In the natural world, family often defines survival strategies. Across species, cooperation among relatives has evolved into a powerful tool to ensure success in challenging environments. Yet few creatures embody this principle so intricately as the long-tailed tit.



Found flitting through British gardens, these small birds reveal extraordinary loyalty to their kin. Far from fleeting connections, long-tailed tits show unwavering commitment to family, even during the upheaval of migration. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooperation-in-animal-societies">Cooperation in animal societies</h2>



Recent research from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sheffield</a> brings the hidden social lives of long-tailed tits into sharp focus, offering new insights into how cooperation shapes animal societies.



Decades of careful observation and rigorous analysis culminated in a study that redefines what we know about the evolution of social behaviors. 



Through the lives of these tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-adapt-their-survival-strategies-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>, we glimpse powerful lessons about kinship, resilience, and the surprising complexity of animal communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-tailed-tits-stay-loyal-to-family">Long-tailed tits stay loyal to family</h2>



The study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, draws on an extraordinary 30-year dataset. It confirms that long-tailed tits retain strong family bonds throughout migratory movements - a phenomenon never before documented so consistently in cooperative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-brains-and-wide-ranges-cant-save-birds-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>.



Long-tailed tits migrate not as isolated individuals but as tightly knit family units. This behavior ensures that when they arrive at new locations, they are surrounded by familiar, trusted kin ready to support each other.



"This 30-year study is unique in its depth and has allowed us to understand the evolution of cooperation in a way that would not have been possible otherwise. The discovery of family ties persisting through migration is particularly exciting," noted Dr. Jennifer Morinay, co-lead author of the research.



"These tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-evolution-timeline-pushed-back-20-million-years-by-baminornis-zhenghensis-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> essentially travel with their support network, ensuring that when they reach their new location, they have their kin ready to assist. It highlights the profound importance of family in their social structure."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-groups-survive-together">Family groups survive together</h2>



The research identifies several intertwined processes that create and sustain these family structures. Limited natal dispersal ensures many young birds settle close to their birthplace. Even when they do move, long-tailed tits often migrate alongside their siblings, keeping family bonds intact across vast distances.



At the same time, environmental pressures, particularly high predation rates, play a significant role. Frequent nest failures result in clusters of surviving families, making the presence of close kin nearby more likely. Together, these ecological and demographic factors form what scientists term "kin neighborhoods."



Incredibly, even migratory long-tailed tits, such as those studied in Estonia, preserve these ties during long journeys. Studies found that 82% of migratory flocks included at least one first-order relative. These findings challenge longstanding assumptions that migration disrupts social cohesion among birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-roots-of-helping-behavior">Evolutionary roots of helping behavior</h2>



Long-tailed tits do not only stick close to their families; they actively help them. When breeding attempts fail, many individuals redirect their efforts to assist <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-birds-are-at-great-risk-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relatives</a> raising broods. This redirected helping strengthens the survival chances of their kin’s offspring, ultimately boosting their own inclusive fitness.



"The push and pull between cooperation and competition is something we readily recognize in our own lives. This study demonstrates that these same fundamental tensions are at play in the social dynamics of long-tailed tits and likely many other species," noted Professor Ben Hatchwell, co-lead author of the study.



"Our long-term research provides significant insights into the ecological and social conditions that favour cooperative behaviour and the evolutionary forces that sculpt these intricate social interactions."



Helping decisions are not random acts of kindness. They are influenced by various factors including the bird’s own breeding success, its relatedness to nearby individuals, and the strength of prior social bonds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mistakes-in-kin-recognition">Mistakes in kin recognition</h2>



Despite their strong social instincts, long-tailed tits sometimes help unrelated individuals. 



About 30% of helpers were found assisting nests of non-kin. Scientists believe this stems from errors in kin recognition rather than a deliberate choice.



The birds rely heavily on learned acoustic cues to identify relatives. Calls learned during the nestling stage help them recognize kin, but these vocal cues are not always completely reliable. Studies show overlap in call similarities between kin and non-kin, leading to occasional misdirected care.



Efforts are ongoing to determine whether other cues, such as olfactory signals, also influence how long-tailed tits recognize their family and make crucial helping decisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environment-shapes-cooperation">Environment shapes cooperation</h2>



The study also shows how environmental pressures influence the rates of cooperation. Moderate levels of nest predation foster the highest levels of helping behaviour. 



If predation is too low, there are fewer failed breeders needing alternative strategies. If too high, there are simply fewer successful nests available to help.



Shorter breeding seasons similarly encourage cooperation. With less time to attempt new broods after failure, many birds abandon independent breeding and instead opt to help their kin.



Interestingly, overall population density did not seem to impact cooperation rates, suggesting that the quality of family connections matters more than simple numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-where-to-live">Choosing where to live</h2>



Where a bird chooses to settle has long-term fitness consequences. Males who stay close to their natal territory accrue higher indirect fitness by helping relatives. Conversely, males who disperse far have fewer opportunities to help and lower overall inclusive fitness.



Females experience a different dynamic. Those who disperse farther tend to achieve slightly better direct reproductive success, likely because dispersal reduces inbreeding risks.



These differing pressures create a fascinating tug-of-war, shaping dispersal behaviours across generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-ties-of-long-tailed-tits">Family ties of long-tailed tits </h2>



Perhaps the most striking revelation is that migration, once believed to hinder the evolution of cooperation, does not necessarily break social bonds. Long-tailed tits maintain their family ties even after traveling hundreds of kilometres.



This finding challenges traditional theories and highlights the incredible flexibility of social strategies in the natural world. Stable territorial groups are not the only route to successful cooperation. 



Dynamic, migratory species can also evolve and sustain sophisticated social systems based on family loyalty.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-long-tailed-tits-recognize-family">How do long-tailed tits recognize family?</h2>



Looking ahead, the researchers aim to untangle the specific mechanisms that allow long-tailed tits to recognize and remember their kin.



Current efforts focus on understanding the role of calls, scents, and social associations built during early life stages. Scientists are investigating whether maintaining winter flock associations with relatives influences recognition in later breeding seasons.



These studies promise to deepen our understanding of how cooperation, kinship, and social cognition evolve across species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-birds-with-mighty-hearts">Tiny birds with mighty hearts</h2>



Through the lives of long-tailed tits, we see how powerful, enduring, and flexible family bonds can be, even in a world full of risks and change.



The study from Sheffield shows that nature’s loyalty is not reserved for mammals or large social species alone. In every tiny flutter of a long-tailed tit’s wing, there lies a rich story of kinship, survival, and the enduring power of cooperation.



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.14237" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>. 



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Long-tailed tits migrate in family units and maintain lasting bonds

In the natural world, family often defines survival strategies. Across species, cooperation among relatives has evolved into a powerful tool to ensure success in challenging environments. Yet few creatures embody this principle so intricately as the long-tailed tit. Found flitting through British gardens, these small birds reveal extraordinary loyalty to their kin. Far from fleeting connections, long-tailed tits show unwavering commitment to family, even during the upheaval of migration. Cooperation in animal societies Recent research from the University of Sheffield brings the hidden social lives of long-tailed...

If you look closely at a fruit fly, you’ll notice that they don’t exactly have a nose between their big, bug eyes. So how is it possible for them to use a sense of “smell” to detect where their next meal might be located? 

The answer is in the nanopores located on the cuticle covering sensilla, which are olfactory organs on the antennas of insects. A new study from the <a href="http://www.riken.jp/en/">RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research</a> (BDR) details how these nanopores allow <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-travel-miles/">fruit flies</a> to detect chemicals in the air, as well as the gene behind their development.

An insect’s ability to smell allows it to search for food, find mates, and generally react to the environment around it. The nanopores on the cuticle covering the sensilla are believed to work as filters, allowing odorant molecules to enter but keeping larger airborne particles out so the insect can avoid liquid loss. 

Through observing developing fruit fly pupa in detail using transmission electron microscopy, researchers found that the cuticular nanopores in fruit flies’ olfactory sensilla originate from a curved ultrathin film formed in the outermost envelope layer of the cuticle. This film is secreted from specialized protrusions in the plasma membrane of the hair-forming (trichogen) cell, and the envelope curvature coincides with plasma membrane undulations associated with structures within the cells.

[caption id="attachment_1871462" align="aligncenter" width="373"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/sensilla.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871462 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/sensilla.jpg" alt="" width="373" height="444" /></a> Microscopic image of fruit fly sensilla. Image Credit: Riken[/caption]

Continuing further, the research team investigated the genetics behind the formation of pores using next-generation genome sequencing. This led to the discovery of a gene called gore-tex, which is responsible for the formation of the pores. 

The gene is a member of the gene family called Osiris, and encodes a protein that is needed for envelope curvature, nanopore formation, and odor receptivity. The Osiris gene family itself is only found in insect genomes, and other genes within this family are expressed in cuticle-secreting cells.

“Our study revealed the elements required for the development of nanopores to allow odor reception, and identified Osiris genes as a platform for investigating the evolution of surface nano-fabrication in insects,” says study leader Shigeo Hayashi. “We hope that studies like this will help us understand how nature builds these fascinating nanostructures that allow living creatures to acquire many specialized functions.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How does a fruit fly smell?

If you look closely at a fruit fly, you’ll notice...

22 million-year-old fossils that were tucked away in a drawer in the <a href="https://www.museums.or.ke/">National Museums of Kenya </a>once belonged to a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-species-mongolian-dinosaur/">new species</a> of a giant mammal that was bigger than a polar bear.

The meat-eating mammal, dubbed Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, had a skull the size of a rhinoceros and large canine teeth. Fossils from Simbakubwa kutokaafrika were first unearthed in Kenya decades ago and stored away.

It wasn’t until paleontologists from <a href="https://www.ohio.edu/">Ohio University</a> recently rediscovered the fossils that it was realized that the bones belonged to an entirely new species of long-extinct giant carnivore.

“Opening a museum drawer, we saw a row of gigantic meat-eating teeth, clearly belonging to a species new to science,” said Mathew Borths, the lead author of a study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The researchers called the species Simbakubwa kutokaafrika because simbakubwa is Swahili for “big lion,” which is fitting since the animal would have ruled the food chain much like Africa’s big cats today.

However, Simbakubwa kutokaafrika is not closely related to lions or other big cats but instead belonged to a group of extinct mammals called hyaenodonts.

Kutokaafrika translates to “coming from Africa” in Swahili because the species was the oldest species of gigantic hyaenodonts and likely originated in Africa before moving north and flourishing for millions of years.

45 million years after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, hyaenodonts became the first mammal carnivores in Africa.

A rapidly changing global ecosystem coincided with the extinction of hyaenodonts, but researchers are still unsure of what exactly caused the mammals to be wiped out.

The newly described fossil could help researchers uncover more clues to its past and eventual extinction which makes the discovery particularly noteworthy.

“This is a pivotal fossil, demonstrating the significance of museum collections for understanding evolutionary history,” said Nancy Stevens, a co-author of the study. “Simbakubwa is a window into a bygone era. As ecosystems shifted, a key predator disappeared, heralding Cenozoic faunal transitions that eventually led to the evolution of the modern African fauna.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Mauricio Anton

22 million-year-old fossils reveal new species of giant carnivore

22 million-year-old fossils that were tucked away in a drawer...

A shocking new study led by <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> has found that 73 percent more sharks are caught in the southwest Indian Ocean than what is officially reported. Each year, the total number of sharks, rays, and other fish caught accidentally in the region is estimated to be 2.5 million.

The investigation was focused on small-scale fisheries operating from Kenya, Zanzibar, and Madagascar. The total annual catch, which was predominantly made up of requiem, hammerhead, ground, and hound sharks, totaled around 35,000 tons.

According to the study authors, the research highlights the substantial underreporting of catches by small scale fisheries and the urgent need to expand global efforts to assess the impact on vulnerable species.

“Small scale fisheries account for 95% of fishers globally and around 35% of the total catch and yet despite this, they have received very little attention,” said study lead author Andrew Temple. “The aim of the project was to start to understand the impact these small scale fisheries are having on the environment by recording a baseline of vulnerable megafauna, such as turtles, rays and sharks.”

“And what we found was a huge discrepancy between the numbers being declared and the actual number being caught - in excess of 2.5 million individual sharks and rays annually. This study clearly shows the impact of small scale fisheries on coastal, oceanic and even deepwater species.”

An estimated 40 percent of fish caught worldwide are snagged in lines and nets unintentionally, affecting vulnerable species such as <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marine-heat-waves-threaten-dolphins/">dolphins</a>, sharks, and seabirds. The bycatch is usually thrown back out to sea in large-scale commercial fishing. However,  small scale fisheries, such as those examined for the study, were found to often keep the non-target fish and sell them illegally. 

The researchers monitored fisheries in the South West Indian Ocean for 12 months. Overall, they identified 59 non-target species, including three sea turtles and one Dugong dugon, commonly known as a sea cow. Sharks and rays were found to be the most common by-product species.

“We looked at just one region of the world but it's likely that similar underreporting is happening in small scale fisheries globally - which means our 2,500,000 unreported sharks and rays only represent a small portion of the total global catch,” said study senior author Dr. Per Berggren.

“Reducing this figure is essential to protect life in the sea but also to safeguard the future sustainability of small scale fisheries and the communities whose livelihoods are dependent on them. This research is the first step towards doing that.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biological-conservation">Biological Conservation</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2.5 million fish are unintentionally caught each year in the Indian Ocean

A shocking new study led by Newcastle University has found...

In the southern Gobi Desert in Mongolia, paleontologists recently unearthed a perfectly preserved complete dinosaur skeleton belonging to a new species closely related to hadrosaurs. 

The discovery is helping to fill in some evolutionary gaps when it comes to Mongolian dinosaurs during the Cretaceous Period.

Hadrosaurs are duck-billed herbivores that were widespread during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaurs-flourishing-killed-off/">Late Cretaceous Period</a>, and little is known about how the family Hadrisauridae evolved.

[caption id="attachment_1871392" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/dinosaur.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871392" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/dinosaur.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="704" /></a> Skeletal reconstructions of Gobihadros mongoliensis. Image Credit: Tsogtbaatar et al, 2019.[/caption]

A lack of complete fossils has made it difficult for researchers to piece together the early evolution and origins of the dinosaurs. 

Now, in a new study published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0208480">PLOS ONE</a>, researchers from the <a href="https://www.academy.ac.il/Index7/Entry.aspx?nodeId=864&amp;entryId=18902">Mongolian Academy of Science</a> have described the first non-hadrosaurid taxon from the Early Late Cretaceous. 

The new species, a close relative of hadrosaurs, is called Gobihadros mongoliensis. Several specimens, including a virtually complete and perfectly preserved skeleton, were included in the study. 

After analyzing the fossils, the researchers found that the species didn’t fit in the Hadrisauridae family but instead was a close relative.

The find marks the first known discovery of a complete skeleton in central Asia dating back to the Late Cretaceous.

The new species still leaves much of the early evolution of hadrosaurs a mystery, but the researchers have good reason to believe that hadrosaurs in the region did not directly evolve from Gobihadros mongoliensis, but rather that Asian hadrosaurs migrated from North America. 

Once the new species of hadrosaurs migrated into the region, Gobihadros mongoliensis and other earlier native hadrosaurs went extinct, but the researchers say that more fossil evidence is needed to confirm this theory. 

“The article describes, for the first time, extraordinary well-preserved fossil material of hadrosauroid dinosaur as a new genus and species from the early Late Cretaceous in Mongolia," the researchers write in their study. “We hope that it will be very useful material for further study of the evolution of hadrosauroids, iguanodintians and ornithopods as well.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New species of Mongolian dinosaur found in the Gobi Desert

In the southern Gobi Desert in Mongolia, paleontologists recently unearthed...

A study into one of the world’s oldest types of fish is giving experts new clues about how lobe-finned fishes and land animals evolved. The analysis of the coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae, is also answering questions about the skull and brain development of vertebrates.

The coelacanth was thought to have vanished with the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dinosaurs-flourishing-killed-off/">dinosaurs</a> over 65 million years ago, until a living specimen was found off the coast of South Africa in 1938. The discovery prompted debate about how this fish fits into our understanding of the evolution of land animals.

The skull of this rare fish was found to be completely split in half a by special “intracranial joint,” and its brain is only one percent the size of the skull. An international team of researchers led by Dr. Hugo Dutel at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has looked into the biology of this unique skull at different stages of development to determine when it divides and forms a hinge.

“We think that formation of this special joint is probably caused by the unique development of the notochord (a tube extending below the brain and the spinal cord in the early stages of life),” explained study co-author Professor John Long.

“It usually degenerates into a small rod below the brain in some fishes. However, the notochord for Coelacanth expands dramatically to become 50 times bigger than the brain in the adult fish.”

“This process of brain growth is very unusual, especially compared to primates like us in which the brain expands dramatically. A mismatch between the brain and its cavity also exists in some other living and fossil fishes, but what is observed here is totally unequalled among vertebrates.”


Today, the two species of coelacanth that remain are referred to as “living fossils” because they are physically unchanged. To visualize the internal anatomy of the fish, the scientists used advanced imaging techniques. The data was used to create detailed 3D models, which allowed the team to analyze how the shape of the skull, the brain. and the notochord changes from a fetus to an adult.

“Coelacanths are iconic animals thought to be on the line to the first land animals or tetrapods, because of their strange hinged head,” said Professor Long. “This new research shows the peculiar hinge in the skull was caused by persistence of the large cartilaginous rod, or notochord, preventing the skull form ossifying as one solid unit.”

The team noted how these structures are positioned relative to each other throughout development, and compared the observations to the formation of the skull in other vertebrates.


“There are still more questions than answers! Latimeria still holds many clues for our understanding of vertebrate evolution, and it is important to protect this threatened species and its environment,” said Dr. Hutel.


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Laurent Ballista, Gombessa expeditions, Andromede Oceanology Ltd

‘Living fossils’ reveal how skulls evolved in vertebrates

A study into one of the world’s oldest types of...

As our human-occupied areas extend further beyond their borders into lands once only occupied by nature, wildlife is being pushed together in higher concentrations – especially near the suburbs. According to a new study from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, this is leading to carnivores like coyotes and bobcats to interact at a higher rate. 

This new research looked at how carnivores interact with each other when they’re sharing space in small suburban forest patches. The study was done with the aid of 557 volunteers and 1,260 remote cameras set up in suburban, exurban, rural, and wild areas – allowing the researchers to document 6,413 carnivores. The carnivore species documented in the study included bobcats, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/spread-coyotes-deer-numbers/">coyotes</a>, and both gray and red foxes.

“We found a lot of animal activity in the suburbs, but it was really concentrated in the remaining green space. We think carnivores are trying to avoid people, so they are moving through the strips of remaining forest, where they are more likely to interact with each other,” explains Arielle Parsons, lead author and researcher with the <a href="https://naturalsciences.org/">North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences</a>. “What we discovered was that preserving green space in our cities is important not only for humans but also for wildlife species. Green space provides cover, it provides food and it’s a good way for carnivores to navigate without being in any danger from people.”

Previously, some had theorized that smaller carnivores might stick closer to people in these situations, in order to use them as “human shields” from larger predators. But this study found the opposite effect. “We found, on the contrary, that gray foxes and coyotes especially – our smallest species and our largest species – actually tended to use the same sites,” says Parsons. “In other words, they didn’t avoid each other, which was pretty surprising.”

This finding is good news for those of us who would prefer to keep our distance from carnivores (our own dogs don’t count). Parsons explains, “Our study is showing that carnivores are trying to stay away from people by using forested areas. If we give them the opportunity to do that through preservation of green space and green space corridors through our urban areas, carnivores are going to continue to live nearby, which is actually a good thing for the ecology of our cities."

It turns out that the animal activity within these green strips closely mimics the methods by which we interact within our own urbanized and suburbanized communities. “Just like roadways and sidewalks focus human movement and increase the potential for interaction, we find the high use of strips of remaining green space by carnivores increases their level of interaction,” says study co-author Roland Kays, a zoologist with NC State and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. “This shows how urban planning can affect the ecology of animals that share cities with people.”

This study further emphasizes the need for careful planning involving the nature and wildlife around us when it comes to expanding our urban and suburban areas. In our quest for continued growth, we often forget that we share our space with other creatures as well.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Squeezed into smaller spaces, carnivores interact more often

As our human-occupied areas extend further beyond their borders into...

Seven new North Atlantic right whale calves have been spotted in Cape Cod Bay off the coast of Massachusetts this year. The sightings are good news for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales and a much hoped for improvement after no new calves were spotted last year. 

While the new calves are a step in the right direction, experts warn the population is far from fully recovering. 

This month, three pairs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/critically-endangered-right-whale-spotted/">North Atlantic right whale</a> mothers and calves were spotted in the bay, and two of the most recent sightings are credited to an aerial survey team from the <a href="http://coastalstudies.org/">Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies</a>. 

Seven mothers and their calves were spotted by researchers from the <a href="https://myfwc.com/">Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation</a> over that past several months. 

One of the sightings proved for the first time that a whale tagged as whale #4180 was female when previously, the sex of #4180 was unknown. 

Currently, only 450 right whales are what remain from a dwindling species that was hunted to near extinction by whalers in the 1800s. 

Despite conservation efforts, the North Atlantic right whale continues to suffer from pollution, shipping collisions, and other human activities like fishing. 

One of the new mothers, #4180, has wounds on her back from getting caught up in fishing gear.

Researchers who spotted the calves warn that too much media coverage and hype surrounding the calves can lead to a false impression that the whales are recovering successfully, but this is not the case. 

For the population to be on track to recovery, around 17 new calves would have to be born per year. 

“The signs are better than they were last year or the year before, but we're not out of the woods yet,” Philip Hamilton, New England Aquarium research scientist, told <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/seven-north-atlantic-right-whale-calves-spotted-so-far-this-year-65561">The Scientist</a> last month. 

Besides a decline in overall calf births, there have also been 20 recorded right whale deaths since 2017. 

“We haven't even broken even on number of dead whales with new births, and that is what the last decade or so has been trending towards,” said Jen Jakush, a biologist from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “The population is definitely in decline.” 

It is currently projected that right whales will go extinct within the next two decades.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

New hope for North Atlantic right whales after 7 calves are spotted

Seven new North Atlantic right whale calves have been spotted...

The best places to observe wild bats in the United States. Of the flying animals, birds certainly get the most attention.  People set out food and housing for the feathered denizens of the sky.  Large non-profits and clubs are dedicated to watching birds for fun and to their conservation.  It seems that bird research, conservation, and management are - compared to work with other organisms- relatively well funded.  Bats, on the other hand, are the bad boys of the sky, skulking past the moon at night and connected to the literature and film of our darkest fears and desires.  

Bats do have a lot in common with birds, as both are a pleasure to view and both can be attracted into a yard if things are arranged to suit their needs.  When I was conducting hummingbird research in Ecuador, I noticed something. If I left hummingbird feeders out into the evening, bats would visit them for the artificial nectar.  Depending on location, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bat-friendly-tequila-species-recovery/#.XKEQ_RplChA">pollinator bats</a> visit the United States as well.  If you already have hummingbird feeders hanging outside on a warm summer night in the southwestern part of the US, it might be worth watching it for nocturnal visitors.  

According to the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/animals/bats.shtml">United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)</a>, two bats play an important role in pollinating the saguaro cactus and agave in the US.  The Lesser Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris curasoae yerbabuena) and the Mexican Long-tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana) migrate from Mexico to Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas where they feed on plant nectar.  

Mangos, bananas and guavas all depend on bats for pollination.  Planting flowers that these bats like may very well attract them to your yard, the bats also sometimes eat insects found on plants, helping the plant out in another way.  According to the USDA, flowers bats visit tend to be white, green or purple, emit strong odors, and are open at night. <a href="https://batslive.pwnet.org">Bats Live</a> suggests planting evening primrose, Phlox and <a href="https://batslive.pwnet.org/pdf/Bat_Garden.pdf">other night blooming plants</a> to attract pollinating bats.  These bats pollinate much of the native plant life of the desert southwest, keeping cacti and the animals and plants dependent on them healthy.  However, the majority of bats in the US eat insects. Like birds, different bats occupy different niches in different environments and many even migrate depending on the season.         

The main difference between birds and bats, for the casual observer, is that it is inevitably harder to view bats that are small and nocturnal compared to many birds that can be brightly colored and active during the day.  Bats like their feathery, diurnal neighbors fill the night with noises, just not always noises human ears can easily pick up. 

Besides communication, bats also vocalizations to navigate in the dark.  Different bat species emit echolocation clicks at different frequencies, and because of this, bat researchers can use recordings to tease out how many bats of what species are in an area.  Sophisticated software analyzes high frequency recordings, reliably identifying bats. There are now apps combined with special speakers for sale that can be used to turn smartphones and tablets into bat detecting and identifying devices.  

Since the technology is relatively new, it can be pricey. <a href="https://www.echometertouch.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqfejl5Ot4QIV4SCtBh345AL-EAAYASAAEgIgJ_D_BwE">Echo Meter Touch</a>, a bat detector for phones and tablets, costs $179 for the recreational version and $349 for the professional.  Much less expensive kits that allow you to make a less sophisticated bat detector sell on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Franzis-Make-your-Detector-Manual/dp/3645652760/ref=asc_df_3645652760/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=312021238077&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=5753394855355597857&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=t&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9030237&amp;hvtargid=pla-474438108892&amp;psc=1">Amazon</a> for around $30.  Simple <a href="https://batmanagement.com/collections/bat-detector-buyers-guide-active-detectors">detectors</a> usually just convert the bat’s ultrasonic noises into a frequency the human ear can hear, giving you the joy of ‘hearing’ bat echolocation without knowing what species is making the noise.  Besides observing the quiet lives of bats flitting around everyone’s neighborhood, there are also a few places to visit known for their spectacular abundance of bats.

Austin, Texas, is a place with a famous colony of bats.  According to <a href="https://freefuninaustin.com/how-to-see-bats-in-austin/">Free Fun in Austin</a>, 1.5 million Mexican Free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) roost under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, claiming to be the largest urban colony of bats in the world.  The Mexican Free-tailed bats are claimed to have the fastest horizontal speed of any animal (as opposed to the diving speed of animals like the peregrine falcon) flying as fast as 60 mph, according to <a href="http://www.batcon.org/resources/media-education/bats-magazine/bat_article/656">batcon.org</a>.  At night in the summer, tourists flock to this bridge to watch the speeding flurry of wings as the bats leave their day time sleeping areas to hunt for insects.  Boat tours pass under the bridge allowing good views of the bats and kayaks and can be rented to explore the bat bridge on your own. 

<a href="http://www.batcon.org/index.php/our-work/regions/usa-canada/protect-mega-populations/bracken-cave">Bracken Cave</a>, not far from downtown San Antonio, Texas, is home to an even larger colony of bats.  With a population of more than 15 million Mexican Free-tailed bats, it’s one of the larger colonies.  Bat Conservation International now owns Bracken Cave, protecting it from development and allowing visitors to see the spectacular eruptive emergence of bats on summer nights.  As in Austin, Bracken Cave is a maternity colony, a place where female bats have their pups. In June, the mother bat will give birth to one pup, by mid-August the baby bats can fly, which is when you see the largest number of bats flying out of their resting spots.  

Texas might bring a large number of tourists, but it’s not the only place to see bats.  <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carlsbad-caverns-new-mexico/#.XKEkIBplChA">Carlsbad Caverns</a> is home to an impressive subterranean national park in New Mexico.  The National Park Service runs a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/bat_flight_program.htm">bat flight program</a> at Carlsbad that starts on May 25 and runs into October.  Although Carlsbad Caverns is home to 17 species of bats, it’s the Mexican Free-tailed Bats that again live in such spectacular numbers.  

Tucson, Arizona has its own bat bridges, as do many lesser known towns in the American Southwest.  According to the <a href="https://www.library.pima.gov/content/bats-in-tucson/">Pima County Library</a>, a colony under Pantano Wash Bridge was estimated to have a population of 20,000 Mexican Free-tailed bats.  <a href="https://www.nps.gov/maca/learn/news/bat-night2013.htm">Mammoth Cave National Park</a> in Kentucky hosts a celebration of national bat night on August 31.  According to <a href="http://www.batcon.org/resources/media-education/news-room/the-echo/1104-bat-tourism-the-surprising-power-of-bat-watching-holidaymakers">Bat Conservation International</a>, visitors are also drawn to see bats in Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe.  If none of these places are within your means to visit and you don’t have a green thumb, it’s always possible to build a <a href="http://free.woodworking-plans.org/bat-house-plans.html">bat house</a> and see who takes up residence.  I’ve even seen bats living in numbers even in Alaska in an abandoned building.       

--                    

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

The best places to observe wild bats in the United States

The best places to observe wild bats in the United...

A new study from the <a href="http://global.oup.com/">Oxford University Press</a> is warning that some species of sparrows will vanish before the end of this century, as their natural habitats are wiped out. The seaside and saltmarsh sparrows both depend almost entirely on coastal salt marshes, yet their projected responses to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/galapagos-iguanas-struggling-climate-change/">climate change</a> were found to be different.

Salt marshes cover only about 30,000 square miles worldwide, with one-third of them located along the coast of North America. Overall, 15 of the 25 species of sparrows that are limited to tidal wetlands are found solely on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. These groups are particularly threatened by changing climatic conditions and other threats to salt marsh ecosystems.

The breeding range of the saltmarsh sparrow extends from Virginia to Maine, with a population of about 60,000 birds. As the sea levels rise, the amount of available habitat for seaside and saltmarsh sparrows will decline and nests will be flooded more frequently. In addition, growing human populations on the coast are putting increasing pressure on the birds.

The current study was focused on the fate of seaside and saltmarsh sparrows within the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey based on various scenarios. The researchers also set out to explore potential management strategies to prevent population declines.


Under the condition of a one-foot or a 2.5-foot rise in sea levels, seaside sparrows survived. The saltmarsh sparrows, however, were projected to become locally extinct in about 30 years under both conditions. 

“Given the projected increases in sea level over the next few decades and threats from predators, we will need to implement timely and creative actions to avoid extinction of saltmarsh sparrows,” said study lead author Samuel Griffith Roberts.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.americanornithology.org/content/condor-ornithological-applications">The Condor: Ornithological Applications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Endangered sparrows are facing extinction with future sea-level rise

A new study from the Oxford University Press is warning...

It may seem hard to find two animals more different than a hummingbird and an crocodile  But as strange as it may be, birds and crocodilians (the group containing alligators, crocodiles and gharials) are each other’s closest relatives.  In fact, crocodilians and birds are the sole survivors of a much larger and more diverse group called the archosaurs. Archosaurs translates into ‘ruling reptiles’ which explains why it contains all extinct dinosaurs and pterosaurs (flying reptiles).  Archosaurs actually were ruling reptiles for a while, at least in a certain sense. 

One large division among vertebrates is synapsids vs. diapsids.  This division is named for holes in the skull. Diapsids have one more hole in their skulls (to lighten them) than do synapsids; ‘di’ meaning ‘two’.  Synapsids include all mammals and the ancestors of mammals, the ‘mammal-like reptiles’. During the Permian Period, the mammal-like reptiles were doing very well, occupying a large amount of niches available.  

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/permian-mass-extinction/">Permian-Triassic extinction</a> changed the balance though.  Enough mammal-like reptiles died off that it left the door open to the archosaurs, which is why we see the beginnings of true dinosaurs appear in the Triassic.  200 million years ago toward the end of the Triassic is when the first crocodilian fossils show up. Of course, it was a while later before modern birds arrived.  

[caption id="attachment_1871271" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/archosaur.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871271" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/archosaur.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="488" /></a> Computer illustration of an Archosaur, Image Credit: Michael Rosskothen/Shutterstock[/caption]

Modern birds eventually evolved from dinosaurs.  The similarities between today’s birds and extinct dinosaurs are numerous – they have similar hip sockets (different from any other animals), they both have feathers, the feet of some dinosaurs were eerily similar to those of modern birds.  Looking at dinosaur trackways drives home the last point; the <a href="http://www.thetrustees.org/what-we-care-about/history-culture/tracking-time-place.html">first scientifically described dinosaur tracks</a> were hypothesized to be bird prints.  Given the thinking of the time, it was even suggested that the tracks were those of the ravens Noah released from the ark.  It’s easy to see the similarities between extinct dinosaurs and modern birds – they even nest in similar patterns. But you still have to dig a little harder to find the connections between crocodilians and birds.  

Of course, dinosaurs (birds) split from crocodiles at some point in the distant past, specifically sometime in the Triassic.  Interestingly, there is a fossil animal that showed up around when this split should’ve occurred. Carnufex was discovered in North Carolina in 2003, according to <a href="https://blogs.plos.org/paleocomm/2016/08/01/the-first-crocodile-ancestors/">PLOS</a>.  <a href="https://news.ncsu.edu/2015/03/zanno-carnufex/">North Carolina State University</a> reports that researchers led by Lindsay Zanno reconstructed Carnufex and found the creature to have a combination of crocodile and bird traits.  Carnufex seems to represent the beginning of a split between what would one day become modern birds and those that would become modern crocodilians.

Carnufex was about nine feet long, which shows that at that early time, land dwelling crocodile-like animals were competing directly with early dinosaurs for niches as top predators.  Eventually dinosaurs pushed those that would become crocodilians into their own niches but for a while, there were eerie similarities between the two. 

For anyone who’s watched a sea turtle pulling itself laboriously across a night time beach to dig a hole with her back flippers and lay eggs, only to leave them, it’s obvious reptiles aren’t good parents.  As soon as the turtle has filled in her hole, she crawls back to the ocean, leaving only an odd trackway and her hidden eggs to mark her passage. I’ve even watched sea turtles dig holes too low in the tide where water fills their nests and lay their doomed eggs anyway.  Birds, on the other hand, are great parents. 

For three months I helped collect data on nesting sea birds, especially black-legged kittiwakes.  The parent kittiwakes dutifully take turns sitting on eggs while the other is out hunting the sea for fish and other food.  There were variations in the parenting care for sure. When it was time to measure the eggs or chicks, most of the parents would simply fly from their nests, returning an hour later to resume parenting.  Some birds were relentless, like angry soccer moms out for blood. These birds would scream and circle, diving at the head of whoever was collecting data on their baby. Either way, the kittiwakes all put in a lot of time caring for chicks despite squabbles over prime nest platforms.  

Sometimes a pair would be pushed from their nest and replaced by a new ruthless pair of parents hungry for prime real estate.  Once I watched a new pair take over a nest with a chick. Instead of killing the chick or letting her die, the new pair simply adopted her, feeding her fish until she could fly away.  These are some of the more anthropocentric reasons that many people look more kindly on birds than other reptiles – they’re good parents, they perhaps even show something we could call empathy.  Interestingly, this is one trait shared between birds and crocodilians. 

When I interviewed for a position as a kayak naturalist guide in the Everglades, the head guide told me he’s only been rushed by an alligator once – when someone on a trip knocked baby alligators off a log without him noticing.  Crocodilians are better parents than sea turtles, and mother crocodilians can be similar to mother bears; if you mess with their babies you better watch out! All crocodilians put a bit of effort into building nests, digging a hole or mounding vegetation depending.  Rotting vegetation can actually warm the nest, incubating it. Some species depend on specific temperatures to determine the gender of the young. When the infant crocodilians are hatched, they’re carried in their mother’s mouth when danger is around. According to the <a href="https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/crocodilian">San Diego Zoo</a>, the only species that doesn’t carry her young this way is the gharial with a mouth too narrow for its young.  Crocodilians stay with their mothers for about a year, riding on her back and learning to swim. But it isn’t just behavior, either.  

According to the <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/11/bird-meet-cousin-alligator/">Harvard Gazette</a>, researcher, Arkhat Abzhanov has been looking at genes involved in bird and crocodile development.  Unsurprisingly there are some very similar genes expressed in very different ways between the two groups.  After all, birds and crocodilians are just two small pieces of the mystery and science of evolution that connects us to all life on Earth.       

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Crocodiles and birds have more in common than you might think

It may seem hard to find two animals more different...

Researchers from the <a href="http://english.kiz.cas.cn/">Kunming Institute of Zoology</a> injected rhesus monkeys with human genes creating transgenic monkeys in a controversial new study. 

The study, published in the Beijing journal National Science Review, was meant to help shed light on the evolution of human intelligence.

Human intelligence is a mystery and researchers are unsure how the human brain evolved so quickly. By comparing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-early-human-evolution/">chimpanzee or bonobo brains to human brains,</a> researchers can get a better idea of what genes might be behind human intelligence.

The researchers saw a unique opportunity to examine how the human gene MCPH1 influences intelligence in 11 rhesus monkeys.

The transgenic monkeys had slower brain development comparable to human brain development and performed better on short-term memory tests involving colors and shapes.

The researchers say there was no difference in brain size though, and the study does little to identify the driving mechanisms behind human intelligence.

Only five of the monkeys survived the tests which have led to questions about lab conditions and how the monkeys were cared for. 

The study has made waves among researchers who are concerned about the ethical ramifications of such experiments. 

“The use of transgenic monkeys to study human genes linked to brain evolution is a very risky road to take,” James Sikela, a researcher from the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado</a>, told<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/613277/chinese-scientists-have-put-human-brain-genes-in-monkeysand-yes-they-may-be-smarter/"> MIT Technology Review</a>. “It is a classic slippery slope issue, and one that we can expect to recur as this type of research is pursued.” 

This is not the first time that Chinese scientists have raised ethical concerns when it comes to genetically modified monkeys. 

Earlier in January researchers cloned five macaques from a single genetically engineered monkey that had a sleep disorder. All five of the clones developed mental problems as a result. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists inject monkeys with human brain genes in controversial study

Researchers from the Kunming Institute of Zoology injected rhesus monkeys...

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How jellyfish break free from the seafloor. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.oist.jp/">Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University</a> (OIST) have recently identified the genes that allow jellyfish to break free and swim away from the ocean floor, which they are anchored to in the earliest stage of life. The specialized genes enable the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/jellyfish-chips-crunchy-snack/">jellyfish</a> to transform from stalk-like structures rooted in sediment to the bell-shaped creatures that glide through the sea. 

While anthozoans such as anemones and corals live out their lives in an immobile polyp state, jellyfish are able to advance into the medusa stage. The researchers set out to investigate what gives jellyfish this ability by analyzing the genomes of a moon jellyfish and a giant box jellyfish.

“By comparing two different types of jellyfish we expected to identify some universal rules on how to make a medusa stage,” said study first author Dr. Konstantin Khalturin. How jellyfish break free from the seafloor

As a jellyfish exits its polyp stage and leaves the ocean floor, different genes are activated to assist in its development. To pinpoint these specialized genes, the researchers compared the complete gene sequences of a moon jellyfish from the Baltic Sea and a giant box jellyfish from Japan to the gene sequences of corals and anemones.

[caption id="attachment_1871261" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/moon-jellyfish.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871261" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/moon-jellyfish.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="503" /></a> Moon jellyfish, Image Credit: OIST[/caption]

“We expected that the genome organization in the two jellyfish would be more similar to each other than to the genomes of sea anemones or corals,” said Dr. Khalturin. By contrast, the genetic composition of the two jellyfish was drastically different, while the moon jelly was found to closely resemble anthozoans.

Ultimately, the team discovered that coral and anemones contain about two-thirds of the genes active in the medusa stage of the moon jellyfish. However, an additional arsenal of genes was found in moon jellyfish that were absent in the anthozoans. 

Corals and anemones lack the genes to grow certain organs and tissues, such as eyes and specialized swimming muscles. Both types of jellyfish had species-specific genes that only switch on during their jellyfish stages. The experts hope that future research could give scientists a better understanding of how jellyfish evolve.

The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Dr. Sho Toshino

How jellyfish break free from the seafloor

How jellyfish break free from the seafloor. Researchers at the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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



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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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