Thirty‑five millennia may sound like a long time, yet for a mammal, it is practically yesterday. A new study uses whole‑genome data to show that the Norwegian lemming, Lemmus lemmus, split from its Siberian cousin only about 35,000 years ago.



“The Norwegian lemming is a key ecological species in the Fennoscandian tundra. Among other things, it serves as primary food for many predator <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-animals-evolved-in-different-ways-to-beat-the-cold/">species</a>, including some threatened ones such as the Arctic fox,” said David Díez del Molino, a researcher at the Centre for Palaeogenetics, <a href="https://www.su.se/">Stockholm University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lemmings-shape-arctic-life">Lemmings shape Arctic life</h2>



Ecologists have tracked lemming booms and busts for decades because those <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2656.1999.00258.x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cycles</a> ripple through the tundra food web, shaping the breeding success of Arctic foxes, owls, and even geese. 



When rodent numbers crash, fox litters shrink, snowy owls skip nesting, and grasses rebound after seasons of heavy grazing.



Unlike most small <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-water-day-2025-preserving-glaciers-protecting-our-future/">mammals</a>, Norwegian lemmings overwinter aboveground by tunneling under snow, a habit that keeps them active when many rodents lie low. Their winter wanderings aerate soil, mix plant nutrients, and feed predators during the hungriest months.



During peak years, the species can reach densities of hundreds per acre. Yet its loud squeaks and bold charge‑and‑bite defense make predators think twice, granting the animal an outsized ecological voice relative to its three‑ounce frame.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lemmings-became-a-separate-species">Lemmings became a separate species</h2>



Researchers compared nine modern and two ancient lemming genomes and found a clean split from the Western Siberian lemming with no evidence of crossbreeding, even in areas where the two meet today. 



That result stands in sharp contrast to polar bears and brown bears, whose DNA still shows <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22517859/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient admixture</a> from repeated hybridization events.



“Our findings indicate that the Norwegian lemming is among the most recently evolved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-otter-day-2025-on-the-front-lines-of-a-habitat-crisis/">mammals</a>, diverging from its sister taxon, the Western Siberian lemming, at a remarkably shallow time depth,” said <a href="https://palaeogenetics.com/people/edana-lord/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edana Lord</a>, a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Palaeogenetics.



The team’s high‑resolution sequencing also resolved relationships within the genus Lemmus, confirming that Eastern Siberian lemmings belong to a separate species and helping clean up a century of contested rodent taxonomy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-species-born-in-an-ice-age">A species born in an ice age</h2>



The divergence date places the split just before the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1172873" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Last Glacial Maximum</a>, when ice sheets peaked between roughly 26,500 and 19,000 years ago. 



Glacial barriers likely trapped an ancestral lemming population in a Scandinavian refuge, cutting gene flow with Siberian relatives and setting the stage for rapid speciation.



Once the ice retreated, the newly minted Norwegian lineage expanded westward, but climatic swings had already written separation into the animals’ DNA. Modern population genetics shows no trace of later contact, suggesting that geography and behavior together kept the young species distinct.



Because the entire living population coalesces to a common ancestor only about 6,400 years ago, every Norwegian lemming alive today shares surprisingly shallow roots, a reminder that dramatic evolutionary change can happen fast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-color-blocks-crossbreeding">Color blocks crossbreeding</h2>



Hybridization often lingers for thousands of years after a split, yet these rodents seem to have slammed the door shut. 



One reason may be their vivid black‑and‑yellow coat, a pattern that functions as an <a href="https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/aposematism-warning-signals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aposematic warning</a> and an instant badge of identity, reducing mating mistakes with the drab Siberian form.



Aggressive ritual boxing, loud chirps, and high‑speed chases further isolate the species by favoring individuals that court their own kind and bully outsiders away from snow burrows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-that-power-survival">Genes that power survival</h2>



Sequencing uncovered unique changes in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093193/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LYST pigment gene</a> that help produce the lemming’s splashy jacket, a mutation class also linked to altered melanosome function in laboratory mice. 



The same region shows signs of a recent selective sweep, hinting at strong predator‑driven pressure for conspicuous colors.



Other <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30006135/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mutations</a> appear in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/53630" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BCO1</a>, <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/apob/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APOB</a>, and <a href="https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=RELCH" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RELCH</a> - genes involved in fat transport and storage; in mice, knocking out BCO1 triggers fatty‑liver disease and shifts cholesterol pathways. Extra‑efficient lipid metabolism may keep lemmings fueled through subzero winters when seeds are scarce.



The researchers also found clusters of rapidly evolving olfactory receptor genes, suggesting that a refined sense of smell guides the rodents through deep snow tunnels to mates, food, and lurking stoats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-arctic-mammals">Lessons for Arctic mammals</h2>



Climate upheaval can spin off new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aquatic-robot-inspired-by-flatworms-can-swim-in-harmony-with-nature/">species</a> in a geological blink, and the lemming’s youth underscores how quickly isolation plus selection can rewrite a mammal’s genetic blueprint. 



Similar patterns play out in Arctic whales, foxes, and hares as shrinking ice opens and closes migration corridors.



“This work represents a big step in our understanding of lemming speciation and evolution,” said Love Dalén, a professor in <a href="https://utbildning.su.se/english/education/course-catalogue/bl/bl7082" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evolutionary Genomics at Stockholm University</a>. 



Professor Dalén noted that tracing ancient DNA in more Pleistocene specimens could reveal exactly when each adaptive mutation took hold.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2424333122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



 n

How Norwegian lemmings rapidly evolved into a new species

Thirty‑five millennia may sound like a long time, yet for a mammal, it is practically yesterday. A new study uses whole‑genome data to show that the Norwegian lemming, Lemmus lemmus, split from its Siberian cousin only about 35,000 years ago. “The Norwegian lemming is a key ecological species in the Fennoscandian tundra. Among other things, it serves as primary food for many predator species, including some threatened ones such as the Arctic fox,” said David Díez del Molino, a researcher at the Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm University. Lemmings...

Humans are the only <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newborn-mammals-can-see-the-world-before-they-open-their-eyes/">mammals</a> to be habitually bipedal, and the evolution of bipedalism over the past seven million years has led to many changes in our skeletal structure and gait. A new study has revealed that rotating hips are not an advantage in human locomotion.

Until recently, it was believed that the relatively long legs of humans gave them an advantage in terms of a longer stride that made walking locomotion more efficient. 

However, in the results of a study published by <a href="https://www.biologists.com/">The Company of Biologists</a>, Nathan Thompson of <a href="https://www.nyit.edu/">NYIT</a> finds that chimpanzees have a 25 percent longer stride length than humans, when height is taken into consideration.

"Standardized by size, humans really don’t have long strides," says Thompson, after investigating the strides of humans and chimpanzees as they walked at different speeds.

Thompson and colleagues Brigitte Demes, Susan Larson (both at Stony Brook University, USA) and Matthew O’Neill (Midwestern University, USA) habituated chimpanzees to walking upright on their back legs while they filmed the animals in 3-D. 

When they scaled the humans and chimpanzees to have matching heights, they found that although the humans’ legs were 112 percent longer than the legs of chimpanzees, their strides were 26,7 percent shorter.

Upon closer investigation, Thompson observed that chimpanzees lift their hips considerably on the side that takes the stride. This is known as a pelvic step or pelvic rotation. 

While chimpanzees rotate their hips between 28 and 61 degrees, humans show a paltry 8-degree rotation while striding. A human keeps his or her pelvis relatively stable while walking, although as walking speed increases, the pelvic step contributes more to the total step length.

When the researchers analyzed how much rotating hips increased the stride length of a chimpanzee, they found that it extended the length by 5.4 times more, taking into account a chimp’s height. 

"I think that chimpanzees use pelvic rotations to try to squeeze every bit of stride length out, otherwise their strides would be - absolutely - very small,’ says Thompson, explaining that apes and monkeys tend to walk on bent legs that naturally shorten their stride; 

"I don’t think there are a lot of options other than rotating the pelvis, given their anatomical constraints."

Humans have always been considered to be very efficient walkers and to have the longest possible stride. However, now that their stride size has been shown to be relatively shorter than that of their nearest living relatives, the researchers consider that other factors must have been important in the evolution of the human gait. 

Thompson suggests that walking with an exaggerated pelvic rotation may increase stride length but could also disrupt the natural swing of our arms and legs, which helps to balance us. Ditching the rotating hips may have also helped to stabilize a human’s center of mass, which would mean that fewer muscles are active while walking and so the energetic costs are reduced. 

"Humans have had about seven million years of selective pressure for economical bipedalism; this means that there has been a lot of time to experiment with the costs and benefits, so it might be worth it to walk with slightly shorter strides, because whatever energy we lose, we might make up elsewhere," concludes Thompson.

The study is published in the <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

Humans gave up rotating hips for a smoother stride

Humans are the only mammals to be habitually bipedal, and...

Research on speech development stresses the challenges children face in gaining control over their vocal articulators, including the tongue, lips, and jaw, in order to be able to produce coherent speech sounds. An increasing number of scientists argue that this control is gradually gained during babbling, when infants start producing their first utterances which resemble typical speech sounds. 

Babbling appears to be a universal form of human behavior, characterizing child development in all languages and cultures. 

Language use is considered one of the trademarks of humanity. Yet, its origins and development are far from being completely understood. Much knowledge about language evolution is gathered in the field of biolinguistics through comparing vocal ontogenetic processes in humans with similar processes in non-human animals. 

Babbling behavior seems to be quite rare in the animal kingdom. Until recently, this phenomenon had only been analyzed in songbirds. Due to significant differences in both brain organization and anatomy (birds have a syrinx instead of a larynx like humans), it has been very difficult to apply research findings about songbird babbling to humans. 

Recently though, a study conducted by a team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en">Museum für Naturkunde Berlin</a> discussed babbling behavior in a mammal species that, at first sight, seem to be highly different from humans: the greater sac-winged bat Saccopteryx bilineata. 

Researchers investigated this behavior of 20 bat pups in their natural habitats in Costa Rica and Panama, and discovered that these bats spend around seven weeks engaging in daily babbling behavior during their ontogeny, and employ long multisyllabic vocal sequences that include parts similar to the vocal repertoire of adult bats. 

“Pup babbling is a very conspicuous vocal behavior, it is audible at considerable distance from the roost and babbling bouts have a duration of up to 43 minutes,” researcher Martina Nagy said. While babbling, pups learn the songs of the adult males. 

Even more surprisingly, bat babbling is characterized by the same features as that of human infants, including reduplication of syllables and the use of rhythmic patterns. And whereas in the case of songbirds only young males babble, bat babbling behavior occurs in both male and female pups.

More studies of this fascinating bat species could give us new keys for unlocking the mysterious evolutionary origins of human language. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Baby bats and human infants engage in similar babbling behavior

Research on speech development stresses the challenges children face in...

Rattlesnakes are native to the Americas and are famous for the rattling noise they make by vibrating the tail tip segments when danger approaches. Previous research has shown that the frequency of this acoustic signal changes abruptly as a threat gets closer, but the significance of this change was not explained.

In a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>, researchers propose that the sudden change to a higher frequency has the effect of making approaching predators (and humans) think that they are closer to the snake than they really are.

Study senior author Boris Chagnaud of Karl-Franzens-University Graz visited an animal facility where rattlesnakes were housed. He noticed that the characteristic rattling increased in frequency as he walked towards a snake but decreased again when he walked away. Chagnaud and his colleagues designed some ingenious experiments to test the function of this frequency change.

Initially, the researchers used objects that appeared to move closer to a snake by increasing in size. One of the objects looked like a human torso, while another was a large, black disk. As these potential threats appeared to come closer to the snake, the rattling rate increased gradually to approximately 40 Hz and then suddenly jumped to an even higher frequency of between 60 and 100 Hz.

Subsequent experiments showed that rattlesnakes modulate their rattling rate in response to the speed at which an object is approaching, rather than its apparent size. “In real life, rattlesnakes make use of additional vibrational and infrared signals to detect approaching mammals, so we would expect the rattling responses to be even more robust,” says Chagnaud.

To test the effect of this abrupt change in rattling frequency on human listeners, the researchers enlisted the help of 11 participants who moved through a virtual grassland environment where a virtual snake lay concealed. They were asked to estimate their distance from the hidden snake as its rattling gradually increased in frequency. 

When the individuals were at a virtual distance of four meters from the sound, its frequency abruptly jumped to 70 Hz. This sudden change in frequency caused the participants to perceive that they were much closer to the virtual snake than they actually were. 

“Our data show that the acoustic display of rattlesnakes, which has been interpreted for decades as a simple acoustic warning signal about the presence of the snake, is in fact a far more intricate interspecies communication signal,” explains Chagnaud.

“The sudden switch to the high-frequency mode acts as a smart signal fooling the listener about its actual distance to the sound source. The misinterpretation of distance by the listener thereby creates a distance safety margin.”

“Snakes do not just rattle to advertise their presence, but they evolved an innovative solution: a sonic distance warning device similar to the one included in cars while driving backwards."

“Evolution is a random process, and what we might interpret from today’s perspective as elegant design is in fact the outcome of thousands of trials of snakes encountering large mammals. The snake rattling co-evolved with mammalian auditory perception by trial and error, leaving those snakes that were best able to avoid being stepped on.”

---

By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rattlesnakes rattle to warn and deceive us

Rattlesnakes are native to the Americas and are famous for...

As most know, bees are important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-provide-a-refuge-for-urban-pollinators/">pollinators</a> for both crops and wild plants. It’s unknown exactly how climate change may impact bees. Now, researchers from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> have examined the relationship between bee flight and temperature. 

The researchers measured bumblebee motivation to fly and flight endurance under different temperatures. The research was carried out by attaching the insects to ‘flight mills’ where they could fly in controlled circles with speed and distance being recorded. 

Starting with a low temperature limit of 12°C, the scientists found that bee flight performance initially increased, peaking between 25-27°C, but then started to decline with even warmer temperatures. 

This suggests that climate change could actually be good news for bumblebees living in cooler areas. According to study first author Daniel Kenna, the impacts of warming climate on bees is complicated.

“Climate change is often thought of as being negative for bumblebee species, but depending on where in the world they are, our work suggests it is possible bumblebees will see benefits to aspects of an important behavior," explained Kenna.

"However, more extreme weather events, such as cold snaps and the unprecedented heatwaves experienced in recent years, could consistently push temperatures beyond the comfortable flight range for certain species of bumblebees."

"These risks are particularly pertinent for ‘fixed colony’ pollinators like bumblebees, which cannot shift their position within a season if conditions become unfavorable, and potentially provide a further explanation as to why losses have been observed at species’ southern range limits.”

The study found that at optimal temperatures, bees may fly as far as 3 km to forage, while under hot temperatures they only flew about 1 km, and even less and colder temperatures. 

The research indicates that an increase in temperature could mean an increase in pollination in cooler areas, but could cause severe harm to bees in areas that are already warm. The full picture of what the future holds for bees remains to be seen.   

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652435">Functional Ecology</a>. 

---

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bee flight performance drops under extreme heat

As most know, bees are important pollinators for both crops...

Everybody needs a wingman - even, according to a new study, our closest evolutionary relatives. Published by authors from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>, Arizona State, and Duke University, the research looked at the complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-support-can-protect-your-brain-health/">social</a> relationships of chimpanzees and what benefits they may receive for forging those bonds. 

"Chimps cooperate frequently, and often in these very dramatic ways: You see things like grooming, all kinds of complex alliance formation and group territorial defense," explained study lead author Joseph Feldburn. "The question is: What do males get out of it and how?" 

Social animals have evolved certain behaviors for their survival as they pass on their genes to the next generation. In other words, their behavior enhances their fitness.  “Males wouldn't spend all this time grooming other males and forgoing trying to find females or food unless you get some kind of benefit from it."

The researchers cross referenced genetic data and behavioral observations from a population of chimps in Western Tanzania - some of the same chimps Jane Goodall studied in Gombe Stream National Park. The experts concluded that males who had stronger ties among their group, or who were closely associated with the alpha male, had a lot more reproductive success. "Sucking up to the boss is nothing new. We show that it's always paid off," said co-author Anne Pusey.

Learning about chimp society can help us learn about ourselves. Indeed, the close relationship between Homo sapiens and Pan troglodytes means that people and chimpanzees may play by some of the same social rules. 

"Together with bonobos, chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, and help us to identify which features of human social life are unique," said study senior author Ian Gilby.

"This study suggests that strong bonds among males have deep evolutionary roots and provided the foundation for the more complex relationships that we see in humans."

Whether it’s having friends in high places or being a social butterfly, it’s good to have connections when you’re playing the Darwinian lottery.  

According to Feldblum, more research is needed to tease out how coalition formations and these social bonds lead to siring success.

"Is it that if your ally is nearby, you're more likely to mate with an estrus female, or does having your allies around you protect you from harassment from other males? Or because your ally will support you if a conflict erupts, your stress levels are lower and you can devote more energy to mating efforts? This last step we still don't know."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/home">iScience</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Even chimpanzees need a wingman

Everybody needs a wingman - even, according to a new...

Researchers recently discovered an extremely surprising fact about the common cuttlefish (Sepia officialis). Unlike any other known <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-animals-prefer-to-work-for-their-food-but-not-cats/">animal</a>, cuttlefish are able to retain sharp memories of specific events, even in their old age. 

In a study recently published in the journal <a href="https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/325198">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>, researchers from the University of Cambridge, the Marine Biological Laboratory at <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole</a>, and the University of Caen argue that cuttlefish can remember with extreme precision what, where, and when specific events happened - right up until their last few days of life.

“Cuttlefish can remember what they ate, where and when, and use this to guide their feeding decisions in the future. What’s surprising is that they don’t lose this ability with age, despite showing other signs of aging like loss of muscle function and appetite,” wrote study lead author Dr. Alexandra Schnell from the University of Cambridge.

In humans, this capacity for episodic memory gradually wanes with age. This is caused by the deterioration of the hippocampus, a part of the brain which plays a significant role in learning and memory. 

However, the brain structure of cuttlefish is significantly different from ours. The fish do not have a hippocampus, and use instead their vertical lobe to deal with learning and memory processes. Luckily for them, this brain area does not seem to deteriorate until the last two to three days of their lives.

But why would such an amazing capacity evolve in the cuttlefish in the first place? Why would they need to remember until the day they die all the details of last week’s dinner? 

“We think this ability might help cuttlefish in the wild to remember who they mated with, so they don’t go back to the same partner,” explained Dr. Schnell. 

Since cuttlefish breed only towards the end of their relatively brief lives (of about two years), exact memories regarding when, where, and with whom they mated could ensure that they will have as many partners as possible, thus spreading their genes widely.

Although such behavior would probably be frowned upon by more morally-bent animal species such as Homo sapiens, it certainly gave rise to an extraordinary adaptation that has never been met before in the animal kingdom.       

---

By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Old cuttlefish have a remarkable memory

Researchers recently discovered an extremely surprising fact about the common...

Gray foxes, one of only two species surviving in their genus, have been declining in one specific part of their range - the Southeastern US - for decades. A new study published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jmammal">Journal of Mammology</a> takes a closer look at why. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spread-coyotes-deer-numbers/">Coyotes</a> are also native to the United States but historically lived in the western to midwestern states. Recently, coyotes have moved eastward, coinciding with the decline in foxes. 

Study co-author James Beasley of the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> explained how looking at trapping records inspired the research.    

“Here on the Savannah River Site, there are excellent historical trapping records and gray foxes used to be really abundant. But now we don’t see them nearly as frequently. That’s prompted questions of why - why are we seeing the reduction in these numbers?”

The records showed that as the populations of gray foxes decreased, the populations of coyotes in the area increased. The scientists knew that coyotes and gray foxes co-existed well in other parts of their range, so they began to wonder if something was different in the southeastern populations. The researchers compared the diets of foxes and coyotes in both places by chemically analysing hair from the animals. 

“In the Midwest, we found there were significant differences in diet between species, whereas in the Southeast they overlapped significantly,” explained study lead author and doctoral student Sarah Webster.

The study reveals that, in the Midwest, coyotes and gray foxes had time to find their own specific niches, partitioning their use of food to avoid competition with each other. Not enough time has passed in the Southeast for this process to take place yet. The question the scientists ask is, will the coyotes and foxes sort out their competition for food before it’s too late? 

It seems that the behavior of gray foxes is changing slightly, possibly a good sign that they’re adapting to coyotes. The scientists point out that there is no evidence that we’re capable of effectively controlling coyotes anyway. Perhaps the best we can do is support good environments for gray foxes and let nature take its course.  

---

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gray foxes in the Southeast compete with coyotes for food

Gray foxes, one of only two species surviving in their...

A recent publication from <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.642226/full?&amp;utm_source=Email_to_authors_&amp;utm_medium=Email&amp;utm_content=T1_11.5e1_author&amp;utm_campaign=Email_publication&amp;field=&amp;journalName=Frontiers_in_Marine_Science&amp;id=642226">Frontiers in Marine Science</a> brings some worrisome news to wildlife conservationists and animal lovers at large: fewer than 500 Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) are currently left in South African waters. This makes the humpback dolphin the first endangered marine mammal species in the South African aquatic environment. 

What brought the humpback dolphin to the brink of extinction? According to the <a href="https://iucn-csg.org/collaboration-on-humpback-dolphin-sousa-plumbea-research-and-conservation-in-south-and-east-africa/">SouSA Consortium</a>, a newly established network of South African scientists and conservationists studying and attempting to save this species, there are multiple causes for the dolphins’ dire predicament. 

“Although environmental factors almost certainly play a role in the declining numbers of the species in our waters, individual threats and solutions are challenging to identify as the South African marine environment is undergoing significant changes, often as a result of human activities, such as coastal construction and pollution. There are also major changes in the distribution and availability of prey species,” explained study lead author Professor Stephanie Plön from <a href="http://www.sun.ac.za/english">Stellenbosch University</a>.

“We concluded that no single cause for their rapid decline could be identified and that the cumulative effects of multiple stressors, which are difficult to pinpoint and mitigate, are impacting population numbers.”

The experts agree that regardless of the multiplicity of causes, the major culprit behind this decline in the humpback dolphin population remains easy to identify: it is none other than the human predator, whose greed seems to be unequalled in the animal kingdom. 

Operation Phakisa, an initiative aiming to stimulate economic growth in the South African marine environment, is an example of damaging human activity. The government program negatively impacts the well-being of marine flora and fauna by increasing noise levels in the oceans, introducing additional pollutants, and often leading to unintentional habitat fragmentation. 

So what is to be done to reverse such destructive trends and save the humpback dolphin? As members of the SouSA Consortium bitterly claim, science alone is not enough anymore. Much more engagement with stakeholders (including the public, the government, legislators, parastatal organizations, or educators) through increased outreach and education is urgently and desperately needed in order to save this species, as well as others that might soon become endangered too. 

“The complex factors impacting this species in South African waters are very challenging, and in order to find realistic and effective solutions going forward, we need all hands on deck!” said Professor Plön. 

---

By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

All hands on deck to save South Africa’s humpback dolphin

A recent publication from Frontiers in Marine Science brings some...

A study from the <a href="https://www5.usp.br/">University of São Paulo</a> has found that the evolutionary stability of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/raccoon-dogs-may-be-a-growing-threat-to-waterbirds-in-finland/">bird</a> species depends on its role in seed dispersal networks. The experts report that the stability of each species increases with the more types of seeds that it disperses.

More than 70 percent of all flowering plants depend on birds to disperse their seeds. The research suggests that birds which feed on fruit from a wide variety of plants have better evolutionary chances.

“The bird species that occupy more central positions in a network, that have more connections, tend to be more stable in macroevolutionary terms,” said study first author Gustavo Burin.

According to Burin, establishing this correlation between species interactions and their evolutionary dynamics was a huge challenge because it required an analysis of two processes – seed dispersal and evolution – that occur on entirely different time scales. While evolution plays out over millions of years, seed dispersal is an annual process.

“We worked on this for four years, integrating data on 468 bird species belonging to 29 seed dispersal networks,” said Burin. “We demonstrated that the more links a bird species establishes with plant species, the greater its evolutionary chances."

“More precisely, the greater the evolutionary stability of a bird species, the more chances we have of observing its relative importance in a seed dispersal network, measured by the number and pattern of interactions established by the bird species."

Burin explained that bird species which occupy central positions in a seed dispersal network have two important traits - "either they live longer or they belong to groups that accumulate many species in a relatively short time, so that if a species disappears it’s replaced by many other similar ones.”

In Brazil, examples of long-lived species include the Rufous-bellied thrush and the Sayaca tanager.

“Here we’re emphasizing the importance of interaction with plants to the evolutionary success of bird species, but the reverse may also be true in the sense that plants that can rely on more bird species to disperse their seeds are more likely to propagate and survive. When a dispersing vertebrate exists, the seeds can be carried dozens of miles away from the plant,” said Burin.

The effects are the strongest in tropical areas that are warm and wet with less seasonal variability. This helps to explain why biodiversity hotspots persist in Colombia’s Amazon region and in Southeast Asia, explained the researchers.

The study was funded by São Paulo Research Foundation, FAPESP,  and is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds involved in more seed dispersal have evolutionary stability

A study from the University of São Paulo has found...

From predicting the weather to analyzing medical data, artificial intelligence and various predictive computer models help us understand and anticipate the way the world works. Now, a new tool developed by ecologists at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> will empower conservationists and land managers to help some of the world’s most important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-carnivorous-plant-triantha-spares-friendly-pollinators/">pollinators</a> - bees.

The new decision-support tool is called BEE-STEWARD, and it simulates the behavior of bee colonies in the presence of different habitats and management strategies. “This provides a virtual safe space to test out different bee-friendly management options. It’s a free, user-friendly tool and we have worked with land managers and wildlife groups on the ground to create it together," explained study first author Dr. Grace Twiston-Davies.

Bees are intrinsically important for what they contribute to our planet’s biodiversity, but they are also of economic interest to farmers. 

“We know that pollinator decline is a really big problem for crops and also for wildflowers,” said Dr. Twiston-Davies. Because land management is so complex and bee colonies are so dynamic, testing out different conservation strategies in the real world is a practical challenge. Using BEE-STEWARD, a “virtual safe-space” is created where the only bees in danger are digital ones. 

Previously, scientists had used more technical programs to assist with this issue, such as BEESCOUT and Bumble-BEEHAVE. However, these tools were less than user-friendly. 

"We have worked with researchers and land owners who have been using the model and have given us valuable feedback so we could improve our models further," said study co-author Dr Matthias Beecher.

BEE-STEWARD has already seen a warm reception by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, a United Kingdom organization dedicated to preserving bumblebees and their habitats. Dr Richard Comfort is the Trust’s science manager.

“'The Bee-Steward model will be fantastic for conservation planning - it lets us time-travel to see the long-term results of changing management and compare all the possible options to see which one will work out best for bumblebees," said Dr. Comfort.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2041210X">Methods in Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

"Virtual safe space" could help save bees

From predicting the weather to analyzing medical data, artificial intelligence...

More than half of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ducks-balance-water-pressure-while-diving/">duck</a> species in Finland are endangered to varying degrees, and the results of a new study suggest that raccoon dogs and other invasive species are to blame. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a> used wildlife cameras to investigate the causes of declining waterbird species. 

In collaboration with researchers at several universities, the Helsinki team conducted field experiments over the course of three years. The experts set up wildlife cameras which captured images of invasive species preying on artificial nests. 

Researchers in Finland and Denmark had previously built more than 400 artificial nests in natural duck nesting environments. About 290 of the nests, which contained farmed mallard eggs, were located throughout southern Finland. 

While raccoon dogs were found to be the most common nest predators in Finland, red foxes were the predominant predators in Denmark.

“The raccoon dog was the most common mammalian predator in all of the environments studied in Finland. As expected, raccoon dogs destroyed nests on shorelines, but surprisingly often also in forests close to wetlands,” said study co-author Sari Holopainen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus.

The cameras revealed that many nests were visited by more than one predator, and that corvids were often the first to find a nest. If a corvid broke an egg in the nest, this attracted mammalian predators such as raccoon dogs and American minks.

“Our research shows that predators cohabiting the same area can benefit from one another. Eggs broken by corvids offer a clue to mammalian predators, which, in turn, are a threat to both eggs and female ducks. In other words, the effect of a diverse predator community can exceed the sum of its species,” said Holopainen.

The raccoon dog is a species that is native to Southeast Asia that was introduced to Europe as a fur animal beginning in the 1920s. The first raccoon dogs arrived in Finland in the 1930s. Today, they are the second or third most common prey animal.

The experts found that raccoon dogs have an advantage over native species because they are more versatile in terms of utilizing their environment. Native mammal predators are restricted by habitat type, but raccoon dogs were commonly observed on shorelines and in forests, as well as in agricultural and urban landscapes. 

“The decline of many waterbird nesting populations, especially in eutrophic lakes, matches temporally the increasing abundance of raccoon dogs and American minks. This came out as we studied long-term changes in aquatic birdlife between the periods 1951–1970 and 1996–2015 using datasets collected in the Häme region by Pentti Linkola, the late fisherman,” explained study co-author Hannu Pöysä, a principal scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland.

According to the researchers, the artificial nest experiments cannot directly prove that the raccoon dog has an effect on duck populations. 

“What the results do show, however, is that the raccoon dog is a more common nest predator than native mammalian species, and that it is abundant in a range of duck nesting environments,” concluded Holopainen.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/10530">Biological Invasions</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Raccoon dogs are a growing threat to waterbirds in Finland

More than half of the duck species in Finland are...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-understand-humans-in-ways-that-wolves-never-will/">Dogs</a> can be easily distinguished by variations in the patterns of their coat colors, which most commonly include black, brown, yellow, and white. In a new study from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>, experts have had a breakthrough while studying a subset of dog color patterns. 

The research suggests that one particular dog color pattern emerged two million years ago, long before dogs were domesticated. 

The study pinpointed five distinctive dog color patterns that are produced by the agouti signaling protein (ASIP) gene. These five patterns can be found in hundreds of dog breeds and hundreds of millions of dogs around the world.

The international team of researchers discovered that the genetic combination which produces the coat pattern "dominant yellow," or DY, is shared with Arctic white wolves. A genetic analysis revealed that DY originated in an extinct canid that diverged from gray wolves more than two million years ago.

Study co-first author Professor Danika Bannasch is the Maxine Adler Endowed Chair in Genetics at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

“While we think about all this variation in coat color among dogs, some of it happened long before ‘dogs’ were dogs,” said Professor Bannasch. “The genetics turn out to be a lot more interesting because they tell us something about canid evolution.”

The experts speculate that lighter coat colors would have been advantageous to a canid living in an Arctic environment. Natural selection would have allowed the coat pattern to persist in the population that eventually gave rise to dogs and wolves, explained the researchers.

“We were initially surprised to discover that white wolves and yellow dogs have an almost identical ASIP DNA configuration,” said study co-first author Chris Kaelin of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

“But we were even more surprised when it turned out that a specific DNA configuration is more than two million years old, prior to the emergence of modern wolves as a species.”

Wolves and dogs make two different types of pigments - a black one called eumelanin and a yellow one called pheomelanin. The precisely regulated production of these two pigments leads to different dog color patterns. Yellow is controlled by the agouti signaling protein, which is produced by the ASIP gene.

The experts found that no single genetic mutation was responsible for the five major color patterns. The mutations occur in two areas of the ASIP gene to produce the various patterns. 

Professor Bannasch and colleagues named the phenotypes: dominant yellow, shaded yellow, agouti, black saddle, and black back. 

Based on genetics, the team set out to identify the origin of the dog color patterns. While the dominant yellow haplotype has been around for two million years, the black back pattern was identified in a dog sample that was 9,500 years old.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Some dog color patterns existed long before dogs themselves

Dogs can be easily distinguished by variations in the patterns...

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

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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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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...

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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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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