Eels move in ways that seem to ignore the rules most vertebrates live by. They swim with flowing body waves, they can scoot across wet ground, and they often keep going even when the spinal cord is cut. 



According to a new paper, two simple body signals, stretch and pressure, help explain how that is possible.



Those signals are not fancy. Stretch tells the body how much each segment bends, and pressure reports forces on the skin from water or from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-new-eel-species-with-fang-like-teeth/">objects</a>. 



When these signals are fed into the spinal circuits that set a basic rhythm for movement, the eel’s whole body keeps time without micromanagement from the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-secrets-of-eel-movement">Secrets of eel movement</h2>



Kotaro Yasui is an assistant professor at Tohoku University’s Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (<a href="https://www.fris.tohoku.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FRIS</a>) and lead author of the study



“Our findings will help design highly adaptive robots capable of navigating complex and unpredictable environments,” noted Professor Yasui.



Most vertebrates walk or swim thanks to networks in the spinal cord called central pattern generator <a href="https://openbooks.lib.msu.edu/introneuroscience1/chapter/central-pattern-generators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">circuits</a>. 



These circuits can produce rhythmic muscle commands on their own, then shape that rhythm using feedback from the body. That is why the same overall plan can show up in animals as different as fish, salamanders, and mice.



Eels add a twist by leaning hard on two kinds of sensory input. Proprioception is internal sensing of stretch that tells a segment where it is in the cycle. Exteroception is sensing from outside the body, including water pressure on the sides of the fish or contact with a surface. 



Stretch sensitive neurons like the classic lamprey edge cells have long shown how such bending <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/">signals</a> can tune the spinal rhythm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flexible-robot-mimics-eel-movement">Flexible robot mimics eel movement </h2>



Yasui’s team built a mathematical model in which each body segment has a small local oscillator that produces a timing signal. They wired in two feedback loops, one for stretch and one for pressure, so the oscillators would be tugged into step by what the body feels.



The researchers tested the controller in two settings. First, they used computer simulations that generated body movements and force patterns. Then, they tried it on a physical eel-like robot made of flexible segments and equipped with skin-level sensors.



The same controller worked in both settings, and it produced stable swimming quickly, without central commands to lock the segments together.



The stretch loop had a special job. It sped up the time it took for a smooth traveling wave to appear from random starting positions. It also helped the body hold a strong stride once the pattern settled, even though that gain could cost a little <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/">energy</a> because the joints work harder during sharper turns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spinal-rhythm-and-sensory-feedback">Spinal rhythm and sensory feedback</h2>



The team asked a simple question. If the controller swims well, can it also crawl on land when the ground is dotted with obstacles? They ran the robot through a peg field where pushing and bracing matter more than glide.



Stretch feedback made the difference. With stretch only, the robot found traction on the pegs and made steady headway. 



Pressure alone did not help in that setting, which fits earlier <a href="https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/acg/publications/Pace_%26_Gibb_2011.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> showing that elongated fishes such as ropefish change their kinematics across water and land in specific ways, with long, slow, high amplitude body waves on land.



The results suggest continuity rather than a clean break between swimming and crawling in these fishes. 



The same spinal rhythm and sensory feedback can drive both swimming and crawling, as long as the environment provides the right reaction forces. The fish doesn’t need a separate land-based neural controller to move



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-spinal-injuries-teach-us">What spinal injuries teach us</h2>



The most striking tests involved spinal cord transection. The group measured swimming in live American eels before and after a complete cut around the middle of the body, then matched those tests with simulation and robot runs using the same controller.&nbsp;



The movement behind the injury kept a similar frequency and phase as the movement in front of it, which echoes decades old <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11744256/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> that eels can recover coordinated swimming after transection as regrowth advances.



In the model, that coordination did not need signals from the brain. It emerged when the local oscillators had some built-in tendency to tick on their own, and when stretch and pressure loops were strong enough. 



The body above the cut tugged the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-secretly-reshape-landscapes-in-powerful-ways/">body</a> below the cut into the same rhythm through passive motion and local sensing.



That simple recipe explains why eels can move immediately after injury while many amphibians and mammals cannot. If the posterior spinal cord cannot oscillate on its own, or if the feedback pathways are too weak, the two halves fall out of step and the body stalls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eel-movement-robots-and-evolution">Eel movement, robots, and evolution</h2>



Robots that move without legs need to live with uncertainty. Water currents change, floors are cluttered, and obstacles shift. Prior <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abf6354" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> has shown that proprioceptive feedback can entrain undulatory robots into reliable patterns despite turbulence and noise.



This study adds pressure sensing on the skin to that recipe and shows how a simple stretch rule helps robots use clutter for propulsion. That means eel-like machines could search pipes, navigate earthquake rubble, or inspect tanks without complex top down control.



There is also a story about evolution here. If a swimming controller can produce useful crawling when the environment offers something to push against, early vertebrates may have needed adjustments more than a full rewrite to move onto land. Flexible circuits and strong local feedback could have carried a lot of that load.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Biologists can now test specific predictions in the lab. For example, they can look for descending stretch pathways that echo the model’s anterior to posterior copy rule, and they can probe how pressure sensors along the skin tune rhythm in moving fish.



Engineers can search for energy savings by blending stretch rules that boost stride with rules that prevent excessive bending. They can also explore how to route around damaged links in a robot by letting neighboring segments pull each other back into rhythm.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2422248122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Spinal secrets: What eels reveal about the origins of movement

Eels move in ways that seem to ignore the rules most vertebrates live by. They swim with flowing body waves, they can scoot across wet ground, and they often keep going even when the spinal cord is cut. According to a new paper, two simple body signals, stretch and pressure, help explain how that is possible. Those signals are not fancy. Stretch tells the body how much each segment bends, and pressure reports forces on the skin from water or from objects. When these signals are fed...

Not all traditions make sense. That’s true for humans, and maybe even monkeys, as we are about to learn. We humans are experts at passing down habits, rituals, and cultural quirks that don’t always have a clear purpose. 



Why do we knock on wood or toss salt over our shoulder? Half the time, we’re just copying what we’ve seen others do. 



Scientists have long wondered: do animals do this too? Can they pass along behaviors that seem… well, pointless?



Turns out, maybe they can. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capuchin-monkeys-and-baby-howlers">Capuchin monkeys and baby howlers</h2>



On a remote island in Panama, researchers spent over a year watching a group of young male capuchin monkeys do something bizarre: they started grabbing and carrying around baby howler monkeys from another species. 



This wasn't a one-off event - it happened again and again, involving five different capuchins from the same group. Even more fascinating, these are the same monkeys known for a rare tradition of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/capuchin-monkeys-use-clever-tools-to-access-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">using stone tools</a>. 



The scientists tracked how this odd “howler abduction” behavior began with one curious monkey and slowly caught on with others. 



And here's the kicker: this trend, strange as it seems, may have spread the same way their more practical tool-use habits did - through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-tolerance-helps-monkeys-pass-along-new-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social learning</a>, imitation, and the powerful pull of monkey see, monkey do.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-capuchin-baby-abduction">Studying capuchin baby abduction</h2>



Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (<a href="https://www.ab.mpg.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPI-AB</a>) and other institutions began monitoring these capuchins in Coiba National Park back in 2017.



Their camera traps were designed to capture the tool-using behaviors of the primates. But in 2022, something unexpected showed up in the footage.



“It was so weird that I went straight to my advisor’s office to ask him what it was,” remembered Zoë Goldsborough, who is conducting her dissertation at MPI-AB.



What she saw was a capuchin carrying an infant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/howler-monkeys-use-mental-maps-for-route-navigation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">howler monkey</a>. Nothing like it had appeared before in five years of data. Curious and concerned, the researchers decided to dig deeper.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-observation-of-unusual-behavior">First observation of unusual behavior</h2>



Goldsborough began reviewing the footage from every motion-triggered camera on the island. She found more than just a single instance. 



There were actually four different howler infants being carried. And in most of the clips, the carrier was the same capuchin: a young male they nicknamed “Joker.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/capuchin-monkey_abduction_howler-monkey-baby_credit-MPI_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/capuchin-monkey_abduction_howler-monkey-baby_credit-MPI_1s.webp" alt="A young male white-faced capuchin monkey carrying a baby howler monkey, caught by a remote camera trap on Jicarón. Credit: Brendan Barrett / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior" class="wp-image-1970602"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A young male white-faced capuchin monkey carrying a baby howler monkey, caught by a remote camera trap on Jicarón. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Brendan Barrett / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior</figcaption></figure>



This raised new questions. How did Joker get the babies? And why was he carrying them?



“At first, we thought it could be adoption,” said Goldsborough.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cross-species-adoption">Cross-species adoption </h2>



There are rare stories of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-bonobos-adopt-infants-outside-of-their-social-group/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals adopting</a> babies of other species. In one famous case, a pair of capuchins adopted a marmoset and raised it to adulthood. 



But there was a catch. Adoption is typically done by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-monkeys-with-strong-friendships-survive-longer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">females</a>, often as a way to practice mothering. This made Joker’s behavior especially unusual.



“The fact that a male was the exclusive carrier of these babies was an important piece of the puzzle,” she adds.



For a while, nothing else surfaced. The team assumed it was an isolated case. Capuchins are known for trying new things, so one monkey acting oddly wasn’t too surprising.



“We’d decided that it was one individual trying something new,” said Brendan Barrett, a group leader at MPI-AB.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-capuchins-start-stealing-babies">Other capuchins start stealing babies</h2>



Five months later, the researchers hit pay dirt. The cameras captured more footage of howler infants being carried - this time by multiple monkeys. The infants were verified as separate individuals by a howler monkey expert from Ithaca College.



And now Joker had company. Four other young male capuchins were also carrying howler babies.



In a span of just 15 months, five capuchins carried a total of 11 howler infants. Each baby clung to the back or belly of its carrier. 



The monkeys didn’t change their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-the-cultural-legacy-of-wild-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">daily routines</a>. They kept traveling and using tools, even with a baby howler in tow.



“The complete timeline tells us a fascinating story of one individual who started a random behavior, which was taken up with increasing speed by other young males,” said Barrett.



The team documented the entire timeline on an interactive website. What emerged was a new kind of social tradition - what the researchers described as a cultural fad. 



Like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/photographer-captures-killer-whales-wearing-fish-hats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whales wearing salmon hats</a> or chimpanzees sticking blades of grass in their ears, the capuchins appeared to be mimicking one another.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sad-side-of-animal-research">Sad side of animal research</h2>



But unlike other animal fads, this one had troubling consequences. The howler infants were very young - less than four weeks old. 



Their parents were seen nearby, calling to them from the trees. Four of the babies died. The researchers believe none of them survived.



"The capuchins didn’t hurt the babies,” stressed Goldsborough, “but they couldn’t provide the milk that infants need to survive.”



So what did the capuchins get out of it? Nothing obvious. They didn’t eat the infants, interact with them playfully, or receive any extra attention from others in their group.



“We don’t see any clear benefit to the capuchins,” said Goldsborough, “but we also don’t see any clear costs, although it might make tool use a little trickier.”



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



This may be the first recorded case of a social tradition where animals repeatedly abduct and carry the young of another species - without any benefit to themselves. 



It also shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-are-not-the-only-animals-that-create-their-own-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">culture in animals</a> isn’t always functional or harmless.



“We show that non-human animals also have the capacity to evolve cultural traditions without clear functions but with destructive outcomes for the world around them,” commented Barrett.



This opens up a deeper question.



“The more interesting question is not ‘why did this tradition arise?’ but rather ‘why here?’”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-capuchins-innovate-out-of-boredom">Do capuchins innovate out of boredom?</h2>



These same capuchins are also the only ones known to use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/capuchin-monkeys-use-clever-tools-to-access-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stone tools</a> on Jicarón Island. They crack nuts and shellfish with stones. And just like the howler-carrying behavior, this tool use is performed only by males.



Why these traditions? Why only males?



“Survival appears easy on Jicarón. There are no predators and few competitors, which gives capuchins lots of time and little to do,” said Meg Crofoot, managing director at MPI-AB.



“It seems this ‘luxurious’ life set the scene for these social animals to be innovators. This new tradition shows us that necessity need not be the mother of invention. For a highly intelligent monkey living in a safe, perhaps even under-stimulating environment, boredom and free time might be sufficient.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-impact-on-howler-monkeys">Potential impact on howler monkeys</h2>



The camera trapping period ended in July 2023. It’s still unclear if the behavior is continuing. If it spreads or begins to impact the local howler monkey population, which is an endangered species, it could become a serious conservation issue.



“Witnessing the spread of this behavior had a profound effect on all of us,” said Crofoot. 



“We therefore feel even more responsible to keep learning from this natural population of primates who, to our knowledge, are the only ones on earth to be practicing this strange tradition.”



The story unfolding on Jicarón Island is a reminder that animals, like humans, can be deeply influenced by their peers. 



Sometimes, those influences lead to remarkable adaptations. Other times, they can lead to something far more puzzling.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982225003720" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Capuchin monkeys have developed a very disturbing 'social tradition' of abducting babies

Not all traditions make sense. That’s true for humans, and...

What do chickens and women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have in common? Quite a lot, it seems. A common diabetes drug - metformin - may bridge their reproductive challenges.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.psu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a> have made an unexpected discovery. Metformin, often prescribed for type 2 diabetes and PCOS in humans, can boost egg-laying in aging chickens. 



The findings could change poultry farming while offering insights into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sperm-have-a-heat-activated-switch-that-may-be-key-to-fertility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reproductive health</a> across species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-older-hens-lose-fertility-fast">Older hens lose fertility fast</h2>



Broiler breeder hens are specially bred for one goal: producing the chickens people eat. These hens give birth to fast-growing offspring, allowing the meat industry to meet global demand. 



But this intense selection has a downside. As these hens age, they struggle to lay <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-infertility-screening-will-be-drastically-improved-with-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fertile</a> eggs. Their reproductive efficiency drops sharply after a certain point.



The decline in egg production has puzzled researchers for years. It mirrors certain characteristics of PCOS in women - a disorder marked by irregular cycles and hormonal imbalances. 



Scientists began to ask whether a treatment effective in women could also improve egg-laying in chickens. Their attention turned to metformin.



PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder in women. It affects an estimated 4% to 12% of the female population. Many women with PCOS experience infertility due to hormonal disruptions and insulin resistance. 



Metformin, while not originally developed for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-and-traffic-noise-increase-risk-of-infertility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reproductive health</a>, has become a key treatment option for managing PCOS symptoms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metformin-boosts-hormone-health">Metformin boosts hormone health </h2>



In a 2023 study published in Reproduction, Penn State researchers tested metformin on broiler breeder hens. Over a span of 40 weeks, a group of hens received small daily doses of the drug. 



The team monitored their reproductive performance and physiological changes. What they found was striking.



The hens on metformin laid significantly more fertile eggs. They also had reduced body fat and more stable reproductive hormone levels compared to untreated hens. 



These findings thrilled the researchers, who saw not only a performance boost but a meaningful biological shift.



“These findings suggest that metformin can significantly improve ovarian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-infertility-humans-linked-same-genes-gorilla-small-penises/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">function</a> in broiler breeder hens,” said Ramesh Ramachandran, senior author on the study and professor of reproductive biology in the College of Agricultural Sciences.



The next step was to figure out how metformin caused these changes. The team had a hunch the liver played a key role.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metformin-alters-genes-in-chickens">Metformin alters genes in chickens</h2>



In birds, the liver is central to reproduction. It is the site where egg yolk proteins are produced before being transported to developing eggs. If metformin could influence liver function, it might explain the broader improvements seen in the hens. 



To test this, the research team examined liver samples using gene sequencing tools at Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. They analyzed RNA from the liver - material that controls which genes are active or silent. The sequencing results told a compelling story.



Metformin activated genes tied to yolk protein production and blood sugar regulation. At the same time, it suppressed genes associated with fat buildup, a known disruptor of hormone balance.



“Essentially, metformin helps older hens stay metabolically healthier, which lets them keep producing eggs well beyond their usual decline,” said Evelyn Weaver, postdoctoral researcher and lead author on both studies. Her explanation captured the study’s essence in plain terms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wider-implications-for-poultry-farming">Wider implications for poultry farming</h2>



These findings could reshape how poultry farms manage their flocks. When hens lose their fertility early, farmers must replace them often, increasing both costs and stress on the animals. Metformin’s ability to prolong egg production offers a new approach - one that is both practical and humane.



By keeping hens reproductively active longer, farms can reduce the frequency of flock turnover. This could improve animal welfare and lead to more efficient use of resources. Importantly, metformin is quickly broken down by chickens, so it poses no threat of entering the human food chain.



Weaver emphasized that safety aspect, assuring that the drug does not leave residue in eggs or meat. This makes it a promising tool for farms looking to improve production without compromising safety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-the-lives-of-people-and-chickens">Improving the lives of people and chickens</h2>



This research shows how biological pathways can overlap across species. Chickens and humans might seem unrelated at first glance, but their reproductive systems respond to the same drug in surprisingly similar ways. 



The hormonal, metabolic, and genetic responses observed in hens may offer clues for improving PCOS treatment strategies in people. While the goal was to support poultry farming, the outcomes also prompt deeper reflection. 



Could further study of animal models like hens refine our understanding of human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-infertility-screening-will-be-drastically-improved-with-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reproductive health</a>? The evidence suggests it’s worth investigating.



Metformin has already improved the lives of countless people with diabetes and PCOS. Now, it’s helping hens produce eggs more consistently. In the process, it’s also helping scientists understand the rich tapestry of life where chickens and humans unexpectedly meet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collaborations-and-funding">Collaborations and funding</h2>



The work was conducted in the Ramachandran lab&nbsp;at&nbsp;Penn State’s Department of Animal Science. The research team included Professor Ramesh Ramachandran, Professor Tae Hyun Kim, and undergraduate researcher Nathan Connolly.



The experts published two studies - one focused on egg production and another on liver gene expression. Funding came from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Institutes of Health</a>.



Ultimately, the project connects food production with broader biological questions. By exploring how a human medication interacts with avian biology, the researchers have opened new doors for science and farming alike.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biolreprod/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/biolre/ioaf072/8099357?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biology of Reproduction</a>.



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Common drug humans take is found to boost fertility in both women and chickens

What do chickens and women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)...

It's widely known that elephants are intelligent. Their deep family bonds, tool use, and emotional awareness have fascinated humans for generations. But despite being one of the animal kingdom’s most admired creatures, their brains remain largely understudied. 



That’s starting to change. In a recent study led by researchers at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience at <a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin</a> and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, scientists took a closer look at elephant brain. 



The team analyzed the brains of both Asian and African elephants using dissections, MRI scans, and data from past studies. What they found offers new insights into the differences between the two species and raises new questions about how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dog-breed-behavior-linked-to-brain-size/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain size connects to behavior</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-size-differences">Surprising size differences</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-asian-elephants-exhibit-strong-capacity-for-innovation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Asian elephants</a> tend to be smaller than their African counterparts. They have shorter ears, a single “trunk finger” instead of two, and most females don’t grow tusks. But inside their skulls, things get interesting.



Researchers found that adult female Asian elephants have brains weighing around 5,300 grams on average. In comparison, African females average just over 4,400 grams. 



That’s a substantial difference. While data for male Asian elephants is limited, it’s clear that males of both species generally have heavier brains.



One more surprise came from the cerebellum. In the African group, it makes up about 22% of total brain weight, compared to 19% in the Asian group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-elephants-expanding-intelligence">Elephants' expanding intelligence</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-cant-remember-being-babies-but-our-brains-might/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human babies</a> are born with brains that weigh only about 20% of their final adult size. Elephants aren’t far behind. 



The study found that elephant brains nearly triple in size from birth to adulthood. That’s more postnatal growth than any other primate besides humans. Why so much growth? The researchers believe social learning may be the key.



“Social factors and learning processes could explain the strong brain growth after birth, as elephants live in complex social structures and have an outstanding memory," said Michael Brecht and Thomas Hildebrandt, co-lead authors of the study.



"The experience and accumulated knowledge of adult elephants, especially matriarchs, is central to the group behavior of elephants, and the young animals are very closely cared for over a long period of childhood and adolescence."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-elephants-two-brains">Two elephants, two brains </h2>



The two species of elephants behave very differently around people. Asian elephants have been working alongside humans for centuries, often in domesticated or semi-domesticated roles. 



In contrast, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/african-elephants-will-soon-become-extinct-without-immediate-international-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">African elephants</a> rarely adapt to human presence. Domestication attempts have been largely unsuccessful.



Could brain weight be part of the reason? “The difference in brain weight is perhaps the most important difference between these two elephant species,” said Malav Shah, first author of the study. “It could explain important behavioral differences between Asian and African elephants.”



Motor control could also play a role. African elephants, with their two trunk fingers, have a more dexterous trunk. Scientists link this complexity to the larger cerebellum and the higher number of neurons dedicated to trunk movement.



“With their two trunk fingers, African elephants can perform more diverse movements, which is also reflected in a higher number of neurons in the trunk's control center in the brain,” said Brecht and Hildebrandt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unlocking-the-brain-mystery">Unlocking the brain mystery</h2>



The team analyzed a rare collection of 19 elephant brains, most from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-pandemic-lockdowns-affect-zoo-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">zoo animals</a> or wild elephants that died naturally or were euthanized for welfare reasons. These specimens are extremely hard to come by, making the findings even more valuable.



Still, much remains unknown. Brecht and Hildebrandt acknowledge that many questions are left unanswered. 



The researchers plan to continue studying elephant brains to understand how structure affects social behavior, memory, and motor skills. As they put it, research into these massive “control centers” is only just beginning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-elephants-through-science"> Saving elephants through science</h2>



Understanding the elephant brain isn’t just about satisfying curiosity. It helps scientists learn more about intelligence, memory, and social behavior across species - including humans.



These animals share traits with us that are rare in the animal world: they grieve, they cooperate, and they learn from experience. 



By studying how their brains develop and differ between species, researchers are piecing together how these abilities are wired.



The study also raises important questions about conservation. As human activity continues to threaten wild elephant populations, knowing more about how these animals think and interact could play a vital role in shaping better protection strategies. 



If we want to ensure a future where these animals continue to roam, we need to understand what makes them who they are - inside and out.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/5/pgaf141/8138140" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS Nexus</a>.



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Elephant brains reveal big differences among species

It's widely known that elephants are intelligent. Their deep family...

Humpback whales have long been thought to give birth in tropical waters, like the Great Barrier Reef. But sightings of newborn calves stretching all the way down to Tasmania are changing that narrative. 



The sightings of baby humpback whales suggest that some mothers are giving birth over 1,500 kilometers south of the expected calving grounds.



Scientists from <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSW</a> Sydney led the study that brought this discovery to light. The research was based on over 200 calf sightings reported by whale watching operators, government wildlife agencies, and everyday observers.



The sightings span from Queensland down to Tasmania and even across to New Zealand’s South Island. The findings challenge what we thought we knew about where these giant creatures begin their lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-baby-humpback-whale-sightings">Baby humpback whale sightings</h2>



The idea for this research began when PhD candidate and whale watching skipper Jane McPhee-Frew saw something unusual off the coast of Newcastle.



“I was working part-time as a skipper on a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/loud-tourist-boats-endanger-the-long-term-survival-of-whales/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whale-watching boat</a> in Newcastle when I first spotted a calf in the area,” said McPhee-Frew.



“It seemed out of place. The calf was tiny, obviously brand new. What were they doing here? But none of my tourism colleagues seemed surprised."



That moment led to conversations with research colleagues. McPhee-Frew discovered there was a gap between what science had recorded and what people out on the water were witnessing.



“Eventually, we just ran out of land to see them from. So we don't actually know where the limit is. But we had reports right to the bottom of Tassie, the southernmost points of Western Australia and to the South Island of New Zealand.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-in-the-danger-zone">Whales in the danger zone</h2>



The first sighting in Newcastle came in a very busy shipping area - home to the largest coal export port on Earth. Many of the calf sightings in the study were recorded from 2016 onwards, with the bulk of them happening in 2023 and 2024.



“It’s not just the sightings themselves that are important,” noted McPhee-Frew. "The pattern we’re seeing is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitat-is-important-to-keep-young-right-whales-undetected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mother whales</a> with calves travelling through some of the busiest shipping lanes and urbanised regions.



“This means these vulnerable animals are exposed to risks like boat strikes, entanglements, pollution - and just general public unawareness.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-to-baby-humpback-whales">Threats to baby humpback whales </h2>



Humpback whales were nearly wiped out in the 1960s. Conservation efforts have since helped their numbers bounce back to an estimated 50,000 today.



While the idea of baby humpback whales being born this far south may sound new, McPhee-Frew thinks it might be an old habit we’re only now seeing again.



She explored 19th-century whaling logs and old expedition notes that included reports of calves and mothers in similar southern locations.



The low population after decades of industrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-whaling-wiped-two-species-of-whales-in-the-eastern-atlantic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whaling</a> might have made this behavior invisible for years. Now, thanks to drones, social media, and booming whale tourism, people are noticing more than ever before.



According to McPhee-Frew, it’s vital to raise awareness about the dangers these young whales face as they travel thousands of kilometers north.



“Regardless of the health of population now, we can't be in a situation where we're putting any age of whales - especially baby whales - in a situation where they're getting caught in nets, being exposed to chemicals, being hit by boats and being harassed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-newborns-in-busy-shipping-lanes">Newborns in busy shipping lanes</h2>



Study co-author Professor Tracey Rogers noted that newborn whales face unique challenges. 



“Newborns are like Great Dane puppies. They have those long, enormous fins that they need to grow into, and they’re not very strong swimmers. So they rest a lot of the time on their mum’s back,” said Professor Rogers.



“Imagine giving birth off Hobart and then swimming up the coast. It’s heartbreaking to think of these young whales traveling through busy ports and dangerous shipping lanes with those long, clumsy fins."



“And it's not just happening here in NSW - this is off WA, Victoria, Tasmania, New Zealand - it's something we just didn't know before.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-humpback-whales">Protecting humpback whales </h2>



Dr Adelaide Dedden from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service says that while laws exist to protect humpbacks, many water users still aren't aware of them.



“The legislation to protect humpback whales, including mothers and calves, is already in place across all states,” said Dr Dedden. "But we do have a gap in public awareness, particularly among recreational water users."



“People need to be aware that calves are being seen not just on the southern migration but also on the northern one.”



Close-up photos may make it seem like baby whales are easy to spot, but these moments are rare and should happen on the whales' terms - not because a boat got too close.



“Humpbacks are charismatic and curious,” said Dr Dedden. “They're going to want to come and check out the boat.”



The recommended distance is 100 meters from adult whales and 300 meters from a mother-calf pair.



“We’ve been working hard to get this message out to the public and encourage boaters, surfers, kayakers and jet-ski operators to be aware of these guidelines,” noted Dr Dedden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-excitement-and-curiosity-about-whales">Excitement and curiosity about whales</h2>



According to McPhee-Frew, collaboration between scientists, government agencies, tourism operators, and the public has made this research possible.



Whale watching crews often spot <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-hidden-struggles-of-pregnant-humpback-whales/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">calves</a> and pass on vital information. They also help educate the public on how to safely enjoy watching whales.



Social media platforms have played a big role too. Photos and sightings shared by users help track where whales are seen - and when.



“The excitement and curiosity around whales are contagious,” said McPhee-Frew. "We’ve built a huge repository of data just by encouraging the public to share observations.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-questions-remain">Many questions remain</h2>



There’s still one big question that remains. Why are the mothers still traveling north after giving birth, especially when food is so scarce in tropical waters?



McPhee-Frew suggests we need to rethink the idea that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-is-increasingly-disrupting-whale-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whale migration</a> has fixed start and end points. Maybe whales use different environments in different ways.



“We still have a lot to learn. But, you know what? It's such a privilege to see whales. It is such a fantastic aspect of living in Australia. We just need to follow the rules so everyone can enjoy.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1545526/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.



Image Credit: © Vanessa Risku (Instagram: @droning_my_sorrows)



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Baby humpback whales are born in places we didn't expect

Humpback whales have long been thought to give birth in...

Climate change is rapidly joining overexploitation and habitat destruction as a third major driver of global biodiversity loss. 



A sweeping analysis has recently identified at least 3,500 animal species that are directly threatened by rising temperatures, intensifying storms, droughts, and other climate-related stresses.



The research, led by <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a> ecologist William Ripple, draws on international databases to show that risk is especially acute for invertebrates, particularly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alarming-climate-impacts-threaten-key-marine-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine species</a> that cannot easily move away from warmer waters. 



The experts warn that true vulnerability is likely far greater because most animal groups have never been formally assessed for climate danger.



“We’re at the start of an existential crisis for the Earth’s wild animals,” Ripple said. “Up till now, the primary cause of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> loss has been the twin threats of overexploitation and habitat alteration, but as climate change intensifies, we expect it to become a third major threat to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-may-have-three-million-undiscovered-animal-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s animals</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animals-are-vulnerable-to-climate-change">Animals are vulnerable to climate change</h2>



Ripple and colleagues analyzed records for 70,814 species across 35 taxonomic classes, relying on the <a href="https://iucn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a>’s threat categories.



The researchers discovered that in six whole classes - arachnids, centipedes, anthozoans, hydrozoans, and two other invertebrate groups - at least one-quarter of species are judged vulnerable to climate change.



Other classes, including mammals, birds and reptiles, contain smaller but still significant proportions of climate-imperiled members. The oceans stand out as a danger zone because seawater absorbs most excess heat from greenhouse forcing.



“We are particularly concerned about invertebrate animals in the ocean, which absorbs most of the heat from climate change,” Ripple explained. “Those animals are increasingly vulnerable because of their limited ability to move and promptly evade adverse conditions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mass-mortality-events">Mass mortality events </h2>



In recent years extreme climate events have delivered dramatic proof of these vulnerabilities. Off Israel’s coast, a 90 percent crash in mollusk abundance followed a jump in sea-surface temperature.



During the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome, billions of intertidal mussels, clams, and snails died in a matter of days. A severe marine heatwave in 2016 bleached nearly 30 percent of Australia’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-is-on-the-brink-of-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Barrier Reef</a>.



Terrestrial and pelagic vertebrates have suffered too: an extreme warm spell in 2015-2016 altered the marine food web in the North Pacific, starving four million common murres, slashing Pacific cod numbers by 71 percent, and contributing to the loss of roughly 7,000 humpback whales.



Ripple noted that such <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-was-the-cause-of-earths-largest-mass-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mass mortality</a> events reverberate through ecosystems. “The cascading effects of more and more mass mortality events will likely affect carbon-cycle feedbacks and nutrient cycling." 



"Those effects also likely will have an impact on species interactions such as predation, competition, pollination and parasitism, which are vital for ecosystem function.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-missing-data-on-a-massive-scale"><a></a>Missing data on a massive scale</h2>



Although the headline figures are sobering, the authors emphasize that they represent only a fraction of the problem. 



Sixty-six of the planet’s 101 recognized animal classes have not had any species evaluated for climate risk by the IUCN, and the 70,814 species examined in the study account for just 5.5 percent of all described animals.



“Our analysis is meant to be a preliminary effort toward assessing climate risk to wildlife species,” Ripple said. 



“Understanding the risk is crucial for making informed policy decisions. We need a global database on mass mortality events due to climate change for animal species in all ecosystems, and an acceleration in assessing currently ignored species.”



The <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">Red List</a> itself is heavily skewed toward vertebrates, which make up fewer than six percent of named animal species, leaving the vast majority of invertebrates - essential to pollination, soil health, and marine food webs - largely unexamined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-and-biodiversity-policies">Climate and biodiversity policies</h2>



Ripple argued that improved risk assessments must be coupled with policies that synchronize biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation.



“There is also a need for more frequent climate risk assessments of all species and better consideration of adaptive capacity,” he added. “We need the integration of biodiversity and climate change policy planning on a global scale.”



He and his co-authors call for real-time monitoring of die-off events, expansion of citizen-science initiatives to cover overlooked taxa, and incorporation of species’ dispersal abilities and genetic diversity into risk models.



Only with such detailed knowledge, they contend, can land managers and lawmakers craft interventions that give vulnerable species a fighting chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgency-to-protect-animals">Urgency to protect animals</h2>



With global temperatures already flirting with the 1.5°C threshold that scientists warn will unleash accelerating hazards, the time for closing data gaps is rapidly shrinking. 



The new study shows that climate change is no longer a distant or incremental danger for wildlife; it is a present <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-the-largest-threat-to-u-s-endangered-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crisis</a> that compounds long-standing threats.



Whether governments heed the warning will decide how many species remain confined to the 3,500-strong endangered column - and how many more quietly slide into it as the planet continues to warm.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biaf059/8127685?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioScience</a>.



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More than 3,500 animal species are directly threatened by climate change

Climate change is rapidly joining overexploitation and habitat destruction as...

Archaeology sometimes feels like detective work with a very long timeline. Every chip of flint or shard of bone builds a narrative of how early humans used tools to feed themselves, cooperated, and thought about the places they called home. 



Fresh finds from two sites just northeast of today’s Tel Aviv - Jaljulia and Qesem Cave - add an eye-opening chapter to that story. 



They point to a moment, roughly 400,000 years ago, when hunters in the Levant not only pivoted to new prey but also <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tools-in-south-africa-reveal-early-human-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">redesigned their tools</a> and, perhaps, their beliefs.



The discoveries revolve around a specialized flint implement known as a Quina scraper. 



At first glance the artifact looks modest - smaller than a modern smartphone. Its scalloped edge, though, is razor-sharp, built for slicing through muscle and hide with an efficiency that would have impressed any butcher.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flint-tools-and-shifting-appetites">Flint tools and shifting appetites</h2>



For nearly a million years, large game dominated dinner menus here - especially elephants that roamed plains stretching from Africa into Eurasia. 



When those giants dwindled, hunting parties had to recalibrate. 



The speedier, leaner fallow deer offered far less meat per kill, so hunters needed to process many more carcasses to match the calories once supplied by a single elephant. That change forced a rethink of both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tool-discovery-challenges-entire-theory-of-human-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategy and gear</a>.



Fallow deer thrived in mixed woodlands along what are now the Samarian highlands. Their bones fill layers in Jaljulia and Qesem Cave, signaling a dietary shift that mirrors broader environmental turnover during the late Lower Paleolithic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-carved-with-flint-for-venison">Tools carved with flint for venison</h2>



Enter the Quina scraper. Unlike earlier, more rudimentary scrapers, this one features a stepped, scale-like working edge that holds a keen bevel. 



Microscopic wear marks reveal repeated motions suited to neatly removing skin and sinew. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-homo-sapiens-stone-tools-preserved-volcanic-ash-grotta-di-castelcivita/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stone tool design</a> likely spared hunters valuable time at the kill site, reducing exposure to scavengers and rival predators that could steal a hard-won carcass.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_2s.webp" alt="A Quina scraper from Qesem Cave. Residue and use-wear analyses showed that the scraper was wrapped with organic material and used for scraping a dry hide (after Zupancich 2020)" class="wp-image-1970089"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Quina scraper from Qesem Cave. Residue and use-wear analyses showed that the scraper was wrapped with organic material and used for scraping a dry hide (after Zupancich 2020). Click image to enlarge. Credit: Tel Aviv University</figcaption></figure>



Modern experiments with replicas confirm that the tool excels at producing long, clean strips of hide - ideal for lashing shelters, wrapping meat, or even tailoring early garments. 



A single scraper could be resharpened several times, making it a portable workhorse on multi-day forays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stone-from-sacred-hills">Stone from sacred hills</h2>



The most unexpected twist lies not in the tool’s shape but in its raw material. Quina scrapers at both sites were made of flint hauled roughly 12.4 miles from the western slopes of the Samarian mountains, bypassing closer outcrops. 



That same upland served as a calving ground for fallow deer. Hunters, then, were linking an essential resource - flint - to the very landscape that provided their new staple food.



The study’s lead authors - Vlad Litov and Prof. Ran Barkai of <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tel Aviv University</a> - spell out what that pairing means. 



"In this study we tried to understand why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tool-flint-discovery-challenges-theory-of-human-cultural-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stone tools changed</a> during prehistoric times, with a focus on a technological change in scrapers in the Lower Paleolithic, about 400,000 years ago," Litov explained. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forced-to-hunt-smaller-animals">Forced to hunt smaller animals</h2>



We found a dramatic change in the human diet during this period, probably resulting from a change in the available fauna: the large game, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ancient-humans-hunted-elephants-with-stone-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particularly elephants</a>, had disappeared, and humans were forced to hunt smaller animals, especially fallow deer.



Clearly, butchering a large elephant is one thing, and processing a much smaller and more delicate fallow deer is quite a different challenge. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_1s.webp" alt="Examples of scrapers shaped by Quina-like retouch from the Late Acheulian Jaljulia: Déjeté scraper (a); transverse scraper (b); Single scrapers (c, d); Convergent scraper fragment (e)" class="wp-image-1970087"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Examples of scrapers shaped by Quina-like retouch from the Late Acheulian Jaljulia: Déjeté scraper (a); transverse scraper (b); Single scrapers (c, d); Convergent scraper fragment (e). Click image to enlarge. Credit: Tel Aviv University</figcaption></figure>



Systematic processing of numerous fallow deer to compensate for a single elephant was a complex and demanding task that required the development of new implements. 



"Consequently, we see the emergence of the new Quina scrapers, with a better-shaped, sharper, more uniform working edge compared to the simple scrapers used previously," Litov added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tech-advancement-shown-in-flint-tools">Tech advancement shown in flint tools</h2>



Prof. Barkai explains that the study reveals “links between technological developments and changes in the fauna hunted and consumed by early humans.” 



While previous theories credited <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-nature-to-knapping-the-surprising-origins-of-stone-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advancements in stone tools</a> to biological evolution, he and his team suggest a “double connection, both practical and perceptual.”



Practically, tool sophistication evolved to meet the demands of hunting smaller, faster prey. Perceptually, Barkai points to a symbolic association between specific locations and resources. 



“We found a connection between the plentiful source of fallow deer and the source of flint used to butcher them,” he notes. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-used-interesting-technique-hunt-big-animals-clovis-points/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prehistoric hunters</a> seemed to favor flint from the same region where the deer roamed - Mounts Ebal and Gerizim - suggesting a deep-rooted awareness of the landscape and its significance.



“This behavior,” he adds, “is familiar from many other places worldwide and is still widely practiced by native hunter-gatherer communities.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



According to Litov, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaria" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mountains of Samaria</a> held deep significance for prehistoric people living at Qesem Cave and Jaljulia. 



“We believe that the Mountains of Samaria were sacred to the prehistoric people… because that’s where the fallow deer came from,” he says.



As elephant populations declined, early humans in the region shifted their focus to fallow deer. Tools made from a variety of local stones have been found at Jaljulia, but something unique occurred when they began sourcing both their prey and tool-making materials from the Samarian highlands.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_3m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/stone-tools_400000-years-old_Quina-like_credit-Tel-Aviv_3s.webp" alt="A close look at a Quina-like scraper from Jaljulia. Credit: Tel Aviv University" class="wp-image-1970091"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A close look at a Quina-like scraper from Jaljulia. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Tel Aviv University</figcaption></figure>



“Identifying the deer's plentiful source, they began to develop the unique scrapers in the same place,” Litov explains. 



These specialized tools - first appearing in Jaljulia around 500,000 years ago - later spread more broadly, showing up at Qesem Cave between 400,000 and 200,000 years ago.



Archaeological evidence, including fallow deer bones from Mount Gerizim and other sites, suggests that the area supported deer populations well into the Holocene. 



“Apparently, the Mountains of Samaria gained a prominent or even sacred status as early as the Paleolithic period,” Litov concludes, “and retained their unique cultural position for hundreds of thousands of years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prehistoric-man-was-smarter-than-we-thought">Prehistoric man was smarter than we thought</h2>



Pairing a resource with a place crops up again and again in human history, from obsidian quarries in the American Southwest to jade rivers in ancient China. 



The Jaljulia and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qesem_cave" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qesem Cave</a> findings push that behavior deep into the past, showing that meaning and material were already intertwined long before written lore. Technology did not change in a vacuum; it mirrored environmental stress and social imagination.



Understanding how early communities adapted to shrinking megafauna offers a cautionary parallel for modern ecosystems losing key species. Innovation can soften the blow, but it also reshapes culture in ways that echo far beyond survival. 



A humble flint scraper, carried miles across rugged ground, reminds us that tools are never just tools. They are signatures of what people value, where they find sustenance, and how they make sense of their world.



The full study was published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11759-024-09493-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Archaeologies</a>.



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Stone tools created 400,000 years ago show tech advancement of early humans

Archaeology sometimes feels like detective work with a very long...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

For years, the Signal Crayfish has carried a notorious reputation. It’s invasive, aggressive, and has spread far beyond its native habitat.



Found across Europe, Asia, and parts of the United States, this crustacean is often blamed for pushing native species toward decline. But in the rush to control it, something remarkable was overlooked right in its original home.



A team from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a> took a fresh look at the Signal Crayfish in its native range. What they found was surprising - two entirely new species that had been hiding in plain sight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-one-species-after-all">Not just one species after all</h2>



The two new species, now officially named the Okanagan Crayfish and Misfortunate Crayfish, had been long mistaken for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-fish-can-cause-ecosystem-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Signal Crayfish</a>. The discovery adds to the growing catalog of species around the world.



Study co-author Eric Larson is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.



“I think we underestimate how rich the biological world around us can be,” said Larson. "People are surprised to learn that there are over 600 described species of crayfish globally, and now, there are two more.”



This wasn’t an overnight find. The process spanned years of fieldwork and careful analysis. 



Scientists first noticed unusual-looking species in the Pacific Northwest. Over time, with improved genetic tools, they began to piece together the truth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-confirms-the-new-species">DNA confirms the new species</h2>



To distinguish the new species, Larson and his colleagues used a method called genome skimming. It allowed them to sequence both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. 



By comparing these sequences with known crayfish lineages, the team confirmed that the odd specimens weren’t just variations - they were entirely separate species.



“Most research on the Signal Crayfish focuses on its role as an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-species-could-cause-dramatic-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">invasive species</a>,” Larson said. “I think people would be surprised that within its native environment, we missed that this animal we thought was the Signal Crayfish was actually harboring multiple, undescribed species.”



Through DNA analysis, field sampling, and physical comparisons, the team finally gave these animals their own identities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unintended-effects-of-moving-crayfish">Unintended effects of moving crayfish </h2>



While the discovery is exciting, it comes with a serious warning. The newly identified crayfish species may already be in danger. 



Larson expressed concern that invasive species - especially the Rusty Crayfish and Virile Crayfish - are threatening the survival of these native animals. These invaders often displace native populations and damage aquatic habitats.



One of the biggest problems is human behavior. Moving crayfish from one waterway to another - whether for bait, farming, or even through classroom and aquarium releases - can have unexpected and long-lasting effects.



“There are unexpected consequences when we move crayfish from one place to another,” Larson said. “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-crayfish-cannot-be-controlled-through-trapping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Invasive crayfish</a> can't easily be removed, and as they spread, they seem to be replacing these newly described crayfish species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-the-new-species">Protecting the new species</h2>



By giving these species official names, the researchers hope to spark <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/effective-conservation-efforts-key-to-saving-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation efforts</a>. Naming a species is often the first step toward protecting it. Recognition helps raise awareness and gives conservationists a reason to act.



“By the time we discovered the Misfortunate Crayfish, it had already lost much of its native range to the invasive Rusty Crayfish,” Larson said. “That’s what gave us the idea for its name. This animal went unrecognized by science until a fairly unlucky event had happened, and that seemed like a little bit of a misfortune.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-fish-to-crayfish">From fish to crayfish</h2>



Larson’s journey into crayfish research wasn’t planned. He started out in fisheries science but became more interested in crayfish during his doctoral work at the University of Washington.



“It’s funny, I didn’t intend to develop this interest,” Larson said. “But as it developed, studying crayfish gained momentum and took on a life of its own.”



What began as a side interest eventually became a central focus of his research career. Thanks to that unexpected turn, two long-overlooked native species now have names - and a real shot at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/old-and-wise-animals-are-essential-for-the-survival-of-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survival</a>.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5632.3.4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zootaxa</a>.



Image Credit: Eric Larson, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign



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Two new crayfish species discovered, but were they found too late?

For years, the Signal Crayfish has carried a notorious reputation....

Honey,Bee,,Apis,Mellifera,,Silhouette,Of,A,Bee,,Anatomical,Structure

This World Bee Day, a troubling message is buzzing through the air - bees and other pollinators face a wave of new and unexpected threats that could cause even more losses in the coming decade. 



War, plastic pollution, artificial light, and even well-meaning climate actions are creating new obstacles for pollinators already under strain.



Pollinators such as bees, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-country-without-butterflies-rapid-decline-in-u-s-populations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">butterflies</a>, moths, bats, and birds are essential to our environment and food production. Nearly 90% of flowering plants and over three-quarters of the world’s major crops depend on them.



Yet these species are already declining at alarming rates due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and invasive species. Now, researchers say even more risks are on the horizon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-scientists-are-saying-about-bees">What scientists are saying about bees</h2>



Experts from the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a> contributed to a new report commissioned by Bee:wild, a science-led global campaign to save pollinators. The report identifies 12 rising dangers that could further endanger pollinators in the next 5 to 15 years.



Professor Simon Potts, lead author and chair of Bee:wild’s Scientific Advisory Board, noted that identifying new threats and finding ways to protect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a> early is key to preventing further major declines.



“By acting early, we can reduce harm and help pollinators continue their important work in nature and food production. Various conservation opportunities already exist and more are emerging," continued Potts. 



"This is not just a conservation issue. Pollinators are central to our food systems, climate resilience, and economic security. Protecting pollinators means protecting ourselves.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-and-pollinators-in-war-zones">Bees and pollinators in war zones</h2>



The report outlines a series of surprising new threats to pollinators that extend beyond the usual concerns like pesticides and habitat loss. For instance, war and conflict, such as the ongoing situation in Ukraine, are changing agricultural practices. 



Countries involved in or affected by conflict tend to grow fewer crop types, leading to a lack of diverse flowering plants that pollinators need throughout the season for proper nutrition and survival. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-and-artifical-light">Plastic and artifical light</h2>



Another troubling issue is the discovery of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-are-the-latest-victims-of-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastics in bee</a> colonies across Europe. Testing from 315 honey bee hives revealed the widespread presence of synthetic materials, including PET plastic. 



These microplastic particles are now contaminating hives, raising questions about their impact on bee health and the quality of honey.



Artificial light at night is also proving harmful. Studies show that nocturnal pollinators, such as moths and certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-will-climate-impact-the-beetles-that-protect-our-crops/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beetles</a>, visit 62% fewer flowers in areas with light pollution. 



This drastic reduction disrupts nighttime pollination, which is essential for many plant species and ecological cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-and-pollinator-behavior">Pollution and pollinator behavior </h2>



Antibiotic pollution is emerging as yet another hazard. Residues from antibiotics can contaminate both hives and honey. 



Worse still, they may interfere with pollinator behavior by reducing their foraging activity and visits to flowers, which are critical for pollination and plant reproduction.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-is-wiping-out-bees-and-other-wild-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Air pollution</a> is adding further stress, affecting the growth, reproduction, and overall survival of pollinators. Exposure to polluted air can impair navigation and reduce the chances of bees returning to their hives.



The use of pesticide cocktails - mixtures of various chemicals - is becoming more common, particularly in developing countries. These combinations can be more toxic than individual pesticides, weakening pollinators and making them more susceptible to disease and stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-additional-threats-to-bees">Additional threats to bees</h2>



More frequent and intense wildfires are destroying vital habitats. As these fires become larger and harder to control, they not only remove food sources but also hinder the ability of pollinator populations to recover.



While climate action is critical, some approaches could unintentionally harm pollinators if not carefully managed. For instance, planting fast-growing non-flowering trees for carbon capture could reduce food for pollinators. 



Choosing a mix that includes flowering trees would help balance carbon storage with pollinator support.



Mining for materials like lithium - used in electric car batteries - can damage habitats rich in pollinators. Avoiding these areas and restoring land afterward could reduce long-term impact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-ways-to-support-biodiversity">Smart ways to support biodiversity</h2>



Among the 12 strategies highlighted in the report, five stand out as particularly promising. First, introducing stronger regulations to reduce antibiotic pollution would help protect pollinator and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-farming-and-flower-strips-improve-honey-bee-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bee health</a>. 



Moving toward electric vehicles can significantly reduce air pollution, which in turn benefits pollinators. In addition, breeding new crop varieties that produce more nectar and pollen can improve the diet of pollinators, boosting their health and resilience.



Furthermore, integrating flower-rich habitats into solar parks can transform these spaces into pollinator-friendly areas, supporting biodiversity while generating renewable energy. 



Finally, scientists are developing RNAi-based treatments that specifically target harmful pests without affecting beneficial insects like bees, reducing the need for broad-spectrum pesticides.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-actions-big-difference">Small actions, big difference</h2>



Other opportunities include protecting stingless bees, which are vital to tropical ecosystems. This can be done by creating urban gardens, re-wilding spaces, and preserving natural habitats.



There's also growing interest in using artificial intelligence to monitor and track bee and other pollinator health and behavior more efficiently. Even AI tools to monitor pollinator populations could all make a big difference.



Dr. Deepa Senapathi is head of the Department of Sustainable Land Management at the University of Reading and co-author of the report.



“Meaningful action to protect bees is not a ‘nice-to-have’ future aspiration - practical solutions that we can implement now already exist and more are emerging. The most promising opportunities are ones that tackle multiple problems at once," said Dr. Senapathi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reversing-bee-and-pollinator-decline">Reversing bee and pollinator decline</h2>



According to Dr. Senapathi, focused and determined action could significantly slow and even reverse pollinator decline while creating environments that benefit both nature and people.



“It will take effort from everyone to address these threats. We need to maintain, manage and improve our natural habitats to create safe spaces for pollinators," said Dr Senapathi.



"But policy changes and individual actions must work together so everything from gardens and farms to public spaces and wider landscapes can all become pollinator-friendly habitats.”



Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Board Member of Re:wild, which helped launch Bee:wild, offers a hopeful reminder in the report’s foreword.



"The choices we make today will shape the future - not only for pollinators, but for all life on Earth. Together, we can ensure that these remarkable species continue their vital work, sustaining the natural world that sustains us all,” she said.



The full report, Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Conservation of Global Pollinators, is available <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1odhszqh-5-LJsJgidagHte_OW57Ke09x/view" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. 



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Rising dangers threaten the survival of bees and pollinators

This World Bee Day, a troubling message is buzzing through...

Picture a mouse entering a narrow, transparent tube. Another mouse approaches from the opposite end. They meet in the middle, noses twitching, bodies tense. One mouse retreats, conceding the passage. The other presses forward, asserting dominance - a silent communication carried by scent.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.crick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Francis Crick Institute</a> have been using this simple setup to uncover something remarkable: mice don’t just react to physical strength or size. They rely on scent to gauge social rank.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mice-use-scent-to-identify-social-rank">Mice use scent to identify social rank</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-smell-control-your-blood-pressure-new-research-says-yes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mice</a> live in social hierarchies, much like humans. Some lead, some follow, some are forever in between. For a long time, scientists assumed these roles emerged from physical aggression or fixed behaviors. But a study published in Current Biology suggests otherwise. 



Mice, it turns out, can read dominance through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/odors-prompt-brain-cells-to-make-decisions-before-you-know-whats-happening/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scent</a>. They sniff out social status in the air and on the bodies of their peers. The researchers watched as mice encountered strangers and familiar cage mates.



They wanted to know whether a mouse could identify another’s rank without prior interaction. The answer was yes. The scent said it all.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scent-based-rank-recognition-in-mice">Scent-based rank recognition in mice</h2>



In the tube test, two mice enter from opposite ends. The dominant mouse typically forces the other to back out. Researchers ranked mice within the same cage, creating a clear hierarchy. 



Then they introduced unfamiliar mice, testing whether the scent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exposure-certain-odors-pheromones-speeds-up-aging-process/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cues</a> still worked when the opponent was a stranger. The findings? Even without prior interactions, the mice accurately detected rank using only scent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-in-the-dark">What happens in the dark?</h2>



Mice can’t rely on vision in complete darkness. So, the researchers plunged the testing room into blackness to eliminate visual cues.



The results stayed the same. Mice still recognized dominant opponents, proving that scent carried all the necessary information. 



The team also castrated some mice to see if the removal of sex hormones affected scent signals. It didn’t. Dominance <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mice-perform-first-aid-and-save-unconscious-peers-in-emergencies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cues</a> remained intact, suggesting that scent signals aren’t tied to hormones but to other chemical compounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-manipulating-perception-through-scent">Manipulating perception through scent</h2>



The researchers didn’t stop there. They tried manipulating rank perception through urine. By painting subordinate mice with urine from dominant males, they created temporary rank shifts. 



Suddenly, the formerly submissive mice behaved like top dogs. Even strangers treated them as if they had climbed the social ladder. This powerful manipulation revealed that scent cues could override an individual’s actual social history. 



“Our work offers an interesting perspective on social mobility: humans, like mice, can enter a new group of people but still maintain understanding of own social rank and gauge the social status of unfamiliar people,” noted Neven Borak, the study’s first author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mice-use-two-scent-systems">Mice use two scent systems</h2>



Mice use two chemosensory systems to read scent cues: the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). To understand how these systems contribute to rank detection, the researchers disabled each one separately. 



Mice with impaired olfactory systems still recognized rank. The same held true for those with damaged contact scent systems.



But when both systems were disrupted, the mice lost their ability to distinguish dominant from subordinate opponents. This dual reliance on scent systems underscores the importance of both airborne and contact-based scent cues in social interactions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scent-cues-help-mice-avoid-conflict">Scent cues help mice avoid conflict</h2>



Social life can get messy when animals clash over resources or mates. In mice, scent provides a way to avoid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-mice-turn-to-female-mice-to-avoid-fights-keep-social-peace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unnecessary fights</a>. A quick sniff can tell a subordinate mouse to back down before a confrontation even begins. 



By recognizing the scent of a dominant opponent, the mouse can retreat and avoid injury. This scent-based communication system not only maintains order but also reduces the risk of physical harm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-universal-scent-signals">Universal scent signals</h2>



Do mice only recognize familiar scents? The researchers tested this by introducing mice from separate cages. Despite having no prior interactions, the mice still detected rank differences. 



This ability to generalize rank recognition across groups suggests that scent cues carry universal signals of dominance. The implications are profound. Scent can act as a universal language, conveying social information without prior encounters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-scent-to-social-status">Linking scent to social status</h2>



While scent clearly plays a role in rank recognition, how does the brain process this information? Previous studies have identified brain regions involved in self-rank detection, like the anterior cingulate cortex and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. 



But how does the brain interpret opponent rank? The researchers suspect that sensory input from the MOE and AOB converges in areas like the medial amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. 



These regions receive inputs from both olfactory and contact scent systems, suggesting a possible neural pathway for integrating social rank information.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-social-dynamics">Implications for social dynamics</h2>



Social hierarchies are not just a mouse problem. Humans also navigate complex social networks, constantly assessing their status relative to others. While humans rely more on visual and verbal cues, the underlying cognitive mechanisms for detecting rank may be similar across species. 



“Humans, like mice, can enter a new group of people but still maintain understanding of own social rank and gauge the social status of unfamiliar people,” Borak notes. 



The ability to perceive social status quickly can help avoid conflict, but it can also reinforce hierarchies, limiting social mobility and affecting health outcomes for those stuck at the bottom.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



This study raises new questions. How do different brain regions work together to process scent cues and assess social rank? 



What specific chemical compounds convey rank information? And how do physiological states, like stress or hunger, affect scent perception?



The researchers plan to use advanced imaging techniques and optogenetic manipulation to explore these questions, aiming to map the neural circuits that translate scent into social behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scent-redefines-hierarchies-in-mice">Scent redefines hierarchies in mice</h2>



Mice don’t need words or physical strength to assert dominance. A scent can say it all. This study from the Crick Institute highlights how chemical cues can reshape social hierarchies, allowing mice to recognize and respond to dominance without direct confrontation. 



For humans, the implications are equally intriguing. While we may rely less on scent, the underlying cognitive mechanisms for detecting social rank may still be at play, subtly influencing our interactions and shaping the way we navigate the social world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00560-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Mice use scent to determine who's the boss

Picture a mouse entering a narrow, transparent tube. Another mouse...

Inside dark, hidden burrows, mice rely on their whiskers to make sense of the world. For decades, scientists believed that whisking - the brushing of whiskers against surfaces - was purely a tactile process. 



But researchers at the <a href="https://www.weizmann.ac.il/pages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weizmann Institute of Science</a> have uncovered a surprising twist. Whisking doesn’t just involve touch. It generates sound.



Published in the journal Current Biology, the study shows that these tiny sounds activate the auditory cortex in mice, revealing a previously unnoticed sensory connection. 



The implications stretch far beyond <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/all-living-beings-emit-a-subtle-light-that-fades-after-death/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mice</a>. They hint at how brains might merge different senses to create a fuller picture of the surroundings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mice-whiskers-make-sounds">Mice whiskers make sounds</h2>



“Whiskers are so delicate that no one had thought of checking whether they produce sounds that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/klotho-s-kl-protein-discovered-boosts-lifespan-muscle-brain-power-with-one-dose/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mice</a> are able to hear,” said Professor Ilan Lampl of Weizmann’s Brain Sciences Department.



Lampl’s team started by recording the sounds whiskers make when they brush against different surfaces. They used sensitive microphones capable of picking up ultrasonic frequencies - sounds beyond human hearing. The setup mimicked the distance between a mouse’s whiskers and ears.



Surprisingly, the microphones caught faint yet distinct sounds. Whiskers brushing against Bougainvillea leaves and aluminum foil each produced unique acoustic signatures. 



These whisker-generated sounds weren’t loud, but they were consistent enough for the researchers to wonder: Are mice actually listening to their own whiskers?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mice-brains-listen-to-whisker-sounds">Mice brains listen to whisker sounds</h2>



To answer that question, the researchers recorded neural activity in the auditory cortex of mice. They wanted to see if the brain responded to these whisker-generated sounds.



The results stunned them. The auditory cortex lit up every time a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mice-perform-first-aid-and-save-unconscious-peers-in-emergencies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mouse</a> whisked against a surface, even when the researchers blocked the pathways that convey touch. The brain wasn’t just feeling the whisker’s touch. It was listening to it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-listen-to-their-own-whiskers">Why listen to their own whiskers?</h2>



Mice navigate through dense, cluttered environments. They sniff, feel, and now, it seems, they also listen. This auditory feedback might help them distinguish between surfaces. 



The sound of whiskers brushing against a dry leaf may signal danger. The rustle of aluminum foil might mean food. Lampl suggests that mice may have developed this sensory connection to avoid predators.



“Since whisking generates much weaker sounds than walking, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mice-offer-first-aid-to-unconscious-companions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mouse</a> could rely on it when, for example, choosing whether to walk across a brittle, drier field of crops versus a fresher, quieter one, to avoid being detected by an owl,” said Lampl.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-confirms-that-mice-identify-sounds">AI confirms that mice identify sounds</h2>



To confirm that these sounds mattered to the mice, the researchers brought in artificial intelligence (AI). They trained two machine-learning models.



One model analyzed the neural activity in response to whisker-generated sounds. The other analyzed the recorded sounds themselves. Both models accurately identified objects based solely on sound patterns. 



The takeaway? The mice’s brains were not just picking up sound. They were interpreting it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mice-trained-to-hear-whisker-sounds">Mice trained to hear whisker sounds</h2>



With AI results in hand, the researchers designed a behavioral test. They trained mice whose touch sensation had been blocked to recognize aluminum foil based solely on its whisker-generated sound.



The mice caught on quickly. When they heard the sound of whiskers scraping foil, they responded as if they were touching it. 



This finding confirmed that the auditory cortex could interpret whisker sounds as sensory information, even without tactile input.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-listening-to-whiskers-helps-mice-survive">Listening to whiskers helps mice survive</h2>



Why would mice evolve to listen to their own whiskers? Lampl believes it’s all about survival. 



The sound of whiskers brushing against objects is subtle - much quieter than a mouse’s footsteps. This quiet feedback allows a mouse to navigate without attracting predators.



“Whisking could also help a mouse figure out whether a stem is hollow or sufficiently juicy and worthy of a bite,” Lampl explained. 



The ability to detect subtle acoustic differences might help mice decide what to bite, what to avoid, and where to hide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mouse-whisker-insights-for-robots">Mouse whisker insights for robots</h2>



The study’s findings have broader implications. If mice can merge sound and touch to perceive their environment, robots might do the same. 



Dr. Ben Efron, a lead researcher in the study, sees potential in collision-avoidance sensors that rely on sound.



“Integrating different types of sensory input is a major challenge in the design of robotic systems. The mouse brain’s whisking system might provide inspiration for technologies that would address this challenge,” said Dr. Efron.



In smoke-filled rooms, underwater environments, or other low-visibility conditions, sensors that interpret subtle sounds could prevent collisions. The mouse brain, it seems, may offer a blueprint for such systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-blind-people-could-benefit">How blind people could benefit</h2>



The study also opens doors for sensory rehabilitation. For people with sensory impairments, integrating touch and sound could enhance perception. 



Consider how blind individuals use the sound of a white cane tapping against a surface. Mice, it turns out, might be doing something similar with their whiskers.



If researchers can replicate this multisensory integration in prosthetic devices, they could create more intuitive feedback systems. Imagine a prosthetic hand that not only feels an object but also “hears” its texture through vibrations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-whiskers-big-sensory-impact">Tiny whiskers, big sensory impact</h2>



Mice whiskers are as thick as human hair at the base, ranging from 40 to 80 microns. 



As they extend outward, they become much thinner, ending at just 3 to 4 microns at the tip. This thin, sensitive structure helps them create tiny sounds and detect slight vibrations.



This study is just the beginning. If mice can use whisker-generated sounds to identify objects, what other animals might do the same? Could cats or rats also listen to their whiskers?



The researchers plan to explore how different animals might use touch-generated sounds. They also want to see if mice can learn to distinguish between even more complex sounds or if they can adapt to new auditory cues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-mice-whisker-sounds">Significance of mice whisker sounds </h2>



What started as a simple investigation into whiskers has revealed a complex sensory connection. Mice don’t just feel with their whiskers - they listen to them. 



The implications stretch beyond the burrow, hinting at new ways to merge sound and touch in both nature and technology.



And for researchers like Lampl, the work is far from over. The brain’s ability to integrate multiple senses opens up a world of possibilities, from robotic sensors to prosthetic feedback systems. The whispers of whiskers might just be the start.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960982225001241?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Mouse whiskers can actually "hear" the world by creating internal sounds

Inside dark, hidden burrows, mice rely on their whiskers to...

Imagine a world without apples, almonds, tomatoes, or coffee. It would not just be bland - it would be dangerously imbalanced. This isn’t fiction but a potential reality if pollinators like bees disappear. World Bee Day, observed on May 20, is a global call to remember, appreciate, and protect these essential creatures.



In 2025, under the theme&nbsp;"Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all,"&nbsp;the campaign goes beyond admiration. It urges action to support biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem resilience. 



Bees, alongside other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-bee-species-face-extinction-due-to-honey-bee-competition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a>, not only fill our plates but also keep our planet’s life systems in balance. Their survival is tightly linked to our own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollinators-help-most-plants-grow">Pollinators help most plants grow</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-sleep-like-humans-with-similar-brain-patterns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bees</a> are important, but they’re not the only creatures that help plants grow. Butterflies, birds, bats, and even some animals like lemurs also move pollen from one flower to another. This process is called pollination. 



Without it, most plants can't make fruits or seeds. Together, all these pollinators help nearly 90 out of every 100 wild plants grow. They also help with growing more than three-quarters of the food crops we eat, like apples, almonds, onions, coffee, and avocados.



There are more than 20,000 kinds of bees in the world. Most of them live in the wild. We usually just take them for granted. But when they disappear, we feel the difference. 



Farmers lose money because crops don’t grow well. Food prices go up. The variety of fruits and vegetables drops. Our meals become less healthy.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bee-survival-depends-on-more-than-just-pollen-abundance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pollinators</a> don’t just help plants grow. They make fruits bigger, tastier, and more colorful and work for free, every day, without anyone asking. But when nature is damaged, pollinators are usually the first to be affected. And when they vanish, we have a lot to lose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-bee-day-live-like-bees">World Bee Day: Live like bees</h2>



Bees live in a way that works well with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nature</a>. They don’t destroy or waste anything. Instead, bees build hives, help flowers grow, and support many other plants and animals. Everything they do fits into the natural system. It’s smart, balanced, and helpful to the planet.



This year’s World Bee Day message means we should look at how bees live and learn from them. Bees work together, help each other and keep nature healthy without causing harm.



If we follow their example, we can grow food in better ways. We don’t need to clear forests or harm wild plants. We can farm without using harmful chemicals. Nature already knows the right way - bees are showing it to us. We just need to watch and do the same.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollinators-are-in-trouble">Pollinators are in trouble</h2>



This isn’t just a story about bees dying. It’s about something much bigger. Nature is like a chain, and pollinators are one of its strong links. When that link breaks, the whole system starts to fall apart. Animals, plants, and people all feel the damage.



Pollinators like bees, butterflies, bats, and birds are disappearing much faster than they should - up to 1,000 times faster. Around 35 out of every 100 insect pollinators are in danger. For animals like birds and bats, 17 out of 100 are also at risk.



If this keeps happening, the way we eat will change. Fruits, nuts, seeds, and leafy vegetables may become rare. The bright, fresh foods we enjoy today might be replaced by plain, cheap ones like rice, wheat, and corn. That means less nutrition and more hunger.



Farmers will have a harder time growing crops. Prices in stores will go up. The poorest people, who already struggle, will suffer the most. No one wants that kind of future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-bee-day-and-pollinator-protection">World Bee Day and pollinator protection</h2>



In 2018, the United Nations officially started World Bee Day. They chose May 20 because it’s the birthday of Anton Janša. He lived in Slovenia in the 1700s and helped improve how people care for bees. He believed bees were special because they worked hard and didn’t need much in return.



Today, we still respect bees for the same reason. But respect is not enough anymore. Bees are in danger, and they need our help.



Yurdi Yasmi is the director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Plant Production and Protection Division.



“This call is extended to all Member Nations, international and regional organizations, civil society, leaders of Indigenous Peoples, researchers, the private sector, everyone working in the sector and anyone with an interest in bees and other pollinators to get involved, share their experiences and show how important these pollinators are,” said Yasmi.



The <a href="https://www.fao.org/home/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FAO</a> is not just spreading awareness. It’s also training beekeepers, supporting eco-friendly farms, and encouraging laws that protect pollinators. Their message is simple - if we protect pollinators, we protect our future too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bee-projects-are-helping-people-and-nature">Bee projects are helping people and nature</h2>



In Samoa, bees do more than make honey. A project called “<a href="https://beeeducated.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bee Educated!</a>” trains women to care for hives. They learn, earn, and teach others. Bees bring money and confidence. They also bring balance to the land. It’s not just a project - it’s a movement.



In Yemen, beekeeping keeps going even through war. With support from the FAO and World Bank, farmers get better tools. They learn how to protect their bees and gather honey safely. Despite conflict and climate stress, the bees - and their keepers - persist.



These stories prove something important. When you help bees, you help people. You protect culture, jobs, and land. And you do it with nature, not against it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-participating-in-world-bee-day-2025">Participating in World Bee Day 2025</h2>



You don’t need to own a big farm to help bees and other pollinators. Small actions at home make a big difference. You can plant flowers that naturally grow in your area. These flowers give bees food. You can stop using harmful sprays in your garden. You can let wild bees build their nests safely.



Buying honey from nearby beekeepers also helps. So does telling your friends and family why bees matter. Even putting a shallow bowl of water with some stones outside gives bees a place to rest and drink.



Farmers can help too. They can grow many kinds of crops instead of just one. This gives pollinators more food. They can also reduce their use of pesticides and plant hedges and trees around fields to create safe spaces for bees.



Governments can support all these efforts. They can give money or rewards to farmers who protect pollinators. They can listen to Indigenous people, who have deep knowledge of nature and land. The more people who join in, the better it is for pollinators - and for us all.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-can-still-protect-bees">We can still protect bees</h2>



Bees may be small, but their role in nature is huge. They help flowers, fruits, and vegetables grow by carrying pollen between plants. This links everything in the natural world - from the soil beneath our feet to the air we breathe.



Bees don’t just move pollen. They help life continue. They build hives from wax and turn flower nectar into honey which feeds people around the world.



Even though bees work quietly, their effect is powerful. Without them, many plants would stop growing. Our food system would weaken. Whole ecosystems would fall out of balance.



World Bee Day is not just a time to thank bees. It’s also a serious reminder. If we don’t act now, we could lose them. But it’s also a message of hope. We can still choose to protect bees and follow the example of nature.



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World Bee Day 2025: Protecting the pollinators that feed the world

Imagine a world without apples, almonds, tomatoes, or coffee. It...

European honey bees, celebrated for their industrious nature, may be pushing Australia’s native bees to the brink. 



Research from <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curtin University</a> reveals how these introduced bees could be reducing the reproductive success of native cavity-nesting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-sleep-like-humans-with-similar-brain-patterns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a>. 



The findings hint at a deeper problem - one that could disrupt ecosystems and challenge biodiversity in ways that few expect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-native-bee-reproductive-struggles">Native bee reproductive struggles</h2>



Dr. Kit Prendergast, a researcher at Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, didn't just set up bee hotels to provide shelter. She turned them into research stations. 



“Bee hotels are more than just a way to give <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bee-survival-depends-on-more-than-just-pollen-abundance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> a place to nest - they’re powerful research tools that let us measure how well native bees are surviving and reproducing in different environments,” Dr. Prendergast said.



For two spring-to-summer seasons, Dr. Prendergast and her team studied 1000 native bee nests in 14 urban bushland and garden sites. 



The findings? In areas swarming with honey <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-diet-offers-hope-for-saving-endangered-honey-bees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a>, native bees faced trouble. They produced fewer female offspring. Their offspring had higher mortality rates. And the males that survived were noticeably smaller.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honey-bees-outcompete-native-bees">Honey bees outcompete native bees </h2>



Honey <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/science-is-giving-beekeepers-a-better-way-to-fight-colony-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> collected pollen from many types of plants, including both local and non-native ones. Native bees, however, focused on a smaller number of specific plants. 



This difference in foraging behavior made it harder for native bees to find enough food, as honey bees took pollen from a wider range of sources.



During the first year, honey bees collected pollen from 10.3 different species on average, while native bees gathered from just 4.3. In the second year, honey bees still maintained their wide range, collecting from 8.1 species. Native bees, however, only managed 2.8.



That’s a lot of overlap. Too much. In areas with high pollen overlap, native bees provisioned fewer cells for their offspring. Less food meant fewer babies. And fewer babies meant a population under pressure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-gardens-intensify-pollen-competition">Urban gardens intensify pollen competition</h2>



Gardens may look like paradises for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-wearing-tiny-qr-codes-reveal-foraging-secrets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a>, but they can also be battlegrounds. 



Honey bees, with their broad pollen preferences, took full advantage of exotic plants. They outcompeted native bees in residential gardens, where floral diversity was often lower and more fragmented.



Dr. Prendergast pointed out that in these urban gardens, the impact of honey bee densities became more pronounced. Parasitism rates among native bees increased, suggesting that honey bee competition might make them more vulnerable to parasites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honey-bees-affect-native-bee-sex-ratios">Honey bees affect native bee sex ratios</h2>



Honey bees didn’t just take pollen. They also affected the sex ratio of native bees. Female bees need more resources to develop, and when those resources get scarce, fewer females emerge.



“In some conditions, greater overlap in pollen use was associated with lower offspring numbers in native bees,” Dr. Prendergast noted. 



And the offspring that did emerge? More males than females. This male-biased sex ratio could destabilize native bee populations over time, making it harder for them to recover.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-competition-reduces-reproduction">Competition reduces reproduction</h2>



Pollen is essential for bees. They collect it, eat it, and use it to feed their young. The study found that honey bees gathered pollen from more plant types than native bees.



In the first year, honey bees collected pollen from 58 plant species, but native bees only collected from 41. The next year, honey bees still foraged from 41 species, while native bees dropped to 24.



This difference matters. When honey bees take pollen from many plants, they leave less for native bees. 



With less pollen available, native bees have less food to feed their young. This leads to fewer offspring, smaller young, and fewer females, which can weaken native bee populations over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-urban-vs-bushland-divide">The urban vs. bushland divide</h2>



Urban gardens didn’t just have more honey bees. They had more floral competition and higher parasitism rates. 



Native bees in bushland remnants fared slightly better, surrounded by more native flora and fewer honey bees. But even in these relatively protected areas, the pressure was still on.



The competition in gardens was particularly intense, with honey bees exploiting exotic plants that native bees couldn’t use as effectively. As a result, native bees had to work harder, forage longer, and ultimately, face greater risks from parasites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honey-bees-increase-native-bee-mortality">Honey bees increase native bee mortality </h2>



Mortality rates for native bee offspring spiked in the first year of the study. Urban gardens with high honey bee densities saw the most significant increases. Fewer provisioned cells. More dead larvae. And for the males that did survive? They were smaller than usual.



“This shows that honey bees are not as benign as some might think - they can negatively impact local ecosystems and potentially contribute to declines in native bee populations,” Dr. Prendergast explained. 



And those smaller males? They’re less likely to find mates, further straining the population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honey-bees-collect-more-pollen">Honey bees collect more pollen</h2>



Pollen analysis revealed a stark picture. Honey bees collected over twice as many pollen species as native bees. They didn’t just stick to native plants - they also targeted exotics, increasing the overlap and making it harder for native bees to find enough food.



The most common pollen species for honey bees included Eucalyptus marginata, Corymbia calophylla, and Melaleuca sp. For native bees, it was the same lineup. 



This shared preference intensified the competition, with honey bees taking more than their share, leaving native bees with less.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategies-to-protect-native-bees">Strategies to protect native bees</h2>



What can be done to protect native bees? Dr. Prendergast suggests increasing native plant diversity in urban areas. By planting more species that native bees prefer - and that honey bees don’t - we can reduce competition.



Managing honey bee populations in urban gardens could also help. Fewer managed hives, fewer feral colonies. But it’s not that simple. Honey bees are valuable pollinators, and their removal isn’t always practical.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Dr. Prendergast’s work is just the beginning. The study, funded by the City of Stirling, the <a href="https://www.aws.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian Wildlife Society</a>, Hesperia, and the <a class="" href="https://www.forrestresearch.org.au/">Forrest Research Foundation</a>, points to a need for more targeted research.



Future studies could focus on long-term monitoring, examining how native bee populations fare over several years in areas with varying honey bee densities.



Understanding how pollen overlap affects native bee fitness in different habitats could also provide clues for more effective conservation strategies. Because in this hidden battle, the stakes are high. 



For native bees, survival may depend on more than just flowers - it may depend on the flowers they can still call their own.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bee-science/articles/10.3389/frbee.2025.1508958/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Bee Science</a>.



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Native bee species face extinction due to honey bee competition

European honey bees, celebrated for their industrious nature, may be...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[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

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