Chimpanzees are not the usual suspects when we think about musical beats. Yet recent work suggests they use patterns that might rival the rhythms many of us tap with our fingers. 



Researchers have been eavesdropping on these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-select-the-best-materials-for-termite-fishing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">apes</a> as they drum on tree roots in forests across Africa. They believe this drumming could shed light on the roots of our own musical traits.



This investigation was steered by lead author Vesta Eleuteri, who is affiliated with the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a>, Austria. She explains that the team set out to see whether certain groups had distinct drumming styles..



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimpanzees-drum-rhythmic-beats-in-forests">Chimpanzees drum rhythmic beats in forests</h2>



One part of their <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00448-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> showed that different chimpanzee populations developed regular percussive timing. 



They were intrigued to discover that these patterns varied sharply between eastern and western <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-share-alcoholic-fruit-to-increase-social-bonding/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groups</a>, which was unexpected.



“We didn't expect to see such clear differences in rhythm,” said Eleuteri. She noted the parallels between these drumming traits and human music.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-groups-have-unique-drumming-patterns">Groups have unique drumming patterns</h2>



These apes often strike large aboveground roots with their hands or feet. Observers report that the resulting pulses can be heard deep in the surrounding forest.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31918501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experts</a> suggest they use these low-frequency beats to alert others to their location. Each community’s pattern seems to have its own identity, offering subtle cues to group members who might be far away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimpanzees-use-distinct-drumming-styles">Chimpanzees use distinct drumming styles</h2>



Scientists noticed that western chimpanzees appear to drum more quickly. Their eastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-and-chimps-express-empathy-much-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relatives</a> tend to insert short and long intervals, creating a different pulse.



Some researchers think these differences might help chimps manage their social spacing. They point out that each group’s drumming style could reflect unique communication needs.



“Making music is a fundamental part of what it means to be human - but we don’t know for how long we have been making music,” said Catherine Hobaiter, from the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of St. Andrews</a>. 



She suggests that seeing such rhythmic organization in our closest relatives gives us clues about our shared past.



Some <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-abstract/68/1/201/1041058?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specialists</a> believe these percussive qualities hint that musical roots stretch back millions of years. If chimps have intrinsic timing, our own ancestors might have tapped out beats before speech ever existed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recording-chimp-drumming-poses-challenges">Recording chimp drumming poses challenges</h2>



Gathering these recordings in thick forests was tough. Teams dealt with patchy visibility and had to sift through hours of audio to isolate each drumming event.



Yet the acoustic clarity of those root strikes appears to carry well. Investigators suspect that might let group members stay aware of each other without daily face-to-face gatherings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drumming-reveals-cultural-insights">Drumming reveals cultural insights</h2>



Some think these varied beats could reveal how social structures shape cultural practices. Others see it as a window into early rhythmic skill that later blossomed into music.



Apes may not be forming bands, but they do offer glimpses into the building blocks of melodic expression. 



Observers hope this will spark fresh conversations about when and why our ancestors first started making organized noise.



Humans have always puzzled over how our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-doesnt-just-hear-music-it-becomes-the-rhythm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">musical talents evolved</a>. If an ape that shares much of our DNA relies on steady beats, then we might be tapping into a very ancient groove.



That possibility might open the door to deeper research on how rhythmic ability supports <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-chimp-nests-can-tell-us-about-early-independence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">group cohesion</a>. Song, dance, and shared drumming could have bridged gaps long before languages took shape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-chimpanzee-drumming-patterns">Studying chimpanzee drumming patterns</h2>



Several labs aim to capture more detailed measurements of these drumming sequences. They want to see if local environments or group sizes lead to special patterns that differ from one site to another.



There is also interest in exploring how individual chimps learn these rhythms. If youngsters pick them up by mimicking adults, that might confirm a transmission process much like our own cultural traditions.



Experts emphasize that these findings are not about turning chimps into rock stars. They simply want to understand how drumming has evolved and how it connects to our musical identity.



Scientists suspect this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-rapid-gestures-in-conversations-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat-based communication</a> could explain how early hominins might have adapted similar behaviors for more complex messages. Those messages could have eventually led to chanting or vocal music.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-all-of-this-mean">What does all of this mean?</h2>



No one knows exactly why certain groups seem to sync their hits, while others favor a shifting tempo. Future work may focus on the social payoffs of uniform or varied drumming.



Many suspect the chatter of buttress drumming helped shape chimp interactions for ages. Knowing how those beats work might decode an ancient puzzle about the roots of music.



Plenty of folks wonder if we will ever see chimps expanding this behavior into new activities. Time will tell if there is more complexity lurking behind these drum-like signals.



For now, these revelations remind us that humans are not the only ones with a sense of rhythm. Chimps have a knack for turning tree roots into a forest-wide broadcast. There remains a world of possibility still truly waiting to be uncovered.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00448-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Chimpanzees use rhythmic drumming to communicate in forests

Chimpanzees are not the usual suspects when we think about musical beats. Yet recent work suggests they use patterns that might rival the rhythms many of us tap with our fingers. Researchers have been eavesdropping on these apes as they drum on tree roots in forests across Africa. They believe this drumming could shed light on the roots of our own musical traits. This investigation was steered by lead author Vesta Eleuteri, who is affiliated with the University of Vienna, Austria. She explains that the team set...

The range of white sharks is shrinking and shifting as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-to-blame-for-longer-allergy-seasons/">climate</a> change, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a>. The experts report that there have been unprecedented sightings of juvenile white sharks at the northern end of Monterey Bay, which is a major shift in their range. 

The researchers have determined that the northward shift of young white sharks indicates that they are struggling to find suitable habitat as water temperatures rise beyond their desirable temperature range.

"Nature has many ways to tell us the status quo is being disrupted, but it's up to us to listen," said study co-author Dr. Kyle Van Houtan. "These sharks - by venturing into territory where they have not historically been found - are telling us how the ocean is being affected by climate change."

Two decades ago, as aquarium scientists were preparing to display young white sharks, they monitored juveniles in southern California to study their behavior.

After the North Pacific was impacted by an extreme marine heatwave between 2014 and 2016, the team noticed unusual sightings of juvenile white sharks off central California. This is outside of their typical grounds off southern California, and the farthest north that young white sharks have ever been spotted.

In an effort to identify their thermal preferences, the team analyzed 22 million electronic data records from 14 sharks and compared these records to 38 years of ocean temperatures.

Between 1982 and 2013, the northernmost edge of the juveniles' range was located near Santa Barbara. After the marine heatwave, this range shifted dramatically north to Bodega Bay, and currently hovers near Monterey.

"After studying juvenile white shark behavior and movements in southern California for the last 16 years, it is very interesting to see this northerly shift in nursery habitat use," said study co-author Dr. Chris Lowe. "I think this is what many biologists have expected to see as the result of climate change and rising ocean temperatures. Frankly, I'll be surprised if we don't see this northerly shift across more species."

"This study would not have been possible without contributions from our community scientists and treasured Aquarium volunteers," said Dr. Van Houtan. "Eric Mailander, a local firefighter, provided a decade of detailed logbook records of shark sightings, and volunteer Carol Galginaitis transcribed those hand-written data into an electronic database."

The researchers say their findings reinforce what scientists have been saying for years - animals and nature are revealing the impacts of climate change.

"White sharks, otters, kelp, lobsters, corals, redwoods, monarch butterflies - these are all showing us that climate change is happening right here in our backyard," said Dr. Van Houtan. 

"It's time for us to take notice and listen to this chorus from nature. We know that greenhouse gas emissions are rapidly disrupting our climate and this is taking hold in many ways. Our study showed one example of juvenile white sharks appearing in Monterey Bay. But let's be clear: The sharks are not the problem. Our emissions are the problem. We need to act on climate change and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Young white sharks are moving north to find suitable habitat

The range of white sharks is shrinking and shifting as...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> have traced the success of non-native starlings to rapid evolution. The experts set out to investigate how the European starling has become one of the most abundant bird species in North America. 

After just 80 individuals were released in New York City's Central Park in 1890, the starling population exploded to an estimated 200 million breeding adults spread across the continent of North America.

"The amazing thing about the evolutionary changes among starling populations since they were introduced in North America is that the changes happened in a span of just 130 years in parallel with a huge expansion in the bird's range and population size," said study lead author Natalie Hofmeister. "For a long time we didn't think that was possible - that it took millions of years for genetic mutations to change a genome."

According to the researchers, the genetic differences found among North American starlings are very subtle. DNA sequencing showed that the genomes of birds from different regions of the United States were all remarkably similar. 

The experts identified specific genetic signatures representing changes in areas of the genome that control how starlings adapt to variations in temperature and rainfall. The study authors concluded the birds had undergone "rapid local adaptation" to quickly adjust to conditions not found in their native European range.

Movement played a major role in the evolution of starlings. They established new populations as they spread westward, and each population had to adapt to the new environmental conditions. These adaptations may not have required new mutations, but instead resulted from an existing genetic variations.

"A genetic variation that might not have been useful in one environment could turn out to be very beneficial in another," said Hofmeister. "So, a variation related to temperature and rainfall that enhanced survival became more common in a new environment." 

The massive size of the total starling population across North America meant these gene variants were passed down from the original birds across generations.

"What I think is really cool is that the starlings in North America appear to have adapted to different conditions across the range," said Hofmeister. "So, it wasn't just that they reproduced really quickly, and then just kept reproducing. It's that they specialized once they arrived in new areas."

Despite their success, the European starlings are currently in a state of decline. The population is now half the size it was 50 years ago throughout North America, and is also declining in Europe.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1365294x">Molecular Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Starlings are a prime example of rapid evolution

Researchers at Cornell University have traced the success of non-native...

In a new study led by <a href="https://www.brown.edu/">Brown University</a>, researchers have taken a new approach to reconstruct the movement of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-the-dinosaurs-vanished-forests-expanded-and-thrived/">dinosaurs</a> and other extinct animals. The experts developed a 3D imaging technique to investigate the mechanics of early animal locomotion. 

"By combining the latest technology for studying joint motion with unprecedented amounts of joint pose data, we've uncovered surprising new information that will improve reconstructions of locomotion in extinct animals," said study lead author Armita Manafzadeh.

According to Manafzadeh, improving the ability for scientists to study animal biomechanics is important because knowledge of how individual species moved can advance our understanding of major evolutionary transformations. 

For example, advanced knowledge of early animal movement could help us understand how vertebrates came out of the water and started walking on land, how they went from walking on four legs to two, and how flight evolved, explained Manafzadeh.

Current research on early animal locomotion relies on the process of elimination. The fossilized bones are assembled together and manipulated to determine a joint's mobility, which includes all of the poses that could have been executed without the bones bumping into each other. 

However, this traditional approach only identifies the way in which animals did not move, and requires additional resources to investigate how they actually did move. 

For the current investigation, Manafzadeh teamed up with Professor Stephen M. Gatesy and Dr. Robert Kambic to determine whether joint mobility data may be more informative than what has been assumed.

Using XROMM 3D imaging technology, the researchers analyzed the locomotion of two living animals that are closely related to extinct dinosaurs -  the helmeted guineafowl and the American alligator.

The team captured X-ray videos of the animals walking and having their limbs manipulated, conducted CT scans of the skeletons, and measured nearly 600,000 joint poses. 

The researchers found consistent patterns that linked joint mobility to specific poses used by the dinosaur relatives during locomotion. The experts explained that these patterns can now be applied to reconstruct the movements of extinct animals with more accuracy.

"Thanks to these pose usage patterns, it turns out that what dinosaurs couldn't do with their joints will give us some big clues about how they walked," said Manafzadeh. "What's more, this information has been right in front of us, hidden within the data that paleontologists are already collecting. We just didn't know how to appreciate it yet."

According to the researchers, their confidence in the patterns is supported by the hundreds of thousands of joint poses they have been able to measure and analyze. "We can now pursue future research to ask how broad those patterns are, how they evolved and why," said Professor Gatesy.

The study is published in the <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

Dinosaur relatives reveal clues about early animal locomotion

In a new study led by Brown University, researchers have...

Scientists may have just discovered the world's smallest reptiles living on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-parts-of-the-amazon-rainforest-will-thrive-in-a-warming-climate/">rainforest</a> floor in Madagascar. The tiny chameleons are so small that they fit on a human fingertip.

According to study co-author Frank Glaw, a reptile expert at the <a href="https://www.zsm.mwn.de/">Bavarian State Collection of Zoology</a> in Munich, the male and female specimens were spotted on a mountainside by a local guide during an expedition in 2012.

“You really have to get down on your knees to find them,” Glaw told <a href="https://apnews.com/">AP News</a>. “They are obviously camouflaged and they move very slowly.”

The international team of researchers from Germany and Madagascar named the species Brookesia nana, or nano-chameleon. The body of the male lizard is about 13.5 millimeters in length. This is at least 1.5 millimeters smaller than the previous record holder, another member of the Brookesia family.

Glaw explained that confirming Brookesia nana as the smallest reptile species will require finding more of them, which could take several years.

CT scans revealed that the female harbored two eggs, which confirmed that it was an adult. While the length of the male specimen was 22 millimeters from top to tail, the female is quite a bit larger, with a length of around 29 millimeters. 

The size difference among the genders may explain why the male lizard was found to have genitals that were almost one-fifth of its body size. The researchers said that the "well-developed" genitals may allow the smaller male chameleon to mate with the larger female.

The scientists recommend for Brookesia nana to be listed as critically endangered for its protection. In Madagascar, chameleons are threatened by deforestation.

"The new chameleon is only known from a degraded montane rainforest in northern Madagascar and might be threatened by extinction," wrote the study authors.

Dr. Mark Scherz was one of the experts involved in the discovery. In a blog post, he referred to Brookesia nana as "a spectacular case of extreme miniaturization." 

Dr. Scherz noted that the forests where the chameleons were found are still well connected with others across the north of the island. "So this tiny new chameleon violates the pattern of the smallest species being found on small islands. That suggests that something else is allowing/causing these chameleons to miniaturize."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAvP6ABhCjARIsAH37rbQ5rRYQ39GEJJJhrRAmDBpFCy3JpHSAkQFqiFlPqBzbYkvzFI2c7GMaAn5QEALw_wcB">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tiny chameleons found in Madagascar fit on a human fingertip

Scientists may have just discovered the world's smallest reptiles living...

Understanding how birds species live in their natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-in-low-quality-habitats-are-more-susceptible-to-disease/">habitats</a> can help inform zoos on how to protect birds in captivity, according to research conducted by Dr. Paul Rose of the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. In addition, observations of captive birds can guide conservation strategies for birds living in the wild.

“Research into wild birds is extremely useful for furthering how birds are managed in zoos,” said Dr Rose. “For species of conservation concern, zoo professionals can be linked with field biologists to share information on how to best care for these species in captivity and how to develop and formulate conservation actions."

“We can use proxy species - those common in zoos - to develop practices for conservation that can be used for less familiar species that might be of concern and need help from information gathered through things such as captive breeding."

“Or we can promote the threats that these not-in-the-zoo species face by using the commoner species as an ambassador. We do this through my work at the Wildfowl &amp; Wetlands Trust, promoting the rarer species of flamingo that are in the wild using the commoner ones we keep in the living collection.”

The analysis was focused on the helmeted hornbill, which plays an important role in seed dispersal in pristine areas of southeastern Asian rainforests. These birds are critically endangered as a result of poaching.

While some species of large hornbill can be found in captivity, the helmeted hornbill cannot. By studying the ecological role of the helmeted hornbill in its natural habitat, zoos have been able to design enclosures that will increase chances of reproduction.

For example, experts identified the temperature and humidity range of hornbill nesting sites in the wild, where eggs are more likely to hatch. Zoos can now match these environmental conditions as closely as possible.

Zoos have also been able to guide conservation action for hornbills living in the wild by monitoring the behavior of these birds. Researchers discovered that using nest boxes enhances the quality of breeding habitats for hornbills. As a result, nest boxes have been built in areas of the helmeted hornbill’s range in Borneo.

“The effect of visitors on zoos can also help direct future research questions and increase understanding of birds under human care,” said Dr. Rose.

“Developing zoo bird exhibits to theme them around specific conservation messages can be used to promote wider understanding of the threats faced by wild birds specifically and hopefully encourage human behavior change that benefits ecosystem health.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/birds">Birds</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Observing birds in nature can help protect them in captivity

Understanding how birds species live in their natural habitats can...

A gene that is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plays a critically important role in the memorization skills of songbirds. Researchers at <a href="https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/">UT Southwestern</a> found that deactivating this gene prevented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birdsong-frequency-is-influenced-by-sexual-selection/">birds</a> from being able to memorize their fathers' unique songs.

The findings are shedding new light on speech and language deficiencies that often accompany autism, and may ultimately lead to improved treatments.

Study lead author Dr. Todd Roberts explained that the vocalizations which are a central part of human communication are relatively unique among the animal world - not just for their complexity, but in the way they are passed down from caregivers to offspring. 

Among songbirds like zebra finches, songs are passed along from fathers to male offspring. Similar to humans, the birds have neural circuitry that is dedicated to this learning process in a region of the brain that is referred to as the high vocal center.(HVC).

Dr. Roberts said that because of the parallels between song learning in birds and language learning in humans, songbirds are often used as a scientific model for understanding speech development in people.

The researchers studied zebra finches to investigate the role of a gene called FoxP1, a gene that is closely related to ASD. Mutations of this gene cause a subtype of autism that is characterized by severe language impairment.

According to Dr. Roberts, learning vocalizations consists of two different stages: forming a memory of sounds and then practicing the sounds through imitation. Juvenile zebra finches practice their fathers' song thousands of times a day over three months. They rehearse the song tens of thousands of times until it is a close match. 

To investigate the role FoxP1 in this learning process, the researchers separated young zebra finches into two groups. Half the birds spent their early lives in contact with their singing fathers and lived together with them while they practiced their songs. The other half spent their early lives with their mothers and later joined their fathers during the practice phase. 

The experts used a technique called RNA interference to deactivate FoxP1 in the HVC of some of the birds. The experiment revealed that once the birds reached adulthood, only those with active FoxP1 during the song memorization phase were able to accurately reproduce their fathers' songs. If FoxP1 was deactivated before memorization, the birds sang songs that did not share any resemblance with the tunes sang by their fathers.

"Our results suggest that FoxP1 is key for forming the song memories in these birds that are critical for imitation later in life," said Dr. Roberts. "A similar deficit in humans could play a parallel role in speech development, blocking babies from forming memories of adult speech they hear around them and hindering their own communication as they grow."

If this finding is reinforced in future studies, it could lead to new types of therapy for children with autism, noted Dr. Roberts.

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

&nbsp;

Songbirds rely on an autism gene for memorization

A gene that is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD)...

Rapidly changing ocean soundscapes are disrupting marine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/burrowing-animals-in-the-mojave-desert-escape-the-heat-of-climate-change/">animals</a> on a global scale, according to a new study led by Professor Carlos Duarte of King Abdullah University. The experts report that mitigating these impacts is key to achieving a healthier ocean.

"Sound is the sensory cue that travels farthest through the ocean and is used by marine animals, ranging from invertebrates to great whales, to interpret and explore the marine environment and to interact within and among species," wrote the researchers.

"Ocean soundscapes are rapidly changing because of massive declines in the abundance of sound-producing animals, increases in anthropogenic noise, and altered contributions of geophysical sources, such as sea ice and storms, owing to climate change." 

"As a result, the soundscape of the Anthropocene ocean is fundamentally different from that of preindustrial times, with anthropogenic noise negatively impacting marine life."

For more than a century, sounds from activities such as fishing, shipping, and development have increasingly contributed to underwater noise pollution. Based on the analysis of more than four decades of published research, the experts found that this noise adversely affects the behavior and physiology of marine animals. 

"We find evidence that anthropogenic noise negatively affects marine animals. Strong evidence for such impacts is available for marine mammals, and some studies also find impacts for fishes and invertebrates, marine birds, and reptiles," wrote the study authors. 

'Noise from vessels, active sonar, synthetic sounds, and acoustic deterrent devices are all found to affect marine animals, as are noise from energy and construction infrastructure and seismic surveys."

According to the researchers, noise is not the only consequence of human activities, as some areas of the ocean have also become quieter. For example, the hunting of large marine mammals, including highly vocal whales, has led to drastic declines in the abundance of sound-producing animals.

The study authors emphasize that, unlike many other anthropogenic stressors on marine ecosystems, the harmful effects of noise pollution could be addressed and mitigated with new regulations.

"Changing ocean soundscapes have become the neglected 'elephant in the room' of global ocean change," wrote the researchers. "In an era when societies increasingly look to the 'blue economy' as a source of resources and wealth, it is essential that ocean soundscapes be responsibly managed to ensure the sustainable use of the ocean."

"The evidence summarized here encourages national and international policies to become more ambitious in regulating and deploying existing technological solutions to mitigate marine noise and improve the human stewardship of ocean soundscapes to maintain a healthy ocean." 

The study is published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a> 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

Changing ocean soundscapes impact animals worldwide

Rapidly changing ocean soundscapes are disrupting marine animals on a...

Small burrowing animals are coping with environmental changes in the Mojave Desert much better than the local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babbler-birds-are-shifting-their-behavior-in-the-wrong-direction/">birds</a>, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a> and <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">UC Berkeley</a>.

The experts report that animals like the cactus mouse and the white-tailed antelope squirrel have experienced different exposures to climate warming compared to native birds, despite living in the same part of the Mojave Desert.

"Scientists tend to assume that most species in a region experience the same exposure to temperature or precipitation changes, and that they all respond in the same way. But we're finding now that animals have diverse strategies for reducing their exposure to hot and dry conditions that could kill them," said study senior author Professor Steven Beissinger. 

"You should see these differences most strongly in a harsh environment like the desert, where life is really on the edge."

Over the last 100 years, the Mojave Desert has become hotter and drier. During this time period, UC Berkeley scientists noted a collapse in native bird populations, which is likely due to the stress of higher temperatures. In 2018, the team reported that bird populations have declined rapidly, with 61 study sites losing an average of 43 percent of the species that were present a century ago.

In the new study, the same team has found that small mammal populations in the desert have remained relatively stable since the beginning of the 20th century.

"Mammals have shown this remarkable stability," said Professor Beissinger. "It's really quite interesting that, in the same region, with the same level of climate change, these two very similar taxa have responded very differently to the changes taking place."

Based on computer model simulations, the researchers determined that small mammals are more resilient to climate change because they can escape the hot sun by diving into underground burrows. Birds need extra water to maintain a healthy body temperature, and are more active during the day compared to burrowing animals

"It's becoming clear that animals across the planet are responding to climate change by shifting where they live and shifting when they breed, and we're starting to get really strong evidence of population declines in certain areas that may be associated with warming," said study lead author Professor Eric Riddell. 

"Some estimates now suggest that one in six species will be threatened by climate change over the next century. Figuring out which species those are, what kind of traits they have, will be critical."

"Desert species have been thought to be relatively invulnerable to climate warming, but many desert species are already at or near their temperature and aridity tolerance limits. Each species also has different degrees of resilience," said study co-author Lori Hargrove, an ecologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum. 

"Climate change may seem minor, only a few degrees, but it has already had, and is having, direct and significant impacts on many species, each of which, in turn, affects other species, with cascading effects yet to be realized."

According to the study authors, modeling approaches that combine physiology and behavior are needed to more accurately predict a species' persistence in the face of climate change.

"This study has made me realize just how complicated predicting the effects of climate change truly are," said Professor Riddell. "It isn't just about where the landscape is warming and where it isn't warming. It's a really complex process that involves many aspects of an organism's biology, including their physiology, their behavior, their evolution -- it's all coupled. You need to take a really integrative approach to understand it."

The study is published in the journal Science.

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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

Burrowing animals in the Mojave Desert escape the heat of climate change

Small burrowing animals are coping with environmental changes in the...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have identified simple genetic mutations that cause zebrafish fins to transform into complex limb-like structures. While previous studies on the fin-to-limb transition have focused on the fossil record, the current study was based on advanced genetic screening. 

A team of experts led by M. Brent Hawkins set out to pinpoint mutations that affect the fin skeletons of zebrafish. Unlike tetrapod limbs with complicated skeletons, zebrafish pectoral fins have a simple endoskeleton that lacks joints.

The researchers were surprised to find mutants that modified their fins into a more limb-like pattern by adding new bones, including muscles and joints. This discovery means that the capacity to form limb-like structures was present in zebrafish in a dormant state, and that this ability can be activated by genetic changes.

"We look at some of the developmental aberrations and ask, can they inform us of the processes that were happening underlying some of these large shifts in evolution," said study senior author Professor Matthew P. Harris. "And when you see something that shouldn't be there, ever, I mean 400 million years type of never, it's a major finding."

Zebrafish are teleosts - a diverse lineage of about 30,000 species that includes goldfish, salmon, eels, flounder, clownfish, pufferfish, and catfish. Despite the remarkable diversity of teleost species, their pectoral fins are surprisingly simple and unchanged.

Study co-author Katrin Henke of Boston Children's Hospital performed forward genetic screens to randomly mutate DNA in zebrafish. The goal was to identify genes that control the formation of the fin skeleton. 

When a mutation caused interesting changes to the zebrafish skeleton, the experts traced the mutation back to see which genes were affected. They found that mutations in the waslb and vav2 genes cause the fin phenotype. Thia is the first time that these particular genes have been known to play roles in patterning the body.

"It was a big question as to how waslb and vav2 were changing fin patterning," said Hawkins. "These genes were not known to interact with any of the very well characterized pathways that guide limb development."

'However, we found that these mutations cause an increase in the expression of the gene hoxa11b. This gene is very exciting because the Hox genes are in part responsible for patterning the vertebral column as well as the regions of the limb. And the Hox11 genes in particular are required to make the forearm."

"Prior to this there aren't any examples where we have genes or mutations that actually elaborate the structure and make it even more complicated," said Hawkins. "Even in the case of limbs we only know how to make a limb smaller or less complex, but we didn't have any information on how add elements to a fin or a limb."

"That was very surprising as well," said Professor Harris. "We had no hard experimental examples where you take a gene, turn it up, make it work more and get a more complex mature structure at the end. In our findings we actually found some of the dials that can turn up the genetic pathways and get a more complicated structure in the end."

The study has revealed that fins and limbs use the same genetic mechanisms to specify the middle portion of the appendage. Going forward, Hawkins plans to investigate whether fins and limbs make other appendage regions in the same way.

"There's still the humerus in the limb and we don't know what the corresponding part in the fin is for that, in terms of the genetic requirements," said Hawkins. "We know there are proximal cues that determine where the humerus should go, but we don't know if the fish use these cues or not."

"We want to know in a developmental sense how those cues arose in limbs and if those cues are present in some form in the fish fin already. And hopefully we can fill out the correspondence between fins and limbs."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</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

Simple genetic mutations can turn fins into limbs

Researchers at Harvard University have identified simple genetic mutations that...

Mammals with habitats that have been affected by deforestation have higher levels of stress, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a>. When researchers analyzed hormones in the fur of rodents and marsupials living in smaller patches of South America's Atlantic Forest, they found that these mammals are under more stress compared to animals living in more intact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-eating-mammals-fertilize-the-soil-in-tropical-forests/">forests</a>.

"We suspected that organisms in deforested areas would show higher levels of stress than animals in more pristine forests, and we found evidence that that's true," said study co-author Professor Noé de la Sancha.

"Small mammals, primarily rodents and little marsupials, tend to be more stressed out, or show more evidence that they have higher levels of stress hormones, in smaller forest patches than in larger forest patches."

"A lot of species, all over the world, but especially in the tropics, are understudied," said study lead author Professor Sarah Boyle of Rhodes College. "There is not a lot known about many of these animals in terms of even their baseline hormone levels."

The Atlantic Forest is the second largest forest in South America. Over the last 500 years, large areas of the forest have been cleared for agricultural and urban development. Today, less than one-third of the original forest remains.

Habitat destruction can drastically change the lives of animals as they must learn to cope with less land and food and possibly more contact with predators. The experts explain that in small doses, stress is not a bad thing for the animals. 

"A stress response is normally trying to bring your body back into balance," said study co-author Professor David Kabelik. "If something perturbs you and it can cause you to be injured or die, the stress response mobilizes energy to deal with that situation and bring things back into a normal state. It allows you to survive." 

For example, if an animal encounters a predator, stress hormones give them the adrenaline they need to run away. "But then these animals are placed into these small fragments of habitat where they're experiencing elevated stress over prolonged periods, and that can lead to disease and dysregulation of various physiological mechanisms in the body."

The study was focused on patches of forest in eastern Paraguay, which has been hit particularly hard by deforestation in the last century. The researchers captured 106 mammals in areas that ranged from two to 1,200 hectares and collected samples of animal fur, which contains hormones that accumulate over time. 

"Hormones change in the blood minute by minute, so that's not really an accurate reflection of whether these animals are under long-term stress or whether they just happened to run away from a predator a minute ago, and we were trying to get at something that's more of an indicator of longer term stress," explained Professor Kabelik.

"Since glucocorticoid stress hormones get deposited into the fur over time, if you analyze these samples you can look at a longer term measure of their stress."

In the lab, the fur was converted into a fine powder and the hormones were extracted. The experts analyzed hormone levels using enzyme immunoassay.

"You use antibodies that bind these hormones to figure out how many are there," said Professor Kabelik. "Then you divide that by the amount of fur that was in the sample, and it tells you the amount of hormones present per milligram."

The results showed that the animals from smaller patches of forest had higher levels of glucocorticoid stress hormones than animals from larger patches of forest. 

"Our findings that animals in the small forest patches had higher glucocorticoid levels was not surprising, given the extent to which some of these forested areas have been heavily impacted by forest loss and fragmentation," said Professor Boyle.

The study provides new insight into the effects of deforestation on animals, and may ultimately shed light on the circumstances in which animals can pass diseases to humans. 

"If you have lots of stressed out mammals, they can harbor viruses and other diseases, and there are more and more people living near these deforested patches that could potentially be in contact with these animals," said Professor de la Sancha. "By destroying natural habitats, we're potentially creating hotspots for zoonotic disease outbreaks."

"Big picture, this is really important because it could be applicable to forest remnants throughout the world. The tropics hold the highest diversity of organisms on the planet. Therefore, this has potential to impact the largest variety of living organisms on the planet, as more and more deforestation is happening. We're gonna see individuals and populations that tend to show higher levels of stress."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Animals affected by deforestation are stressed out

Mammals with habitats that have been affected by deforestation have...

A potentially toxic species of plankton algae may take over a critical role in the future of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-favors-some-arctic-insects-over-others/">Arctic</a> food chain, according to a new study from <a href="https://international.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a>. These algae survive through photosynthesis, but also by eating other algae and bacteria, which gives them a major advantage in the rapidly changing environment of the Arctic.

The plankton community that produces food for the entire Arctic food chain is being transformed by sea ice decline. The base of this food web is formed of tiny plankton algae, which use light and nutrients to produce food through photosynthesis.

As sea ice becomes thinner in the Arctic, plankton algae are exposed to more light. While it seems that this would boost algae numbers and provide more food for fish, the effects are much more complicated. 

The experts explain that more sunlight in the sea will only lead to a higher production of plankton algae if they also have enough nutrients, and this is often not the case. 

Freshwater that is entering the Arctic Ocean from melting glaciers is lacking in nutrients, and this water is now spreading out further across fjords and into the sea. The fresh water sits on top of the denser saltwater, preventing nutrients from the deeper layers from mixing up towards the surface where plankton algae are active. 

This is where the so-called mixotrophic plankton algae come in, because they do not rely entirely on sunlight and nutrients for their survival. The fact that these algae can also obtain energy by eating other algae and bacteria allows them to stay alive and grow without adequate light for photosynthesis. 

In northeast Greenland, a team of researchers measured the production of plankton algae under the sea ice in the high-Arctic fjord Young Sound.

"We showed that the plankton algae under the sea ice actually produced up to half of the total annual plankton production in the fjord," said study lead author Dorte H. Søgaard.

"Mixotrophic plankton algae have the advantage that they can sustain themselves by eating other algae and bacteria as a supplement to photosynthesis when there isn't enough light. This means that they are ready to perform photosynthesis even when very little light penetrates into the sea." 

"In addition, many mixotrophic algae can live in relatively fresh water and at very low concentrations of nutrients - conditions that often prevail in the water layers under the sea ice in the spring when the ice melts."

The researchers measured an algal bloom driven by mixotrophic algae in Young Sound for nine days. The algae belong to a group called haptophytes, many of which are toxic. The team found that these algae bloomed in quantities similar to those previously observed in the Skagerrak, where they killed large amounts of salmon in Norwegian fish farms.

"We know that haptophytes often appear in areas with low salinity - as seen in the Baltic Sea, for example. It is therefore very probable that these mixotrophic-driven algae blooms will appear more frequently in a more freshwater-influenced future Arctic Ocean and that this shift in dominant algae to a mixotrophic algae species might have a large ecological and socio-economic impact," said Søgaard.

According to the researchers, this is the first time that a bloom of mixotrophic algae has been recorded under the sea ice in the Arctic.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Nature: Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Toxic plankton algae could change the fate of the Arctic food web

A potentially toxic species of plankton algae may take over...

In recent years, dog food options has expanded far beyond dry kibble to include grain-free, fresh, and now even human-grade foods. When researchers at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> conducted a comparison study, they found that human-grade ingredients are not only appetizing, but are also extremely digestible. 

According to the study, human-grade dog foods are so easy to digest that they are associated with up to 66 percent less poop.

"Based on past research we've conducted I'm not surprised with the results when feeding human-grade compared to an extruded dry diet," said study co-author Kelly Swanson. "However, I did not expect to see how well the human-grade fresh food performed, even compared to a fresh commercial processed brand."

Over four weeks, the researchers fed beagles four commercially available diets: dry kibble; a fresh, refrigerated diet; and two fresh diets made using only USDA-certified human-grade ingredients. 

The fresh human-grade foods contained minimally processed ingredients such as beef, chicken, rice, carrots, and broccoli in small chunks or in a casserole. 

The study revealed that dogs fed the kibble diet had to eat more to maintain their body weight. These dogs produced 1.5 to 2.9 times as much poop compared to dogs that were fed any of the fresh diets.

"This is consistent with a 2019 National Institute of Health study in humans that found people eating a fresh whole food diet consumed on average 500 less calories per day, and reported being more satisfied, than people eating a more processed diet," said Swanson.

The researchers also found that the fresh diets uniquely influenced the gut microbiomes of the dogs. 

"Because a healthy gut means a healthy mutt, fecal microbial and metabolite profiles are important readouts of diet assessment," said Swanson. 

"As we have shown in previous studies, the fecal microbial communities of healthy dogs fed fresh diets were different than those fed kibble. These unique microbial profiles were likely due to differences in diet processing, ingredient source, and the concentration and type of dietary fibers, proteins, and fats that are known to influence what is digested by the dog and what reaches the colon for fermentation."

In a previous study on roosters, Swanson's team demonstrated that the same human-grade foods were up to 40 percent more digestible than kibble.

The research is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jas">Journal of Animal Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs poop up to 66 percent less when they eat human-grade foods

In recent years, dog food options has expanded far beyond...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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"

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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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