The sight of a whale shark, the largest fish alive today, leaves most people humbled. Its slow, graceful movements and gentle nature often make them symbols of the ocean’s mystery. Yet behind this serene image lies a struggle for survival.



Populations have fallen sharply, and their biology makes recovery slow. The findings of a new study from Indonesian waters not only reveal the scale of human impacts but also highlight why protecting whale sharks is vital for ocean health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whale-shark-decline-accelerates">Whale shark decline accelerates</h2>



Over the last 75 years, global whale shark numbers have dropped by more than half. In the Indo-Pacific, declines are even steeper. 



Hunting, habitat disruption, and entanglements push whale sharks closer to extinction. Because they take up to 30 years to mature, populations rebound very slowly. 



Large-bodied species like whale sharks face unique risks in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-invasion-how-microplastics-are-disrupting-land-ecosystems/">ecosystems</a> since they grow slowly, reproduce late, and invest heavily in fewer offspring. 



The researchers noted that the disappearance of such giants can ripple through marine systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-injuries-trace-back-to-people">Injuries trace back to people</h2>



In the Bird’s Head Seascape of West Papua, the research team found 62 percent of whale sharks bore scars or wounds, mostly from human actions.



“We found that scars and injuries were mainly from anthropogenic causes, such as collisions with ‘bagans’ - traditional fishing platforms with lift nets - and whale shark-watching tour boats,” said Dr. Edy Setyawan of the <a href="https://www.elasmobranchinstitute.id" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia</a>.



“Relatively harmless minor abrasions were the most common. Serious injuries from natural causes such as predator attacks, or from boat propellers were much less common."



Patterns in ecology show that when human activities concentrate near feeding or breeding grounds, injury rates increase significantly. 



According to the study, direct human pressures such as vessel strikes and fishing gear interactions remain among the greatest global threats to megafauna. Whale sharks are no exception.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-following-the-gentle-giants">Following the gentle giants</h2>



Between 2010 and 2023, the scientists tracked whale sharks across Cenderawasih Bay, Kaimana, Raja Ampat, and Fakfak. This biodiversity hotspot hosts 26 marine protected areas. Using the distinctive spot patterns of each shark, the researchers identified 268 individuals.



Nearly all sightings occurred near bagans, where whale sharks fed on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-threatens-the-global-fish-supply/">baitfish</a> like anchovies and sprats. Most were juvenile males, four to five meters long. More than half were resighted, including one young male recorded 34 times over three years.



From an ecological lens, these observations support a classic theory: young individuals often use coastal waters rich in food, while adults migrate offshore into deeper, less accessible habitats.



Such ontogenetic shifts are common across marine megafauna and are essential for population survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-injuries-reshape-populations">Injuries reshape populations</h2>



Of 206 sharks with scars, over 80 percent carried human-caused injuries. Serious wounds, including lacerations and blunt trauma, were rare but concerning. More often, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-move-into-dangerous-territory-as-the-climate-warms/">sharks</a> bore superficial abrasions from rubbing against fishing gear and boats.



Studies across marine ecology emphasize that while minor wounds may not kill, cumulative injuries reduce overall fitness.



Injured animals often change behavior, avoid key feeding zones, or expend more energy healing. Over time, this shapes population dynamics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-female-whale-sharks-live-in-deep-seas">Female whale sharks live in deep seas</h2>



A lingering question is the absence of females and older individuals, since previous studies show that adult whale sharks - especially females - prefer the deep ocean where they feed on prey like krill and schooling fish.



By contrast, younger males remain near shore in shallow, plankton-rich waters that help them grow quickly.



“Our own satellite tracking data also show that females and adults frequently use deep sea features such as canyons and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seamounts-are-gathering-hubs-for-ocean-predators/">seamounts</a>,” said study co-author Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra.



Ecological theory explains this pattern: sexual segregation often arises in large marine vertebrates, with males and females exploiting different ecological niches to reduce competition and improve survival chances. This strategy is a driver of population resilience across species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tourism-brings-dangers-to-whale-sharks">Tourism brings dangers to whale sharks</h2>



Staying near coasts, whale sharks offer strong potential for ecotourism. 



“Whale sharks in Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay (Kaimana) had high rates of residency and resighting, indicating that they should be viewed as valuable tourism assets for local communities and governments,” said Dr. Mark Erdmann of Rewild.



However, unmanaged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-change-their-daily-schedules-when-tourists-are-watching/">wildlife tourism</a> can create a risky cycle: attraction leads to proximity, which heightens disturbance and injury risk.



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



The researchers recommend small but effective changes, such as modifying fishing platforms to remove sharp edges.



“We aim to work with the management authorities of the marine protected areas to develop regulations to require slight modifications to the bagans, including the removal of any sharp edges from boat outriggers and net frames," said Erdmann. "We believe those changes will greatly reduce scarring of whale sharks in the region."



Ecological models highlight that even minor adjustments in human practices can dramatically reduce stress on threatened populations. 



Protecting whale sharks is more than conserving one species. It safeguards a keystone component of marine food webs, maintains ecosystem balance, and secures benefits for communities who depend on healthy seas.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1607027/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.



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Whale sharks are literally scarred by human activity

The sight of a whale shark, the largest fish alive today, leaves most people humbled. Its slow, graceful movements and gentle nature often make them symbols of the ocean’s mystery. Yet behind this serene image lies a struggle for survival. Populations have fallen sharply, and their biology makes recovery slow. The findings of a new study from Indonesian waters not only reveal the scale of human impacts but also highlight why protecting whale sharks is vital for ocean health. Whale shark decline accelerates Over the last 75...

An international team of researchers is looking for answers behind the mystery of Gigantopithecus blacki, a giant prehistoric primate that once lived in what is now southern China.



The species is known from its teeth and mandibles found in cave sites.



The fossils suggest it was the largest primate ever, with estimates of its size ranging from about 1.8 to 3 meters in height (5.9 to 9.8 feet) and weighing around 250 kilograms (551 pounds).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-search-of-gigantopithecus-blacki">In search of Gigantopithecus blacki</h2>



Gigantopithecus blacki roamed and ruled the wilderness of southern China during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-kangaroos-changed-their-diets-to-survive-climate-change/">Pleistocene epoch</a>, roughly 2 million to 300,000 years ago.



Its demise is enigmatic considering that it was one of the few Asian great apes to go extinct in the last 2.6 million years, whereas others, including orangutan, survived until the present.



The cause of the disappearance of Gigantopithecus blacki remains unresolved, but new findings could shed light on primate resilience and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracing-the-disappearance-of-north-americas-megafauna/">fate of megafauna</a> in this region.



G. blacki - a very distant human ancestor - went extinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-species-of-human-ancestors-literally-crossed-paths-1-5-million-years-ago/">before humans arrived</a> in the region. The cause of this extinction has been a burning question among scientists.



The experts report that these primates were unable to adapt their behavior and food preferences to survive shifting environmental conditions.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-enigma-in-paleontology">An enigma in paleontology</h2>



The story of Gigantopithcus blacki is an enigma in paleontology. 



"How could such a mighty creature go extinct at a time when other primates were adapting and surviving?" questioned the study's co-lead author Professor Yingqi Zhang, from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (<a href="http://english.ivpp.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IVPP</a>).



"The unresolved cause of its disappearance has become the Holy Grail in this discipline. The IVPP has been excavating for G. blacki evidence in this region for over 10 years but without solid dating and a consistent environmental analysis, the cause of its extinction had eluded us," Zhang continued.



The researchers analyzed new evidence from a large-scale project conducted in 22 cave sites spread across the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangxi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guangxi Province</a> in southern China.



“It’s a major feat to present a defined cause for the extinction of a species," said study co-lead author Professor Kira Westaway, a geochronologist at <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Macquarie University</a>. 



"But establishing the exact time when a species disappears from the fossil record gives us a target time frame for an environmental reconstruction and behavior assessment. Without robust dating, you are simply looking for clues in the wrong places," Westaway concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The team used multiple techniques to date the collected samples. Researchers at <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Cross University</a> analyzed Gigantopithcus blacki teeth to gain a better understanding of the apes’ behavior. 



Experts at Australian National University (<a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANU</a>) and <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a> studied the pollen and fossil bearing sediments in the cave where the primates once thrived.



“By direct-dating the fossil remains, we confirmed their age aligns with the luminescence sequence in the sediments where they were found, giving us a comprehensive and reliable chronology for the extinction of G. blacki,” explained study co-author and Southern Cross University Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau.



Based on their detailed analyses, the researchers were able to establish the environmental conditions leading up to when G. blacki went extinct. 



They also modeled the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baboons-may-offer-clues-to-early-human-social-evolution/">primate's behavior</a> using trace element and dental microwear textural analysis (DMTA) of the teeth.



"Teeth provide a staggering insight into the behavior of the species indicating stress, diversity of food sources, and repeated behaviors,” said Professor Joannes-Boyau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-scientists-learned">What the scientists learned</h2>



The experts determined that Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, which is much earlier than previously thought. 



Up until this time, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pierolapithecus-catalaunicus-recreating-face-of-an-ancient-human-ancestor/">ancient primates</a> flourished in a rich and diverse forest.



Fossilized teeth and jawbones reveal that G. blacki had powerful jaws and massive molars. Those features suggest it was a specialized plant-eater, most likely thriving on a diet of bamboo, fruits, and other tough vegetation. 



Its size and teeth point to an animal adapted to grinding through fibrous plants rather than hunting or eating meat.



Researchers believe its reliance on forest habitats made it vulnerable as climates shifted and forests receded. 



As grasslands spread and bamboo thinned, this giant ape likely struggled to find enough food, especially with competition from other species. 



As a result, the giant primates grew reliant on a less nutritious back up food source. 



With less energy from their food, the apes would have ultimately became less mobile, had a reduced geographic range for foraging, and faced chronic stress and dwindling numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-gigantopithecus-blacki-matters">Why Gigantopithecus blacki matters</h2>



G. blacki was the ultimate specialist, compared to the more agile adapters like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-orangutan-day-2025-turning-awareness-into-action/">orangutans</a>, and this ultimately led to its demise.



With the threat of a sixth mass extinction event looming over us, there is an urgent need to understand why species go extinct.



Exploring the reasons for past unresolved extinctions gives us a good starting point to understand primate resilience and the fate of other large animals, in the past and future.



The full study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06900-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>. 



Image Credit: Garcia/Joannes-Boyau (Southern Cross University)



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Searching for answers behind the extinction of the largest primate that ever lived

An international team of researchers is looking for answers behind...

Jake Johnson traces his veterinary research motivation to a simple concept with sweeping consequences. The idea is that animal, human, and environmental health are inseparable, and knowledge gains power when it crosses borders.



Johnson was captivated early by the <a href="https://provost.ncsu.edu/global-one-health-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One Health Initiative</a>, which shows how discoveries in veterinary medicine can inform human health and ecosystem resilience. Sharing those insights can improve outcomes far beyond a single patient.



A cardiology resident at North Carolina State University’s <a href="https://cvm.ncsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Veterinary Medicine</a>, Johnson focuses his work on translating cutting-edge cardiology into tools that clinicians can actually use.



He prioritizes education and access for veterinary students and general practitioners who may not have specialized training or high-end equipment. He also designs studies with practical take-home value.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-on-earlier-projects"><a></a>Building on earlier projects</h2>



Johnson’s current efforts build on early projects, including a case report describing an unusual form of feline <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-close-to-bars-and-pubs-increases-the-risk-of-heart-failure/">heart failure</a> and how imaging choices can change clinical decisions.



The through-line is the same: bridging the gap between advanced knowledge and the constraints of real clinics. 



He sees research as the engine that turns individual, hard-won insights into shareable methods. Others can then deploy these methods in emergencies or resource-limited settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cocaine-toxicosis-in-dogs">Cocaine toxicosis in dogs</h2>



One strand of his work tackles <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-cocaine-tricks-and-hijacks-the-brain/">cocaine</a> toxicosis in dogs. Much of the available data comes from controlled laboratory studies or from human medicine, and neither dataset perfectly reflects the chaos of a real-world veterinary emergency.



Animal exposures are often uncertain - owners may not know what a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-evolving-to-fit-the-modern-lives-of-humans/">dog</a> picked up, or may hesitate to say - so clinicians must act on incomplete information. 



That uncertainty is exactly why better case documentation and practical protocols matter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dog-cocaine-case">The dog cocaine case </h2>



A small dog was experiencing collapse episodes accompanied by severe bradycardia. Due to concerns about possible illicit substance ingestion, clinicians performed a urine drug screen. 



The test returned positive for cocaine and was later confirmed by an external laboratory. For Johnson, the case demonstrates the importance of pairing clinical signs with targeted toxicology testing when exposure is a possibility.



The case also highlights the need to build a literature that helps practitioners decide what to test, when, and why.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-exposure-before-emergencies">Preventing exposure before emergencies</h2>



Dogs are opportunistic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-followed-the-first-farmers-through-the-americas/">scavengers</a>. Owners can cut risk by keeping pets leashed, watching for attempts to pick up unfamiliar items, and - when needed - using a basket muzzle during walks.



Reliable “leave it” and “drop it” cues can be lifesaving if a dog encounters dangerous substances. 



And when exposure is suspected - or a pet is simply “not quite right” - immediate veterinary care is prudent, because minutes and hours often determine outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-case-reports-that-save-lives">Case reports that save lives</h2>



In veterinary medicine, case reports serve an essential role. They capture the unusual and the emergent - the very scenarios large trials miss. 



They also preserve the details future clinicians will look for when seconds matter. Over time, those reports seed better triage pathways, monitoring checklists, and treatment protocols.



A persistent misconception hampers care: that veterinarians will judge or report owners who admit a pet may have ingested illicit drugs.



However, according to Johnson, clinicians need accurate histories to save lives, not to assign blame. Honest, specific information - what, when, and how much - enables tailored treatment and closer monitoring for predictable complications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-research-priorities-to-advance-care">Research priorities to advance care</h2>



Looking ahead, Johnson’s agenda centers on access. He calls for studies that simplify imaging so it can be performed with standard equipment. 



He also advocates for cost-effective screening strategies that identify high-risk patients without expensive panels, along with pragmatic educational interventions that convert subspecialty knowledge into routine practice.



Johnson also pushes for comparative trials of lower-cost treatment protocols that achieve similar outcomes, structured training so general practitioners can perform basic specialty procedures, and wider use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/telemedicine-helps-address-the-ongoing-mental-health-crisis/">telemedicine</a> to bring specialist guidance into rural and resource-limited clinics in real time.



The goal is to ensure that a dog in a small town has access to lifesaving options just as reliably as one treated in a metropolitan referral hospital.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-open-science-in-veterinary-care">Open science in veterinary care</h2>



Information only helps if people can access it. Removing paywalls and sharing protocols lets students and clinicians learn and apply cardiology principles with the tools they have, not just the tools they wish they had.



In Johnson’s model, publishing is a starting line, not a finish line - the real success is a colleague using that knowledge to stabilize a patient they might otherwise have lost.



Across topics - from toxicosis to cardiology education - the constant is a One Health sensibility coupled with a practical streak. 



Johnson’s work aims to move advanced concepts out of the seminar room and into exam rooms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-linked-to-a-surge-in-hospital-emergency-visits/">ERs</a>, and farmyards, where they can change outcomes today while building a stronger evidence base for tomorrow.



The case report of the dog ingesting cocaine is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1622850/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Veterinary Science</a>.



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How a "my dog ate cocaine" incident is changing veterinary care

Jake Johnson traces his veterinary research motivation to a simple...

High in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, flashes of orange hair move between the trees. Orangutans spend most of their lives in the canopy - navigating branches, building nests, and raising young in one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth. 



Watching them is like catching a reflection of ourselves - their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutan-mothers-have-unique-parenting-styles-like-humans/">intelligence</a>, habits, and even their struggles often resemble our own. Yet, despite these connections, orangutans are slipping toward extinction.



World Orangutan Day on August 19 highlights this urgent reality. The day serves as a reminder that saving orangutans goes hand in hand with protecting their forests - and safeguarding the climate we all rely on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-orangutans-and-forests">Protecting orangutans and forests</h2>



Orangutans live in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra. They act as gardeners of the jungle. By eating fruit and scattering seeds, they help forests regenerate. 



Without them, many plant species would vanish, and the ecosystems tied to them would weaken.



Healthy forests do more than shelter wildlife. They absorb carbon, regulate climate, and provide clean water. Protecting orangutans means protecting the same systems that humans depend on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-communication-than-expected">Smarter communication than expected</h2>



Orangutans continue to surprise scientists. Just when we think we understand them, new research proves otherwise. A recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutans-use-complex-vocal-patterns-found-in-human-language/">study</a> from <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Warwick</a> revealed that Sumatran orangutans use recursive vocal patterns when sounding alarm calls. 



Recursion is a language tool that allows ideas to be nested within other ideas, creating layered meaning. Humans rely on it constantly in speech and writing, but until recently, scientists assumed it was uniquely human. 



The discovery that orangutans use recursion forces us to rethink how we define language and how it is used throughout the animal kingdom.



Another study used machine learning to analyze the calls of Bornean orangutans. Researchers discovered three distinct pulse types hidden in their long calls. Each pulse seems to serve a different role, giving their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-unlock-the-mysteries-of-orangutan-communication/">communication</a> more depth than expected.



For years, people described orangutan calls as simple. This evidence shows otherwise. Their vocal world is structured, varied, and much more sophisticated than we realized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-conservation-emergency">The conservation emergency</h2>



Orangutans mirror human behavior in unexpected ways. One study describes how they recover from poor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutans-manage-sleep-much-like-humans-do/">sleep</a> by napping during the day. They even build quick daytime nests for rest. This pattern looks remarkably similar to how humans catch up on lost sleep.



Despite their intelligence and adaptability, orangutans face steep decline. Populations have fallen by more than half in the past century. 



Palm oil plantations replace diverse forests with monoculture crops. Illegal logging cuts deep into jungles. Poachers kill mothers to steal infants for the pet trade.



As their habitats shrink, orangutans crowd into smaller areas. This increases stress, reduces food, and creates conflict with humans. Without intervention, they could disappear in a matter of decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-actions-to-protect-orangutans">Actions to protect orangutans</h2>



There are many ways individuals can help protect orangutans. Opting for products made with certified sustainable palm oil is one approach. Supporting rescue centers through donations is another. 



You can even virtually <a href="https://www.theorangutanproject.org/donate/?referrer_source=GADUS_GENERIC&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=13240991473&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwwZDFBhCpARIsAB95qO3vTJ075IBt6pMnMSn9C_e0WVyfcGdiW25dHR7bmkwMgaqtFtLPMqMaAmINEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adopt</a> an orangutan to help cover their food and medical care.



Responsible tourism can make a difference. Visiting orangutan habitats can help support local communities and demonstrates that intact forests are far more valuable than cleared land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-progress-worth-noting">Progress worth noting</h2>



There are signs of hope. Rehabilitation centers in Borneo and Sumatra rescue orphaned orangutans and teach them survival skills. Some of these animals are now living free in the wild again.



Governments and conservation groups are also creating protected areas and linking them with wildlife corridors. These corridors let orangutans move safely between forest patches. 



Meanwhile, local communities are exploring sustainable crops that do not destroy rainforests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-purpose-of-world-orangutan-day">Purpose of World Orangutan Day </h2>



Orangutans cannot fight for themselves. They cannot confront corporations or push for laws. That responsibility falls on us. 



Protecting these animals is not just about saving one species. It is about defending the rainforests that regulate climate and sustain life across the globe.



The science is clear, and the threats are well known. What matters now is commitment. Governments need to enforce environmental protections. Businesses must clean up supply chains. People everywhere can support conservation and make smarter choices.



On World Orangutan Day 2025, one truth is clear: orangutans matter. The real challenge is turning that awareness into action - before it’s too late to save them and the forests they call home.



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World Orangutan Day 2025: Turning awareness into action

High in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, flashes of...

A tan-brown lizard dashed across sun-warmed rock in coastal Angola and ran straight into the scientific record. It belonged to a trio of day geckos that science had never formally described.



The new species, all from Namibia’s neighbor to the north, include the large-spotted Namib day gecko, Rhoptropus megocellus, alongside R. minimus and R. crypticus. They were documented after multi-year field campaigns across the country’s arid southwest.



The study’s corresponding author, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Javier-Lobon-Rovira" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Javier Lobón-Rovira</a> from the Universidade do Porto (<a href="https://www.up.pt/portal/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UP</a>), worked alongside a handful of colleagues from various academic institutions to compile the findings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-gecko-species-in-angola">New gecko species in Angola</h2>



Angola’s reptiles have been gaining attention as access improves and surveys expand. A comprehensive <a href="https://www.podarcis.de/AF/Bibliografie/BIB_12955.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> of the country’s herpetofauna noted rapid growth in documented diversity and underscored several hotspots of endemism in the southwest.



“Angola has recently emerged as one of the most gecko-diverse countries in mainland Africa,” wrote Lobón-Rovira. 



Much of this diversity has only come to light in the past decade, as improved access and modern genetic tools have revealed species that were previously overlooked.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-scientists-found">What the scientists found</h2>



Between 2018 and early 2025, the team assembled 14 museum vouchers and additional tissue samples from previously unknown populations. 



Careful comparisons across body measurements, scale counts, and color patterns separated the candidate species without leaning on a single trait.



Genetic results supported what the eyes suggested. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cnemaspis-vangoghi-new-gecko-species-discovered-india-named-after-van-gogh/">new species</a> formed distinct groups that did not share nuclear haplotypes with close relatives and showed double-digit mitochondrial distances in standard markers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-spotted-new-gecko-stands-out">Large-spotted new gecko stands out</h2>



Rhoptropus megocellus is a robust day gecko with paired ocelli, eye-like dark spots, marching down its back. The first pair, at the neck, can meet and form a collar-like band.



It differs from similar Angolan species by the arrangement of enlarged scales under the tail, by a single large internasal scale, and by fewer terminal scales on the fourth toe. The paper also details an inflated nostril rim formed by raised nasal scales.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-it-lives-and-why-that-matters">Where it lives and why that matters</h2>



The large-spotted gecko sticks to rock. In the words of the study, it is “strictly rock-dwelling, always found on large, flattened granite boulders, where it can run rapidly to escape,” wrote Lobón-Rovira. 



Its preferred microhabitat includes exfoliating flakes that offer quick cover.



Rock dependence is not just a quirk of lifestyle. For Namib day geckos, both running ability and foot structure shift with the terrain and habitat, tying their movements and body form to the <a href="https://biomechanics.ucr.edu/Higham_Russell_2010_BJLS.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rock surfaces</a> they use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-day-gecko-really-means-here">What “day gecko” really means here</h2>



Rhoptropus species are active by daylight and many are rupicolous, meaning rock-dwelling. They bask, forage, and flee in open sun, which shapes when they move and how they avoid predators.



Daytime activity also makes their camouflage striking. The large-spotted gecko’s gray to brown base tone, orange reticulation on the head, and prominent dorsal spots break up its outline against granite.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/new-gecko-species_identified-in-Angola_credit-Ecology-Evolution_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/new-gecko-species_identified-in-Angola_credit-Ecology-Evolution_1s.webp" alt="Unscaled photographs of the dorsal color pattern variation of the members of the Rhoptropus barnardi group in Angola. (A) Rhoptropus barnardi sensu stricto from Calueque, Cunene Province, Angola. (B) Rhoptropus aff. barnardi 2 from Bero River, Cunene Province. (C, D) Rhoptropus aff. barnardi 1 from Tchivira, Huila Province, and from Chapeu Armado, Namibe Province, Angola, respectively. (E) Rhoptropus minimus sp. nov. from Baba, Namibe Province. (F, G) Rhoptropus biporosus from Iona National Park, Namibe Province, Angola. Credit: Ecology and Evolution" class="wp-image-1982459"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Unscaled photographs of the dorsal color pattern variation of the members of the Rhoptropus barnardi group in Angola. (A) Rhoptropus barnardi sensu stricto from Calueque, Cunene Province, Angola. (B) Rhoptropus aff. barnardi 2 from Bero River, Cunene Province. (C, D) Rhoptropus aff. barnardi 1 from Tchivira, Huila Province, and from Chapeu Armado, Namibe Province, Angola, respectively. (E) Rhoptropus minimus sp. nov. from Baba, Namibe Province. (F, G) Rhoptropus biporosus from Iona National Park, Namibe Province, Angola. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Ecology and Evolution</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-fingerprint-without-the-jargon">Genetic fingerprint without the jargon</h2>



To separate look-alike species, the authors analyzed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. Among the mitochondrial markers, ND2 is a widely used gene that tracks variation accumulated over time.



The large-spotted gecko showed pairwise distances from relatives at or above the threshold typical for distinct species in this group. The nuclear marker RAG-1 told the same story by forming its own cluster without shared alleles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-companions-in-the-same-area">Two companions in the same area</h2>



Rhoptropus minimus is, as the name telegraphs, small for the genus. It has a granitic, speckled dorsum, four precloacal pores in two groups in males, and a stout build that sets it apart from the slender, ground-running R. biporosus.



Rhoptropus crypticus occupies steep, rocky faces in the northern Namibe coastal belt, often near the large-spotted species but with a different tail-scale configuration and a distinct pattern. 



It carries more precloacal pores in males than R. biporosus and sports black dorsal markings absent from the highland relatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-museum-work-matters">Museum work matters</h2>



Specimens from these surveys now reside in collections in Luanda, Porto, and Madrid. That matters because names only stick when types are preserved, measured, and made available for re-examination.



Vouchers anchor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geckos-have-a-hidden-sixth-sense-linked-to-hearing/">species</a> concepts in verifiable material. They allow future teams to revisit identifications, recalibrate measurements, and, if needed, sample DNA again as methods improve.



The coastal Namibe region and adjacent escarpment create a patchwork of microhabitats in a relatively short horizontal span. Dry riverbeds cut across boulder fields, while inselbergs and gravel plains add complexity.



That mosaic fosters endemic lineages, species that occur in just one place. It also creates opportunities for closely related species to live near one another without directly competing for the same rock faces or crevices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-a-gecko-name-game">More than a gecko name game</h2>



The conveyor belt of finds continues. In 2025, a separate team described another Namib day gecko, <a href="https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5569.3.2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rhoptropus nivimontanus</a>, from the Serra da Neve inselberg in the Namibe province using an integrative approach that combined color pattern, morphology, and DNA.



Taken together, these advances point to southwestern Angola as a center of diversification for small reptiles that specialize on stone surfaces. They also highlight the power of coordinated fieldwork, museum partnerships, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-found-to-have-a-sixth-sense-gecko-hearing-vibrations-changing-science-view-of-sound/">genetic analysis</a>.



Naming species is not academic bookkeeping. It clarifies conservation responsibility, especially when a species occupies a narrow range and hugs a specific substrate.



When a lizard runs only on certain granites or relies on exfoliating flakes for shelter, quarrying, roadwork, or unregulated tourism can wipe out local populations. Clear names help agencies and communities plan around those needs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-these-new-gecko-species">Next steps for these new gecko species</h2>



Expect more work on the boundaries among similar Rhoptropus lineages, especially where coastal and upland forms meet. 



Expect refined maps of who lives on which rocks and why certain boulders host two species while others host one.



And expect further surprises as teams revisit older records with DNA in hand. Angola’s rocks have more stories to tell, and for day geckos, the details sit in plain daylight.



The study is published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.71609" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Three new gecko species discovered after eight years of searching

A tan-brown lizard dashed across sun-warmed rock in coastal Angola...

Some birds hold greater influence than others when a flock decides where to go next. New research shows that the most persuasive geese in the flock are bold, not aggressive, and that the birds most likely to fall in line are the curious explorers. Together, they steer collective journeys in ways that balance safety and discovery.



The study tackles a classic puzzle in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-tool-superanimal-can-accurately-analyze-animal-behavior/">animal behavior</a>: why certain individuals end up shaping group decisions over months and years. 



Simple rules of interaction can explain how groups move in sync. But they do not say much about why some animals consistently get others to go with them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geese-personalities-in-flight">Geese personalities in flight</h2>



To find out, researchers watched a marked population of greylag geese over four years at the <a href="https://klf.univie.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Konrad Lorenz Research Station</a> in Grünau im Almtal, Austria. The flock traces back to birds introduced by Nobel laureate Konrad Lorenz in the 1970s, which makes it unusually well-documented.



Field teams logged hundreds of collective departures. They noted who gave a departure call, who launched first, who followed, and the size of each departing party. In parallel, they measured personality with standardized tests.



Flight initiation distance - a measure of how close an approacher can get before a bird takes off - indexed boldness. A mirror test probed aggressiveness. Interaction with a novel object indexed exploration, or curiosity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stable-traits-shape-geese-social-life">Stable traits shape geese social life</h2>



The first finding is simple and important. Individual geese showed stable personality differences - boldness, aggressiveness, and exploration - that persisted across years. Those traits mapped onto daily social roles.



The flock typically moved in subgroups to forage or roost at different sites in the valley. Within those subgroups, bold individuals tended to initiate and be followed. Explorers tended to follow, especially when the leader was bold rather than aggressive.



In other words, a goose’s temperament predicted its influence in real decisions with real stakes. Bolder initiators were more likely to be heeded when they called and took flight. 



Followers with a taste for novelty were more likely to go with them, and less likely to trail aggressive or socially dominant birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leadership-as-protection-not-domination"><a></a>Leadership as protection, not domination</h2>



One result surprised the team. Aggressiveness, though linked to higher social rank, did not predict leadership in group departures. The most influential initiators were bold but not aggressive. That points to a protective leadership style rather than a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-dominance-in-primates-is-more-common-than-we-thought/">dominant</a>, coercive one.



The ecology helps explain why. Each daily move pits risk against reward. Sticking to familiar feeding grounds offers safety but limits opportunity. Striking out raises the chance of finding better food, but it also raises exposure.



Bold leaders reduce uncertainty in the moment - helping a flock launch and cross risky gaps - while exploratory followers tilt the group toward innovation and help spread new routes through social learning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-followers-matter-in-geese-decisions">Followers matter in geese decisions</h2>



The study reframes influence as a two-way negotiation. Yes, some geese initiate more. But followers are not passive. 



They choose whom to follow - and whom to ignore - based on the benefits they receive. Leadership, in this view, is not merely a trait of the few. It is a relationship built from many selective acts of following.



“This research helps to explain why individuals with specific traits consistently wield more influence,” said lead author Sonia Kleindorfer. “More importantly, it draws attention to followers - often overlooked in our human fascination with securing resources."



"What if followers actively choose whom to follow based on the benefits they receive? This shifts focus to the cognitive abilities of followers and challenges traditional ideas about which traits matter most in leaders.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flocks-transform-signals-into-action">Flocks transform signals into action</h2>



The mechanics of a departure are simple on the surface: a call, a launch, and a stream of followers. Underneath is a flow of information. Bold birds lower the cost of action and explorers raise the value of new options.



The result is a collective that can both protect itself and learn. Over time, that learning becomes tradition - routes, schedules, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/murrelets-rely-on-each-other-to-find-breeding-sites/">site preferences</a> that shape the flock’s culture.



By documenting these roles across four years and tying them to stable traits, the study moves beyond one-off observations. 



It shows that personality can structure the everyday choices that add up to a group’s way of life. It also shows that “dominance” and “leadership” are not synonyms. A bird that wins fights does not necessarily win followers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-geese-teach-other-species">What geese teach other species</h2>



The implications reach well beyond a single Austrian valley. Many social species face the same daily trade-off between the familiar and the new. In those systems, protective boldness may attract followers more reliably than brute force, and curiosity may be the glue that keeps groups open to change.



By spotlighting follower choice, the work also nudges theory toward the minds of many, not the charisma of a few. Influence depends on who wants to be influenced - and why. 



That shift has consequences for how researchers think about collective decision-making, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-availability-influences-social-learning-among-orangutans/">social learning</a>, and cultural evolution across species - including our own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-goose-leadership-matters-now">Why goose leadership matters now</h2>



Understanding how individual differences scale up to group behavior can inform conservation, animal welfare, and even the design of autonomous swarms. 



It can help explain when groups adapt smoothly to changing conditions and when they stall. It can also help predict who will lead a move to safer ground in a warming, human-altered world.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bold-personality-traits-improve-parenting-success-in-geese/">greylag geese</a> offer a clear lesson. Boldness can protect a flock of geese without aggression. Curiosity can carry new ideas across wings. And influence, far from being the property of the loudest bird, emerges from a conversation between those who initiate - and those who decide to follow.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2589004225014312" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iScience</a>.



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Geese guide the flock with boldness, not aggression

Some birds hold greater influence than others when a flock...

Two weeks ago, 43 endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs took to the skies in a helicopter from the Oakland Zoo. A team transported them to their new home in the high country of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.&nbsp;



The zoo has now successfully translocated its 1,000th frog to its mountain home. This marks a milestone for the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs and the zoo.



This high-profile release is the latest chapter in a long fight to save the species.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-yellow-legged-frogs-disappeared">How yellow-legged frogs disappeared </h2>



The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs (<a href="https://www.fws.gov/species/sierra-nevada-yellow-legged-frog-rana-sierrae" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rana sierrae</a>), also called yellow-legged frogs, used to be common across California’s alpine lakes and streams. Keeping insect populations balanced and feeding predators like birds and snakes. 



Non-native trout introduced in the late 1800s were the first blow to this native species. The trout ate the tadpoles in large numbers. 



Having always lived in fishless lakes, the tadpoles were defenseless. Then the frogs faced more threats because of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/endangered-species-act-faces-its-biggest-legal-shift-in-decades/">habitat destruction</a>.



The final blow was the devastating <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-020-0335-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chytrid fungus</a> (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd). Succumbing to it, their population crashed by more than 90% in a decade. 



Young frogs fresh after their tadpole stage (called metamorphs) are most susceptible to this fungus.



“Yellow-legged frogs once were a keystone species in high-elevation lakes, but chytrid and other factors reduced their populations significantly,” the Oakland Zoo stated in a <a href="https://www.oaklandzoo.org/news/1000th-frog-release" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">press release</a>.



Conservationists feared the endangered species would vanish. But they rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Now the tide is turning through years of sheer persistence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-taming-of-a-lethal-fungus">The taming of a lethal fungus</h2>



Researchers got together as part of the High Mountain Lakes Project. It is a collaboration between UC Santa Barbara (<a href="https://www.ucsb.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSB</a>), the Oakland Zoo, and others. 



Pooling their resources, they studied the chytrid fungus and its effects on frogs. They identified skin peptides and beneficial bacteria that have antifungal properties.



The UCSB researchers developed a trick to improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frog-saunas-hot-solution-to-fighting-global-amphibian-extinction-apocalypse/">frog immunity</a>. At the zoo, the frogs are exposed to a controlled dose of the chytrid fungus to train their immune systems. 



Then, they undergo treatment with antifungal baths. This immune “training” gives the frogs a better chance of fighting the fungus. It’s the trick that prepares the frogs for the wild.



The zoo staff know each frog; they pit tag, weigh, measure, and swab every frog and keep a record.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-rays-of-hope-in-yosemite">First rays of hope in Yosemite</h2>



Scientists found that some frog populations were naturally resistant to the deadly fungus. These frogs were all Bd-positive, indicating that they had the fungal infection. But they continued to thrive. This finding was the beginning of a meticulous reintroduction plan. 



Researchers collected adult Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs from three large, naturally recovering populations. Then, they relocated the frogs to 12 suitable, empty <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-save-native-turtles-by-removing-thousands-of-bullfrogs/">lake habitats in Yosemite</a> between 2006 to 2020.



Their long-term observations changed the outlook for the survival of these frogs in the wild. Of the 12 reintroduced populations, nine reproduced successfully - a 75 percent success rate.



The transplanted frogs kept low-to-moderate fungal loads even in new habitats. Just low enough to avoid severe fungal disease and death. 



This showed that the resistance was built into the frogs’ genetic makeup. Therefore, it would pass on to their offspring. 



Additionally, resilience could persist across different locations and did not hinge on environmental characteristics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellow-legged-frog-survival-rates">Yellow-legged frog survival rates</h2>



The full-scale study on the reintroduction of frogs in Yosemite reported that many factors influence frog survival. The study published in Nature Communications, led by Roland D. Knapp, Ph.D., from UCSB, found indicators that improve the survival of the frogs. 



Surviving the first year was a powerful predictor of long-term persistence. If 50% of frogs survive their first year, the population often remains stable for decades, according to their model.



Notably, Bd load at the time of release did not predict survival. The frogs survived despite carrying a fungal load because of their inherent resistance. Therefore, choosing a resilient donor population was critical.



Where the scientists release frogs mattered as much as the frogs’ resistance. Sites with overwintering refuges, like submerged boulders, improved survival rates. 



These protected the frogs from the cold. Chances of survival also improved if the winter was less severe a year after release. 



These suitable sites are not easy to reach, however. The conservationists hiked to remote areas or used helicopters to keep track of the reintroduced frogs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellow-legged-frogs-have-friends-for-life">Yellow-legged frogs have friends for life</h2>



Even after reintroduction, the conservationists continue to be the frogs’ friends. Field teams conduct capture-mark-recapture <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-scale-wildlife-surveys-can-reveal-the-health-of-entire-ecosystems/">surveys</a> to track individual frogs during the summer months. They also look for the juveniles and tadpoles to count them.



The pit tags identify the reintroduced frogs, acting like microchips on pets. Researchers capture the adult frogs in a hand-held net. They test the captured frogs for Bd, then measure their size and weight before releasing them.&nbsp;



The rise in population can be tracked with “new recruits”. They are the progeny of the translocated frogs. Researchers tag them after their first capture.



Keeping track is critical to keep the frogs safe in their new home. If an outbreak occurs, a quick reaction is the only way to prevent the fungus from wiping them out. 



This is where the Oakland Zoo’s Rapid Response team comes in. They can mobilize within days to treat the frogs in the wild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-a-keystone-species">Saving a keystone species</h2>



Yellow-legged frogs once anchored Sierra Nevada alpine ecosystems, controlling insects and supporting predators. Their disappearance disrupted those systems. Reintroducing them helps repair the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reintroducing-wolves-could-help-scotland-fight-climate-change/">ecosystem</a>.



Challenges still stand in the way. Metamorphs, the young adults, remain highly vulnerable to Bd, slowing the growth of adult populations. 



Genetic monitoring is critical to enhance diversity in reintroduced populations. Future efforts may use selective breeding to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10668650/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strengthen resistance</a> even further. For now, the Sequoia and Kings Canyon release offers a clear sign of progress. 



Samantha Sammons is the Oakland Zoo’s wildlife recovery program manager. “We need to keep this movement going to make sure that these frogs don’t disappear again,” said Sammons, calling the event “a major milestone.” 



Conservationists are giving the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs a real chance at recovery. If these efforts succeed, the chorus of frogs may once again echo across California’s mountain lakes - a sign of restored ecosystems.



The full study was published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53608-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs reintroduced in landmark event

Two weeks ago, 43 endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs took...

conciertos-madrid-2026-fechas-artistas-entradas - 1

Eight Pacific sleeper sharks showed up for dinner when researchers dropped a cow carcass to the seafloor of the South China Sea at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters) near Hainan Island. 



The visit offered a rare observation of how these deep residents feed, wait, and make room for one another.



The <a href="https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/65736/noaa_65736_DS1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> is hard to study because it ranges widely and spends much of its life in cold, dark water. Scientists struggle to track it across the North Pacific, from Japan and Alaska down to Baja California, and into a few tropical outposts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-put-a-cow-on-the-seafloor">Why put a cow on the seafloor?</h2>



A whale fall is what biologists call it when a dead whale sinks and turns the seafloor into a temporary buffet. 



Research teams sometimes simulate that scene to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.885572/pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> who arrives and how energy moves through the deep. The South China Sea team followed that playbook with cameras and a carefully placed cow.



These carcasses create waves of life that unfold in stages, starting with mobile scavengers, then opportunists, then long, slow bone feasts powered by microbes. 



The point is not the species of the carcass, it is the sudden pulse of organic matter that draws in animals from far and wide.



The <a href="https://spj.science.org/doi/pdf/10.34133/olar.0095" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a>’s lead author is <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Han-Tian-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Han Tian</a> of <a href="https://www.sysu.edu.cn/sysuen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sun Yat-sen University</a> and the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory. 



The group partnered with the Institute of Acoustics (<a href="http://english.ioa.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IOA</a>) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an offshore engineering team to run the operation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleeper-sharks-appeared-unexpectedly">Sleeper sharks appeared unexpectedly</h2>



The sharks attacked, waited, and circled in turn, with body size shaping tactics. Individuals longer than 2.7 meters, 8.9 feet, hit the carcass directly, while smaller <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-oceans-are-changing-shark-migration-patterns/">sharks</a> moved carefully and held back.



They also queued in a rough order. “This behavior suggests that feeding priority is determined by individual competitive intensity, even in deep-water environments, reflecting a survival strategy suitable for non-solitary foraging among Pacific sleeper sharks,” explained Han Tian.



This was the first documented presence of Pacific sleeper sharks in the South China Sea, which expands the species’ known range in a warm basin long considered outside its core distribution. 



The observation raises fair questions about how currents, food availability, or temperature structure their movements.



Past records already nudged the map south when sightings surfaced near the Solomon Islands and Palau, almost 1,250 miles below traditional range limits. Those scattered reports hinted at flexibility that formal surveys struggle to capture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-pecking-order-at-depth">The pecking order at depth</h2>



Social rules showed up in the footage even without sound or light beyond the cameras. 



Sharks yielded positions to an approaching neighbor and one animal carried a fin scar, a hint that status is negotiated with both restraint and force when necessary.



Scavenging order is not unique to this species, and researchers have documented multi-shark meals with shifting access on other large carcasses in blue water. 



Field <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/fish-science/articles/10.3389/frish.2025.1520995/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a> show oceanic whitetips and tiger sharks sharing a carcass with loose spacing and brief disputes, a pattern that mirrors what the cameras captured on the seafloor here.



The video picked up a quick eye retraction movement during feeding. That makes sense for a shark lineage that lacks a nictitating membrane, the third eyelid that many other sharks deploy as a shield.



A nictitating membrane slides across the cornea during risky moments and is common in ground sharks such as requiems and hammerheads, but not in all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-sea-monster-shark-fossils-found-in-worlds-largest-cave-325-million-years/">sharks</a>, so animals without it rely on other defenses like rolling or retracting the eyes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breath-and-the-spiracle-question">Breath and the spiracle question</h2>



Suspended particles were seen exiting the sharks’ spiracles, small openings behind the eye, which suggests these structures help route water when the mouth is busy with food. 



Classic lab <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/52/3/569/21545/Use-of-the-First-Gill-Slits-for-Water-Intake-in-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> show that water can be taken in through the first gill slits to keep oxygen flowing when the mouth is obstructed, a practical workaround during feeding.



A spiracle is a modified first gill slit that, in many bottom-dwelling sharks, provides a pathway to ventilate the eye and brain while the rest of the body holds steady. 



It is reduced in some fast swimmers and more prominent in species that rest on the seafloor, which fits a slow, patient hunter like a sleeper shark.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parasites-plague-sleeper-sharks">Parasites plague sleeper sharks</h2>



White, elongated copepods clung to the heads of several sharks. 



Close relatives often carry eye parasites, and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12099414/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> in Alaska found nearly universal infection of Pacific sleeper shark corneas by Ommatokoita elongata, with typical loads of one to two adults per infected eye. 



Those parasites can scar the cornea, which makes non-visual senses even more important in the deep.



Other visitors wandered in and out of frame, including a snailfish and a crowd of amphipods with the occasional giant isopod. 



The community that assembles around a carcass changes hour by hour as the meal is taken apart and the energy is spread into the sediment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-means-for-deep-sea-food-webs">What it means for deep-sea food webs</h2>



Eight large scavengers arriving within hours means there is a network ready to respond when food drops. 



That response plugs into a broader pattern in which carcasses feed mobile animals first, then fuel a long, microbial afterlife that supports worms and crustaceans for years.



The South China Sea sighting adds a piece to the puzzle of where these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shark-skeletons-could-lead-to-technological-innovations/">sharks</a> live and how they share food. 



It also shows that simple, well-designed experiments can turn a single drop into a map point, a behavior log, and a better grasp of who eats what in the dark.



The study is published in <a href="https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/olar.0095" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research</a>.



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Scientists put a dead cow on the deep ocean floor and filmed something very unexpected

Eight Pacific sleeper sharks showed up for dinner when researchers...

In the bearded dragon, sex isn’t determined by chromosomes alone. These lizards can hatch male or female depending not just on their DNA, but also on the temperature of their nest. 



This rare phenomenon has made the bearded dragon a focus for scientists exploring how sex is determined in vertebrates.



Now, two separate studies have built nearly complete reference genomes of the central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/australian-dragons-reveal-new-clues-about-the-mysteries-of-sleep/">bearded dragon</a>, Pogona vitticeps.



The research provides the clearest look yet at what makes a male a male - and why sometimes, a genetically male dragon hatches as a female.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bearded-dragon-s-genetic-switch">The bearded dragon's genetic switch</h2>



The new research comes from scientists at the <a href="https://www.canberra.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Canberra</a> in Australia and <a href="http://www.zju.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zhejiang University</a> in China. Both groups independently sequenced the bearded dragon genome, using different technologies and approaches.



The teams landed on the same key insight: a likely master sex-determining gene hiding in the dragon’s Z chromosome.



Unlike humans, where sex is determined entirely by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-chromosomes-have-conserved-specific-elements-for-600-million-years/">chromosomes</a>, bearded dragons follow a ZZ/ZW system. Males are ZZ and females are ZW. 



But high temperatures during egg incubation can flip the switch - turning a genetic male (ZZ) into a fully functional female. That rare flexibility in vertebrates has made these lizards essential for studying how environment and DNA interact.



With the help of advanced sequencing tools, both teams zoomed in on one region of the genome they believe controls this entire process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-genomes-one-big-answer">Two genomes, one big answer</h2>



The first study used a combination of DNBSEQ short-reads and long-reads from the new CycloneSEQ nanopore sequencer. It’s the first time this technology has been used to sequence an animal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turtles-have-genomes-unlike-any-other-animal/">genome</a>.



The second project, focused on a female lizard, used a mix of PacBio HiFi, ONT ultralong reads, and Hi-C sequencing.



By analyzing different animals (one male, one female) and utilizing different technology, the teams created genomes that complement each other. 



Together, the genomes help fill in gaps and confirm shared findings - like the identification of roughly 124 million base pairs of previously missing sequence, including genes and regulatory elements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bearded-dragon-sex-gene">Bearded dragon sex gene</h2>



Thanks to these advanced methods, the scientists were able to assemble nearly the full genome - 1.75 billion base pairs in each case - down to the telomeres. 



The researchers also mapped the Z and W chromosomes in detail, including a key “pseudo-autosomal region” (PAR) where the sex chromosomes pair and recombine.



Most importantly, both teams pinpointed the same region of the genome as the likely home of the sex-determining gene. Within that region, one gene stood out: Amh, or Anti-Müllerian hormone. 



The hormone - along with its receptor Amhr2 and another gene, Bmpr1a - were identified as strong candidates for controlling sex.



Expression analysis showed that Amh is far more active in developing males, suggesting it could be the master regulator. The twist? Bearded dragons also have autosomal (non-sex chromosome) versions of these genes, meaning they might act together in a network, not just through the sex chromosomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-milestone-for-reptile-genetics">A milestone for reptile genetics</h2>



Until now, no reptile had a clearly identified master sex-determining gene like mammals (Sry) or birds (Dmrt1). This discovery may be the closest we’ve come in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reptiles-survived-hellish-conditions-during-earths-worst-climate-crisis/">reptiles</a>.



Arthur Georges, senior author on the second paper, explained that the new genome assemblies will fuel rapid progress in many research areas. They open the door to studies on cranial and brain development, behavior, and how genes interact with one another as well as with the environment. 



Georges added that the bearded dragon now offers a strong squamate model for comparison with more traditional model species, including mice, humans, and birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sex-determination-in-bearded-dragons">Sex determination in bearded dragons</h2>



Qiye Li, senior author on the first paper, explained why the bearded dragon was the first animal genome sequenced using the new technology.



“We decided to start working on the bearded dragon genome last year as the first animal genome for this new sequencer because it was the Year of the Dragon in China," said Li.



"The two reference genomes, derived from opposite sex and generated by different technologies, are indeed complementary to each other."



"I am excited that both genomes pinpoint the key role of AMH signaling in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snakes-depend-on-their-sex-chromosomes-for-survival/">sex determination</a> in this species. But how did the sex chromosomes arise? We anticipate that additional high‑quality genomes from related species will further elucidate the evolutionary origin of the ZW system and complete the story."



A webinar with the two lead authors will take place on August 26 at 10:00 AM UTC, offering a chance for researchers and the public alike to ask questions and learn more about what’s next for this fascinating species.



The research was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/article/doi/10.1093/gigascience/giaf085/8237437">GigaScience</a>.



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How heat can rewrite the destiny of a bearded dragon

In the bearded dragon, sex isn’t determined by chromosomes alone....

A shallow roadside pool in India’s Western Ghats looks ordinary at first glance. Cattle wade in, tourists stop for a breather, and below the surface small creatures go about their business.



That humble scene now has a surprising cast member, a newly described fairy shrimp whose life plays out in warm, temporary water that often dries up between seasons. 



The animal’s entire known world fits inside a pool about 20 feet by 10 feet and a little over 3 feet deep.



The discovery was reported by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Avinash-Vanjare" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Avinash Isaac Vanjare</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prashant-Katke" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prashant Manohar Katke</a> of Ahmednagar College in Maharashtra (<a href="https://www.aca.edu.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACA</a>), with coauthor <a href="https://www.indiawaterportal.org/author/sameer-padhye-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sameer M. Padhye</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-streptocephalus-warliae">Streptocephalus warliae</h2>



Researchers named the species Streptocephalus warliae and published the description on July 24, 2025, noting unique features of its head appendages and reproductive anatomy. The average body length is 19.1 millimeters, which is about 0.75 inch.



Males carry a distinctive triangular projection at the base of the second antenna’s distal segment, and females show a deep notch at the tip of the second antenna. 



The eggs are spherical and about 180 micrometers wide, with raised ridges and depressed centers.



The animal’s proportions fall comfortably within the range for its group, but the shape and armature of those antennae are the giveaways that it is something different. 



That combination sets it apart from related South and Southeast Asian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/guitar-shaped-ray-species-discovered-for-the-first-time-lives-in-the-deep-ocean/">species</a> described in earlier work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-of-a-temporary-pool-resident">Life of a temporary pool resident</h2>



<a href="https://museumsvictoria.com.au/media/6149/mv-science-reports-19.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fairy shrimp</a> belong to Anostraca, a group of crustaceans that characteristically swim upside down in ephemeral pools that appear after rain and vanish in the dry season. 



They propel themselves with leaflike legs while feeding on microscopic particles.



The upside down posture is not a stunt. It positions their limbs and mouthparts for efficient feeding near the water’s surface, where fine detritus and algae concentrate.



“Streptocephalus warliae sp. nov. is so far known only from its type locality,” wrote the study authors. The site sits on the Jawahar plateau in Maharashtra, a lateritic highland dotted with seasonal rock pools.



Measurements at the pool tell a simple story. The basin is roughly 20 feet by 10 feet and about 3.3 feet deep, with water temperatures around 72 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, a pH between 7.2 and 7.4, and salinity near 27 to 36 parts per million.



Other residents share the space, including aquatic beetles, submerged plants, and tadpoles. Cattle use the pool for drinking and bathing, and travelers pause at its edge during drives through the plateau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-streptocephalus-warliae-needs-protection">Streptocephalus warliae needs protection</h2>



“We suggest a red listing of the species,” wrote Vanjare. That call reflects a basic reality of small, isolated habitats: one misstep can erase a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colorful-aquarium-creature-cherax-pulverulentus-is-new-crayfish-species-never-catalogued/">species</a>.



Large branchiopods across Asia are still underexplored, and many regions have not been surveyed with modern tools, which complicates risk assessment for animals that can disappear before we even know they exist. Urbanization and land conversion add pressure to these transient waters.



The Western <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/content/Biodiversity-hotspots-for-conservation-priorities-11837/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ghats</a> are recognized globally for high endemism and conservation value, which raises the stakes for tiny specialists restricted to a single site. Every new find tightens the link between small pools and regional biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-this-species-stand-out">What makes this species stand out</h2>



The key traits of Streptocephalus warliae are precise and anatomical rather than flashy. The male’s second antenna bears that triangular basomedial projection, and the terminal structures split into rami with a sharp angle and a specific pattern of spines and pustulations.



Females carry an elongated second antenna with a deep apical notch and a brood pouch extending across several abdominal segments. 



These characters, taken together, separate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-early-homo-species-discovered-lived-with-australopithecus-challenges-human-evolution-theory/">species</a> from lookalikes that occupy different rock substrates in nearby districts.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/shrimp_new-species_Streptocephalus-warliae_Pensoft_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/shrimp_new-species_Streptocephalus-warliae_Pensoft_1s.webp" alt="Streptocephalus warliae sp. nov. A. Male holotype (lateral view); B. Female allotype (lateral view). Scale bar: 10 mm. Credit: Pensoft" class="wp-image-1982270"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Streptocephalus warliae sp. nov. A. Male holotype (lateral view); B. Female allotype (lateral view). Scale bar: 10 mm. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Pensoft</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-hotspot-with-many-gaps">A hotspot with many gaps</h2>



Rocky outcrop pools in <a href="https://www.jlimnol.it/jlimnol/article/view/jlimnol.2015.1115/0?articlesBySimilarityPage=32" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maharashtra</a> support diverse large branchiopods, and surveys have shown several species partitioning habitats across lateritic and basaltic substrates. 



That fine scale sorting may limit overlap and make each pool type important in its own right.



Asia’s large branchiopod record still shows blank spaces on the map. New sampling efforts continue to turn up species in places where people have looked for decades for larger animals but missed short lived crustaceans that flash into existence with the rains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-in-a-scientific-name">Culture in a scientific name</h2>



The species honors the indigenous Warli community that lives in and around the type locality. 



<a href="https://ccrtindia.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Living-of-Tradition-Tribal-Painting.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warli art</a> is traditionally executed with rice paste and gum on a red ocher background, a practice closely tied to seasonal rituals and everyday life.



Naming a species after a local community sends a clear signal about where attention belongs. Conservation starts with the people who know the land and its waters best.



A tiny pool looks dispensable until it becomes the whole world for a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/researchers-discovered-tiny-dangerous-new-animal-species-scorpion-scorpiops-krachan/">species</a>. The habitat’s size and shallowness, measured in feet rather than miles, make it both accessible and fragile.



The animal’s eggs can persist through dry spells, waiting for the next rain to return the pool to life. That strategy hedges against drought, but it does not protect against concrete, quarrying, or contamination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-streptocephalus-warliae">Next steps for Streptocephalus warliae</h2>



The authors note that additional genetic data will help clarify relationships among species that look similar but split along habitat lines. 



Integrative work that pairs DNA with morphology can reveal hidden diversity and guide local protection.



Long term monitoring is the practical step on the ground. If the pool changes, careful records will show when and how, and that evidence can support swift action.



The study is published in <a href="https://zse.pensoft.net/article/139357/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zoosystematics and Evolution</a>.



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Strange new shrimp that swims upside down seen for the first time living in a pond

A shallow roadside pool in India’s Western Ghats looks ordinary...

Divers in the eastern Mediterranean are finding warm, clear water and an explosion of newcomers. Predators from tropical seas are settling in, while native fish are vanishing.&nbsp;



What was once exceptional heat is now the new normal, and the sea’s ecology is changing fast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warmer-depths-new-arrivals">Warmer depths, new arrivals</h2>



“We were at a depth of 30 meters (100 feet) this morning and the water was 29C,” said Murat Draman, a scuba instructor off Antalya in southern Turkey.&nbsp;



Draman remembers August months in the early 2000s when the sea was closer to 25C. Now <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surface-water-can-penetrate-earths-deep-interior/">surface waters</a> near Antalya are pushing nearly 32C, and the warmth reaches deep.&nbsp;



Warmer water has flung open a biological gateway. Hundreds of Red Sea species are crossing the Suez Canal and finding a home in the eastern basin.



Scientists say the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-mediterranean-nearly-lost-all-of-its-water-6-million-years-ago/">Mediterranean</a> is among the fastest-warming seas on the planet. This year brought its hottest June and July on record, according to figures from <a href="https://www.mercator-ocean.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mercator Ocean International</a>. 



As temperatures climb, tropical and subtropical species can survive - and thrive - farther north and west than before.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-surge-of-lionfish">A surge of lionfish</h2>



“About a decade ago, we saw one or two of them. Now we’re talking about 15 or 20 per dive - even more than when we go to the Red Sea,” Draman said.&nbsp;



He is referring to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-lionfish-global-domination-mediterranean-sea-marine-ecosystems/">lionfish</a>, the striking but highly venomous species Pterois miles, armed with long, spotted fins and a voracious appetite. In Antalya’s coves and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-may-be-more-resilient-than-we-thought/">reefs</a>, they are now common.



“They are big predators. Small fish like gobies suffer a lot, we hardly see them anymore,” he added.&nbsp;



The small, bottom-dwelling fish once dotted the rocks. Now they are at risk of being eaten out of sight. Warmer water is part of the story. So is the sudden arrival of skilled hunters that the local food web is not built to resist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-warning-from-the-east">A warning from the east</h2>



"The invasion started almost immediately after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869,” said Gil Rilov, a professor at Israel’s Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute (<a href="https://www.ocean.org.il/about-iolr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IOLR</a>). But the pace has recently quickened.



“But now it’s getting warmer, and also (in 2015), the canals got deeper and wider, so more and more new species move in every year.”&nbsp;



Some newcomers may help fill niches as native species struggle with heat. Many others displace or outcompete what was there before.



What Rilov sees off Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel is spreading west.&nbsp;Rabbitfish, for example, have reached Malta - more than 1,700 kilometers from the canal. 



Rilov calls the eastern basin “a warning,” pointing to two drivers behind native losses: relentless heat and fierce competition. "What is happening here will happen in five, 10 or 20 years in the north and west of the Mediterranean."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tropical-species-in-a-warmer-mediterranean">Tropical species in a warmer Mediterranean </h2>



Mercator’s latest analysis showed the Mediterranean posted its warmest July on record with an average surface temperature of 26.68C. That number hides local extremes and the vertical reach of heat.&nbsp;



As heat soaks downward, species that once found cool refuge at depth now face <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeding-corals-can-help-them-recover-from-heat-stress/">thermal stress</a> throughout the water column.&nbsp;



The sea is not just warmer at the top. It is warmer everywhere that matters to fish, invertebrates, and algae.



The “tropicalization” is not limited to the Suez pipeline either. A 2024 <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2320687121">study</a> suggests the Strait of Gibraltar could deliver more warm-water species from West Africa into the western Mediterranean by mid-century.&nbsp;



In a pessimistic scenario, researchers warn the basin could be entirely tropicalized by 2100. That would mean a wholesale turnover of communities, food webs, and the services people rely on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-absence-of-mediterranean-predators">Absence of Mediterranean predators</h2>



Local food webs can blunt an invader’s impact - if they have the right hunters. In the eastern Mediterranean, many apex predators are missing or depleted. That leaves lionfish and other arrivals with little to fear.



Draman sees the imbalance daily. He argues for keeping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/growing-threat-of-invasive-species-requires-immediate-action/">invasive species</a> out of protected areas to shield what biodiversity remains. Without checks and balances, populations grow fast.&nbsp;



“It is clear that with the absence of Mediterranean predators, species such as lionfish are very comfortable here and their population is increasing year on year,” said Draman.



In their native range, lionfish do not rule the reefs. “In the Red Sea, lionfish have predators. There are sharks and barracudas. Here, we have none of that.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-be-done-now">What can be done now</h2>



Managers face two timelines. One is immediate: reduce local pressures that make ecosystems fragile - overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution - and limit the spread of high-impact invaders near sensitive habitats.&nbsp;



The other timeline is generational: curb greenhouse gas emissions to slow the ocean’s march toward tropical conditions. Neither is easy. Both are necessary.



The message from Antalya’s reefs is simple. The Mediterranean is warming fast. Tropical species are already here and native fish are losing ground. And what is unfolding in the east is a warning for the rest of the basin.&nbsp;



The sooner that warning is heeded, the better chance there is to keep familiar seas from becoming something unrecognizable.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://phys.org/journals/proceedings-of-the-national-academy-of-sciences/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Tropical species are taking over the Mediterranean Sea

Divers in the eastern Mediterranean are finding warm, clear water...

Australia’s Bogong moth uses a stellar compass with help from Earth’s geomagnetic field to stay on course across about 620 miles to cool alpine caves, according to a new study. 



The work shows that the moths can distinguish specific geographic directions at night using the starry sky alone.



Billions of bogong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-moth-species-revealed-after-a-century-of-mistaken-identity/">moths</a> head for high country each spring, then reverse the journey in autumn after months of aestivation in cave walls. The feat is precise, seasonal, and inherited rather than learned.



Professor Eric Warrant of <a href="https://www.lu.se/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lund University</a> led the research with collaborators across Europe and Australia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-navigate-by-stars">Moths navigate by stars</h2>



The team ran night flights in a rural, non-magnetic laboratory using a custom flight simulator that projected a natural star field above tethered moths, while removing magnetic cues so only the sky pattern could guide flight. They also ran outdoor tests under real <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moths-read-the-stars-to-complete-an-epic-migration/">skies</a> to confirm the behavior in the field.



“When the starry sky was rotated 180 degrees, the moths also changed direction 180 degrees, but when the stars were distorted, their orientation disappeared. It was a real eureka moment to experience this in the experiments,” said David Dreyer, a researcher at Lund.



“Navigating by the stars is a capacity that only humans, often with the help of a sextant, and certain birds that migrate at night possess. Now we can establish that the Bogong moth is the first invertebrate so far known to master this feat,” said Warrant.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-moths-rely-on-stars-for-journeys">Why moths rely on stars for journeys</h2>



The night sky shifts across hours, yet the moths held their inherited course when the stars moved across the dome. That suggests they are extracting a stable cue from changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stressed-plants-make-sounds-and-moths-can-hear-them/">patterns</a>.



Birds have long been shown to use star patterns, a result established in classic planetarium experiments with indigo buntings. 



Moths now join the list of celestial navigators, but with a key twist, because they use the stars to aim for a specific geographic bearing, not just to keep a straight line.



Short range sky use is not unprecedented in insects. Dung beetles orient using the Milky Way to roll in a straight line away from competitors at the dung heap, which is a different task from long distance navigation to a fixed destination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-switch-to-magnetic-cues-nbsp">Moths switch to magnetic cues&nbsp;</h2>



On overcast nights, the moths still maintained their seasonally correct heading in field tests, a pattern consistent with a magnetic compass that steps in when the sky is hidden. That redundancy makes sense for nocturnal travel that can span many nights.



Earlier work in 2018 had already shown Bogong moths sense and use Earth’s magnetic field to steer, aligning magnetic and visual cues when they agree and losing orientation when the cues conflict. 



The new results show that either cue alone can be sufficient, with stars taking the lead under clear skies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-moths-decode-sky-patterns">How moths decode sky patterns</h2>



The study did not stop at behavior. The team recorded activity from visual neurons that responded when the projected star sky rotated, and those responses vanished when the stars were randomized, indicating tuning to natural celestial structure rather than generic motion.



Some cells peaked when the moth was oriented toward a common sky direction, which hints at how the brain encodes a stable heading from complex light patterns. The responses appeared in regions that interconnect sensory input with motor steering.



One navigation hub, the central complex, is known across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-predators-attack-adult-moths-instead-of-caterpillars/">insects</a> as a circuit that computes heading and desired direction, and the new data are consistent with that role. 



The pattern suggests a compact neural solution for fusing sky and magnetic information into a single steering command.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-plausible-magnetic-sensor">A plausible magnetic sensor</h2>



How an insect detects a weak magnetic field is still an open question. A leading hypothesis proposes a light dependent chemical reaction in cryptochrome proteins that forms magnetically sensitive radical pairs, which can change reaction yields depending on field orientation.



There is direct experimental support for cryptochrome-based magnetic sensing in another migratory insect, the monarch butterfly. 



In this species, CRY1 mediates light-dependent inclination responses under Earth-strength fields and relies on both the antennae and the eyes as magnetosensory organs. Bogong moths may use a related mechanism, although that remains to be nailed down.



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



The findings raise the bar for what a small nervous system can do. A moth brain smaller than a grain of rice can extract compass information from dim, complex star fields and keep it calibrated with a magnetic fallback.



The approach is robust, portable, and cheap in energy. It also highlights why dark, clear skies still matter for nocturnal migrants that rely on faint celestial structure.



Two puzzles stand out. How do these moths decide they have reached the right mountain caves, and which local cues trigger the stop after the long haul?



There is also the question of calibration. The system likely needs a way to keep sky and magnetic compasses aligned over time, and to decide which to trust when the cues disagree.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09135-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Bogong moths navigate using stars and magnetic fields

Australia’s Bogong moth uses a stellar compass with help from...

A team in Japan reports that switching on one gene in a specific set of brain cells made one fruit fly species perform the courtship ritual of another.



The two species involved, split from a common ancestor roughly 30 to 35 million years ago, so copying behavior across that divide is no small feat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-behavior-by-gene-transfer">Changing behavior by gene transfer</h2>



“When we activated the fru gene in insulin-producing neurons of singing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-convert-living-creatures-flies-into-remote-controlled-microrobots/">flies</a> to produce FruM proteins, the cells grew long neural projections,” said <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryoya-Tanaka" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ryoya Tanaka</a>, co-lead author and lecturer at <a href="https://www.sci.nagoya-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nagoya University</a>’s Graduate School of Science.



The <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp5831" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> was led by Tanaka alongside colleagues at Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (<a href="https://www.nict.go.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NICT</a>), in partnership with Nagoya University.



The manipulated males of Drosophila melanogaster stopped relying only on song and instead offered a nuptial gift, a regurgitated droplet, (vomit) the hallmark move of Drosophila subobscura.



The team boosted a sex-specific isoform of the fruitless gene, FruM, inside <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2013.00252/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insulin-producing neurons</a> that sit in the brain and normally regulate metabolism and growth signals.



Those neurons sprouted new connections to the brain’s courtship control center, forming a circuit that drives gift offering rather than song, according to the paper and editor’s summary.



The authors also pinpointed a small cluster of 16 to 18 such neurons and tied their output to mouthpart motor pathways that enable regurgitation and transfer to the female’s proboscis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-shifts-views-of-evolution">This shifts views of evolution</h2>



“Our findings indicate that the evolution of novel behaviors does not necessarily require the emergence of new neurons,” noted <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yusuke-Hara" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yusuke Hara</a>, co-lead author at NICT.



Small genetic changes that rewire existing cells can yield new behaviors, which is a tighter, more economical route than inventing whole networks from scratch.



That idea is consistent with work showing modular, plug-and-play features in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flies-are-more-vulnerable-to-climate-change-than-bees/">fly</a> courtship circuits that can accept different sensory inputs or outputs without rebuilding the entire system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fruitless-gene-in-courtship-behavior">Fruitless gene in courtship behavior</h2>



The <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/59224" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fruitless</a> program sets up the male courtship network during development, and experiments show that FruM is required in a critical window to produce normal male-female courtship.



About 2,000 <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.00780/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FruM-positive neurons</a> dot the male nervous system, and subsets control steps such as song, pursuit, and copulation timing.



Earlier <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6705751/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> comparing species already hinted that fru-labeled circuitry is wired differently in subobscura versus melanogaster, supporting the notion that conserved genes can drive distinct behaviors in related animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insulin-neurons-guide-courtship-behavior">Insulin neurons guide courtship behavior</h2>



In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-on-treadmills-video-shows-how-insects-walk-and-balance/">flies</a>, a compact set of brain endocrine cells secretes insulin-like peptides, and this cluster sits in a neuroendocrine hub called the pars intercerebralis.



Those cells normally track nutritional status and help regulate growth, stress resistance, and lifespan, so recruiting them into a courtship circuit links internal state to mating tactics in a direct way.



The new study shows that giving these cells FruM builds a bridge from internal metabolic nodes to the courtship command center, adding a behavioral output that one species has never used before.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-gift-giving-does-for-flies">What gift giving does for flies</h2>



Drosophila subobscura males offer a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article/20/2/289/220004" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regurgitated droplet</a> to females during courtship, and experiments show that this gift influences female choice and reproductive output.



The gift is tiny, but in a resource-limited world it carries information about the male’s condition and foraging success, and it can provide nutrients that matter to a female’s egg production.



Embedding that behavior in the primary courtship sequence ties mating success to an ecologically meaningful performance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-circuit-likely-works">How the circuit likely works</h2>



The study’s mapping implicates neurite growth from insulin cells and connections onto proboscis-innervating motoneurons, which can trigger regurgitation and mouth-to-mouth transfer seen in subobscura courtship.



That path bypasses the wing-vibration pathway that dominates in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-can-walk-jump-and-dance-using-the-same-motor-neurons/">melanogaster song</a>, so the act of giving replaces the act of singing in a way the nervous system can execute without training.



By locating the few neurons that matter and showing how they wire in, the team gives neurogenetics a clear, testable circuit to manipulate in either species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-and-next-questions">Limits and next questions</h2>



“We’ve shown how we can trace complex behaviors like nuptial gift-giving back to their genetic roots to understand how evolution creates entirely new strategies that help species survive and reproduce,” said <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_Qd9-xMAAAAJ&amp;hl=ja" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Daisuke Yamamoto</a>, senior author at NICT.



This result does not mean complex social behaviors in other animals are controlled by a single switch, or that they can be changed safely outside the lab.



It does show that a few preexisting neurons, given the right transcriptional program, can be redirected toward a new behavioral output.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-behavior-and-future-science">Genes, behavior, and future science</h2>



The work strengthens the case that behavior evolves by redeploying shared parts, not just by adding parts, which helps explain how related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flies-like-to-play-and-have-fun-like-other-animals-according-to-a-fascinating-new-study/">species</a> end up with strikingly different courtship rituals over time.



It also provides a tidy experimental blueprint for tracing a behavior to its molecular driver, the specific cell type, and the synapses that make the action happen.



That level of precision is rare for any innate behavior, so the field now has a scaffold for testing how internal state, environment, and sex-specific genes integrate inside the brain.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp5831" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Scientists can now change animal behavior by transferring genes

A team in Japan reports that switching on one gene...

<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.

<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://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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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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.



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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

[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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[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



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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

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

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