In the hidden corners of our world, insects buzz, flutter, and crawl through shrinking habitats - playing roles that sustain life. Yet, while we look away, their numbers are dwindling at an alarming rate. Since the 1970s, studies suggest a jaw-dropping 50% decline in insect biomass.



The culprits? Habitat destruction and climate change. But what happens when these forces collide?



At the intersection of rising temperatures and vanishing habitats, a new and more lethal threat emerges. Researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) set out to unravel this intricate web. 



Led by Professor Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter as part of the LandKlif research cluster, the team conducted a sweeping study across 179 locations in Bavaria. Their findings offer a chilling glimpse into a world where insects struggle to survive in a rapidly changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-farming-is-causing-many-insect-species-to-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">landscape</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-heat-slashes-bee-populations">Urban heat slashes bee populations</h2>



Picture this: a world without bees. Crops wither, habitats shrink, and the hum of life falls silent. The JMU study reveals that bees - crucial pollinators - are bearing the brunt of this environmental assault.



In forests, bees adapted to the heat and maintained their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/very-little-is-known-about-99-of-all-insects-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>. But in cities, the story took a darker turn. Urban bee populations plunged by 65% - a staggering drop that spells disaster for pollination.



Dr. Cristina Ganuza, a biologist on the project, highlighted the overlooked role of nighttime temperatures. “The fact that night-time temperatures have such an impact on diurnal insects is significant. Precisely because average night-time temperatures rise even faster than daytime temperatures."



Days sear with heat, and nights fail to cool. Bees, already displaced from their natural habitats, cannot escape the relentless warmth. For them, the city becomes a death trap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insects-struggle-in-agricultural-habitats">Insects struggle in agricultural habitats</h2>



Higher up the food chain, predators and parasitoids told a different story. These natural pest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">controllers</a> showed surprising resilience in forests and grasslands. But in open agricultural areas, they faced an uphill battle.



“This can have a negative impact on agricultural production because insects that contribute to natural pest control should be similarly affected,” said Dr. Sarah Redlich.



Without these predators to keep pests in check, agricultural losses could mount. However, in areas where agricultural land and natural habitats intermingled, predator populations fared better. This highlights a crucial lesson: not all landscapes are created equal in a warming world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-heat-worsens-insect-declines">Night heat worsens insect declines</h2>



As the sun dips below the horizon, insects should find respite. But the night now offers little relief. The JMU study uncovers a hidden enemy - rising nighttime temperatures that hammer diurnal insects like bees.



Bee diversity dropped across all habitat types, from cities to grasslands. This previously unnoticed threat could spell catastrophe for pollinators struggling to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adapt</a>.



“This previously unknown negative effect of warmer nights on insects reveals a new threat that requires further research to uncover the underlying physiological mechanisms,” said Steffan-Dewenter.



Night after night, the heat persists, robbing insects of the chance to recover. As temperatures rise, even the dark becomes dangerous.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-natural-habitats-protect-insects">Natural habitats protect insects</h2>



Not all habitats shelter insects equally. The JMU study highlights a stark contrast between natural and urbanized landscapes. Forests and grasslands emerged as safe havens, providing refuge and resources.



Warmer daytime temperatures, surprisingly, increased bee diversity in these areas. But in cities, the same heat wave proved deadly, causing bee populations to nosedive.



Researchers emphasize the importance of connecting natural habitats within urban and agricultural areas. Without green corridors, insects lose not just their homes but their pathways to survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insect-habitat-loss-disrupts-pollination">Insect habitat loss disrupts pollination</h2>



When insects vanish, the consequences ripple outward. Bees disappear, and flowers go unpollinated. Predators decline, and pests multiply unchecked. Food webs wobble, and entire ecosystems falter.



“Their different responses could disrupt food webs and important ecosystem functions such as pest control and pollination,” said Ganuza.



Insects may be small, but their absence creates a void that echoes throughout the ecosystem. Each disappearance is a thread pulled from the intricate web of life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-comes-next">What comes next? </h2>



The JMU study sounds a stark warning: climate change and habitat loss don’t just coexist - they amplify each other. Yet the findings also point to a way forward.



Maintaining green corridors within agricultural and urban landscapes could provide vital refuges for insects. Implementing strategies that reduce nighttime heat might offer a lifeline to diurnal species struggling to adapt.



Understanding why some insects resist climate change better than others could inform targeted conservation efforts. In a world that’s heating up fast, every degree matters.



The world of insects teeters on the brink. The time to act is now - before the silence grows deafening.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.3053" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Rising heat, shrinking habitats: Insects face hidden threats

In the hidden corners of our world, insects buzz, flutter, and crawl through shrinking habitats - playing roles that sustain life. Yet, while we look away, their numbers are dwindling at an alarming rate. Since the 1970s, studies suggest a jaw-dropping 50% decline in insect biomass. The culprits? Habitat destruction and climate change. But what happens when these forces collide? At the intersection of rising temperatures and vanishing habitats, a new and more lethal threat emerges. Researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) set out to unravel this intricate...

Male baboons live longer when they have female friends, according to a new study from <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a>. The researchers found that strong social bonds between members of the  opposite sex were linked to higher <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/contaminated-manure-dung-beetles/">survival</a> rates.

While it is easy to assume that males are friendly with certain females for reproductive benefits, the new findings suggest that having female friends may give males a better chance at survival.  

Among humans, previous studies have shown that making and keeping friends can be as important for longevity as losing weight and getting exercise. Similar patterns have been found in a wide variety of animals, ranging from monkeys and horses to dolphins and killer whales. 

However, most of this research was focused on females, who tend to stay with the same groups as the males come and go. As a result, the dynamics of male social bonds are much less understood.

The study was focused on data from more than 540 baboons in Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Since 1971, researchers have followed individual baboons on a near-daily basis as part of the Amboseli Baboon Research Project. The experts documented who the baboons socialized with and how they fared over their lifetime. 

The Duke team used statistical techniques to calculate mortality risk at each age, and to investigate whether the link between survival and friendship was the same for males and females.

Baboon friendships are reflected in the time they spend grooming one another. This is a give-and-take interaction that involves sitting close together and stroking and picking through each other's fur to remove parasites such as ticks.

"It's a baboon's way of bonding and relieving stress, as well as providing some help with hygiene," said study senior author Susan Alberts.

Males spend very little time grooming each other, but they do groom with females, and not just when the females are fertile, explained the researchers.

The team used more than 35 years of data to estimate the strength of the bonds in each baboon's inner circle by measuring how often they spent time grooming with their closest friends. The study revealed for the first time that "baboon males live longer lives if they're socially connected."

The experts found that males who maintained strong female friendships were 28 percent more likely to survive until their next birthday. By contrast, social isolation was found to be a bigger threat to male survival than the stress and dangers of social competition.

Alberts said further research is needed to confirm that the link in baboons is in fact a causal one, and if so, to figure out exactly how the bonds of friendship affect physiology to lengthen their lifespans.

According to the researchers, their work on baboon social behavior suggests that the power of friendship may have deep evolutionary roots in the primate family tree.

"How do primate friendships get 'under the skin' to lengthen life?" said Alberts. "We still don't know; it's one of the most wonderful black boxes in my life."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</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

Male baboons live longer when they have female friends

Male baboons live longer when they have female friends, according...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> suggests that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-the-nutritional-appeal-of-moon-jellyfish/">jellyfish</a> or sardines could replace fish and chips in an effort to make commercial fishing more sustainable and to protect threatened species. The experts said that when it comes to seafood, you don't always know what you are actually eating.

After analyzing global industrial fishing records, the researchers found that 92 endangered species are caught for seafood, 11 of which are critically endangered.

Study lead author Leslie Roberson is a PhD candidate in the UQ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science. She noted that it is legal to fish for species that are threatened with extinction, and that seafood does not have to be labeled according to its species.

"This means that the 'fish,' 'flake' or 'cod' that Australians typically order at the fish and chip shop could be critically endangered," said Roberson.

"Australian seafood is not as sustainable as consumers would like to think, and it's definitely not in line with many of the large international conservation agreements that Australia has signed to protect threatened species and ecosystems."

"We would never consider eating mountain gorillas or elephants, both of which are endangered."

Study co-author Dr. Carissa Klein was recently awarded an ARC Future Fellowship to research the nation's seafood consumption and find ways to make the industry more sustainable. Her team will investigate the costs and benefits of embracing different types of seafood that can be caught more sustainably within Australian waters, such as abalone and wild-caught sardines.

Dr. Klein said Australia was just one of many wealthy countries importing and catching threatened seafood species while maintaining its international marine conservation reputation.

"Australia imports around 75 percent of the seafood we consume and is internationally regarded as having effective conservation and fisheries management policies," said Dr. Klein.

"When importing seafood from other places, we are displacing any social or environmental problems associated with fishing to that place, which is likely to have less capacity to sustainably manage its ocean."

According to the study authors, the number of threatened species they recorded was a very conservative estimate.

"The seafood industry is difficult to manage from a conservation perspective because it has supply chains that span multiple international waters, without a governing body," said Roberson.

"A typical situation might look something like - a fishing boat operating in Australian waters, owned by a Chinese company, with a crew of fishermen from the Philippines. Then one part of the fish might get processed in China, and the other can go to Europe."

"We don't know what we're eating, it's really hard to trace seafood back to its origin and species because the industry is such a mess."

"Improving the sustainability of Australia's seafood trade policies could significantly benefit the ocean worldwide, as well as the billions of people that depend on a healthy ocean for their health and livelihoods," said Dr. Klein.

"It should be illegal to eat something that is threatened by extinction, especially species that are critically endangered - if we can better coordinate fisheries and conservation policies, we can prevent it from happening."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</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

Experts work to take threatened species off the seafood menu

A new study from the University of Queensland suggests that...

A new study that tracked the development of whale sharks over ten years has produced the first evidence that males and females of this <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-and-tropical-species-may-vanish-at-alarming-rates/">species</a> develop differently. The investigation revealed that even though the male sharks grow at a faster rate, the females ultimately outgrow them. 

The research, published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>, shows that male whale sharks grow at a faster rate, but their body development plateaus around the time they reach 8 or 9 meters. The female sharks develop more slowly, gradually reaching an average length of about 14 meters to overtake the males.

Study lead author Dr. Mark Meekan is a fish biologist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). He noted that whale sharks have been reported up to 18 meters long.

"That's absolutely huge - about the size of a bendy bus on a city street. But even though they're big, they're growing very, very slowly. It's only about 20cm or 30cm a year."

The research was conducted along Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef during 11 seasons from 2009 to 2019. The experts tracked the growth of 54 whale sharks based on the unique "fingerprint" of spots that can be used to identify individuals.

According to AIMS marine scientist Dr.  Brett Taylor, the team recorded more than 1, 000 whale shark measurements using stereo-video cameras.

"It's basically two cameras set up on a frame that you push along when you're underwater," explained Dr. Taylor. "It works the same way our eyes do - so you can calibrate the two video recordings and get a very accurate measurement of the shark."

For the females, there are huge advantages to being big, said Dr. Meekan. "Only one pregnant whale shark had ever been found, and she had 300 young inside her. That's a remarkable number, most sharks would only have somewhere between two and a dozen."

Dr. Meekan suggested the massive females are probably getting big because of the need to carry a whole lot of pups.

Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia is one of the only places in the world where whale sharks appear regularly near the shore. Swimming with the sharks at Ningaloo Reef boosts the local economy by $24 million a year. However, the iconic fish were listed as endangered in 2016.

Dr Meekan said the new findings have huge implications for conservation, with whale sharks threatened by targeted fishing and ships strikes.

"If you're a very slow-growing animal and it takes you 30 years or more to get to maturity, the chances of disaster striking before you get a chance to breed is probably quite high, and that's a real worry for whale sharks."

Dr Meekan said the findings also explains why groups of whale sharks that gather in tropical regions are made up almost entirely of young males. "They gather to exploit an abundance of food so they can maintain their fast growth rates."

According to Dr. Taylor, the discovery that whale sharks plateau in their growth goes against everything scientists previously thought."This paper has really re-written what we know about whale shark growth."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Female whale sharks grow slower yet larger than males

A new study that tracked the development of whale sharks...

The Komodo dragon may completely vanish unless urgent action is taken to mitigate <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dams-will-prevent-some-river-fish-from-surviving-climate-change/">climate</a> change, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a>. These giant lizards already have restricted habitats, which are further threatened by global warming and sea level rise. 

"Climate change is likely to cause a sharp decline in the availability of habitat for Komodo dragons, severely reducing their abundance in a matter of decades," said study lead author Dr. Alice Jones. "Our models predict local extinction on three of the five island habitats where Komodo dragons are found today."

The Komodo dragon, which is the world's largest lizard species, has existed on Earth for more than a million years. Today, there are only an estimated 4,000 individuals remaining in the wild in southeast Indonesia.

"Current-day conservation strategies are not enough to avoid species decline in the face of climate change. This is because climate change will compound the negative effects of already small, isolated populations," said Dr. Jones.

"Interventions such as establishing new reserves in areas that are predicted to sustain high-quality habitats in the future, despite global warming, could work to lessen the effects of climate change on Komodo dragons."

The study is based on many years of fieldwork on the ecology and conservation status of Komodo dragons.

"Using this data and knowledge in conservation models has provided a rare opportunity to understand climate change impacts on Indonesia's exceptional but highly vulnerable biodiversity," said co-author Dr. Tim Jessop.

For their investigation, the researchers closely collaborated with the Komodo National Park and the Eastern Lesser Sunda Central Bureau for Conservation of Natural Resources.

Study co-author Deni Purwandana is the coordinator of the Komodo Survival Program. He said that the severity and extent of human impacts on Komodo dragon populations are only just being realized.

"Having an insight into future impacts of climate change provides new possibilities to work with conservation agencies and local communities to find on-ground solutions that will limit climate and other threats to Komodo dragons and their habitats," said Purwandana.

According to the researchers, climate-change-informed decisions should be a common part of conservation practice.

"Our conservation models show that Komodo dragons on two protected large islands are less vulnerable to climate change. However, even these island habitats might not provide an adequate insurance policy for the survival of the species," said Professor Damien Fordham.

"Conservation managers in coming decades may need to consider translocating animals to sites where Komodo dragons have not been found for many decades. This scenario can be tested easily using our approach."

"Our research shows that without taking immediate action to mitigate climatic change, we risk committing many range restricted species like Komodo dragons to extinction."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20457758">Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Komodo dragons are severely threatened by climate change

The Komodo dragon may completely vanish unless urgent action is...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a> reports that some chimpanzees suffer the rest of their lives if they lose their mother before <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/losing-weight-before-middle-adulthood-can-save-your-life/">adulthood</a>. The researchers found that male chimpanzees who are orphaned early in life are less competitive and less reproductively successful.

The study was focused on three chimpanzee communities in Tai National Park in West Africa. The experts kept full demographic records and collected fecal samples to conduct paternity tests on all new community members for up to 30 years. 

"When we study our closest living relatives, like chimpanzees, we can learn about the ancient environmental factors that made us human," said lead author Catherine Crockford. "Our study shows that a mother's presence and support throughout the prolonged childhood years was also likely a trait in the last common ancestor that humans shared with chimpanzees six to eight million years ago. This trait is likely to have been fundamental in shaping both chimpanzee and human evolution."

Many experts in human evolution believe that our species managed to grow such large brains because parents continue to provide food to children until they are grown. Ongoing parental care throughout long childhoods allows time for children to learn the skills they need to survive in adulthood. Long childhoods are rare in the animal kingdom, and ours are matched only by other great apes like chimpanzees.

Despite their long childhoods, however, chimpanzees rarely provide their children with food after they are weaned at age four or five. At this point, mothers mostly let the young chimpanzees forage for themselves. This means that it is something else that mothers are providing to their children that deeply affects orphaned sons, and scientists are trying to understand what that may be.

"One idea is that mothers know where to find the best food and how to use tools to extract hidden and very nutritious foods, like insects, honey and nuts," said Crockford.

"Offspring gradually learn these skills through their infant and juvenile years. We can speculate that one reason offspring continue to travel and feed close to their mothers every day until they are teenagers, is that watching their mothers helps them to learn." 

Great apes may be able to afford much bigger brains relative to their body size compared to other primates because they acquire the skills they need to eat more nutritious foods.

"Another idea is that mothers pass on social skills," said study co-author Roman Wittig. "Again a bit like humans, chimpanzees live in a complex social world of alliances and competition. It might be that they learn through watching their mothers when to build alliances and when to fight."

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

Chimpanzees who lose their mothers as children suffer for life

A new study from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary...

Turtles improve the health of freshwater ecosystems by scavenging <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dams-will-prevent-some-river-fish-from-surviving-climate-change/">fish</a> carcasses, according to a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>. The research, which was focused on an endangered freshwater turtle species in Australia, suggests that turtles play an unappreciated role in regulating water quality in river systems.

"Humans are increasing the frequency of fish kills by degrading freshwater ecosystems," wrote the study authors. "Simultaneously, scavengers like freshwater turtles are declining globally, including in the Australian Murray-Darling Basin. Reduced scavenging may cause water quality problems impacting both ecosystems and humans."

The researchers set out to investigate whether scavenging by freshwater turtles accelerates decomposition and regulates water quality after a fish is killed. The study was focused on carp carcasses, which give off high concentrations of ammonia as they decompose.

A team led by Dr. Ricky-John Spencer of Western Sydney University conducted experiments in artificial wetlands that were built in tanks containing carp carcasses. The experts introduced four male freshwater turtles of the species Emydura macquarii to some of the artificial wetlands. The carp carcasses were left in each tank until they had either been completely eaten by turtles or had fully decomposed. 

"Fish kills degrade water quality by increasing the concentrations of ammonia and nitrates, and driving phytoplankton and cyanobacteria blooms, which decrease dissolved oxygen concentrations," explained the study authors. "Together, these effects can lead to devastating biodiversity losses and ecosystem breakdown. Fish kills also have human impacts; bacterial and cyanobacterial blooms can cause serious illnesses, such as botulism."

The study revealed that when turtles were present, carp carcasses were removed three times faster. In these tanks, ammonia levels dropped sooner, while water quality improved more quickly. The turtles also accelerated the recovery of levels of dissolved oxygen, which aquatic animals need to breathe.

The Murray-Darling basin supports 40 percent of Australia's agricultural production and serves as the main water source for more than 2.8 million people. Freshwater turtles are dwindling in the river basin as they are more frequently struck by cars and their nests are destroyed by foxes.

According to the experts, ongoing plans to introduce a naturally occurring carp virus to control invasive carp in the Murray-Darling basin could severely impact water quality and ecosystem health, especially with fewer turtles available to scavenge on carcasses.

"Our experiments show that turtle scavenging mitigates the effect of animal decomposition on water quality, particularly during fish kills, and this ecological role diminishes as turtle abundance decreases," wrote the researchers.

"Turtles have drastically declined in the Murray-Darling Basin. Up to 100,000 tons of turtles were historically present, but in some locations they are now so rare that they are not captured. As turtle populations continue declining, we predict that water quality will worsen, with implications for both the ecosystem and humans."

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

Freshwater turtles improve the health of river systems

Turtles improve the health of freshwater ecosystems by scavenging fish...

Researchers have been training honeybees to pick up on the scent of specific <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-one-step-closer-to-engineering-flood-resistant-crops/">crops</a> to seek them out for pollination, and a new study from <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a> suggests that this strategy is effective. The experts report that honeybees prompted with odors similar to sunflowers supported a significant increase in sunflower crop production.

"We show that it's possible to condition honeybees to a rewarded odor inside the colony, and this experience modifies the bees' odor-guided behaviors later," said study co-author Walter Farina of the Universidad de Buenos Aires. "The most surprising and relevant result is that the foraging preferences for the target crop are so prolonged and intensive that it promoted significant increases in the crop yields."

The team had previously demonstrated that honeybees could develop long-term memories related to food scents inside the nest. They also found that these memories could influence which plants the bees pollinated.

In order to train bees to forage on sunflowers, the researchers developed a simple synthetic combination of odors that the bees would associate with the natural floral scent of sunflowers. Next, they supplied the hives with food that contained their new formula. 

The investigation confirmed that early experiences with the scent of sunflowers established memories that later influenced the bees' foraging preferences - which the experts derived by decoding their waggle dances.

The scent training led the bees to visit sunflowers more often. Furthermore, bees that had trained bees also brought more sunflower pollen back to the hive. Ultimately, sunflower seed production was boosted by 29 to 57 percent.

"Through this procedure, it is possible to bias honeybee foraging activity and increase yields significantly," said Farina. "In other words, pollination services might be improved in pollinator-dependent crops by using simple mimic odors as part of a precision pollination strategy."

The researchers are currently working to apply their technique to other pollinator-dependent crops, such as almonds, pears, and apples. The goal is to improve pollination efficiency and increase the productivity of many important agricultural crops.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists train honeybees with scent to boost sunflower production

Researchers have been training honeybees to pick up on the...

Hundreds of thousands of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/river-damming-threatening-fish/">migratory</a> birds have been found dead over the last few weeks across New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Colorado, and the cause remains a mystery. The first signs of the mass die-off emerged on August 20, when about 200 dead birds were found at the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico.

Soon after the discovery at White Sands, dead birds began turning up in alarming numbers in other regions of New Mexico like Jemez Pueblo, Roswell, and Socorro.

A team of wildlife biologists, including Professor Martha Desmond of <a href="https://www.nmsu.edu/">New Mexico State University</a>, now faces the somber task of examining hundreds of birds that have perished in an effort to identify the cause of death. 

"It's just terrible," Professor Desmond told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>. "The number is in the six figures. Just by looking at the scope of what we're seeing, we know this is a very large event, hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of dead birds, and we're looking at the higher end of that."

Professor Desmond speculates that the deaths are tied to the ongoing wildfires that have devastated millions of acres across several western states. She explained that the fires may have pushed some birds into early migrations that they were not physically prepared for, while others likely died from lung damage tied to smoke inhalation.  

"Birds who migrated before they were ready because of the weather might have not had enough fat to survive," Professor Desmond told CNN. "Some birds might have not even had the reserves to start migrating so they died in place."

Many different types of migratory birds have been found deceased, including bluebirds, sparrows, blackbirds, flycatchers, and warblers. There were many reports from people who have witnessed strange behavior among birds in the last few weeks. For example, individuals that are typically seen foraging in shrubs or trees were observed chasing insects on the ground.

In her interview with CNN, Professor Desmond said that many birds were lethargic and unresponsive, and were getting struck by cars in larger numbers than ever before. She added that at the missile range golf course, swallows were sitting on the ground letting people approach them.

Tristanna Bickford, a representative of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, told the New York Times that state officials have provided specimens to the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin for examination. She said it could take months for biologists to conclusively determine what has caused the die-off.

According to the US Forest Service in Santa Fe, citizen scientists can help collect dead birds by following these guidelines: wear gloves; document the date, location, and number of birds collected at each site; store the birds in plastic bags; and deliver the specimens directly to wildlife authorities or double bag and store them in the freezer.

Professor Desmond pointed to the role of climate change in this shocking event. "We have lost three billion birds in the U.S. since 1970 and we've also seen a tremendous decline in insects," she told CNN, "so an event like this is terrifying to these populations and it's devastating to see."

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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

The number of dead migratory birds in the western U.S. may climb into the millions

Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds have been found dead...

The oldest known sperm cells have been discovered in a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-species-crustaceans-italian-cave/">crustacean</a> preserved in amber from Myanmar, according to a study from <a href="https://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/">Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet</a>. The specimen, which dates back about 100 million years to the Cretaceous, is a female that contains giant sperm cells in its reproductive tract.

Fossilized sperm cells are extremely rare. Prior to this study, the oldest known sperm was 50 million years old and contained in a type of worm. 

The research was conducted by an international team of experts who discovered that the female specimen, as well as other fossils collected along with it, represent a previously unknown species of crustacean, Myanmarcypris hui. 

The specimens belong to a class of Crustacea known as ostracods, which have been around for 500 million years with thousands of species still alive today. 

Fossilized shells of ostracods are not uncommon, but the new specimens preserved in Burmese amber reveal details of their internal organs, including the reproductive organs.

"The findings gave us an extremely rare opportunity to learn more about the evolution of these organs," said study co-author Renate Matzke-Karasz.

The researchers used computer-aided techniques to reconstruct 3D models from a single or a few X-rays of the ostracod fossils. The models revealed astonishing details of the anatomy of these animals, ranging from their tiny limbs to their reproductive organs. 

In the female ostracod that contained sperm, these cells were discovered in the paired sperm receptacles where they would have been stored after copulation, ready for release when the female's eggs matured. 

"This female must have mated shortly before being encased in the resin," said study co-author He Wang. The X-ray images also offered the team a detailed look at the sperm pumps and the pairs of penises that male ostracods insert into the twin gonopores of the females.

"The complexity of the reproductive system in these specimens raises the question of whether the investment in giant sperm cells might represent an evolutionarily stable strategy," said Matzke-Karasz. 

The males of most animals, including humans, produce very large numbers of very small sperm. A few animals like ostracods, however, produce small numbers of oversized sperm, with motile tails that are several times longer than the animal itself. 

"In order to prove that the use of giant sperm is not an extravagant whim on the part of evolution, but a viable strategy that can confer an enduring advantage that enables species to survive for long periods of time, we must establish when this mode of reproduction first appeared," said Matzke-Karasz. 

The finding that animals had already developed giant sperm 100 million years ago suggests that this reproductive strategy is successful in the long term.

"That's a pretty impressive record for a trait that requires a considerable investment from both the males and females of the species. From an evolutionary point of view, sexual reproduction with the aid of giant sperm must therefore be a thoroughly profitable strategy," said Matzke-Karasz. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/for-authors">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</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

&nbsp;

Sperm cells discovered in a 100 million-year-old fossilized crustacean

The oldest known sperm cells have been discovered in a...

Climate change is causing some animals to age more rapidly, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.fecyt.es/en">Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology</a>. As a result of rising temperatures, ectotherms including <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/shellfish-are-moving-away-from-safety-as-the-ocean-warms/">fish</a>, amphibians, and reptiles will experience a rise in their body temperature that will have serious consequences, including accelerated growth and aging. 

Ectotherms cannot actively control their internal temperature, which is regulated by their surroundings, and the organisms are highly susceptible to environmental changes. Some ectotherms are already growing too fast and struggling with the thermal stress of prolonged heat.

"Heat waves take animals out of their thermal preferences, to the point even of reaching their temperature tolerance limits. The longer and more frequent the heat waves, the greater their impact on the physiology of ectotherms," said study co-author Germán Orizaola.

In collaboration with an international team of scientists, Orizaola reviewed relevant studies on the effects of rising temperatures on ectotherms. The results of the analysis indicate that the animals will age faster as the climate warms.

"Higher growth rates will generate physiological imbalances in ectotherms, increasing, for example, oxidative damage to the proteins and DNA, which may also affect the telomeres, the repeated sections of non-coding DNA located at the ends of chromosomes," explained Orizaola.

"As telomeres protect DNA, the faster the telomeres are lost, the faster the cells degrade and the body ages. This clear link between climate change and aging is described for the first time in our article."

According to Orizaola, if the life expectancy of individuals in a population is reduced, their ability to produce offspring may be compromised. With shorter lifespans, ectotherm populations will have a much harder time recovering from natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and heat waves. Furthermore, population losses have cascading impacts on other species, potentially throwing off the balance of entire ecosystems as certain predators or prey decline.

"This is a field that has barely been explored so far, but everything indicates that it could be another of the possible problems facing wildlife that is exposed to climate change," said Orizaola. He said that a better understanding of the effects of the climate crisis on ectotherm aging could help experts develop better conservation and management programs.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change 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

Heat stress accelerates aging in fish, amphibians, and reptiles

Climate change is causing some animals to age more rapidly,...

A new study from <a href="https://www.fv-berlin.de/">Forschungsverbund Berlin</a> describes how dams are compounding the impacts of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-arctic-is-transitioning-into-an-entirely-different-climate/">climate</a> change on river fish. When faced with stressful environmental conditions, fish can potentially move to more suitable habitats. The researchers set out to investigate the extent to which dams may restrict the movement of both native and non-native fish under different climate scenarios. 

"Understanding how global change and connectivity will jointly modify the distribution of riverine species is crucial for conservation biology and environmental management," wrote the study authors.

"However, little is known about the interaction between climate change and fragmentation and how movement barriers might impede native species from adjusting their distributions versus limit the further spread of alien species."

The researchers modeled the distribution of 11 native and five alien fish species in the Ebro River, located within the Mediterranean region of Spain. To examine how a lack of connectivity may interfere with access to future suitable habitats, the team considered 10 climate change models using various algorithms. 

"The Ebro River is particularly vulnerable and threatened by climate change and species invasions. In addition, the Ebro River is fragmented by over 300 dams and many smaller barriers, which makes it even worse for the native fish species," said study co-author Professor Emili García-Berthou.

The analysis showed that the most pronounced biodiversity changes, including losses of native fish and gains of alien species, are expected in the lower and mid reaches of larger Ebro River tributaries. According to the study, alien species such as eastern mosquitofish, wels catfish, and common carp will become much more prevalent. The majority of species are projected to shift their range in an upstream direction.

"The Ebro River system is home to several endemic species that exclusively occur on the Iberian Peninsula," said study lead author Johannes Radinger. "These species are particularly imperilled by barriers that limit movements in response to climate change. Whether dams can effectively prevent the spread of alien species is questionable. In fact, the establishment of alien fishes is often facilitated by the changed flow and habitat conditions that result from damming rivers."

The findings show that fish communities in highly fragmented rivers will face significant biodiversity shifts and species losses alongside climate change. 

"Effective conservation of fishes should focus on the restoration of habitats and the natural flow regime, improvements of connectivity for native species and the control of alien species, particularly the prevention of further introductions," wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change 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

Dams will prevent some river fish from surviving climate change

A new study from Forschungsverbund Berlin describes how dams are...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> has exposed the shocking impacts of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/disease-spreading-mosquitoes-are-thriving-near-humans/">human</a> disturbances in the Neotropics over the last 500 years. More than half of all medium and large Neotropical mammals have vanished since the region was first colonized in the 1500s.

The researchers determined that the overwhelming decline in Neotropical mammal diversity is tied to human activities such as overhunting and land use changes associated with agriculture and development. 

The Neotropical region is made up of Central and South America, including the Caribbean. The investigation was focused on animal surveys conducted over the past 30 years at more than 1,000 Neotropical study sites. This information was compared with baseline data going back to the Colonial era.

The findings draw on a collection of 1,029 mammal assemblages, in which species typically co-existed a few kilometers from each other, across 23 countries in the Neotropics.

The study produced clear evidence that human activities and disturbances are the primary cause of local species extinctions. Major land use changes associated with farming, logging, and fires have devastated many habitats, and these impacts are worsened by overhunting.

"Our findings can be used to inform international conservation policies to prevent further erosion of, or restore, native biodiversity," said study co-lead author Dr. Juliano André Bogoni. "Further conservation efforts should be mobilized to prevent the most faunally-intact biomes, such as Amazonia and the Pantanal wetlands, from following in the footsteps of 'empty ecosystems' that are now typical of historically degraded areas such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the Caatinga."

"This includes effective implementation and law enforcement in existing protected areas, and curbing political pressures to either downgrade or downsize these areas. Greater investment should be allocated to more effective control of illegal hunting, particularly commercial hunting, deforestation, and anthropogenic fires, as well as ensure that fully implemented protected areas are working."

The team analyzed local losses of 165 species of medium to large-bodied mammals that had been surveyed across the Neotropics. On average more than 56 percent of the local wildlife within mammal assemblages across the Neotropics had been wiped out. The lowland tapir and white-lipped peccary suffered the most losses.

"Sound resource management should be sensitive to the socioeconomic context, while recruiting rather than antagonizing potential local alliances who can effectively fill the institutional void in low-governance regions," said study co-lead author Professor Carlos Peres.

"Hominins and other mammals have co-existed since the earliest Paleolithic hunters wielding stone tools some three million years ago. Over this long timescale biodiversity losses have only recently accelerated to breakneck speeds since the industrial revolution."

"Let us make sure that this relentless wave of local extinctions is rapidly decelerated, or else the prospects for Neotropical mammals and other vertebrates will look increasingly bleak."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</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

Centuries of human activities have taken a toll on Neotropical mammals

A new study from the University of East Anglia has...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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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?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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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"

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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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