A team of researchers have recently witnessed behavior in the wild that could offer critical clues about how the endangered whale shark reproduces.&nbsp;



This surprising discovery, made by a research team off northwestern Australia, could be pivotal for the species’ conservation.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-move-into-dangerous-territory-as-the-climate-warms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Whale sharks</a>, recognized as the world’s largest fish, have long posed a challenge for scientists who strive to understand the details of their life cycles - particularly their mating rituals.&nbsp;



Given that whale sharks are currently listed as endangered, every insight into their reproductive strategies is essential for crafting effective measures to protect them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collecting-data-on-whale-shark-behavior">Collecting data on whale shark behavior </h2>



At Ningaloo Reef, a <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a> on the northwestern coast of Western Australia, annual expeditions have taken place each May from 2009 to 2024. This specific timeframe captures the peak period when whale sharks migrate to the region and aggregate in considerable numbers.&nbsp;



Scientists have used these field seasons to observe and collect data on the behaviors of whale sharks, hoping to uncover patterns that would illuminate everything from feeding habits to potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fascinating-mating-behaviors-of-leopard-seals-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mating rituals</a>.



During the 2024 expedition, a research team documented a mature male whale shark engaging in what appeared to be following and biting behaviors toward a smaller female shark.&nbsp;



Although it remains unclear if this encounter culminated in mating, the new observations provide a rare glimpse into the courtship interactions of these elusive giants.



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



“Following and biting are common copulation behaviours in other species within the subclass of cartilaginous fish that the whale shark belongs to,” explained PhD candidate Christine Barry, a member of <a href="https://www.murdoch.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Murdoch University</a>’s Harry Butler Institute and the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a>.&nbsp;



Barry and her colleagues noted that these behaviors have been observed in several other cartilaginous fish, including various shark species. Such actions typically denote an attempt by the male to stabilize or secure the female’s position during mating.



“This is also consistent with previous reports by fishers recounting behaviours they’d observed out on the water of sexually mature males towards females at different aggregation sites,” Barry added.&nbsp;



These anecdotes, now supported by direct evidence, add weight to the idea that whale sharks’ mating rituals may mirror those of other large sharks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-piecing-together-mating-clues">Piecing together mating clues</h2>



The research team, led by Barry alongside Dr. Mark Meekan of the University of Western Australia, published their conclusions in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1507072/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.&nbsp;



According to Barry, it is unlikely that the encounter during this expedition resulted in a successful mating event. Nonetheless, the instance of following and biting strongly suggests that whale shark mating behavior follows a pattern akin to many other shark species.



By placing these newly documented behaviors in the broader context of whale shark biology, scientists can form hypotheses regarding the mating process of the species.&nbsp;



Additionally, the research group underscores that knowledge of how whale sharks court and reproduce can significantly boost conservation efforts, particularly as populations remain vulnerable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoidance-behavior-by-female-whale-sharks">Avoidance behavior by female whale sharks </h2>



Whale sharks, which can grow up to 12 meters or more in length, have a global distribution in warm temperate and tropical waters. Despite their widespread presence, many aggregation sites show an overwhelming number of males.&nbsp;



“At Ningaloo Reef, and many aggregation sites around the world, males outnumber females with a ratio of one female to three males,” Barry said. The reasons behind this imbalance have puzzled scientists for years.



“This could explain why female whale sharks may be avoiding aggregation sites. Particularly for juvenile female sharks, the energetic costs of unwanted attention from males could imply a reason for strong male biases,” Barry added.&nbsp;



Female whale sharks, particularly younger ones, might seek refuge in areas with fewer adult males to steer clear of the stress and energy demands associated with repeated courtship attempts.&nbsp;



This avoidance behavior could be a crucial factor influencing whale shark population structures at various aggregation points.



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



One pressing question is what these findings mean for managing whale shark populations worldwide. As an endangered species, whale sharks already face numerous challenges, including interactions with fisheries, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/basking-sharks-are-exceptionally-vulnerable-to-ship-strikes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vessel strikes</a>, and habitat degradation.&nbsp;



Understanding their mating behavior, including how males and females interact at aggregation sites, can aid biologists and policymakers in deciding how to protect critical habitats - such as identifying areas where females can avoid male-dominated gatherings.



The annual expeditions at Ningaloo Reef also serve as a model for studying whale sharks in their natural environment without relying on anecdotal sightings.&nbsp;



By systematically gathering data and applying scientific methods, researchers can more accurately identify patterns and track changes in whale shark behavior over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-continuation-of-whale-shark-research">Continuation of whale shark research</h2>



This new information about potential mating interactions is just the latest in a series of findings by Christine Barry, Dr. Meekan, and other scientists at Murdoch University’s School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences and partner institutions.&nbsp;



Their previous studies have covered topics ranging from the impact of tourism on whale shark well-being to prey dynamics in waters frequented by these fish.



Moving forward, the researchers intend to broaden their focus to include additional observational and genetic studies, in hopes of confirming how often such pre-mating behaviors occur and what leads to successful reproduction.&nbsp;



In this way, the data gleaned at Ningaloo Reef and other aggregation sites may help scientists develop clearer conservation strategies tailored to the unique reproductive needs of whale sharks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-the-largest-fish-in-the-sea">Saving the largest fish in the sea</h2>



The newly documented behaviors at Ningaloo Reef represent a pivotal step in unraveling one of the great mysteries of marine biology: how whale sharks reproduce.&nbsp;



While much remains to be learned about courtship and mating in these gentle ocean giants, the direct observations of following and biting offer valuable context for a species that has long eluded scientific understanding.



With further research, scientists hope to clarify whether female whale sharks avoid highly male-dominated sites as a means to reduce the stress and energy costs of unwanted attention.&nbsp;



Such knowledge could shape guidelines for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-marine-protected-areas-boost-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine protected areas</a> and responsible ecotourism that minimize disturbances to whale shark breeding practices.&nbsp;



Ultimately, uncovering the nuances of whale shark mating is a vital piece of the puzzle in ensuring the survival of these endangered animals for generations to come.



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Whale shark mating behaviors observed for the first time in the wild

A team of researchers have recently witnessed behavior in the wild that could offer critical clues about how the endangered whale shark reproduces.&nbsp; This surprising discovery, made by a research team off northwestern Australia, could be pivotal for the species’ conservation.&nbsp; Whale sharks, recognized as the world’s largest fish, have long posed a challenge for scientists who strive to understand the details of their life cycles - particularly their mating rituals.&nbsp; Given that whale sharks are currently listed as endangered, every insight into their reproductive strategies is...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a> has found that future levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the ocean will make it difficult for baby fish to reach safety, which will threaten the stability of fish populations.

The researchers observed barramundi larvae in water with high levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-energy-costs/">CO2</a> and found that the hatchlings turned away from ocean noises that would normally attract them to a safe shelter. Instead, they were drawn to sounds from the wrong habitats and to artificial noise.

“The oceans are far from silent environments; they harbor many noisy animals, for example snapping shrimps and whales and dolphins,” said lead author Professor Ivan Nagelkerken.

“Oceanic larvae (hatchlings or baby fish) from quite a few species of fishes and invertebrates listen to sounds of coastal ecosystems. They use these sounds to guide them from the open ocean, where they hatch, to a sheltered home in shallow waters, where they can spend their juvenile and adult lives.”

“Unfortunately the CO2 that humans are pumping into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels gets absorbed by the ocean and causes acidification, and this causes changes to the behavior of many marine animals.”

The study was focused on barramundi larvae in marine tanks with levels of CO2 that are consistent with those expected by the end of the century. They compared the activity of the baby fish to the responses of barramundi larvae that were exposed to current CO2 levels.

“In our study we found that while larvae of barramundi are attracted to the sounds of tropical estuaries, larvae raised under future ocean conditions with elevated CO2 were deterred by these natural sounds,” explained Professor Nagelkerken. “Moreover, under elevated CO2, larval barramundi were attracted to the wrong sounds.” 

Noises found on cold water reefs and artificial sounds or “white noise” demanded the attention of the larvae in heavily acidified water. According to study co-author Professor Sean Connell, this means that the larvae could end up in the wrong habitats and in places where they cannot survive.

“Fewer larvae are arriving in coastal ecosystems, estuaries and rivers could result in smaller population sizes and, in the case of commercial species like barramundi, this could have a significant impact on fisheries, whether it be commercial or recreational,” explained Professor Connell.

“The research also raises questions about future fish populations in areas with unnatural sounds. Will some species be more attracted, for example, to areas where there are a lot of human structures and sounds in and under the water, such as harbours and oil platforms, in the future?”

The study is published in the Nature journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rising ocean acidity is threatening the survival of baby fish

A new study from the University of Adelaide has found...

Researchers at Virginia Tech's <a href="https://cnre.vt.edu/">College of Natural Resources and Environment</a> have found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cheetah-quickly-vanishing-planet/">cheetahs</a> have adopted different strategies to deal with threats from other predators during feeding time. Some cheetahs eat their prey as quickly as possible, while mothers with cubs watch out for any danger while the juveniles eat. 

Cheetahs live alongside bigger carnivores such as lions and spotted hyenas. The larger carnivores are known to attack cheetah cubs and steal prey from the adults.

While leopards can drag their prey high up into trees away from scavengers, cheetahs do not have the strength to do this. Cheetahs are also physically unable to defend themselves against lions, which is why they often hunt when larger predators are less active.

The research team analyzed 35 years of observations involving 159 cheetahs in the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania. The experts wanted to investigate how the eating behavior of cheetahs is affected by larger predators.

The study revealed that the feeding strategy used by the cheetahs depends on the type of threat they are guarding against. The main threat faced by single females and males is having their food stolen, so they spend less time watching out for attacks and more time eating as quickly as possible. The primary concern of mother cheetahs, on the other hand, is keeping their young safe.

“Instead of speed, mothers use vigilance to minimize risk,” explained lead author Anne Hilborn. “They spend more time paused before eating, perhaps also to catch their breath, and are more vigilant. This increases the amount of time they spend eating, which in turn increases their overall handling time.”

According to the researchers, the feeding behavior of cheetahs also depends on their location. In a territory with fewer lions or hyenas present, mothers may be less alert and observant during a meal with their cubs.

The study is published in Springer's journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/265">Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cheetahs strategize to dodge larger predators while they eat

Researchers at Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/">Kyoto University</a> have found that sea urchin populations are more vulnerable to human activities than what was previously thought. An observational study that spanned 50 years has revealed that algal blooms and fluctuating water temperatures have significantly impacted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-urchins-erode-reef/">sea urchins</a> and have led to abnormal larvae development.

Sea urchins are commonly found in shallow water, and this makes them more susceptible to human influences. Sea urchins are ecological drivers that can affect the dynamics of entire marine communities due to the fact that they eat seaweed and experience large population fluctuations.

Continuous long-term monitoring is needed to examine ecological changes so that their causes can be identified. The study was focused on three common species of sea urchins located at a marine reserve in Japan's Hatakejima Island from 1963 to 2014. The team conducted surveys of the area every year, and also conducted six surveys of the entire coast.

The patterns that emerged throughout the course of the study were found to be similar in all three species. The researchers found large numbers of sea urchins in the 1960s and 1970s, sharp declines in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and a recovery in the late 1990s.

The experts also discovered that algal bloom, ocean current, and warm winter ocean temperatures all contributed to the sizes of the sea urchin populations. In addition, each species was found to be affected by different conditions. In one species, algal bloom was linked to abnormal larvae development.


“Our study is the longest of its kind into sea urchin populations, and demonstrates the importance of monitoring impacts of environmental stressors and addressing the mechanisms of changes in the abundance of not only sea urchins but other marine creatures,” said study co-author Tomoyuki Nakano.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecological-indicators">Ecological Indicators</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kyoto University / Nakano Lab

Human activity threatening sea urchin populations

Researchers at Kyoto University have found that sea urchin populations...

As far as the natural world is concerned, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-mexico-border-wall-threaten-100-endangered-species/">international borders</a> are just lines drawn on a map.  Abstract. A wall is a way to manifest an unnatural idea. 

Jaguars perhaps most famously often cross the fluid border between the US and Mexico.  Fish seem to wander at will along the very fluid border set by the Rio Grande between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila and Tamaulipas.

Of course it’s little different with people.  Native American tribes such as the Tohono O’odham and Yaqui have lived on both sides of the US-Mexico border since before either country existed, often travelling across the not yet existing border.  Today the reality hasn’t changed much, with many tribes crossing the borders for ceremonies, work or simply to visit family members and friends. 

The truth of the ecological unity between the United States of America and Mexico is shown quite clearly in the lands protected by governments on both sides of the border.  

Organ Pipe National Monument is a desert park taking up 330,689 acres of land on the southern border of Arizona and Mexico.  95% of the land in Organ Pipe is set aside as wilderness area. From peaks inside Organ Pipe National Monument, you can look across the border into Mexico and see El Picante y Gran Desierto de Altar.  El Picante y Gran Desierto de Altar is considerably larger than the US Organ Pipe, measuring approximately 1,765,731 acres. Organ Pipe also partners with Delta de Rio Colorado and Alto Golfo de California in Mexico for management.  The landscape of broken volcanic geology and spare desert vegetation is common to Organ Pipe as well as El Picante y Gran Desierto de Altar. Sonoran Pronghorn are monitored by staff in both desert parks. The parks on the coast in Mexico share water from the Colorado River originating in the US.  

Of course, the border is a stark reality to humans on both sides of it.  In the 90s, border security in urban areas increased dramatically; forcing Mexicans seeking a better life, and illegal smuggling operations into the desert to cross into the US.  According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">The Guardian</a>, border patrol intercepted about 23 people in Organ Pipe National Monument per day in 2015.  The remains of 129 people who crossed the border illegally were found in the desert of southern Arizona in 2014.       

The reality of Organ Pipe National Monument has changed radically in recent decades.  In 2002 Kris Eggle, a Park Law Enforcement Officer, was killed by members of a drug cartel fleeing Mexico.  The murder prompted closing the majority of the park, an order that remained largely in effect for almost 11 years.  When the park completely reopened to the public in 2014, it was with a very different face. <a href="https://www.hcn.org/">High Country News</a> reported that the park in 2014 had 20 law enforcement officers compared to 5 in 2003.  Likewise, Border Patrol agents increased 20-fold to a total of over 500. The park is now said to be safe for tourists.

Big Bend National Park in Texas shares a border with Mexico for 118 miles says the National Park Service website.  On the same website, under the heading of ‘Safety Advice’ is a recommendation: 

“People in distress may ask for food, water, or other assistance. It is recommended that you do not make contact with them, but note the location, and immediately notify park rangers. Lack of water is a life-threatening emergency in the desert.”

It’s clear from the context that this refers to illegal immigrants from Mexico.  Elsewhere on the website, the subject of border merchants is broached. On the U.S. side of the border, tourist items such as walking sticks and bracelets are left for sale by Mexican merchants.  The website says buying these items encourages illegal crossing of the river which may lead to incarceration. 

According to <a href="https://www.npr.org/">NPR</a>, The Big Bend Sector of the border has had the lowest apprehension rate of illegal crossers annually for the last 44 years.  The inhospitable terrain might be the reason why. Unlike in the Sonoran desert, the terrain of Big Bend might keep many from even trying to cross into the US, outside of border merchants.

In Big Bend, the Rio Grande River which already forms a natural border between US and Mexico is also of supreme importance to wildlife.  A potential border wall could kill animals searching for a drink in the arid Chihuahuan Desert. Black Bears, Mountain Lions, Big Horn Sheep, Coyotes, and Coati all live in the park.  Wildlife doesn’t respect borders and needs freedom to move for survival, especially in demanding desert regions. 

Bordering Big Bend National Park on the Mexico side are Cañón de Santa Elena Flora and Fauna Protection Area and Maderas Del Carmen Biosphere Reserve, both of which are sister parks to Big Bend.  As sister parks, the managing agencies of the parks in the US and Mexico work together on things such as wildlife monitoring on both sides of the border. All together, the two Mexican protected areas and the one in the US make up The Big Bend Conservation Corridor Initiative, protecting more than 3 million acres, an area Wikipedia notes, as large as the US state of Connecticut.  As the name corridor implies, the area has been set aside partially to enable migration of wildlife north to south through the border region. 

At the turn of the last century, Black Bears were said to be common in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park.  Ranchers, hunters and federal predator control agents put an end to Black Bears in the Big Bend region. By 1944 when Big Bend National Park was established, there were virtually no Black Bears at all.

In the 1980s bears made a comeback in Big Bend, journeying across the deserts of Mexico, swimming the Rio Grande a female from Sierra Del Carmen crossed even more desert in Texas to re-establish her species in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend once again.  Without the corridor left intact between the US and Mexico, Black Bears could never have come back to Big Bend. 

So far, the president and his cabinet have said that Big Bend won’t be a place where an actual border wall will be built.  

All along the border, parks and preserves in the US partner with those in Mexico to protect the land and wildlife common to both.  Chiricahua National Monument, Saguaro National Park, Coronado National Memorial all in Arizona have sister Parks in Mexico. White Sands National Monument in New Mexico partners with Cuatrocienagas Biosphere Reserve to develop shared inventory and monitoring programs.  Besides Big Bend in Texas, Padre Island National Seashore also partners with a Biosphere Reserve and a National Park in Mexico. 

Beyond parks, projects such as the Northern Jaguar Project bridge the international border between the US and Mexico.  Monarch Butterflies that pollinate millions of flowers in the US winter in Mexico, where tourists flock to see magical clouds of the insect.  

It’s easy to forget that nature works as a whole and isn’t divided by artificial boundaries drawn on the map so human can cut the world into chunks easily used for human purposes.  For now, the border between US and Mexico remains fluid in many areas. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Life on the US-Mexico border is fluid for many wildlife species

As far as the natural world is concerned, international borders...

Ambrosiakäfer pflegen ihre Pilzgärten gemeinsam und arbeitsteilig: Einige Tiere reinigen die Gangsysteme, die in das Holz gefressen werden, andere schaffen den Schmutz aus dem Nest und putzen die Artgenossen. (Foto: Gernot Kunz)

Boozing beetles? How alcohol helps them thrive. Researchers have learned why alcohol attracts certain beetles and the important symbiotic relationships these beetles have to their fungi crops and habitat. 

Ambrosia beetles are not an uncommon site in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/beer-was-brewed-in-central-europe-6000-years-ago/">beer</a> gardens when they sometimes take a dive into a person’s glass and now, a new study explains why alcohol attracts the insects. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the<a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/ueber/university/"> University of Wuerzburg</a>, the <a href="https://www.ice.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology</a>, <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> and the <a href="https://www.hfm.tum.de/index.php?id=hfmtumde&amp;L=1">Wood Research Institute of the Technical University of Munich</a>. 

Published in the journal PNAS, the findings discuss how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-alcohol-heart-rate/">alcohol</a> plays an important role in the formation of fungi that ambrosia beetles depend on. Boozing beetles? How alcohol helps them thrive 

Ambrosia beetles are a group of bark beetles with several thousand species and ambrosia beetles are able to cultivate fungi. The beetles grow the fungi and feed off of it. 

The researchers set out to determine what it is about alcohol that draws the insects and how it impacts their agricultural efforts. 

“It has long been known that alcohol is produced by weakened trees and that these trees are recognized and colonized by ambrosia beetles,” said  Peter Biedermann, a co-author of the study. “And often you will find the roughly two millimeter long beetles in glasses of beer, when a beer garden is surrounded by old trees.” 

The researchers studied black timber bark beetles, a species of ambrosia beetle, in order to better understand how alcohol influenced the beetles’ farming. 

Alcohol creates optimal environments that are perfect for the beetles to cultivate fungi and live in. The more food there is, the more offspring there will be among the beetle populations. 

It’s a sustainable system and weeds, a common gardening problem, cannot flourish on bark that has higher levels of alcohol. 

“An increase in the activity of alcohol-degrading enzymes allows the insects' fungi to grow optimally in alcohol-rich wood, while alcohol is toxic to other microorganisms,” said Biedermann. 

“At this level of alcohol, (two percent) the omnipresent molds, which can also be considered the "weeds" of fungal agriculture, only grow weekly and cannot overgrow the fungal gardens,” said Philipp Benz, a fellow researcher. 

Ambrosia beetles are some of nature’s most successful sustainable farmers, according to Benz. 

The researchers also observed complex social behaviors as the beetles took on different tasks to cultivate the fungi. 

Some of the beetles cleaned tunnel systems, others helped clear dirt, and all the beetles seemed to work together with the goal of creating the perfect conditions for the fungi and beetles. 

If a beetle colony moved to another tree, some would bring along spores from their old habitat in order to create new fungal gardens. The spores carried by the beetles can even produce alcohol, which helps with the cultivation in the new tree. 

“Of course, they have to be more resistant to alcohol than other creatures,” said Biedermann. 

“These characteristics are also of high potential interest from a biotechnological point of view since they might be transferable to other systems when better understood,” Benz concluded.  

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Gernot Kunz

Boozing beetles? How alcohol helps them thrive

Boozing beetles? How alcohol helps them thrive. Researchers have learned...

As we reported recently, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ichthyosaur-gave-birth-live-young/">a fossil with eight embryos</a> found in Yorkshire England was revealed to be the youngest pregnant ichthyosaur ever discovered. 

The giant aquatic reptile is making headlines again as a 205 million-year-old jawbone first found in 2016 was recently revealed to belong to one of the largest ichthyosaurs ever recorded, measuring up to 26 meters in length. 

The new findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, also helped solve a 150 old mystery involving dinosaur bones. 

Paul de la Salle, a co-author of the study, first came across the jawbone on a beach in Somerset, England. 

“Initially, the bone just looked like a piece of rock but, after recognizing a groove and bone structure, I thought it might be part of a jaw from an ichthyosaur and immediately contacted ichthyosaur experts Dean Lomax and Prof. Judy Massare who expressed interest in studying the specimen,” said la Salle. “I also contacted Dr. Ramues Gallois, a geologist who visited the site and determined the age of the specimen stratigraphically.”

The fossil was an incomplete bone from the lower jaw of a giant ichthyosaur, according to both Lomax and Massare. 

The fossil was then compared to other ichthyosaur fossils and the researchers even visited the <a href="http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/">Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology</a>, which houses the largest ichthyosaur fossil, the shastasaurid Shonisaurus sikanniensis. 

The Shonisaurus sikanniensis is 21 meters long and there are many similarities between la Salle’s find and the giant Canadian fossil. 

After comparing the two, the researchers concluded that the new fossil is a giant shastasaurid-like ichthyosaur and larger than the Shonisaurus sikanniensis. 

“As the specimen is represented only by a large piece of jaw, it is difficult to provide a size estimate, but by using a simple scaling factor and comparing the same bone in S. sikanniensis, the Lilstock specimen is about 25% larger,” said Lomax.

The new findings also helped shed light on an old mystery involving large bones reported in 1850. 

The bones were categorized as Late Triassic and found in Aust Cliff in Gloucestershire. The fossils, two of which are missing today, were identified as the limb bones of several dinosaurs and reptiles. 

However, with the jawbone discovered in Somerset, the researchers believe that the old 1850 fossils were misidentified ichthyosaur jaw bone fragments. 

--

By <a href="http://mailto;kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Nobumichi Tamura

Fossil revealed to belong to one of the largest animals ever

As we reported recently, a fossil with eight embryos found...

Transmissible cancers are cancers that can spread from one animal to another in the same species. Although rare, these types of cancers can be devastating to species populations, as has been evidenced by two transmissible cancers found among <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deadly-tasmanian-devil-tumor/">Tasmanian devils</a>. 

In some parts of Tasmania, 90 percent of devils have been wiped out by transmissible cancers. Their continued decline puts the entire Tasmanian ecosystem at risk because of the important role the devils play as scavengers. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> set out to understand what risk factors made Tasmanian devils more susceptible to transmissible cancers than other species. 

“When the first one was discovered, we thought that transmissible cancers were extremely rare and that Tasmanian devils were just really unlucky to get this cancer,” said Elizabeth Murchison, the study’s senior researcher. “But the emergence of the second one made us wonder whether Tasmanian devils might be particularly at risk for developing this kind of disease.”

The results were published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/fulltext/S1535-6108(18)30117-X">Cancer Cell </a>and show that the transmissible cancers studied may have occurred in Tasmanian devils for a variety of reasons, including a lack of genetic diversity and instinctive biting behaviors among the animals. 

The researchers also identified certain drugs that could help treat and prevent the diseases which could be crucial for the species’ survival. 

Tasmanian devils are known for biting each other in the face when they fight, which turned out to be the way the cancers spread. The wound healing processes may actually motivate the cancer cells to divide and form tumors. 

The two transmissible cancers are similar in origin but likely developed years apart, according to the study. 

The team compared the two cancers using genetic and functional comparison methods in order to see what environmental and human-caused changes might have influenced susceptibility among the Tasmanian devils. 

Although the researchers could not find any genomic markers that explain the spread of the cancers, they did find that the cancers have similar mutational processes and respond to the same drugs. 

“It really pointed to some kind of problem that the devils have with this kind of cell's regulation, which probably gives them a greater risk of developing this type of disease,” said Murchison. 

Other factors that give the Tasmanian devil an unfair disadvantage include a lack of genetic diversity after humans tried to wipe out the species and changed the landscape when the island was first settled. 

“When white people first settled in Tasmania, they'd hear these screams at night. And they thought there must be a devilish creature out there," said Maximilian Stammnitz, the study’s first author. “Their immune systems may be less poised to detect foreign tumor cell grafts, compared to other species that have more genetic diversity.”

The research has important implications both in better understanding transmissible cancers but also in treating and preventing cancers among Tasmanian devils. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Maximilian Stammnitz

Tasmanian devils are more susceptible to transmissible cancers

Transmissible cancers are cancers that can spread from one animal...

Scientists have discovered in recent years that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-chimps-similar-language/">bonobos</a> apes are not only plant eaters but also hunt for meat to share with their communities. For the first time, researchers have discovered that these animals share their food with members of other social groups as well.

An international team of researchers witnessed the behavior in 2017 while studying bonobos apes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Two communities of apes, which were observed in a forest area near the Bompusa River, were found to hunt or eat meat about twice per month. Most of the time, they killed a small forest antelope called a duiker.

One afternoon, apes from the Bompusa West community met up with the Bompusa East bonobo community. When the alpha male of the western group caught a duiker, he moved into the top of a tall tree and passed out the meat to the awaiting females and their offspring from both communities.

Study co-author Barbara Fruth explained that the pieces of meat were immediately handed out.

“Solicitation involved behaviors such as peering and stretched out hands but no aggression or forceful taking. As in other cases, the transfer of food from the male to females was passive,” said Fruth.

Females are dominant in the social structure of bonobos apes, and this plays a major role in keeping the peace within a group. 

The researchers observed how females rubbed their genitals together, even those from different groups, during the meat-feeding period. Grooming was also taking place between members of opposing groups, and one of the males mated with a female that was not in his social group.


“No aggression was observed among females, between males and females, or among males, a behavior not uncommon during other inter-community encounters,” said Fruth.

“Cooperative behaviors such as hunting and food sharing play an important role in constructing models of human origins,” explained study co-author Gottfried Hohmann. 

“Scrutiny of these behavioral patterns in our closest living relatives, the chimpanzee and the bonobo, provides potential insights into how our last common ancestor may have acted when dividing food with others.”

The study is published in Springer's journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/12110">Human Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: LuiKotale Bonobo Project / Barbara Fruth

Bonobos are generous and share food with other communities

Scientists have discovered in recent years that bonobos apes are...

A new study led by researchers at the <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> (WHOI) has revealed that king penguins move throughout their breeding colonies the same way that particles move in liquid to stay united and protect themselves against predators.

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> moves their primary food sources farther south, it is important for researchers to understand how king penguin colonies are structured. This insight can help scientists to gauge the vulnerabilities of the penguins in a changing environment.

“King penguin colonies are also of special interest because only they and emperor penguins do not build nests, and no one has previously examined the effect this has on their colonies,” explained lead author Richard Gerum.


King penguins lay a single egg during breeding season and the parents take turns incubating and carrying it. They do not build nests, but form very large and dense colonies.

The study was focused on two colonies of king penguins on Crozet and Kerguelen islands over the course of several years. The research team took aerial photographs to document the positions of thousands of individual penguins and breeding pairs in order to establish the structure of the colonies.

The images were analyzed using radial distribution function, a mathematical relationship that describes the structure of molecular systems such as liquids. 

Computer simulations of the penguins’ movements throughout the breeding colonies resembled the movements of molecules in a 2D liquid as they attract and repel one another within a restricted space.

“This liquid state is a compromise between density - or how compact the colony is - and flexibility, which allows the colony to adapt to both internal and external changes,” said senior author Daniel Zitterbart.

“For example, if a pair loses or abandons their egg, it leaves a vacancy in the colony, but we never see vacant spots in our aerial images. Presumably those are filled by penguins that had occupied a less preferred breeding spot.”

According to Zitterbart, this is the “first comprehensive quantitative assessment of the structure and dynamics within king penguin colonies and a first step in developing higher-order colony descriptors.” He explained that this research will ultimately help scientists to remotely evaluate threats to the species.

The study is published in the <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0022-3727">Journal of Physics D</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image © Céline Le Bohec (CNRS / IPEV / CSM)

Unique structure of king penguin colonies makes them resilient

A new study led by researchers at the Woods Hole...

The Spanish government is kicking off a new campaign to clean up the oceans after a young sperm whale was discovered dead off the coast, its guts filled with plastic and trash.

The whale was discovered on Feb. 27 near the lighthouse of Cabo de Palos, the <a href="http://www.carm.es/">Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia</a> said in a press release.

A necropsy revealed that the digestive system of the emaciated young sperm whale was filled with about 64 pounds of trash, including ropes, plastic, fishing nets, raffia and a drum.

“The presence of plastics in seas and oceans is one of the greatest threats to the conservation of wildlife throughout the world, as many animals are trapped in the trash or ingest large amounts of plastics that end up causing their death,” said Consuelo Rosauro, who directs environmental programs for CARM. 

The Region of Murcia, an autonomous province on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, is no stranger to the problem of pollution, Rosauro added. The discovery of the whale and other animals harmed by trash shows the importance of clean-up efforts and raising citizens’ awareness, she said.

It’s especially important for regions like Murcia, where the diversity of ocean life runs up against modern living and visiting tourists.

CARM is home not just to sperm whales but also to bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, loggerhead turtles. A project in Murcia monitors how trash and pollution affect the region’s wildlife and conservation efforts.

There are about 5.25 trillion pieces of trash in the ocean, much of it plastic that doesn’t biodegrade, according to <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150109-oceans-plastic-sea-trash-science-marine-debris/">National Geographic</a>. 

Instead, it can be mistaken for jellyfish by hungry turtles, break down into tiny pieces that fish eat, or end up in the bellies of birds that hunt those fish – or it could end up joining the massive Pacific Garbage Patch, now <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-is-now-twice-as-big-as-texas/">twice as large as the state of Texas</a>. The tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-swimming-waste-plastic/">Henderson Island in the South Pacific</a> alone is awash in plastic garbage.

Wildlife like the young sperm whale can struggle to survive amid the plastic pollution. CARM announced that its new campaign would focus on reducing plastic waste and raising citizens’ awareness. 

And it won’t stop there. Murcia is launching 11 different beach cleanup efforts that will include cataloging and tracking the kinds of trash volunteers collect. A series of 19 presentations will also be offered throughout the province on the problem of ocean trash and how people can act.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Young sperm whale dies, 64 pounds of trash in its system

The Spanish government is kicking off a new campaign to...

When your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-befriend-stranger-relaxed/">dog</a> rolls over onto its back, it’s almost impossible to resist giving them a good belly rub. But according to one animal expert, this could be an invasion of your pet’s space and while they tolerate the behavior, it's not fun for them. 

According to Jill MacKay, an animal expert from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet">Royal School of Veterinary Studies</a> at the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>, dogs expose their stomachs in submission while playing with other dogs or their owners, as rolling over and showing its belly is a sign of trust. 

However, sometimes the submissive posture is a way to avoid confrontation, which is why it's important for dog owners to better understand these subtle signals and behaviors in their pets. 

Not only will it make your pet happier, but it can make training and avoiding problem behavior easier. 

MacKay will discuss the things we get wrong with our pets in a talk on pet behavior at this year’s <a href="https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/">Edinburgh International Science Festival</a>.

Other problems MacKay will mention include the ways owners mishandle problem behaviors like barking and scratching up furniture. 

Even though owners mean well and obviously want the best for their pets, actions, and behaviors such as rolling over can be easily misinterpreted. 

“It is very common for a dog to lie down, show its tummy and lift its legs in the air, but that is not a request for a tummy rub,” MacKay told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5583311/Dogs-DONT-want-tickled-roll-stick-legs-air.html">Daily Mail</a>. “When a dog does it to another dog it means “I trust you and I think you are a good dog to be around. So when a dog does it to a human they trust, it can then be alarming if that human invades their space and touches their soft, exposed belly.”

MacKay has helpful tips for dealing with issues like barking at strangers and cats tearing up nice furniture. She has even written a book, Animal Personality, that will be released later this month. 

For example, even though it can be a nuisance when your dog barks when he shouldn’t, yelling could only make things more confusing for dogs. 

“The best advice is to ignore and refuse to look at the dog. Dogs love us and want our attention so this is a good way to train them they are behaving badly,” said MacKay of teaching dogs not to bark at visitors or passersby. 

When it comes to cats, it can be hard to train them not to scratch on furniture as it’s a natural instinct. 

“Cats walk into a living room and often the first thing they see is the back of the sofa,” said MacKay. “It is almost like an extra wall, so it’s a good place to mark their territory. Instead of shouting at them, owners should just put a scratching post in the same place.”

We want the best for our pets but as MacKay points out, even a well-meaning sign of affection can be misinterpreted because humans and their pets don’t have the same signals, behaviors and social cues.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs don’t want their belly rubbed, animal expert claims

When your dog rolls over onto its back, it’s almost...

Eight fossilized embryos have been discovered in a pregnant ichthyosaur fossil that was first found in 2011, revealing that these reptiles gave birth to live offspring instead of laying eggs.

The embryos are so tiny that at first, the researchers were unsure if they were embryos or just the remnants of the aquatic reptile’s stomach contents, but the tiny spinal chords are unmistakable. 

The discovery could help other paleontologists better identify fossil embryos and sheds light on the way ichthyosaurs gave birth over a hundred million years ago. 

Ichthyosaurs first appeared in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-triassic-period/">Triassic period</a> and were one of the most dominant predators in the Jurassic period. Sometimes mistaken for water dinosaurs, the ichthyosaur was around long before the dinosaurs first made an appearance. 

Reaching lengths of 10 to 20 feet and made for speed, the reptile was a force to reckoned with. It’s thought that the ichthyosaur could reach speeds of 22 miles per hour. 

The newly discovered embryos show that the reptiles didn’t lay eggs and instead had live births. In fact, the species were aquatic through and through, not needing to go to land even to breed. 

This specimen was found in Yorkshire, England, in an area rich with Jurassic fossils, including other ichthyosaurs and different marine reptile species. 

However, this is the first time paleontologists excavating in the area have been faced with such robust evidence of fossil embryos.

Palaeontologists Mike Boyd and Dean Lomax from the <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/">University of Manchester </a>examined the fossil and discussed their incredible findings with the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5578443/Eight-tiny-fossilised-embryos-inside-180-million-year-old-ichthyosaur.html">Daily Mail</a>. 

“The female would have probably have been around three meters [ten-feet] long,” said Lomax. “Of the adult, we have just a few parts of the backbone, some ribs and between them individual strings of vertebrae which are the embryos. It is also the youngest known pregnant specimen and the first found in Yorkshire.” 

The fossil and its eight embryos are now on display in Yorkshire’s Jurassic World.

“This is an incredible find and the research by Dean and Mike has helped us confirm it is the first example of fossilised ichthyosaur embryos to be found in Yorkshire,” Sarah King, the curator of Natural Science at the <a href="https://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/">Yorkshire Museum</a>, told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5578443/Eight-tiny-fossilised-embryos-inside-180-million-year-old-ichthyosaur.html">Daily Mail</a>.  “It also allows us to show a softer and more nurturing side to the Sea Dragons which were the top marine predator of their time.” 
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Illustration: Nobumichi Tamura

Fossil reveals ichthyosaurs gave birth to live young

Eight fossilized embryos have been discovered in a pregnant ichthyosaur...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...