wave. Fish can repeat these waves for up to two minutes, with one wave approximately every three to four seconds.”



The scientists were surprised by this mass action of fish that were not previously known to possess such powers.



“At first we didn’t quite understand what the fish were actually doing," said study first author David Bierbach. "Once we realized that these are waves, we were wondering what their function might be.”



The behavior of the mollies, which live in sulphuric springs toxic to most other species, is easy to observe. The fish react to humans the same way they do to predatory birds.&nbsp;



The waves reminded the researchers of those known to sports fans who create similar cooperative waves in arenas although for very different reasons. Acting on the hunch that these waves were actually anti-predator behavior, the scientists investigated further.



Through experimentation, it was found that the time between bird predatory actions was doubled after the fish created their wave, thus decreasing the likelihood that any one fish would end up as bird food. While it is not yet clear why this strategy works, what is clear is that it does.&nbsp;



“So far scientists have primarily explained how collective patterns arise from the interactions of individuals but it was unclear why animals produce these patterns in the first place," said Krause. "Our study shows that some collective behavior patterns can be very effective in providing anti-predator protection.”



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



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

Massive groups of fish create waves to deter predators

New research published in the journal Current Biology shows that...

Earlier this year, I <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-than-900-manatees-have-died-this-year-in-florida/">covered</a> the death of more than 900 manatee as of August, due to alleged failures on the part of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess manatee habitat and protect the iconic mammals.



Over half of the now 1,000 manatee deaths in Florida can be blamed on starvation. The starvation was caused by algae blooms that choked out seagrass, the manatees preferred food, the algae blooms were caused by pollution runoff. 



The runoff and cascading effects culminating in mass manatee death is proof of inadequate EPA protections three environmental non-profits are arguing. The Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Manatee Club and Defenders of Wildlife have just issued a formal letter asking the EPA to resume consultation with Florida Fish &amp; Wildlife to assess water-quality standards.&nbsp;



“It’s disgraceful that hundreds of manatees have died as a direct result of regulators’ failure to protect our water quality," said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director of the Center for Biological Diversity.



"The Indian River Lagoon is an ecological wonder that supports not just manatees, but green sea turtles, snook, tarpon and a stunning diversity of marine life. The mass death of these manatees, which was completely preventable, makes it clear just how critical it is that the EPA take swift action to protect the vibrant ecosystem they live in before it’s too late.”



The massive manatee die-off happened in Indian River Lagoon, important habitat for manatees and other animal and plant species. This is a problem that will continue without real change, the non-profit organizations warn.&nbsp;



“Until Florida is forced to rein in its rampant pollution, manatees will continue to die slow, agonizing deaths by starvation every winter," said Lindsay Dublin, staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife. "The EPA must act immediately to improve water-quality standards lest it further jeopardize the future of this iconic species.”



This is why these three organizations along with the support of Earth Justice are issuing a formal <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Florida_manatee/pdfs/2021_12_20_Manatee_IRL_NOI.pdf">intent to sue the EPA</a>. The lawsuit is an effort to force the organization to take pollution threatening the manatee and other wildlife seriously and change their management.&nbsp;



---



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

Conservation groups sue the EPA over manatee deaths

Earlier this year, I covered the death of more than...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lighter-feathers-help-migratory-birds-to-keep-cool/">Birds</a> such as parrots and peacocks are well known for boasting bright and varied colors within their feathers to aid in the act of choosing a mate. Even common birds such as pigeons are colorful in places, such as their pink feet. However, until recently little has been known about the colors of the most ancient birds of all – dinosaurs.



New research from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> has been investigating the possibility that pops of colors were present on the bodies of extinct dinosaurs.&nbsp;



“Living birds use an array of pigments and can be very colorful on their beaks, legs, and around their eyes,” explained study lead author Sarah Davis. “We could expect that extinct dinosaurs expressed the same colors.”



The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing the colors found on common ancestors of ancient archosaurs during the beginning of the Triassic period, and conducting phylogenetic reconstructions. Ancestors such as turtles, crocodiles and 4,000 different species of birds presented a 50 percent chance that the archosaur had bright colors within its body’s soft tissues including beaks, skin and scales.



Typically, these kinds of bodily colors come from carotenoids, pigments appearing as red, orange, and yellow tones that ultimately root from plant-based diets. These carotenoids do not fossilize well, hence why the researchers have had to study the color of living animals to result in their hypothesis.



“The earliest dinosaurs were pony-sized and ate large, vertebrate prey,” said study co-author Julia Clarke, a professor at the Jackson School. “Different groups shifted to plant-dominated or mixed diets. This shift likely led to changes in coloration of the skin and non-feather tissues.”



The research has also presented a new perspective on the colorfulness of living birds. Whilst the species studied are usually considered dull in color, the study found that over half of the 4,022 species had bright colors, with 86 percent of these hosting such colors on body parts other than feathers.



“There is so much more to birds’ color than their plumage – just think of the vibrant orange-yellow bill of a toco toucan – but feathers tend to get the most attention,” explained Mary Caswell Stoddard, co-author and associate professor at Princeton University. “This study unravels the evolutionary history of carotenoid-based coloration not just in plumage but also in the beaks and skin of birds and their relatives.”



The research findings have been published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15585646">Evolution</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;

Dinosaurs may have had pops of color like modern ducks

Birds such as parrots and peacocks are well known for...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> describes the first known active COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fasting-may-help-ward-off-infections-a-new-study-suggests/">infections</a> in white-tailed deer. The samples from the deer, collected before the Delta variant was widespread, shows that they were infected by the same variant that was prevalent in Ohio at the time the samples were collected there.&nbsp;



The research suggests that deer are not only capable being infected by COVID-19, but that they may actually be a regular host for the virus.&nbsp;



Study senior author Andrew Bowman, associate professor of veterinary preventive medicine at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">The Ohio State University</a> said the research leads toward the idea that we might actually have established a new maintenance host outside humans.



"Based on evidence from other studies, we knew they were being exposed in the wild and that in the lab we could infect them and the virus could transmit from deer to deer. Here, we’re saying that in the wild, they are infected," explained Professor Bowman.



"And if they can maintain it, we have a new potential source of SARS-CoV-2 coming in to humans. That would mean that beyond tracking what’s in people, we’ll need to know what’s in the deer, too. It could complicate future mitigation and control plans for COVID-19.”



There are many unknowns - how the deer were infected in the first place, and whether the infection can be passed from the deer to other species, including humans.



“The working theory based on our sequences is that humans are giving it to deer, and apparently we gave it to them several times. We have evidence of six different viral introductions into those deer populations. It’s not that a single population got it once and it spread," said Professor Bowman.



So far, the research indicates the deer suffer infection rates ranging from 13.5 to 70 percent from samples taken across nine states. There are an estimated 30 million deer across the US but sampling purposefully took place near human populations, so more remote deer populations may have lower levels of infection.&nbsp;



---



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

First known active COVID-19 infections in deer found in Ohio

A new study published in the journal Nature describes the...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en">University of Southern Denmark</a> (SDU) has found that carnivorous animals such as foxes, leopards, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-do-not-prefer-to-prey-on-livestock/">wolves</a> are more susceptible to cancer than herbivorous animals like antelopes or sheep. These findings highlight the fact that cancer is not only a human affliction, and opens new pathways for understanding this disease in a variety of animal species.



The scientists studied cancer incidence in 110,148 zoo-kept mammals from 191 different species and found that, while cancer is a ubiquitous disease affecting all mammals, when it comes to cancer susceptibility not all animals are at equal risk. Meat-eating animals appeared to be more prone to develop this disease, in comparison to herbivorous ones. In fact, over a quarter of bat-eared foxes, clouded leopards, and red wolves in the study were found to have died of cancer.



“Overall, our work highlights that cancer might represent a serious and significant threat to animal welfare, [one] that needs considerable scientific attention,” said study co-author Fernando Colchero, an associate professor of statistics at SDU.



While previous studies have argued that cancer disproportionately affects larger, long-lived organism, due to their greater number of cell divisions and increased probability of somatic mutations, Professor Colchero and his colleagues have found that cancer mortality was “largely independent of both body mass and adult life expectancy across species.”&nbsp;



A much more important factor determining cancer susceptibility appeared to be diet, “with carnivorous mammals (especially mammal-consuming ones) facing the highest cancer-related mortality.” According to the scientists, this could be explained by the fact that carnivorous animals have a lower microbiome diversity, or that they may be more susceptible to cancer-causing viral infections.



“These results highlight the key role of life-history evolution in shaping cancer resistance and provide major advancements in the quest for natural anticancer defenses,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04224-5?utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_deeplink_PID100032693&amp;utm_content=deeplink">Nature</a>.



---



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

Meat-eating animals are more susceptible to cancer

A new study led by the University of Southern Denmark...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a> warn that remote areas are not safe havens for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-impact-of-fire-on-amazon-biodiversity/" data-type="news" data-id="1894778">biodiversity</a>. In fact, the researchers have found strong evidence to suggest that remote localities are often areas of critical vulnerability.



“To truly understand how global change is affecting natural communities and to identify effective strategies to mitigate the ongoing dramatic biodiversity loss, it is fundamental to account for the overarching complexity emerging from biotic interactions," said Professor Giovanni Strona. "As we show in our new research, doing this might reveal important counterintuitive mechanisms."



The team set out to investigate whether there is a link between remote areas and species vulnerability. If there is an increased risk of species loss in remote areas, this calls into question their reliability as biodiversity strongholds,&nbsp; according to the researchers.



"We focused on one of the most biologically diverse and socio-economically significant ecosystems on the planet, coral reefs, which - despite international attention and global protection programs, continue to deteriorate under the influence of local human impacts (such as physical destruction and pollution) and the increasing effects of climate change (such as coral bleaching)," explained the study authors.



"By assessing the local dependency of fish assemblages on corals across the world’s oceans, we show that the increase in the frequency and strength of fish-coral associations with distance from human settlements, combined with the global reach of coral bleaching, obliterate the benefits of remoteness on reef fish local extinction risk."



In particular, the study showed that coral loss could detrimentally affect an average of around 40 percent of fish species in each coral reef area.&nbsp;



The researchers also found that the dependency between fish and corals becomes stronger in remote areas, the further away the fish are from humans. This indicates that fish communities on remote reefs are the most vulnerable to the impacts of coral mortality.



The researchers noted that with reef fish providing protein to half a billion people worldwide, the results have profound societal implications. "Remote coral reefs won’t be able to compensate for the losses of coral and fish species directly impacted by human activities, threatening the livelihoods of millions."



"Also, our study reveals an essential macroecological and eco-evolutionary mechanism that might dramatically amplify risks from global change in natural systems."



"The risk patterns observed for reef fish communities suggest that our already disconcerting projections about biosphere fragility might be overly optimistic. Moreover, the results of our study temper any hopes that, by protecting wilderness areas, we safeguard biodiversity vaults that can withstand the past and ongoing environmental destruction and changes brought by the Anthropocene."



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



---



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

Remote areas are not always safe havens

Experts at the University of Helsinki warn that remote areas...

Whale,Shark,Eating,At,The,Surface,With,Fish

A new fossil is providing scientists with a better understanding of how Mesozoic ichthyosaurs evolved. Their rapid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-secrets-revealed-about-the-evolution-of-mammal-tusks/">evolution</a>, followed by their abrupt disappearance, is proof that even the most powerful creatures in the world are not safe from the impacts of abrupt environmental change.&nbsp;



Ichthyosaurs appeared slightly earlier than dinosaurs, and went extinct about 25 million years before dinosaurs were wiped out. The giant marine reptiles looked like a dolphin with large teeth.&nbsp;



Whales are now the biggest animals on Earth, but some ichthyosaurs were even larger. In a new study published by <a href="https://www.science.org/">AAAS</a>, researchers describe the discovery of new and exceptionally large ichthyosaur fossils, which hint at an early and rapid burst in the evolution of extreme body size in Mesozoic oceans.&nbsp;



"The notable resemblance in body shape and lifestyle of ichthyosaurs and cetaceans contrasts with their separation in time by nearly 200 million years, providing an often-cited example of convergent evolution," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Ichthyosaurs arose 249 million years ago and populated the oceans for the next 150 million years. Cetaceans did not evolve until about 56 million years ago. As tail-propelled swimmers, ichthyosaurs and cetaceans evolved not only convergent body shapes but also large body sizes."



For whales, it took about 90 percent of their 55-million-year history to evolve into the massive animals they are today. The researchers found that for ichthyosaurs, it took just one percent of their 150 million years to evolve to similar massive sizes.



The results of the study suggest that marine food webs during the Triassic were stable enough during the Triassic to support huge animals, despite the absence of many primary producers following the Permian extinction 252 million years ago.&nbsp;



Led by Martin Sander of The Dinosaur Institute at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum, the research team analyzed the well-preserved, 244-million-year-old remains of a new and very large species of ichthyosaur known as C. youngorum. The fossils were discovered in the mountains of northwestern Nevada.&nbsp;



The length of the skull, which measures nearly two meters, indicates the creature would have been more than 18 meters long. Even more notable is the relatively young age of this particular species. According to the experts, C. youngorum evolved merely 2.5 million years after the appearance of the oldest proposed ichthyosaur relative, which was less than a meter in size, and at most eight million years after the emergence of the group. This suggests that ichthyosaurs experienced a rapid evolution in body size.&nbsp;



In a related Perspective, Lene Delsett and Nicholas Pyenson said : "Ichthyosaur history tells us ocean giants are not guaranteed features of marine ecosystems, which is a valuable lesson for all of us in the Anthropocene. especially if we want to sustain the presence of the surviving ocean giants among us that contribute to our own well-being."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf5787">Science</a>.



---



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

Ocean giants of the past remind us they may not always exist

A new fossil is providing scientists with a better understanding...

Dog,In,Clothes.,Golden,Retriever,In,Round,Glasses,And,A

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2021.0465">Biology Letters</a> has found that dogs have a sense of the way objects should behave. A research team from the <a href="https://www.vetmeduni.ac.at/">University of Veterinary Medicine</a> discovered that when watching 3D animations of objects breaking Newton’s basic laws of physics, dogs’ pupils dilated and their attention increased. According to the scientists, this shows that dogs are sensitive to the principle of “contact causality,” one of the fundamental principles allowing us to make sense of our physical environment.



The animations the dogs watched involved balls on a computer screen that bounced in various ways. Some of them bounced without an external force being applied, thus without contact causality. The researchers found that dogs spent more time with wide open pupils if balls where rolling on their own, suggesting that they may have been surprised when the objects defied the laws of physics.



According to study lead author Christoph Völter, an expert in Comparative Cognition at the University of Veterinary Medicine, having a basic sense of physical causality is “the starting point of learning.”



“You have expectations about the environment – regularities in your environment that are connected to physics – and then something happens that doesn't fit. And now you pay attention. And now you try to see what's going on,” he explained.&nbsp;This capacity appears to develop in humans and chimpanzees around six months of age.



However, scientists stress the fact that these results do not show that dogs have an understanding of physics: they only have an implicit understanding of the physical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-less-meat-is-better-for-animal-welfare-and-environmental-health/">environment</a>. 



“This is sort of (an) intuitive understanding expectation,” Völter said. “But that's also the case for humans, right? The infant at seven months of age has expectations about the environment and detects if these expectations are violated. I think they build up on these expectations, and build a richer understanding of their environment based on these expectations.”



Further research is needed to clarify at what age dogs begin to have this intuitive understanding, and what factors (such as age, breed etc.) may influence how their implicit expectations about object interactions involving contact causality are structured.



---



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

Dogs have an intuitive understanding of physics

A new study published in the journal Biology Letters has...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California Santa Cruz</a>, the researchers found that mother elephant seals can recognize their pup's voice at just two days old. The experts said this helps mothers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-develop-preferences-based-on-random-choices/">babies</a> survive during a precarious time.&nbsp;



An international team of scientists led by Dr. Juliette Linossier recorded calls of elephant pups using a microphone on the end of a long pole. The recordings were played to mother elephant seals as their responses were monitored. The moms were played calls from their own babies, as well as calls from a pup of a similar age.



The study revealed that the mothers were much more interested in the speaker and moved toward it when it was playing calls from their own pup.



"This is a rare demonstration of individual recognition among phocid mothers and their offspring, and suggests that consistency in maternal responsiveness may be an important social factor influencing the pup's growth and survival," wrote the study authors.



While feeding newborn elephant seals, the mothers lose about half of their body mass. Meanwhile, the pups gain about seven times their initial weight. This substantial weight gain can be attributed to the "exceptional fat content" of the mother's milk.



While the early recognition is necessary for survival, the researchers could not explain why female seals are often observed feeding each other's pups.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Females fast for the entire month they are nursing," study co-author Dr Caroline Casey told BBC. "So it makes no (evolutionary) sense for them to use their resources on another mother's pup."



"But at this site (a colony in California) that we study, there have been a lot of observations of females feeding pups not related to them."



According to Dr. Casey, it is possible that humans are to blame. She noted that elephant seals were hunted to near extinction during the late 1800s. As a result, the tens of thousands of elephant seals that are alive today can be traced back to just a couple dozen seals that historically survived. 



This phenomenon would make the elephant seals genetically similar, which may explain why mothers would feed other pups if the their moms are closely-related females. 



Going forward, the researchers want to investigate whether the seals are more likely to feed the pups of their sisters or cousins.&nbsp;



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

Elephants seals recognize pup's voice at two days old

In a new study from the University of California Santa...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-severe-covid-19-infections-start-in-the-brain-not-the-lungs/">lungs</a> of the brown anole lizard are providing experts with new inspiration for advanced biotechnologies. Human lungs take months and years to develop into complex structures, but the anole lung develops in just a few days.&nbsp;



While the anole lung is not nearly as sophisticated, it still allows the lizard to exchange oxygen for waste gases just as human lungs do, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>.



"Our group is really interested in understanding lung development for engineering purposes," said Professor Celeste Nelson, the study's principal investigator. "If we understand how lungs build themselves, then perhaps we can take advantage of the mechanisms mother nature uses to regenerate or engineer tissues."



The brown anole lung forms very quickly through a mechanical process that the researchers compared to a mesh stress ball. The study is the first of its kind to examine the development of a reptile lung.



The experts noted that, for engineers looking to use nature's shortcuts on behalf of human health, the speed and simplicity of anole lung development could lead to radical new ways to create artificial lungs. Beyond this, the study will help scientists gain brand new insight into reptile development.



When Professor Nelson first started studying chicken lungs in the late 2000s, the conventional was that "chicken lungs were the same as mouse lungs were the same as human lungs," she said. "And that's not true."



"The architecture of the bird lung is just so incredibly different from that of the mammalian lung." For example, instead of a diaphragm, birds have air sacs embedded throughout their bodies.



The team looked at the eggs of brown anole lizards to map the reptile's lung development. Study co-author Michael Palmer used his observations to build a computational model of the lung and understand its physics.



"We were curious if we could learn anything about the basics of lung development from studying such a simple lung," said Palmer. "The lizard lung develops using a very physical mechanism. A cascade of pressure-induced tensions and pressure-induced buckling."



According to the study, the organ goes from flat balloon to fully formed lung in less than two days. The process is simple enough that Palmer was able to use his computational model to build a working replica in the lab.&nbsp;



"Different organisms have different organ structures, and that's beautiful, and we can learn a lot from it," said Professor Nelson. "If we appreciate that there's a lot of biodiversity that we can't see, and we try to take advantage of it, then we as engineers will have more tools to tackle some of the major challenges that face society."



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

Anole lizards have lungs that develop in less than two days

The lungs of the brown anole lizard are providing experts...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195667121003712?via%3Dihub">Cretaceous Research</a> has recently identified and described a previously unknown <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sauropod-dinosaurs-lived-only-in-earths-warmer-regions/">dinosaur</a> species, Velociraptor greeni. The newly discovered animal is an ancient relative of fierce Velociraptors, which roamed the earth 75 million years ago. 



The fossils that the scientists analyzed have been found on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-new-predatory-dinosaurs-found-on-the-isle-of-wight/">Isle of Wight</a>, and appeared to belong to a ten feet long creature with huge slashing talons and finely serrated teeth. This discovery marks the first time a large raptor has ever been found in England.



According to a research team led by the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a>, this dinosaur lived 125 million years ago, during the Early Cretaceous, when the Isle of Wight was covered by forests.



“This was a large, and very heavily constructed animal,” said study lead author Dr. Nicholas&nbsp;Longrich. “The bones are thick-walled and massive. It clearly didn't hunt small prey, but animals as large or larger than itself.”



Due to its strong limbs and talons, it is possible that&nbsp;this dinosaur was able to climb trees. As Longrich and its colleagues noted, its heavy bones certainly suggest an animal that relied on strength and surprise rather than speed, in order to capture its prey.



Other top predators of the Early Cretaceous which lived in the area that is today’s Britain included the&nbsp;allosaur Neovenator, spinosaurs such as Baryonyx, and an early tyrannosaur named Eotyrannus.



“There's an extraordinary diversity of dinosaurs known in England in the Cretaceous, and even after more than a century of study, we continue to find new species,” explained Dr Longrich.&nbsp;



“Although palaeontologists have been studying these dinosaurs for a long time, it's hard going. We have to wait for the sea cliffs to fall and expose bits of bone, or for the waves to wash them out of the rocks. We've spent two centuries on the Isle of Wight piecing together our picture of English dinosaurs.”&nbsp;



The recent discovery of Velociraptor greeni helps build a bigger picture of the Early Cretaceous world, and provides, according to Dr. Longrich, “a tantalizing hint at the diversity of dinosaurs in England at that time.”



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

A new dinosaur species related to Velociraptors has been found

A new study published in the journal Cretaceous Research has...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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