When naturalists tally the frogs in a farm pond or the orchids in a mountain meadow they always encounter the same rule of thumb: when you survey a larger range, the more species you find. The relationship seems simple, yet ecologists have puzzled over an odd signature hidden in species distribution data for nearly a century.



As one zooms out from local plots to regional landscapes. the tally of new species first soars. Then, it plateaus, taking off again at continental and global scales. That curious “S-shaped” curve is technically, the three-phase species–area relationship. 



It has appeared in everything from beetles to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-wings-have-a-surprising-effect-on-island-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> and from coral reefs to desert shrubs. Until now, no single mathematical framework explained why the curve changes its slope where it does.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-species-distributions">Predicting species distributions </h2>



A collaboration of researchers spanning Portugal, Germany, the United States and South Africa has now filled that theoretical gap. 



The experts combined basic geometry with giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> datasets to show that the three phases arise inevitably from the way individual species spread their geographic ranges across Earth’s surface.



The team's model not only reproduces the classic patterns, it also generates equations that predict how many species should occur at the precise break points between phases - a feat with direct relevance for conservation planners who must estimate extinctions as habitats are lost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-range-size-affects-species-distributions">Range size affects species distributions</h2>



Ecologists formalized the species-area relationship (SAR) in the early twentieth century, discovering that a log-log plot of cumulative species versus area usually forms a straight line. Yet when studies started to cover larger domains, investigators found the line was actually composed of three segments.



In the first segment, from local quadrants to perhaps a few hundred square kilometers, adding more land brings a flood of new species because each little patch contains slightly different microhabitats. In the middle segment, spanning thousands of square kilometers, the pace slackens; the same bird species, for instance, occupy most forests inside a biogeographic region. 



Beyond that, when continents are added, evolutionary history enters the picture and the slope shoots up again as entirely different faunas come into view. Empirically describing those bends was straightforward; explaining them from first principles proved harder. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-ranges-of-species">Individual ranges of species</h2>



“We demonstrated that the individual geographical ranges of all species within the studied areas shape the typical species distribution patterns we observe across the globe,” said lead author Luís Borda-de-Água of <a href="https://www.cibio.up.pt/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CIBIO</a> in Portugal.



By mathematically stacking these ranges like overlapping tiles on a floor plan, the team showed that the SAR’s inflection points fall where the average range size of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-temperature-extremes-change-the-distribution-of-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resident species</a> equals the sampling area. At small scales most ranges eclipse the plot, so each extra hectare introduces new species.



At intermediate scales the plot begins to rival range size, so fewer novelties appear. At the largest scales even the widest-ranging species occupy only one continent, restoring the steep climb.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-patterns-and-crunching-records">Testing patterns and crunching records</h2>



To test the idea the researchers turned to the <a href="https://www.gbif.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Biodiversity Information Facility</a>, a compendium of citizen-science sightings and museum records. They extracted roughly 700 million geo-referenced observations spanning birds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-40-of-amphibians-face-extinction-due-to-escalating-climate-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amphibians</a>, mammals and vascular plants.



For each taxonomic group they generated empirical SARs and compared them with the theoretical predictions. The correspondence was striking: predicted transition points - where the slope of the SAR changes - matched the observed curves within confidence bounds for all groups.



Borda-de-Água noted that this is a major step forward in ecology because it links a macroecological pattern to a simple, measurable property - range size - without invoking mysterious external factors. 



Senior author Henrique Pereira is a research professor at the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research <a href="https://www.idiv.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(iDiv</a>) and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. 



Pereira emphasized the significance of the research. “Discovering fundamental principles in ecology is just as thrilling as breakthroughs in physics.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-stakes-for-a-shrinking-planet"><a></a>Practical stakes for a shrinking planet</h2>



Beyond intellectual satisfaction the model carries weighty consequences for biodiversity assessments. International panels such as IPBES rely on SARs to translate lost habitat into predicted extinctions. 



If analysts know where a landscape sits on the three-phase curve they can apply the correct slope and avoid over- or under-estimating risk. The new equations provide exactly that guidance. 



Suppose a logged forest fragment still covers more area than the average range of its endemic beetles; species losses may be modest. But once destruction pushes the fragment below the first transition threshold, disappearing hectares cause a much steeper decline in species count.



Because the theory is scale-free it can also help conservationists decide whether sampling has been adequate. If observed species richness does not yet reach the slowdown phase, additional survey work is warranted before managers proclaim an inventory complete.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-species-distributions">Shifting species distributions </h2>



The authors acknowledge that species’ ranges are not static. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a>, invasive species, and land-use shifts continually redraw distribution maps. 



Incorporating dynamic range models into the three-phase framework will be a priority, as will extending tests to marine organisms and microbes, whose ranges are harder to delineate.



Still, the study offers a rare optimism amid grim extinction headlines. By revealing the geometry behind one of ecology’s most robust laws, scientists gain a clearer lens through which to view and perhaps mitigate humanity’s impact on life’s diversity.



As Pereira puts it, advances like these “unveil hidden patterns that have been shaping life on Earth for millions of years,” providing the knowledge base needed to steer those patterns, responsibly, into the future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59239-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Saving biodiversity: Scientists discover hidden pattern guiding species distributions

When naturalists tally the frogs in a farm pond or the orchids in a mountain meadow they always encounter the same rule of thumb: when you survey a larger range, the more species you find. The relationship seems simple, yet ecologists have puzzled over an odd signature hidden in species distribution data for nearly a century. As one zooms out from local plots to regional landscapes. the tally of new species first soars. Then, it plateaus, taking off again at continental and global scales. That curious “S-shaped”...

In a new study, researchers have found that two adult <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/indonesias-orangutans-decline/">orangutans</a> were able to play a kazoo within just minutes of being introduced to the instrument. The study demonstrated that orangutans can control their voice in a way that is very similar to humans, and this finding may ultimately improve our understanding of how human speech evolved.

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/">University of St. Andrews</a> collaborated on the project with a team of experts at the Indianapolis Zoo, which has one of the largest populations of orangutans in the country. The study was focused on an 11-year-old named Rocky and a 36-year-old named Knobi.

The orangutans were given a basic instrument known as a membranophone, which produces music when vocalizations vibrate a stretched membrane. The animals used their kazoos with voluntarily control over their vocal production.

"Language defines human communication, but its evolution defies scientific explanation," said study lead author Dr. Adriano Lameira. "Great apes, our closest relatives, may hold the key to how language evolved in our lineage."

"Our results provide the first positive diagnostic test of vocal production learning in great apes, namely active voicing, during novel voiced vocal production in orangutans."

The team observed as Rocky and Knobi learned to play their instruments, on some level, within a few minutes. The researchers found that the voice control used by apes varies from that of humans in its magnitude, but is otherwise very similar.

"This important study redefines our understanding of how spoken language may have evolved," said Dr. Rob Shumaker, who is the president of the Indianapolis Zoo. "It also demonstrates that the abilities of orangutans, and likely all great apes, have been greatly underestimated."

"This new knowledge compels us to have a stronger conservation ethic at a time when all wild great ape populations face serious threats to their survival."

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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/JFS07

Vocal abilities of orangutans may help unravel the mysteries of human speech

In a new study, researchers have found that two adult...

From 2000 to 2018, an estimated 2,359 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tigers-captive-us-nature/">tigers</a> were killed and illegally trafficked worldwide, according to a <a href="https://www.traffic.org/publications/reports/skin-and-bones-unresolved/">new analysis</a>. 

The report is the fourth in a series that was conducted by the conservation group <a href="https://www.traffic.org/">TRAFFIC</a>, which focuses on sustainable management of wildlife trade. 

Of the more than 2,300 tigers that were trafficked since the start of the millenium, there were 1,142 seizure incidents, a rate of more than two per week. 

95 percent of the seizures happened in countries where the tigers’ native habitats are located. Tigers are caught, put into captivity, or killed, and tiger skins are the single most popular tiger part seized. 

According to the report, each year around 58 whole tiger skins are seized and there has been an increase in seizures for both live and dead animals. 

“Seizures of tigers from captive facilities continue and serve as a stark reminder that such facilities seriously undermine conservation efforts to safeguard this species and provide opportunities for laundering and other illegal activities,” said Ramacandra Wong, a senior TRAFFIC crime analyst.

There has been little reprieve for the tigers and each new report shows an alarming trend in the trafficking of the species. 

Although global tiger populations are somewhat creeping upward after hitting a record low of 3,200 in 2010, there are still fewer than 4,000 tigers in the wild. 

Every tiger counts when it comes to recovery, but the demand for tiger parts and live tigers could jeopardize the species’ growth. In 1900, there were more than 100,000 tigers in the wild. 

“This pernicious trafficking, evidenced by the continuously high number of whole skins, whole animals - both dead and alive - and bones is a testament to the ongoing demand for tiger parts,” said Kanitha Krishnasamy, an author of the report. “The time for talking is over: words must be turned into action to prevent further tiger loss.”

The report was released on Tuesday coinciding with the <a href="https://www.cites.org/">Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species</a> currently underway in Geneva. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/effective stock photos

Thousands of tigers have been trafficked since 2000, report shows

From 2000 to 2018, an estimated 2,359 tigers were killed...

Honey bees can remember both good and bad experiences and store them in different areas of the brain, similar to the way humans and other vertebrates do. 

Over 600 million years ago vertebrates and invertebrates diverged from each other, splitting off to form unique, ever-evolving, family trees in the animal kingdom. 

Humans and other vertebrates store positive and negative memories in distinct regions of the brain, and researchers from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Urbana-Champaign</a> wanted to see how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diseased-honeybees-wild-bumblebees/">honey bees </a>process similar memories. 

The researchers exposed honey bees to a positive or negative experience to investigate whether the experiences were stored separately in the brain or if the bees used the same neural circuitry for both. 

“We wanted to know whether bees, with a tiny brain, devote different parts of it to processing social information that is either negative or positive,” Gene Robinson, an author of the study, told <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/honey-bees-happy-sad-scientists-1458562">Newsweek</a>.

Robinsons along with a team of colleagues exposed honey bees to a positive experience, nursing a queen bee larva, or a negative experience, dealing with an intruder bee. 

Next, the researchers studied the most active regions of the bee’s brain after the experience, identifying patterns of gene expression. 

“We used genes that respond very quickly to new stimuli as markers to see which parts of the brain are activated for each type of stimulus,” said Robinson. 

The memories were stored in different sections of the brain called “mushroom bodies,” areas in invertebrate brains associated with learning and sensory information. 

“We found that bees do devote different parts of their brain to processing social information that is either negative or positive,” Robinson told Newsweek. “This discovery is striking given how small their brains are; we did not expect such spatial segregation in the processing of social information of different valence.”

Valence refers to how good or bad a certain emotion is, and it’s a term used in psychology. 

Besides showing that bee brains are capable of a lot more than one might realize, the study also helps provide a link between vertebrates and invertebrates. 

The researchers published their findings in the journal<a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.0901"> Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. </a>

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Maciej Olszewski

Honey bees can store both good and bad memories

Honey bees can remember both good and bad experiences and...

A new study has revealed how a neonicotinoid pesticide may pose a risk to wild songbird populations.

Neonicotinoids are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticide-exposure-impairs-flight-bees/">harmful to bees</a> and can disrupt how bees fly, collect pollen, and behave in the hive. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.usask.ca/">University of Saskatchewan</a> and <a href="https://www.yorku.ca/">York Universit</a>y linked a neonicotinoid pesticide called imidacloprid to songbird population declines in North America. 

Neonicotinoids are widely used to protect crops worldwide. While there has been a recent push to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/european-union-ban-pesticides/">ban neonicotinoid pesticides</a> because of the harmful impact the pesticides have on bee populations, birds may also be at risk.

“Our study shows that this is bigger than the bees--birds can also be harmed by modern neonicotinoid pesticides which should worry us all,” said Bridget Stutchbury, a member of the research team. 

Since 1966, three-quarters of bird species that depend on agricultural habitats have declined, and the researchers found that even minimal exposure to a pesticide can hinder reproduction and delay migrations. 

The study, published in the journal Science, is the first of its kind to examine how imidacloprid impacts wild songbirds. 

“We saw these effects using doses well within the range of what a bird could realistically consume in the wild--equivalent to eating just a few treated seeds,” said Margaret Eng, the lead author of the study.

The researchers attached lightweight radio transmitters to wild white-crowned sparrows in southern Ontario and tracked the birds’ movements. 

Individual sparrows were exposed to small doses of imidacloprid, and the researchers measured each bird’s weight and mass before and after being exposed to the pesticide. 

Within six hours, sparrows that received a higher dose of the pesticide lost six percent of their body mass. The same birds also stayed longer at the stopover site before continuing on with their annual migration. 

Delaying migration poses a risk to reproductive success for the sparrows, and the birds that were not exposed resumed their migration earlier. 

“Migration is a critical period for birds and timing matters,” said Christy Morrissey, a senior author of the study. “Any delays can seriously hinder their success in finding mates and nesting, so this may help explain, in part, why migrant and farmland bird species are declining so dramatically worldwide.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Tim Zurowski

Songbird population declines may be linked to a widely used pesticide

A new study has revealed how a neonicotinoid pesticide may...

Cats develop attachments to humans just like babies and dogs. A new study from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> has produced the first empirical evidence that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cats-eat-grass/">cats</a> form attachments with their caretakers that are similar to the bonds formed by children and dogs. According to the researchers, the findings suggest that this bonding ability across species must be explained by traits that are not specific to canines.

Study lead author Kristyn Vitale is a researcher in the Human-Animal Interaction Lab in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"In both dogs and cats, attachment to humans may represent an adaptation of the offspring-caretaker bond," said Vitale. "Attachment is a biologically relevant behavior. Our study indicates that when cats live in a state of dependency with a human, that attachment behavior is flexible and the majority of cats use humans as a source of comfort."

The researchers presented the cats with a "secure base test," which is similar to a test that has been used to study the attachment behaviors of infants and dogs. The cats spent two minutes in an unfamiliar room with their caregivers, followed by two minutes alone, and then a two-minute reunion phase.

During the reunion, cats with secure attachment to their humans were less stressed. These cats were found to balance their attention between their caregivers and their surroundings as they continued to explore the room. 

On the other hand, cats with an insecure attachment showed signs of stress during the reunion phase through behaviors such as twitching their tails and licking their lips. These cats either displayed an avoidant attachment by staying away from their caretakers entirely, or displayed an ambivalent attachment by clinging to their caregivers.

Behavioral experts watched recordings of the tests, which were conducted on both kittens and adult cats, to categorize the animal's actions based on the same criteria that have been used to describe attachment patterns in infants and dogs.

Among the 70 kittens that were classifiable, 64.3 percent were classified as securely attached, while 35.7 percent were found to be insecurely attached. Furthermore, the attachment styles of the kittens remained unchanged after six weeks of socialization training.

"Once an attachment style has been established between the cat and its caregiver, it appears to remain relatively stable over time, even after a training and socialization intervention," said Vitale.

Like most domesticated animals, cats retain several juvenile traits into maturity and remain dependent on humans for care, explained Vitale. Among 38 cats that were at least one year old, the team found that 65.8 percent were secure and 34.2 percent were insecure - nearly the same ratio that was observed among the kittens. 

Vitale said it was surprising to find how closely the proportion of secure and insecure attachments in the kitten and adult cat populations matched the human infant population. It has been previously established that 65 percent of human babies are securely attached to their caregiver.

"Cats that are insecure can be likely to run and hide or seem to act aloof," said Vitale. "There's long been a biased way of thinking that all cats behave this way. But the majority of cats use their owner as a source of security. Your cat is depending on you to feel secure when they are stressed out."

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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Veera

Cats develop attachments to humans just like babies and dogs

Cats develop attachments to humans just like babies and dogs....

This month, wildlife officials in Oregon reported that they had euthanized a young bear who had become habituated to humans. The bear became a local staple as people visited it for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dying-selfie-animal-attacks/">selfies</a> and to provide it with junk food. But as often seen in human-wildlife interactions, the animal’s popularity with humans ultimately became its undoing.

The bear was commonly spotted near a popular boat ramp prompting multiple calls to the local police. Police had also become aware of the situation when they found selfies online of people posing next to the bear. 

Officials were called to the scene and found the bear eating piles of trail mix, sunflower seeds and cracked corn, believed to have been left behind by people encouraging the bear to come to the area. The wildlife officials first tried to coax the bear back into the woods, according to a <a href="https://twitter.com/WCSOOregon/status/1139001542076321793/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1139001542076321793&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesmanjournal.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2F2019%2F06%2F14%2Fblack-bear-killed-oregon-fish-and-wildlife-washington-county-sheriff-office%2F1456831001%2F">tweet</a> from the Washington County’s Sheriff's Office. But the bear had returned to the area the <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/06/oregon-officials-killed-a-black-bear-near-hagg-lake-because-too-many-people-fed-it.html">next day</a>.

Officials then made the decision to euthanize the bear. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife <a href="https://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2019/06_Jun/061319.asp">states</a> that they do not translocate bears that have been habituated to humans as “these animals are much more likely to have dangerous interactions with humans in the future.”

This tragic case is just one example of the dangers of direct human-wildlife interactions. While the bear behaved in a friendly manner towards selfie takers, the wild animal could have instinctually attacked at any time.

[caption id="attachment_1874332" align="aligncenter" width="494"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Young-black-bear-WCSO-Oregon.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-1874332" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Young-black-bear-WCSO-Oregon.png" alt="" width="494" height="563" /></a> The young black bear who was euthanized, Image Credit: WCSO Oregon[/caption]

The habituation of wildlife to humans also threatens the survival of the animals. Wild animals’ natural fear of humans acts as a defense mechanism by deterring them away from hunters and populated areas where they could be hit by cars. 

This is why wild animals who were raised in captivity often face little chance of survival if they are released back into the wild. In the case of the young black bear, the bear was being fed junk food and might not have developed the proper hunting skills needed to survive on its own.

Despite the risks to both humans and animals, wildlife selfies have exploded in popularity. Human-wildlife interactions have existed for centuries but social media now rewards these interactions with positive affirmations from peoples’ peers.

A <a href="https://d31j74p4lpxrfp.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/ca_-_en_files/amazon_selfies_report_-_canada.pdf">report</a> by the non-profit group World Animal Protection found a 292% increase in the number of wildlife selfies posted on Instagram between 2014 and 2017. Over 40% of these selfies depicted humans and wild animals directly interacting. 

Human-wildlife interactions do not solely occur in nature. In many countries in the world, especially in the Latin America region, tourists can take photos with wild animals kept by vendors offering just a few dollars for a selfie. These wild animals are often smuggled from the wild and forced into captivity. 

Lion petting facilities have proliferated in South Africa to provide tourists with selfie opportunities as well as sell lions to trophy hunting facilities and into the lion bone trade. At these facilities, lions are intensively bred and young cubs are taken from their mothers mere <a href="https://kevinrichardsonfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Adopted-Report-of-the-PCEA-on-Captive-Breeding-of-Lions-for-Hunting-9-Nov-2018.pdf">hours after being born</a> to act as tourist props.

As long as wildlife selfies continue to remain popular, there will be demand for direct interactions with wild animals. A quick photo might seem innocent enough, but for the animals involved it could be a death sentence.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/critterbiz

Taking selfies can put animals in danger by making them too comfortable

This month, wildlife officials in Oregon reported that they had...

Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems. Sharks were among the first animals on our planet to have a spine. They evolved in a world of the sea, at a time when life on land was barely underway. Fossilized shark scales over 420 million years old have been found, nearly 200 million years older than the oldest dinosaurs. 

The <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/sharks/fossil/basics/">Florida Museum</a> compares the 400 million year history of sharks to the 2 million years of human history, calling the later ‘insignificant’ by comparison. Since their early beginnings, sharks have proven to be incredibly resilient, surviving mass extinctions, spreading over the globe and becoming an integral part of marine ecosystems. Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems 

Some sharks can an indicator of reef health. Reefs need sharks to be healthy and sharks prefer healthy reefs for habitat. Sharks are important for a much broader spectrum of the oceans than just reefs, though. There are an estimated 350 species of sharks worldwide. Sharks range from the largest shark – the enormous whale shark, a strange example of a 40 foot long fish evolving to live like a whale, as a filter feeder. The other extreme is the tiny dwarf lantern shark, measuring only about six inches long at adulthood. <a href="https://www.si.edu/">Smithsonian Institute</a> reports that the dwarf lantern shark, true to its name, has a belly that glows in the dark 950 feet deep waters off the coast of Columbia where it lives.  

Of course, sharks have been demonized, feared and actually devastated by human activities, such as fishing. Because of the perceived danger that sharks pose to humans, protections for them are less popular than for many other iconic animals. Because of this, I asked Stefanie Brendl, founder and president of the non-profit <a href="https://www.sharkallies.com">Shark Allies</a>, some questions about sharks. Stefanie explained the importance of sharks to humans. Also Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems.

“Sharks play a critical role in the health of the ocean, they have a deep cultural significance to many coastal and island cultures around the world,” Brendl said. “In short, if you like your planet and would like to continue getting food from the ocean, then sharks are important to you. We don’t get the luxury to focus on single causes in isolation based on what we care about the most. The plight of sharks is actually considered one of the most pressing issues we face, with regards to ocean health, and we can’t afford to ignore this. The damage done from plastic pollution, deforestation, runoff and climate change will be exponentially more damaging if fish populations and coral reefs are decimated, which are both outcomes we will suffer if we do not take care of shark populations.”

Stefanie’s explanation makes perfect sense if you consider the long history of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sharks-threatened-fishing-boats/">sharks</a>. How could they not have evolved as an integral part of a massive and complex global ecology? Ocean ecology is in fact what humans exploit for food as well as what we depend on for clean air and water. Despite the crucial role oceans play in our lives, even far inland, humans have a poor track record of according them respect and protections. Sharks are no different, as Brendl explained to me.

“Sharks are severely threatened, but their plight receives the least amount of attention and funding. They are the underdog of ocean conservation and animal advocacy…There is a drastic decline in shark populations that is caused by industrial overfishing, the high demand for shark products, and the poorly controlled trade of the products. Scientists estimate that more than 100 million sharks are killed every year.” 

[caption id="attachment_1875776" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Stef-Oceanic-Whitetip.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1875776" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Stef-Oceanic-Whitetip.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="400" /></a> Image Credit: Shark Allies[/caption]

One of the most notorious causes of shark declines is sadly a complete luxury. Shark fin soup is a dish reserved as a symbol of wealth and power for many. Sharks often have a fin cut off cruelty only to be tossed back into the ocean for a slow, agonizing but inevitable death. For this reason, Shark Allies was involved in the ban of shark fins in Hawaii in 2010 and is continuing the work by pushing for a similar ban in Florida, the current center of the US shark fin industry. 

One of the ways individuals can help sharks, besides supporting conservation organizations and legislation is being careful to avoid shark products, such as shark meat. As with any wild animal, one of the keys to fighting for it is understanding it. 

Stefanie Brendl told me there’s more information than an individual can absorb on sharks out there – in books, on the internet, in documentary films. All of these sources of information can prepare a person for the most important part of studying sharks – seeing a live shark in the wild. Stefanie Brendl was inspired by her hands on work as a diver and working on documentary films around sharks. 

“When you have the opportunity to visit a location with reputable shark diving operators, take the plunge,” Brendl told me. “It will change your life! Meeting a shark in person is impossible to describe. It changes your DNA and you will never feel the same.”

She’s right. I remember seeing sharks, just small ones on my first SCUBA diving trips in Mexico. Nurse sharks like some I saw are shy and yet there’s something fierce and ancient in the reflection of their eyes. Even shark teeth alone can change your perspective. Ancient teeth sprinkled in dry places show the dynamic nature of Earth’s history and the important role sharks have played, it’s written even in desert rocks. Sharks have always been a part of the human world and often an important part of who we are. Shark Allies points out the often central role sharks have played in the human consciousness,

“Sharks are part of every indigenous culture that lives near the sea. Humans have felt the power and presence of sharks since they have first laid eyes on the ocean” the organization writes. “They have revered them as deities, gods, manifestations of ancestors and guardians for as long as cultures have existed. We have all come from the ocean and sharks have been part of our world for as long as we have been human.”

Consider that the next time you think of sharks.        

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Main Image Credit: Shark Allies

Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems

Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems. Sharks were...

Cheetahs are being bought and sold into potential extinction. Cheetah trafficking in the Horn of Africa is leading to the potential extinction of the world’s fastest land animal.

According to the <a href="https://cheetah.org/">Cheetah Conservation Fund</a>, every year around 300 cheetahs are smuggled out of Somaliland, a state independent of Somalia. Cheetahs are in high demand in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, where the animals serve as status symbols for the rich. 

The Cheetah Conservation Fund estimates that 1,000 cheetahs are currently being kept captive by private owners in Gulf Countries even though many of these regions do not allow wild animals to be bought or sold. 

There are fewer than 7,500 cheetahs left in the wild, and as demand for trafficked cubs continues, soon there could be no more cheetahs. 

“If you do the math, the math kind of shows that it’s only going to be a matter of a couple of years [before] we are not going to have any cheetahs,” Laurie Marker, the founder of CCF, told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/28/africa/somaliland-cheetahs-gulf-intl/index.html">CNN.</a> 

While life in captivity is dangerous enough for these animals, few live to see it. Smuggled cubs are put in small boxes and cages as they make an arduous boat trip across the Gulf of Aden. 

During the journey, many of the animals suffer broken bones, and three out of four cheetahs die before making it to their destination, according to Marker. 

Cheetah sales may be on the decline although wildlife smuggling is big business worldwide. The three top sellers for pet cheetahs are based in Saudi Arabia, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund. 

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change issued a statement to CNN denying that there were pet Cheetahs wandering the mansions of the country’s ultra-wealthy. 

However, according to CNN, social media is home to several posts featuring pet cheetahs. Veterinarians speaking to the news outlet reported that they’ve treated fewer pet cheetahs in recent years due to stricter policies and border controls. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Stuart G Porter

Cheetahs are being bought and sold into potential extinction

Cheetahs are being bought and sold into potential extinction. Cheetah...

South Africa is of course known for its variety of iconic animals from penguins and great white sharks to elephants and lions. The country is also <a href="https://www.awf.org/country/south-africa">ranked</a> as number six in the world’s 17 mega diverse countries.

Additionally, South Africa is home to the largest population of rhinoceros in Africa. South Africa’s animals are often targeted for poaching as well, and rhinos, elephants and other animals are valuable for their body parts sold on the international black market. This is what has long made Africa one of the frontlines of the battle for biological conservation.  

Considering the animal life in South Africa, it’s unsurprising that there is an enormous amount of plant diversity in the country as well. There are approximately 20,000 <a href="https://www.fauna-flora.org/countries/south-africa">plant species</a> found in South Africa, which is home to one of only six floral kingdoms worldwide – the Cape Floral Kingdom. 70% of the Cape Floral Kingdom’s 9,000+ plant species don’t occur outside of the local region. Unfortunately, plant life in South Africa is threatened as well.

Over the period of 300 years, 79 plants were confirmed to have gone extinct in several biodiversity hotspots in South Africa. New research shows that this represents a shockingly large percentage of plant biodiversity for South Africa. According to research published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30943-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982219309431%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Current Biology</a>, this loss of biodiversity in South Africa represents 45.4% of all known plant extinctions from 10 of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots. 

The plant loss in South Africa goes as far back as the 1700s when the first recorded loss of a plant species occurred. The plant was a species of fountainbush (Psoralea cataracta) that lived near streams. Plant extinctions in South Africa have also occurred as recently as 2012 when a rare species of vygie went extinct due to urbanization and human development. It’s sometimes more challenging to determine the extinction of a plant species than it is with the more charismatic animals. 

As many as 431 plant species have been declared extinct, only to be later rediscovered. Plants, small, nondescript, many of which require a specialist to identify are easier to overlook than many animals. Plants can also hide out as seeds or very small immature specimens that can be missed. Some of the plants now declared extinct could potentially be rediscovered, but the plant extinction rates are still something to take very seriously, not just in South Africa but across the world as well. 

A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333679673_Global_dataset_shows_geography_and_life_form_predict_modern_plant_extinction_and_rediscovery">new study</a> found that since 1750, 571 plant species have gone extinct worldwide. Although some plant extinction is normal and not all of it can be attributed to humans, the number of plant extinctions rose sharply after the industrial revolution. The rate of plant extinctions now is 500 times greater than before the industrial revolution. What may be most disturbing is that there are likely even more plant extinctions than those recorded and 571 species is likely an underestimate. 

Islands are some of the most likely places to find confirmed plant extinctions. It’s easier to be sure that a plant has been wiped out from a limited area such as an island, and it’s also easier for a plant in such an area to be threatened. 

Hawaii was the one place surveyed in the study that had a higher number of plant extinctions than South Africa. <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/rare-plants/">Hawaii</a> is home to 1,400 vascular plant taxa, 90% of which are found only in Hawaii. More than 100 plant taxa have already gone extinct there.

Hawaii has also lost its share of animal species and more may die off in the near future. The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/is-hawaii-the-extinction-capital-of-the-world-exhibit-a-the-alala-bird/2016/04/25/3f45c6ac-f210-11e5-89c3-a647fcce95e0_story.html">Washington Post</a> reports that of the 1,225 endangered species listed by the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">US Fish &amp; Wildlife Service</a>, 481 of them are from Hawaii. 

The island state contains <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/rare-plants/">44%</a> of all endangered and threatened plant species in the US. Invasive threats like <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/">non-native</a> avian malaria and fire ants have devastated many native species. Unfortunately, often the loss of one species in an area can lead to the loss of more. Even extinctions that don’t lead to a cascade effect are often indicative of an underlying problem that may cause more extinctions. The high rate of plant extinctions in particular doesn’t bode well for animals. 

Plants are of course support almost all life on Earth. By synthesizing their own food from the sun and soil nutrients, plants are the basis of food webs. Plants are also vital in creating oxygen and are used for habitat by numerous species. Birds make nests in trees, caterpillars weave cocoons on particular plants, tigers stalk through grass, even humans build houses from trees or bamboo. Plants are used as tools by primates and birds. Sea grasses are both hiding spots and food sources. Cavities made into saguaro cactus turn into places to hide from the desert sun. Habitats are made cooler and wetter by the presence of plants, which sometimes even partially create the climate of a region. The importance of plants makes it unsurprising that high plant extinctions lead to high animal extinctions. 

The <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/">United Nations reported</a> earlier this year that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/extinction-crisis-solutions/">extinction rates</a> are at an unprecedented high. According to the UN, as many as 1 million species are threatened with extinction. The report called for ‘transformative change’ in human society from local to national and international levels to stop the disintegration of global ecosystems. The average abundance of native species in continental habitats has dropped by 20% the world over, and even the native species not threatened with extinction are less common. 

The loss of diversity driven by humans has the potential to hurt us as well. Not only wild species have gone extinct. More than 9% of mammal breeds used in agriculture had gone extinct by 2016. Combined with a loss of natural environments, this puts humanity’s food supply in a precarious position. The loss of wild plants can lead to the loss of pollinators and indeed the loss of domestic crops. If humanity is to save itself as well as the beautiful forms it shares Earth with, the time is now.         

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Hawaii and South Africa lead the world in global extinctions

South Africa is of course known for its variety of...

According to a new study from the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a> and the <a href="https://abcbirds.org/">American Bird Conservatory</a>, bird populations in both the United States and Canada have declined 29% (about 3 billion birds) since 1970, thus signaling an ecological crisis.

"Multiple, independent lines of evidence show a massive reduction in the abundance of birds," said lead author Ken Rosenberg, a senior scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and American Bird Conservancy. "We expected to see continuing declines of threatened species. But for the first time, the results also showed pervasive losses among common birds across all habitats, including backyard birds."

Of the nearly 3 billion <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-nature-calming-meditation/">birds</a> lost, 90% belong to 12 bird families, including sparrows, warblers, finches, and swallows. And since 1970, grassland birds have experienced a 53% population decline, shore birds have lost a third of their population, and the volume of spring migration dropped by 14% in the last decade alone.

Because birds are indicators of environmental health, the researchers note that natural systems across North America are being devastated by human-led activity. 

"These data are consistent with what we're seeing elsewhere with other taxa showing massive declines, including insects and amphibians," said coauthor Peter Marra, senior scientist emeritus and former head of the <a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds">Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center</a>, and current director of the <a href="https://environment.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown Environment Initiative</a>. "It's imperative to address immediate and ongoing threats, both because the domino effects can lead to the decay of ecosystems that humans depend on for our own health and livelihoods — and because people all over the world cherish birds in their own right. Can you imagine a world without birdsong?"

[caption id="attachment_1878041" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/bird-population-declines.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1878041" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/bird-population-declines.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="975" /></a> Image Credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology[/caption]

To come to these startling conclusions, experts used 143 NEXRAD weather radar stations located across North America to study migratory birds during a span of 10 years. They also used nearly 50 years’ worth of data collected through monitoring efforts on the ground to round out their study.

"Citizen-science participants contributed critical scientific data to show the international scale of losses of birds," said coauthor John Sauer of the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> (USGS). "Our results also provide insights into actions we can take to reverse the declines." 

The study did not analyze the causes for such massive declines, however, it did note that the steep drop in North American birds parallels bird loss in other locations around the world, thus suggesting interacting causes that have reduced breeding and increased mortality. 

Researchers posit that the largest factor driving declines is widespread loss and degradation of habitat, mostly caused by agricultural development and urbanization, but more research is needed to track down primary causes of decline for specific species.

"The story is not over," said coauthor Michael Parr, president of American Bird Conservancy. "There are so many ways to help save birds. Some require policy decisions such as strengthening the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We can also work to ban harmful pesticides and properly fund effective bird conservation programs. Each of us can make a difference with everyday actions that together can save the lives of millions of birds — actions like making windows safer for birds, keeping cats indoors, and protecting habitat."

While some bird species have been on the decline, other bird species have made remarkable comebacks over the past half century. Waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) and raptors, including the Bald Eagle, have grown in numbers since investments in conservation were made along with financial investments in wetland protection and restoration, as well as the banning of DDT.

"It's a wake-up call that we've lost more than a quarter of our birds in the U.S. and Canada," said coauthor Adam Smith from <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html">Environment and Climate Change Canada</a>. "But the crisis reaches far beyond our individual borders. Many of the birds that breed in Canadian backyards migrate through or spend the winter in the U.S. and places farther south — from Mexico and the Caribbean to Central and South America. What our birds need now is an historic, hemispheric effort that unites people and organizations with one common goal: bringing our birds back."

This study is published in <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2019/09/18/science.aaw1313">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Steve Byland

Bird populations in the US and Canada have dropped by 29 percent in 50 years

According to a new study from the Cornell Lab of...

View of Beni river and rainforest of Madidi national park in the upper Amazon river basin in Bolivia, South America

Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction by half. In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>, researchers have discovered that wilderness areas cut the global risk of species extinction in half. The team pinpointed critical wilderness areas, which are largely unaffected by human activities, that must be protected in order to help preserve <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mountains-biodiversity-hotspots/">biodiversity</a>. 

Professor James Watson is the director of the UQ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science. He explained that since vital wilderness areas cannot be restored, urgent action is needed to ensure that these areas are marked for conservation in order to remain protected.

"Wilderness areas have decreased by more than three million square kilometers - half the size of Australia - since the 1990s," said Professor Watson. "Once these wilderness areas are gone, they are lost forever."

Study co-author Dr. Moreno Di Marco added that wilderness areas act as a buffer against extinction risk, and the risk of species loss was more than twice as high for biological communities found outside of wilderness areas.

"This new research has identified the importance of wilderness areas in hosting highly unique biological communities and representing the only remaining natural habitats for species that have suffered losses elsewhere," said Dr. Di Marco.

The team identified vital wilderness areas that are at risk in parts of Arnhem Land, surrounding the Madidi National Park in the Bolivian Amazon, in Southern British Columbia, and surrounding savannah areas within the Zemongo Reserve in the Central African Republic.Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction by half

The researchers combined new global biodiversity modeling infrastructure developed at CSIRO with the latest wilderness map developed by the University of Queensland, the University of Northern British Columbia, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. This strategy produced fine-scale estimates of the probability of species loss around the globe.

According to Professor Watson, beyond saving biodiversity, Earth's remaining intact ecosystems are critical in abating climate change, regulating essential biogeochemical and water cycles, and ensuring the retention of long-term biocultural connections of indigenous communities.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: University of Queensland

Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction by half

Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction...

While thousands of years of selective breeding have greatly distanced the temperament of wolves from the canines that inhabit our homes, there are still numerous similarities between our lovable pets and their wild cousins. 

Now, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsos">Royal Society Open Science</a> shows how some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-brain-structure-dogs/">dog</a> breeds act more like wolves than others.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.unipi.it/index.php/english">University of Pisa</a> in Italy studied three breeds to compare their behavior and how much they relied on humans – determined through increased staring at their owners and nearby humans, which is associated with high levels of trust and dependency. 

Human-directed gazing has been established as a marker of dog-human communication and is believed to derive from both domestication and breed selection.

In this study, researchers trained the dogs to find food hidden under a metal strainer. After each dog successfully found the food, they then made the task impossible by screwing the strainer to a piece of plywood. 

From the total of 56 dogs that were tested, 43 solved the initial task at least four times before they were tested at the unsolvable stage. 

“In the solvable trials, all the dogs quickly learned how to obtain the reward by manipulating the apparatus with their mouths or paws,” the researchers say. But in the impossible trial is where the differences between breeds emerged.

Czechoslovakian wolf-dogs spent significantly longer investigating the screwed-down strainer, taking more time attempting to manipulate the apparatus and spending barely longer than a second staring at their humans, appealing for help. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Labradors spent an average of 4.5 seconds using human-directed gazing in an attempt to get their owner to help them solve the task. German Shepherds’ behavior landed in between these two other breeds.

“This finding indicates a strong variability in the level of persistence to manipulate the apparatus in our dog groups despite their similar habits and rearing conditions, with the Czechoslovakian Wolf-dogs showing a more ‘wolf-like’ behavior, probably due to its genetic closeness to the wild ancestors,” the researchers explain.

“Our findings suggest that despite the numerous crossing with German Shepherd after the first hybrid litter, the artificial selection operated on Czechoslovakian Wolf-dogs has produced a breed more similar to ancient breeds (more genetically close to wolves due to a less-intense artificial selection) and not particularly human oriented,” the researchers concluded.

So if you succumb easily to puppy-dog eyes, it’s likely that Labradors can have quite the effect on you. But if you’re looking for a more independent breed that is less likely to give you a guilt-tripping stare down, Czechoslovakian Wolf-dogs could be the breed for you.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Eric Krouse

Why some dogs are needy while others are more independent

While thousands of years of selective breeding have greatly distanced...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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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"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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