Beautiful,Spider,Web,Close-up,On,The,Background,Of,Nature.,Selective

Scientists have bred spiders that weave bright red, fluorescent draglines, proving that the animals’ silk can be genetically re-engineered inside the living organism. This finding shows a new path toward designer fibers with tunable strength, elasticity, and surface chemistry.



The experiments were carried out by the Biomaterials research group at the <a href="https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bayreuth</a>. Using the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-gets-a-revolutionary-upgrade-with-new-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system</a>, the team inserted a fluorescent marker gene into the spiders’ silk-protein DNA, then confirmed the edit when the offspring produced crimson red threads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-spider-silk-excites-engineers"><a></a>Why spider silk excites engineers</h2>



Dragline silk already outperforms many man-made fibers. It resists tearing, stretches without snapping, weighs very little and breaks down harmlessly in nature. 



If its molecular recipe can be tweaked at will, future filaments could combine even greater toughness with added functions ranging from antimicrobial activity to electrical conductivity. Over the past decade CRISPR-Cas9 has become biology’s precision scalpel. 



The enzyme-guide complex targets chosen DNA sites, cuts them, and lets the cell’s own repair crew delete unwanted sequences or patch in new ones. The method has been applied to plants, insects, mice and more, yet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-spiders-have-personalities-what-new-research-reveals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spiders</a> had remained untouched.



“Considering the wide range of possible applications, it is surprising that there have been no studies to date using CRISPR-Cas9 in spiders,” said senior author Thomas Scheibel, a professor of biochemistry at Bayreuth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-egg-injection-to-glowing-fiber"><a></a>From egg injection to glowing fiber</h2>



Scheibel and doctoral researcher Edgardo Santiago-Rivera mixed the gene-editing components with a sequence coding for a red fluorescent protein. They injected this cocktail into unfertilized spider eggs and later mated the females.



Because the edit happened before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-are-picky-when-choosing-their-mate-for-fertilization/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fertilization</a>, every cell in the brood carried the new blueprint. When the juveniles spun safety lines, the filaments glowed scarlet under blue light, confirming a successful gene knock-in.



“We have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, that CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to incorporate a desired sequence into spider silk proteins, thereby enabling the functionalization of these silk fibers,” Scheibel said.



“The ability to apply CRISPR gene-editing to spider silk is very promising for materials science research. For example, it could be used to further increase the already high tensile strength of spider silk.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-learned-from-red-spider-silk">Lessons learned from red spider silk</h2>



The fluorescent marker acts as a beacon, showing where and how the modified proteins fold into the fiber. That view should help unravel the still-mysterious link between amino-acid sequence, spinning process, and macroscopic performance.



With the roadmap clearer, scientists can test added modules that stiffen the thread, alter its stickiness or carry therapeutic payloads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-artificial-vs-natural-spider-silk">Artificial vs. natural spider silk</h2>



Earlier attempts to engineer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/holy-grail-artificial-spider-silk-indistinguishable-from-natural-silk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silk</a> relied on copying genes of spiders into bacteria, yeast, plants or even goats. While those hosts churn out raw protein, the artificial threads seldom match the natural product because spinning in air differs from extrusion through a spider’s duct.



Editing the spider itself preserves the native assembly line, letting researchers fine-tune properties without losing the fiber’s intricate nanostructure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-innovation-and-ecology"><a></a>Balancing innovation and ecology</h2>



The gene-edited arachnids remained confined to secure laboratories, and the team stresses that large-scale production will require strict containment.



Spiders play key roles in ecosystems, so any field release of modified lines would demand careful risk assessment. For now. the focus lies on fundamental insight and small-batch, high-value uses such as surgical sutures or micro-mechanical springs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-web-strands-to-come">The next web strands to come</h2>



Having proved that complex proteins can be knitted into dragline <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/holy-grail-artificial-spider-silk-indistinguishable-from-natural-silk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silk</a>, the Bayreuth group plans to insert sequences that enhance strength, adjust elasticity, or add sensing abilities.



Marker colors beyond red could enable multicolored performance mapping. Researchers also hope to explore the spider’s six other silk types - each specialized for tasks like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiders-adapt-their-webs-to-filter-out-human-made-noise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">web</a> capture or egg protection - to see how far CRISPR can stretch nature’s design space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-point-for-sustainable-fibers">Turning point for sustainable fibers</h2>



By merging a molecular editing toolkit with the planet’s premier fiber spinner, the study opens a fresh chapter in biomaterials science. It hints at a future where customized, biodegradable threads are spun at ambient temperature by miniature eight-legged factories - no smokestacks or petrochemicals required. 



For now, a vivid red glow in a strand of spiders silk stands as proof that the possibilities are real, and only beginning to be woven.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202502068" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Angewandte Chemie</a>.



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World's first gene-edited spiders spin red silk

Scientists have bred spiders that weave bright red, fluorescent draglines, proving that the animals’ silk can be genetically re-engineered inside the living organism. This finding shows a new path toward designer fibers with tunable strength, elasticity, and surface chemistry. The experiments were carried out by the Biomaterials research group at the University of Bayreuth. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system, the team inserted a fluorescent marker gene into the spiders’ silk-protein DNA, then confirmed the edit when the offspring produced crimson red threads. Why spider silk excites engineers...

Elephant seals take more risks when their body <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-who-are-physically-fit-burn-fat-faster/">fat</a> is lowest, and strategically change their behavior as their body condition improves, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">UC Santa Cruz</a>. The research shows that when they have more fat stored up, the seals prioritize safety over feeding.

The investigation is the first of its kind to continuously measure changes in behavior relative to body fat, and provides new insight into how wild animals balance risks and rewards.

"Theory predicts that fat animals take fewer risks, but it's very difficult to measure body condition continuously in wild animals," said study first author Professor Roxanne Beltran. "Our results show that fat seals prioritize safety, and skinny seals prioritize feeding."

Each year in May, female elephant seals leave the beaches in California where they gove birth and nurse their young to set out on a seven-month foraging trip across the Pacific Ocean. As they hunt for fish and squid, the seals must avoid becoming prey themselves.

The researchers used satellite tags and time-depth recorders to track the movements and diving patterns of 71 adult female northern elephant seals. Their intense migration covers about 6,000 miles, and invloves an uninterrupted series of dives. The seals average 23 minutes per dive with just two minutes at the surface between dives.

The elephant seals minimize their time at the surface to avoid attacks by sharks and killer whales. Because these are visual predators, the seals are safer in water depths that light does not penetrate. The researchers refer to this phenomenon as "lightscapes of fear" that shape animal behavior in the open ocean.

"We don't know a lot about predator-prey dynamics in the open ocean because there are so few sightings of attacks, but we regularly observe elephant seals on the beach with shark bites," said Professor Beltran.

The tracking data revealed several different types of dives, including foraging dives, when the seals pursue prey; transit dives with no feeding activity; and rest dives, when the seals drift passively at the bottom of the dive and are presumably sleeping.

During the drift dives, the researchers can calculate how much body fat the seals have based on their buoyancy in the water.

"It gives us a nearly continuous record of how fat they are, which is unparalleled for any wild animal other than elephant seals," said Professor Beltran. "At the beginning of the migration, they are really skinny and they sink through the water column. As the feeding migration progresses, they slowly gain weight and their buoyancy becomes less negative until, at some point, they switch to positive buoyancy and stay positive for the rest of the trip."

The timing of the resting dives were found to change as the seals' body condition improves. Seals in poor condition started their drift dives just after sunrise, while seals in good condition started their drift dives just before sunrise. As a result, the amount of time the seals rested during the dangerous daylight hours decreased from 80 to 30 percent.

The drift dives occurred progressively earlier with respect to sunrise as the seals' body condition improved throughout the migration. This indicates a shift in their priorities from feeding to safety. 

"Light is a fundamental environmental constraint that these animals are using strategically to maximize rewards and minimize risks," said Professor Beltran. "In the ocean, light is an interesting way to look at risk-reward tradeoffs because it integrates time and space, especially for a migratory species that travels across time zones and latitudes with constantly changing day lengths."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Elephant seals take more risks when they are low on body fat

Elephant seals take more risks when their body fat is...

Rare birds are being pushed out of their habitats in Colombia, which is home to more bird species than any other place on the planet. A new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/deforestation-continues-across-indonesian-islands/">deforestation</a> is increasingly destroying the historical habitats of hundreds of types of birds. 

The investigation was focused on the impact of deforestation on 550 bird species, including 69 species that are only found in Colombia.

"Our study has shown an astonishing reduction in bird species habitat," said study lead author Dr. Pablo Negret."One third of the forest bird species in Colombia have lost at least a third of their historical habitat, and that's just using the most recent data we have available - from 2015."

"Moreover, 18 percent or 99 species have lost more than half of their historical habitat to date. By 2040, we expect this will increase to 38 percent or 209 species."

"Sadly, many of those species are endemic to the country and are not currently classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, suggesting that there are many unlisted species that face an imminent extinction threat from ongoing habitat loss."

Dr. Negret said the results are concerning but not surprising, as deforestation is one of the main drivers of habitat loss for many species in the tropics.

"We know that deforestation affects thousands of species in these ecosystems, but our attention is usually focused on a tiny fraction - threatened and charismatic species," explained Dr. Negret.

"This study provides more data on species previously thought abundant that are actually dwindling - hopefully we can shine a light on them, so they can be recognized as under threat and don't fall through the cracks."

The researchers used historical and present satellite data to analyze changes in forest cover. They also looked at geographic information on other variables associated with deforestation patterns.

According to study co-author Professor Martine Maron, the research will help predict future habitat loss for already-threatened species.

"This methodology, and the technologies behind it, allow us to identify places where future habitat loss is predicted," said Professor Maron.

"This means that we can reveal the locations where threatened species are most likely to lose precious habitat, and prioritise their protection. And, in a country with growing threats to rich bird diversity, it pays to be ahead of the game."

The researchers hope the Colombian government and NGOs working in this region will use their findings to guide conservation and provide protection for Colombia's birds.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biological-conservation">Biological Conservation</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

"Astonishing reduction" in bird habitats found in Colombia

Rare birds are being pushed out of their habitats in...

In a new report from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>, experts have discovered that "total eradication" is not the best approach to target <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-species-are-driving-rapid-evolution/">invasive species</a>. According to the researchers, lessons learned from a failed experiment are leading to more successful strategies for controlling non-native species. 

"A failure in science often leads to unexpected directions," said study lead author Professor Edwin Grosholz. "We slapped our foreheads at the time, but with thought and understanding, it's told us a lot about what we shouldn't be doing and provided a way forward for us. The world should get less focused on total eradication and work toward functional eradication."

The researchers consider functional eradication to be a much more effective approach to invasive species management. This technique was described in a previous study led by the University of Alberta and co-authored by Professor Grosholz.

In 2009, intensive efforts were focused on fully eradicating the European green crab from Stinson Beach's Seadrift Lagoon in California. This crab costs the U.S. commercial shellfish industry about $20 million in losses every year. 

By 2013, 90 percent of the crabs had been removed from the estuary, and the population had dropped from 125,000 to fewer than 10,000 individuals. A year later, however, the population had exploded to about 300,000 green crabs - nearly triple the pre-eradication population size.

The scientists were monitoring four additional neighboring bays, and no such population explosions of the green crab were observed at those sites. This finding indicates that the increase in crabs was the result of eradication efforts and not environmental changes.

The experts determined that the population explosion in the Seadrift Lagoon was due in part to the fact that the adult crabs typically cannibalize younger individuals. With most of the adults removed, juveniles grew unchecked and overcompensated for the loss of adults.

The study serves as a precautionary tale for natural resource managers. "Don't try to get them all, or it could come back to bite you," said Professor Grosholz.

"Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, this study highlights the need to evaluate possible unintended consequences in selecting management strategies and tailoring these to the particular context and expected outcome," said study co-author Greg Ruiz.

Just as researchers described in the Alberta-led study, the UC Davis team recommends a "Goldilocks level" approach, where the population is low enough to protect native species without risking a population explosion of the invasive species.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Total eradication is not the best approach to invasive species

In a new report from UC Davis, experts have discovered...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.agronomy.org/">American Society of Agronomy</a>, experts have discovered that excess cow manure leads to healthier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-is-a-source-of-food-contamination/">soils</a> that have improved microbial communities. This is not easy to achieve in dry areas like the Southern High Plains of Texas.

"We know that planting perennial grasslands for cattle production can help protect and restore soil in semi-arid lands that are likely to erode and degrade from intense farming. But producers need additional ways to increase soil carbon and nutrient stores," said study lead author Lindsey Slaughter.

She describes soil health as the ability of a living soil ecosystem to perform a variety of important functions, such as nutrient cycling and storing and purifying water.

The "living" part of the soil is made up of a community of microorganisms that help maintain its health. For example, they help break down materials like manure so that its nutrients become part of the soil.

"Improving the soil's ability to perform these roles and support plant and animal life is our target for soil health," said Slaughter. "Adding the manure can provide a boost of material that can be incorporated into soil organic matter. This helps provide a stronger foundation for more microbial activity and nutrient cycling."

To investigate, the experts applied a low level of manure to two types of pastures. These pastures consisted of either grass that was fertilized occasionally or a mix of grass and legumes that was not fertilized.

Overall, manure helped increase soil organic carbon and the number of microbes in the soil. It took almost a year and a half to see these changes, but the researchers said this is not totally surprising.

"This tells us that it can take a long time for even a little added compost to become incorporated into the soil organic matter of semi-arid grasslands, but it definitely helps," said Slaughter.

"We think this is mostly due to the dry climate at our study site," says Slaughter. "We commonly get little rainfall per year. The microbial community was not able to work quickly or efficiently to decompose the manure without water."

The experts found that the pastures which had received fertilizer responded better to the manure. This is likely because the nitrogen in the fertilizer helped the microbes decompose the manure better.

"Microbes help directly with releasing nutrients from organic material in a form that plants can use, as well as decomposing those residues to build soil organic matter," said Slaughter. "A lot of work has been done on how this can help improve cropping systems. However, we wanted to also test this on forage pastures."

According to Slaughter, the next steps in the research are to determine whether more manure or multiple applications would get faster results. They also plan to investigate if irrigation or fertilizer would help incorporate the manure faster.

"We need more research along these lines to help us design strategies that quickly and effectively increase soil health and productivity in these grasslands," said Slaughter. 

"This helps farmers save money on nutrients and amendments while building soil organic matter and nutrient cycling capacity. This also saves them water and protects against soil degradation."

The study is published in the <a href="https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14350661">Soil Science Society of America Journal</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cow manure greatly improves soil health

In a new study from the American Society of Agronomy,...

Butterflies that have bright colors and bold patterns can often outrun the birds that try to prey on them. A new study reveals that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-of-peregrine-falcons-suggests-birds-have-a-migration-gene/">birds</a> quickly learn to avoid flashy butterflies that have managed to evade them in the past, as well as butterflies that have a similar appearance.

Based on experiments, the researchers discovered that wild birds could remember the wing patterns of artificial butterflies that dodged their attacks, as well as those that had a foul flavor. In follow-up tests, the birds ignored these butterflies, as well as their lookalikes.

The experts were surprised to find that the birds learned to avoid the speedy butterflies more quickly than the ones with a foul taste. This finding indicates that being hard to catch may deter predators as effectively as chemical defenses.

Study co-author Keith Willmott is ths curator and director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>.

"There's a common idea that being distasteful is one of the best kinds of defense to have, but at least in this experiment, that didn't prove to be the case," said Willmott.

The study provides strong evidence to support the idea of evasive mimicry, a strategy in which animals protect themselves from predators by matching the colors or patterns of agile relatives. 

Most research on warning coloration has focused on species with chemical defenses and those that mimic them. For example, monarch butterflies have orange and black wing patterns that signal bad-tasting toxins. After eating a monarch, predators tend to avoid them, along with similar-looking butterflies.

A growing collection of studies suggest that a flashy exterior can also indicate that an animal has speed. Other species evolve imitations of these "racing stripes."

"When many species share the same color pattern, they're better able to educate predators to avoid them," said Willmott. "The more species that share it, the better."

Willmott studied a group of fast-flying tropical butterflies known as Adelpha. He found that dozens of Adelpha species looked virtually the same. He set out to determine whether evasive mimicry could explain why so many species of Adelpha look alike.

"It was always mysterious to me," said Willmott. "Species whose upper wings looked incredibly similar were distantly related, and we started to see cases where even subspecies of multiple species suddenly developed very unique color patterns. Really, the only way you can explain that is through mimicry."

The researchers designed an experiment to test whether potential examples of evasive mimicry in Adelpha could be the result of natural selection. They discovered that birds learned to connect a particular wing pattern with the negative experience of distastefulness or escape.

The birds strongly avoided the butterfly they had learned to associate with fast flight or a bitter taste, and often avoided butterflies that shared a similar color or pattern.

The study provides evidence that avoiding colorful prey is a learned behavior among birds. "This potentially explains many cases of apparent mimicry that lacked evidence of chemical defense."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds learn to avoid flashy butterflies

Butterflies that have bright colors and bold patterns can often...

As firefly tourism becomes more and more popular, researchers at <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> are investigating how all this attention may be impacting the fireflies themselves. 

In Southeast Asia and North America, hundreds of thousands of male fireflies synchronize their flashing lights as they attempt to attract mates. 

The experts estimate that one million wildlife tourists are traveling each year to observe the captivating courtship displays, which are performed by two dozen firefly species around the world.

"With such mesmerizing lights, the firefly display trees make tourists fall in love at first sight," said study co-author Anchana Thancharoen. 'Our aim with this call to action is to channel that love into support for conservation efforts." 

The researchers noted that while this unique, insect-based tourism can bring economic, social, and psychological benefits to local communities and tourists, it also threatens to extinguish some local firefly populations unless adequate protections are put in place.

"With this review of the current state of firefly tourism and the declining health of their habitats, we are putting out a call to action to engage local communities and governments, as well as the tourists themselves, to act as guardians of the fireflies," said study lead author Professor Sara Lewis.

At several sites in Mexico, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and the United States, the number of firefly tourists has skyrocketed.

"In Mexico, the rapid growth of firefly tourism over the past decade is thrilling but also alarming," said study co-author Tania López-Palafox. "The COVID pandemic gave them a momentary respite, but we have witnessed the harm that too much tourism can do."

The new report highlights the need for site managers, tour guides, and tourists to recognize ecological requirements across all firefly life stages. To support reproductive success among the fireflies, light pollution from buildings, vehicles, flashlights, and cell phones should be minimized.

It is also important to protect nearby habitats. Juvenile fireflies require months or even years to fully develop into adults. Depending on the species, the young fireflies spend this time below ground, in leaf litter, or underwater.

According to the study authors, there are some former firefly sites along mangrove rivers where commercial development and excessive motorboat traffic have degraded the riverbank habitat that was essential for supporting firefly larvae.

At other sites, the mating rituals of fireflies are threatened by tourists who unknowingly trample females and degrade larval habitats. Many females cannot fly, and are particularly susceptible to foot traffic. 

The <a href="https://www.iucn.org/commissions/ssc-groups/invertebrates/firefly">IUCN firefly group</a> works to identify key threats and conservation issues facing fireflies in different geographic regions, and advocates for the most threatened species. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25784854">Conservation Science and Practice</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tourists who are flocking to see fireflies may be harming them

As firefly tourism becomes more and more popular, researchers at...

Pollinator,Honey,Bee,Apis,Mellifera,With,Full,Loaded,Baskets,Pockets

A new study published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a> has revealed how the global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cactus-pears-show-great-potential-for-sustainable-food-and-fuel/">food</a> trade is reliant on biodiversity and wild pollinators. The researchers found that developed countries are especially dependent on imported pollinated crops, while the countries that export these crops are primarily responsible for declines in pollinators.

A new understanding of the "virtual" exchange of pollinator services in the global food trade could support new policies to preserve crop diversity and tackle biodiversity loss. 

In a globalized world, human food consumption relies heavily on the trade of crops, as well as the intense use of water and land resources. 

Bees, flies, beetles, and other pollinators - along with the invaluable services they provide - are critically important to agriculture. A previous study estimated that 35 percent of crop production and 75 percent of crops require pollination services. 

The primary cause of environmental degradation is human disturbance. As the natural environment is compromised by human activities, wild pollinators are increasingly exposed to habitat loss, pesticides and other chemicals, invasive pests, and diseases. As a result, pollinating species are in a global state of decline.

Scientists are working to identify regions where protecting biodiversity will best preserve pollinators and crop production. 

A team of experts led by Felipe da Silva set out to study pollination as a traded resource based on the concept of "virtual resource flow." 

To investigate how wild pollinator services in crop-exporting countries transfer to international markets, the researchers analyzed data on 55 pollinator-dependent crops from 2001 to 2015. The experts compared how developing and developed countries rely on pollination services. 

The study revealed that developed countries rely heavily on imported, pollinator-dependent crops to sustain their food consumption, which means that these countries "virtually" import pollination services from other nations that depend on biodiversity to sustain pollination. 

In addition, countries that exported the most pollinator-dependent crops were linked to the fastest rates of cropland expansion, which is a major driver of pollinator and biodiversity decline. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global food trade depends on wild pollinators

A new study published by AAAS has revealed how the...

For the first time, scientists have discovered the remains of a dinosaur sitting on a nest of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drosophila-flies-prefer-to-lay-their-eggs-in-untouched-fruit/">eggs</a> with fossilized babies, according to a new study published by <a href="https://engine.scichina.com/publisher/scp">Science China Press</a>.

The specimen is an oviraptorosaur, a bird-like theropod dinosaur that thrived during the Cretaceous Period, commonly known as the "Age of Dinosaurs."

The dinosaur was recovered in Ganzhou City in southern China's Jiangxi Province, preserved in Cretaceous-aged rocks that date back as far as 70 million years. 

"Dinosaurs preserved on their nests are rare, and so are fossil embryos," said study co-author Dr. Shundong Bi. "This is the first time a non-avian dinosaur has been found, sitting on a nest of eggs that preserve embryos, in a single spectacular specimen."

The fossil contains the incomplete skeleton of a large oviraptorid crouched in a bird-like brooding posture over a clutch of two dozen eggs. At least seven of these eggs preserve bones or partial skeletons of unhatched embryos inside. 

The close proximity of the adult to the eggs, as well as the late stage of development of the embryos, indicates that the dinosaur died in the act of incubating its nest.

Prior to this study, a few other oviraptorid skeletons have been found sitting on nests. The analyses of those fossils concluded that the animals were simply laying eggs or guarding the nests. 

However, the new study suggests that oviraptorosaurs incubated their eggs to keep them at the proper temperature like modern birds. 

"This kind of discovery, in essence fossilized behavior, is the rarest of the rare in dinosaurs," explained Dr. Matthew C. Lamanna. "Though a few adult oviraptorids have been found on nests of their eggs before, no embryos have ever been found inside those eggs." 

"In the new specimen, the babies were almost ready to hatch, which tells us beyond a doubt that this oviraptorid had tended its nest for quite a long time. This dinosaur was a caring parent that ultimately gave its life while nurturing its young."

The researchers conducted oxygen isotope analyses on the eggs, which revealed that they had been incubated at high temperatures. This supports the theory that the adult dinosaur died in the act of brooding its nest. 

While all of the embryos were well-developed, some were more mature than others, suggesting that oviraptorid eggs of the same clutch may have hatched at slightly different times. Asynchronous hatching appears to have evolved independently in oviraptorosaurs and some modern birds.

"It's extraordinary to think how much biological information is captured in just this single fossil," said Dr. Xing Xu. "We're going to be learning from this specimen for many years to come."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-bulletin">Science Bulletin</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

First-ever dinosaur found incubating eggs with embryos

For the first time, scientists have discovered the remains of...

An alarming number of Asian bamboo longhorn beetles have been emerging across Europe over the last century, according to new research from <a href="https://pensoft.net/">Pensoft Publishers</a>. The study, which was based on documentation by citizen scientists, demonstrates the importance of involving the public in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recent-genetic-connectivity-found-among-chimpanzee-subspecies/">species</a> monitoring.

The experts noted that invasive species represent one of the major challenges of a globalized world. 

"These species, while often barely recognized, may represent severe economic and ecological threats (e.g. as agricultural pests, ecological competitors or predators of native species)," wrote the researchers. 

"However, despite their potentially high importance, surveying non-native species is still only performed for a limited number of highly invasive species, as it is time consuming and expensive."

As an alternative to costly research projects, the general public can be included in surveying activities through citizen science initiatives and online platforms.

"While large invasive species, such as mammals, birds and fish, are detected more easily, smaller arthropod species often remain unspotted for some time after their introduction. Nevertheless, arthropods, and especially insects have high invasion potential and can often be detrimental pests," wrote the study authors.

"Insects are frequently transported with raw materials, and agricultural products, or living plants and plant material. One of the groups specifically commonly introduced with plants and wood are the longhorn wood boring beetles of the family Cerambycidae."

The Asian bamboo longhorn beetle feeds on a variety of plants, but prefers bamboo. The species has been continuously expanding its distribution through the international trade of bamboo, as the insects "travel" along with the wood. The beetle's first appearance in England was documented in 1924.

More recently, students at the University of Hamburg were conducting a fieldwork study - held within the city due to COVID-19 restrictions - when they stumbled upon an Asian bamboo longhorn beetle.

Further investigation revealed that there were even more recent sightings of the beetles that had been recorded across different citizen science platforms, such as iNaturalist and iRecord.

The researchers contacted the citizen scientists, who provided additional collection details and images. Based on this information, the researchers formally confirmed the presence of the Asian bamboo longhorn beetle in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Overall, the experts identified thirteen new introductions of the species in Europe. This translates to a 42 percent increase of Asian bamboo longhorn beetle records in Europe.

"In light of the warming climate and a growing abundance of ornamental bamboo plants in Europe, the beetle might get permanently established. Not only could it become a garden pest, but it could also incur significant costs to the bamboo-processing industry," said study lead author Dr. Matthias Seidel.

Now that the researchers have witnessed the potential of citizen science for bridging the gaps in invasive species monitoring, they propose that specialized platforms could be established to speed up the surveying process. The platforms would be designed to familiarize citizen scientists with non-native species of interest, while providing them with more sophisticated reporting tools. 

"In order to use the power of citizen science for the monitoring of non-native species more effectively, two approaches may be specifically promising," explained the study authors.

"On the one hand, specialized platforms introducing non-native species of interest to the general public and providing reporting tools may increase public awareness and also recording activities for these taxa." 

"On the other hand, drawing records of specific non-native species of interest, which are flagged and regularly exported from other citizen science databases and platforms may help to provide a better overview of distributions of these taxa."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://biorisk.pensoft.net/">BioRisk</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

Citizen scientists monitor invasive Asian bamboo longhorn beetles

An alarming number of Asian bamboo longhorn beetles have been...

Scientists have discovered that some sea slugs can sever their own heads and regenerate an entirely new body that is complete with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-levels-of-air-pollution-increase-the-risk-of-heart-and-lung-disease/">heart</a> and other organs. In a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, scientists could hardly believe what they were witnessing among two types of sacoglossan sea slugs.

To survive long enough for regeneration, the researchers propose that the sea slugs may capitalize on the photosynthetic ability of chloroplasts they incorporate in their diet.

"We were surprised to see the head moving just after autotomy," said study lead author Sayaka Mitoh of Nara Women's University. "We thought that it would die soon without a heart and other important organs, but we were surprised again to find that it regenerated the whole body."

Mitoh is a PhD candidate in the lab of Yoichi Yusa, where experts are raising sea slugs from eggs to study their life history traits. Just by coincidence, Mitoh saw something unexpected in the lab one day - the head of a sacoglossan was moving around without its body. 

The experts report that the head of the sea slug, completely separated from its heart and body, moved on its own immediately after the separation. Within a few days, the wound at the back of the head closed. 

The scientists found that the severed heads of young sea slugs started to feed on algae within hours, regenerated their hearts within a week, and completely regenerated their bodies in about three weeks. On the other hand, the heads of older sea slugs did not feed on algae and died in about ten days.

While the bodies did not regenerate a new head, they moved and reacted to being touched for several days or even months.

It is not yet clear how the sea slugs manage to pull off such an unexpected technique. According to Mitoh, the team suspects there must be stem-like cells at the cut end of the neck that are capable of regenerating the body. 

One possibility for why the sea slugs use this unusual strategy could be that it helps to remove internal parasites that inhibit their reproduction. Going forward, further investigation is needed to determine what cue may prompt the sea slugs to cast off their body.

One thing that makes sacoglossan sea slugs unique is that they incorporate chloroplasts from the algae they eat into their own bodies, a strategy which is known as kleptoplasty. As a result, the animals can fuel their bodies through photosynthesis. 

According to the study authors, this photosynthetic ability may help the sea slugs survive long enough to regenerate a body.

"As the shed body is often active for months, we may be able to study the mechanism and functions of kleptoplasty using living organs, tissues, or even cells," said Mitoh. "Such studies are almost completely lacking, as most studies on kleptoplasty in sacoglossans are done either at the genetic or individual levels."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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

Some sea slugs sever their own heads and grow new bodies

Scientists have discovered that some sea slugs can sever their...

Antibiotic-resistant strains of staph <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-in-meltwater-sediments-speed-up-ice-loss-in-greenland/">bacteria</a> are spreading between pigs, farmworkers, their families, and communities, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.jhsph.edu/">Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health</a>. The study, which was focused on pig farms in rural eastern North Carolina, raises new concerns about an emerging public health threat.

Staphylococcus aureus is commonly found in soil and water. It lives on the skin and in the upper respiratory tract of animals like pigs, and also humans. Staph can cause problems ranging from minor skin infections to life-threatening issues like sepsis.

The findings provide evidence that multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains are capable of spreading in and around factory farm communities. 

The study was focused on bacteria samples collected from pigs and humans in the top pig-producing counties of North Carolina. The team used DNA sequencing to analyze relationships among these bacterial strains.

The analysis revealed that the strains were very closely related, which provides evidence for transmission between pigs and people. According to the researchers, most of the strains carried genes that provide resistance to multiple antibiotics.

"We found that these livestock-associated S. aureus strains had many genes that confer resistance to antimicrobial drugs commonly used in the U.S. industrialized pig production system," said study first author Dr. Pranay Randad.

"These findings warrant future investigations into the transmission dynamics in nearby communities and disease burden associated with these strains in the United States," said  study senior author Dr. Christopher Heaney.

Experts have speculated that S. aureus and other bacteria are transmitted from humans to pigs on factory farms. Once they are contained within the pigs, the bacteria have an opportunity to evolve antibiotic resistance. 

Pigs raised on factory farms are routinely given antibiotics to prevent outbreaks in their dense concentrations. The drug-resistant bacterial strains may then be transmitted back to humans, becoming a potentially serious source of disease.

Dr. Heaney and colleagues have been collecting S. aureus isolates from pigs and farmworkers at factory-scale pig farms in North Carolina. In recent years, their research confirmed that livestock-associated strains of S. aureus, many of which are antibiotic-resistant, can be found in the pigs, farmworkers, their family members, and residents living nearby.

For the current study, the team sequenced the entire genomes of 49 of the S. aureus isolates. The DNA analysis showed that all of the isolates, whether from humans or pigs, belonged to a group of S. aureus strains known as clonal complex 9 (CC9).

"This CC9 is a novel and emerging subpopulation of S. aureus that not many people have been studying, apart from a few reports in Asia," said Dr. Randad.

The researchers discovered that the CC9 isolates from North Carolina were closely related, which implies that there has been recent transmission between pigs and people. Furthermore, nearly all of the isolates that were involved in transmission between pigs and humans were multidrug resistant. This suggests that diseases caused by these isolates would be hard to treat.

"In other countries, such as in Europe, we see a high level of coordinated research on this topic from a public health perspective, with open access to collect bacterial isolates from pigs raised on factory farms, but so far in the U.S. not as much is being done," said Dr. Randad.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/">Emerging Infectious Diseases</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

Pigs are spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans

Antibiotic-resistant strains of staph bacteria are spreading between pigs, farmworkers,...

In North America alone, invasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recent-genetic-connectivity-found-among-chimpanzee-subspecies/">species</a> cause billions of dollars in annual damages. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> suggests that limiting the presence of non-native wildlife through functional eradication may be a more effective strategy than total annihilation.

"Rather than trying to completely eliminate invasive species that have spread over large areas, which is very challenging, functional eradication aims to limit their abundances below levels that damage the ecosystem in priority locations," said study lead author Professor Stephanie Green.

"Resources that might otherwise be wasted on attempting complete eradication can be spread to other areas, protecting more places from impacts."

The experts propose using a strategy called functional eradication to limit the impact of destructive and widespread invasive species. For their investigation, the researchers surveyed 232 natural resource managers and invasive species specialists in Canada and the United States.

"More than 90 percent of these folks said the most destructive invaders in their regions were spread beyond a scale at which they could eradicate them, and instead local teams were engaged in a long-term battle to suppress or contain the species," explained Green.

At the same time, only two percent of the study participants said they had identified targets that signified when they had done enough to manage a species.

"This points to a major gap between the needs of the people who must make decisions about invasive species, and the information scientists and monitoring programs are collecting," said study co-author Edwin Grosholz.

According to Green, managing widespread invasive species is a long-term endeavour, but not one without hope. "Involving local communities in the functional eradication process is essential for maintaining the capacity needed to continually suppress these invaders."

The researchers pointed to an example of functional eradication among invasive lionfish. These beautiful Indo-Pacific fish, which are popular in aquariums, have spread throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where they prey on many native species. 

Financial incentives for catching lionfish are now helping to reduce their population below levels that affect native species in the area. The fish are being caught for food and for use in local art. 

The experts report that similar strategies can be applied to the European green crab, an invasive species found along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts in Canada and the United States, as well as Prussian carp.

"Our study shows that ecologically damaging and widespread invasive species are prime candidates for functional eradication," said Green. "To effectively keep populations down in priority areas, targets need to be based on how many of the invasive species it takes to cause major changes in the ecosystem."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</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

Functional eradication may be the best approach to invasive species

In North America alone, invasive species cause billions of dollars...

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" 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> 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

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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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