Dogs live with us, watch us, and often reflect our lives back at us. When routines shift, they shift. When stress builds, they sense it. 



Scientists wanted to know just how much these changes affect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-puppy-day-2025-where-happiness-meets-responsibility/">dogs</a>, particularly during the upheaval of the pandemic. That curiosity led to one of the largest studies ever on canine behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-dog-behavior-and-health">Tracking dog behavior and health</h2>



Researchers at Virginia Tech and the <a href="https://www.washington.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a> studied over 47,000 dogs between 2020 and 2023. 



The work was conducted as part of the Dog Aging Project, a massive effort that tracks the lives and health of dogs across the United States.



"Most importantly, with these data, we're excited to now have a starting point from which we can continue to follow changes in the behaviors of tens of thousands of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-may-respond-to-each-other-through-blinking/">dogs</a> as they age, which will ultimately help us understand how behavior and health are linked," said Courtney Sexton, lead researcher from Virginia Tech.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-changes-in-dogs">Detecting changes in dogs</h2>



Behavior in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-suffer-from-the-january-blues-just-like-humans/">dogs</a> is more than personality. A sudden change can point to illness, pain, or stress. Small shifts in aggression, fear, or trainability can signal bigger problems. 



By establishing a baseline, researchers now have a way to spot meaningful changes across time. 



The team relied on a widely used survey known as C-BARQ, in which owners reported on 14 aspects of their dogs’ behavior - from aggression to trainability. 



Researchers then organized these traits into four broad categories: Fear, Attention and Excitability, Aggression, and Trainability. This framework allowed them to track and compare behavior patterns over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strength-of-the-data">Strength of the data</h2>



The dataset was huge. It included dogs from every region of the United States. Nearly half of the dogs were mixed breeds, while the rest were single breeds. Ages ranged from puppies to seniors.



"When you have a data set this big, you really do have power in numbers," Sexton explained. "While we can't understand all the factors, when we find statistical significance, there is likely something there worth thinking about in its real-world context."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-behavior-during-the-pandemic">Dog behavior during the pandemic </h2>



The original goal was clear. Researchers wanted to see how the pandemic shaped dog behavior. People spent more time at home. Many adopted new pets, and social interactions declined.



Routines changed overnight. Did <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-evolving-to-fit-the-modern-lives-of-humans/">dogs</a> change too? Scientists hoped to uncover whether these new conditions led to lasting behavioral shifts, from training challenges to changes in aggression or fear. They wanted to know if dogs adapted or struggled alongside humans.



The data showed that dogs remained surprisingly consistent from 2020 through 2023. "We saw that certain factors, such as a dog's life stage, sex, and size had some influence on their behavior," Sexton said.



"Interestingly, we found that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic time period, there were not substantial changes in dogs' overall behavioral profiles from year to year despite what we might have expected given the changes in environment and routines that many were experiencing at that time."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pandemic-puppy-struggles">Pandemic puppy struggles</h2>



One behavior did shift: trainability. Dogs enrolled in 2020 scored higher than those added in later years. Scores dropped in 2021, 2022, and 2023. 



Researchers think the dip reflects “pandemic puppy” struggles. New owners often lacked time or access to training. Dogs had fewer chances to socialize. Stress in households added to the mix.



By 2023, trainability scores started to climb back toward earlier levels. That rebound suggests that as people regained stable routines, dogs did too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-gender-breed-and-size">The role of gender, breed, and size</h2>



The study also revealed differences tied to breed and body size. Mixed-breed dogs scored higher on fear, attention-seeking, and aggression than purebred dogs. Shelter backgrounds and early trauma may play a role.



Small dogs were more fearful, more aggressive, and less trainable than larger dogs. 



Puppies needed more attention, were less fearful and less aggressive, but also harder to train. Males were more aggressive and less trainable than females.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-and-owners-bounced-back">Dogs and owners bounced back</h2>



Owners in 2020 reported more aggression than those in 2023. That drop may reflect less household stress and more opportunities for dogs to interact as restrictions lifted.



“What was interesting was that the difference in reported trainability between the first year and the last year was the smallest of any in the averages,” Sexton noted. 



“It’s a small statistical significance but could show that dogs, or their owners, are bouncing back.”



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



This is only the beginning. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dog Aging Project</a> will keep tracking these dogs as they grow older. Researchers want to see how location, health, and age shape behavior over time. 



The ultimate goal is to connect behavior with health so owners can better care for their pets.



Dogs adapted through the pandemic. They struggled in some ways, especially with training, but showed remarkable resilience. Their story mirrors ours. 



As life changed, dogs adjusted, and as routines returned, they found steadier ground. This study now offers the first large-scale baseline of canine behavior - a reference point that will guide both researchers and dog owners for years to come.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0330257" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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How the pandemic changed dog behavior over 3 years

Dogs live with us, watch us, and often reflect our lives back at us. When routines shift, they shift. When stress builds, they sense it. Scientists wanted to know just how much these changes affect dogs, particularly during the upheaval of the pandemic. That curiosity led to one of the largest studies ever on canine behavior. Tracking dog behavior and health Researchers at Virginia Tech and the University of Washington studied over 47,000 dogs between 2020 and 2023. The work was conducted as part of the Dog...

Owls are famous for their ability to hear exactly where their prey is hiding, even in complete darkness. But a surprising new study shows that owls aren’t the only raptors with this impressive skill. Harriers, a type of hawk found around the world, also have specialized hearing abilities that help them locate prey by sound.



An international team led by researchers from the <a href="https://www.ulethbridge.ca/">University of Lethbridge</a> in Canada and <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> in Australia has uncovered unexpected owl-like traits in the ears and brains of several harrier species. 



The findings reveal that harriers have independently evolved several adaptations that allow them to hunt more effectively by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-mammals-recognize-the-sound-of-killer-whales-on-the-hunt/">sound</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-prey-by-sound-and-sight">Hunting prey by sound and sight</h2>



“Until recently, it was assumed that all their hearing adaptations were unique to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/photographer-captures-a-rare-snowy-owl-orange-color-genetic-mutation/">owls</a>. However, our study shows that harriers have independently evolved several key adaptations for finding prey by sound,” said Sara Citron, a PhD student at the University of Lethbridge, who led the study.



Scientists have long praised owls for their fine-tuned hearing, which allows them to zero in on small prey like mice in total darkness.



Harriers, on the other hand, primarily hunted by sight - much like most hawks were believed to do. But the new research reveals that harriers are much more attuned to sound than previously believed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ha-wks-with-exceptional-hearing">Hawks with exceptional hearing</h2>



The research team focused on harriers because of their distinctive hunting style. Andrew Iwaniuk, senior author of the study, is an associate professor at Canada’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. 



“Hawks tend to hunt primarily by sight. But unlike other hawks, harriers fly low over tall grass with their beak pointed to the ground,” said Iwaniuk. “During this so-called ‘quartering flight,’ they are not only looking for prey, they are also listening for it.”



“The Australian Spotted Harrier is a great example. When you look at this species’ face, you can see a distinctive disc-shaped face, which may improve their prey localization just like owls,” added co-author Aubrey Keirnan, a PhD student at Flinders University.



Older behavioral studies had already shown that harriers can locate sounds with surprising accuracy, much like owls. But the anatomical reasons behind this ability had remained a mystery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brains-tuned-for-prey">Brains tuned for prey</h2>



To investigate further, the researchers examined skulls and brains of harriers. They compared them to other hawks, using specimens from wildlife rehabilitators and museums in Canada and Australia. Researchers also looked at close relatives, such as the wedge-tailed eagle.



They found harriers, like owls, have large ear openings and two brain areas vital for pinpointing sound location.



“These auditory nuclei are found in the brainstem and compare the time at which sounds arrive at the left or right ear,” said co-author Vera Weisbecker, an associate professor at Flinders University. 



“If a sound arrives at both ears at the same time, then the sound is coming from directly in front of an animal. If there is a delay, this indicates that the prey is more to the left or right.”



The hawks have enhanced hearing thanks to expanded brain regions, giving them an edge in detecting hidden prey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-separate-species-same-solution">Separate species, same solution</h2>



“Harriers have therefore evolved an auditory system similar to owls, enabling them to target sounds as accurately as owls in a remarkable example of convergent evolution of both brain and behavior in animals separated by over 60 million years,” Citron said.



However, the researchers are careful to note that these hawks are not quite on par with owls when it comes to hearing.



“There are several other features that help owls with their keen hearing which we did not find in harriers,” Citron explained.



“For example, some owl species have asymmetric ears that allow them to locate sound with greater acuity, and these owls also have several other enlarged brain regions that were not enlarged in harriers.”



This explains why owls can hunt in complete darkness, while harriers remain daytime hunters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-strategies-for-harriers">Conservation strategies for harriers</h2>



The researchers believe their findings could help guide future studies on bird anatomy and behavior, especially when it comes to conservation.



“Anatomical studies like ours are a window into how a bird perceives the world around it, which can be extremely useful for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-declining-fastest-where-they-were-once-common/">bird</a> conservation,” Iwaniuk said.



“For example, harriers’ reliance on sound for prey location means that they are likely more sensitive to traffic and industrial noise. This could be contributing to the large decreases in Northern Harrier populations we have seen in Canada.”



By better understanding how these birds detect prey, scientists can learn more about the challenges they face in modern environments. This knowledge could help design conservation strategies that account for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-is-increasingly-disrupting-whale-migration/">noise pollution</a> and other threats that interfere with their finely tuned senses.



The study adds to a growing body of research showing how diverse species can evolve similar traits when facing similar challenges - highlighting nature’s remarkable ability to find common solutions across vast evolutionary distances.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joa.14264">Journal of Anatomy</a>.



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Some hawks evolved super hearing abilities to locate prey

Owls are famous for their ability to hear exactly where...

A new study led by UCL researchers has traced the roots of Tyrannosaurus rex back to Asia. Before ruling North America as a colossal predator, T. rex likely crossed a land bridge from Asia more than 70 million years ago, according to the team.



Published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the study not only examines T. rex’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-change-their-minds-about-tyrannosaurus-rex-dinosaur-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migration</a> but also explores the evolutionary rise of megaraptors, suggesting that climate played a significant role in their development.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooler-earth-bigger-dinosaurs">Cooler Earth, bigger dinosaurs</h2>



Global temperatures peaked around 92 million years ago, but a cooling trend soon followed. This climatic shift coincided with the rapid growth in size of tyrannosaurids and megaraptors. 



Despite the cooling climate, Morrison’s team found no direct link between temperature and body mass. Instead, they suggest that climatic shifts may have indirectly fueled gigantism by altering predator-prey <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/t-rex-was-about-70-percent-bigger-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dynamics</a>.



“Our modelling suggests the ‘grandparents’ of T. rex likely came to North America from Asia, crossing the Bering Strait between what is now Siberia and Alaska,” said lead author Cassius Morrison, a PhD student in Earth Sciences at <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-t-rex-came-from-asia">T. rex came from Asia</h2>



The debate surrounding T. rex’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-ground-dwellers-survived-the-asteroid-impact-that-killed-the-dinosaurs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">origins</a> is as fierce as the predator itself. Some researchers argue that T. rex originated in Asia, while others claim North America as its birthplace.



Morrison’s findings suggest that T. rex’s direct ancestor likely migrated from Asia to North America, aligning with earlier studies linking T. rex to Asian cousins like Tarbosaurus.



But despite the wealth of T. rex fossils in North America, Morrison speculates that the direct ancestor’s fossils remain undiscovered in Asia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-mexico-fossil-in-doubt">New Mexico fossil in doubt</h2>



Last year, a study proposed that Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis from New Mexico predated T. rex by three to five million years. Morrison’s team disputes this, arguing that the fossil’s dating is unreliable.



Their biogeographical model instead positions T. rex as a North American genus, evolving in Laramidia, a western region that once stretched from Alaska to Mexico.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-megaraptors-mysterious-hunters">Megaraptors: Mysterious hunters</h2>



While T. rex dominated the northern continents, megaraptors thrived in Gondwana, an ancient southern supercontinent that included South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and India. 



With slender heads, long arms, and 35-centimeter claws, these predators took a different evolutionary path.



Morrison’s team traced megaraptors to Asia around 120 million years ago. From there, they spread to Europe, Africa, and the southern continents of Gondwana. Despite this wide distribution, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-extinction-theories-are-challenged-by-new-research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a> remain scarce, leaving gaps in the evolutionary timeline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-megaraptor-s-hunting-strategy">Megaraptor’s hunting strategy</h2>



Unlike the bone-crushing jaws of T. rex, megaraptors relied on their massive claws to dispatch prey. In southern Gondwana, they likely targeted juvenile sauropods, while T. rex hunted giants like Triceratops and Edmontosaurus in Laramidia.



Both predator groups reached colossal sizes as temperatures dropped and carcharodontosaurids - another group of large predators - vanished.



Morrison’s team suggests that the extinction of these giants opened the apex predator niche, allowing tyrannosaurids and megaraptors to expand their size.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cold-climates-new-predators">Cold climates, new predators</h2>



Despite the apparent link between cooler climates and bigger dinosaurs, the study found no direct correlation between temperature and body size. 



Instead, Morrison’s team proposes that climatic shifts may have indirectly driven gigantism by reshaping ecosystems and altering prey availability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giants-rose-after-rivals-fell">Giants rose after rivals fell</h2>



By the end of the Cretaceous, T. rex weighed up to nine tonnes, comparable to a large African elephant. Meanwhile, megaraptors stretched over 10 meters in length.



Charlie Scherer, co-author and a UCL Earth Sciences graduate, connects this size surge to the extinction of carcharodontosaurids. 



“They likely grew to such gigantic sizes to replace the equally giant carcharodontosaurid theropods that went extinct about 90 million years ago,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-continents-shaped-predators">Ancient continents shaped predators</h2>



Dr. Mauro Aranciaga Rolando from the Natural Sciences Argentine Museum underscores the role of Gondwana in shaping megaraptor evolution.



As continents drifted apart, megaraptors adapted to diverse environments, evolving into apex predators in Australia and Patagonia.



“While in regions like Asia, megaraptors were eventually replaced by tyrannosaurs, in areas such as Australia and Patagonia, they evolved to become apex predators, dominating their ecosystems,” Rolando said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rise-of-t-rex-and-megaraptors">Rise of T. rex and megaraptors</h2>



Morrison’s study emphasizes that more fossil evidence is essential to refining the evolutionary timeline of megaraptors. 



Regions like Africa and Antarctica, largely unexplored, may hold crucial clues to understanding megaraptor dispersal and gigantism.



For now, the study concludes that T. rex likely evolved as a North American genus, with Asian roots still shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, megaraptors remain enigmatic, their evolutionary story far from complete.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10.1098/rsos.242238" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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T. rex’s ancestors may have walked from Asia to North America

A new study led by UCL researchers has traced the...

Termites are often overlooked in rainforest restoration, where the focus is usually on planting trees. But what if the key to a thriving forest lies not in the canopy above, but in the soil below - and in the insects that crawl through it?



A new study reveals that termites, often seen as pests, might actually be essential allies in helping young rainforests flourish. 



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.caryinstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies</a> and the University of Queensland in Australia have found that these tiny decomposers are missing - or at least lagging behind - in forests that have been replanted, even more than a decade after restoration began.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-need-more-than-trees">Forests need more than trees</h2>



“People tend to think that by just planting a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-species-diversity-makes-forests-more-productive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity of trees</a>, these rainforests will regenerate,” said Baptiste Wijas, a postdoctoral fellow at Cary Institute and visiting academic at the University of Queensland. 



“But it's worth thinking about, should we actually be putting in other organisms as well, to restore other ecosystem processes that help the forest function? In the context of rainforest regeneration, no one really thinks about it at all.”



That question matters more than ever. As more land is reforested in efforts to combat climate change and restore ecosystems, it’s crucial to understand what makes a forest actually function. 



Decomposers like termites and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-can-think-and-make-smart-decisions-without-a-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi</a> play a critical role in cycling nutrients and carbon. Without them, the soil might lack the resources young trees need to grow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-forest-floor">Testing the forest floor</h2>



To understand how well decomposers were rebounding, the research team set up a simple but telling experiment. They placed wooden blocks in three different forest settings in Australia’s Daintree Rainforest. One was a pristine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-microclimates-impact-bird-species-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">old-growth forest</a>. 



The other two were replanted sites - one restored in 2010, the other in 2014 - on land that had been cleared for agriculture decades ago and later abandoned. The replanting was carried out by a nonprofit organization called Rainforest Rescue.



For four years, the team checked on the wooden blocks every six months. They looked for signs of fungi, termites, or both, and tracked how fast the wood was breaking down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wet-and-wild-challenge">A wet and wild challenge</h2>



The fieldwork was anything but easy. “You’re sweating all the time, and there are plants that want to attack you everywhere,” said Wijas. 



In one year alone, the team faced a series of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-extreme-weather-events-are-escalating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme weather events</a> - drought, floods, fires, and “a zombie cyclone that caught us twice,” said Cary Institute senior scientist Amy Zanne. “It was an epic, biblical year.”



Despite these challenges, the team made a surprising discovery. They expected that termites would be thriving in all the rainforests and that fungi would struggle more in the younger sites. But the results were the opposite.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fungi-thrive-while-termites-struggle">Fungi thrive while termites struggle</h2>



Fungi were resilient. They performed almost as well in the replanted forests as in the old-growth site, though they were a bit slower in the youngest forest. 



Termites, however, were another story. While they were present at all three sites, they decomposed wood at a much slower rate in the replanted forests. Even 12 years after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/success-story-reforestation-has-helped-keep-the-eastern-us-relatively-cool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reforestation</a> began, the termite-driven decay lagged behind.



The researchers suggest several possible reasons: termite colonies in the replanted areas may be fewer, smaller, less diverse, or less mature.



That’s a problem, because slow decomposition can mean nutrients and carbon aren’t returning to the soil quickly enough. And that could stunt forest growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-radical-idea-importing-insects">A radical idea: Importing insects</h2>



To fix the problem, the scientists have a bold proposal. They suggest bringing logs from old-growth forests into younger forests to introduce decomposers and give existing ones more to eat.



“A young, regenerating forest doesn’t have a lot of deadwood in it,” Zanne explained. “So if you bring in these logs, you’re giving them some food to tide them over while they wait for parts of trees to start falling down.”



They’re also thinking even bigger: what about transplanting entire termite mounds? “That’s something that no one's really thought about either,” said Wijas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-termites-in-forests">Rethinking termites in forests</h2>



Convincing forest managers to welcome termites into their restoration plans won’t be easy.



“Many people - forest managers included - don’t really like termites,” said Wijas. “But they play an important role in having a healthy forest.”



Zanne pointed out that most termites get a bad rap for no reason. "Only about 3% of termites are known to damage human homes. Very little is known about the other 97%.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-just-decomposers">More than just decomposers</h2>



In fact, termites might be doing even more good than we think. 



“We think termites might be locking up carbon in their nests,” said Wijas. “When they eat wood, they’re not able to digest all of it, and so the feces they use to build their nests could be quite carbon-rich. They may even lock up more carbon than they emit, but we just don’t know yet.”



Termites may also help trees grow by partnering with nitrogen-fixing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-pass-down-memories-to-future-generations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a>, which convert nitrogen into a form plants can use.



“Termites and fungi are absolutely critical to forest function,” said Zanne. “It would be interesting to see who else returns to the regenerating forests if the termites are there - perhaps ants, lizards, and gliders that eat termites. Right now we just don't have any idea whether these organisms are coming back in these systems.”



As the search continues for ways to speed up rainforest recovery, termites may prove to be unlikely but vital allies. The next time we think about rebuilding a forest, we might want to think beyond trees—and start thinking about termites too.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/7974/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



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Termites play an unexpected role in rainforest revival

Termites are often overlooked in rainforest restoration, where the focus...

Many people believe that small skin injuries heal quickly. Recent findings suggest that compared to certain other primates, human skin heals at a much slower pace.



Researchers measured how quickly skin edges moved together after injuries in humans and discovered a rate about one-third of what they saw in non-human primates. 



Their work indicates that humans might have traded rapid recovery for other unique <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-tech-will-track-emotions-through-changes-in-our-skin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">characteristics</a>.



Dr. Akiko Matsumoto-Oda, an evolutionary scientist with the <a href="https://www.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Ryukyus</a>, conducted these investigations with collaborators from the Kyoto University <a href="https://www.wrc.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wildlife Research Center</a>. 



They studied volunteers undergoing medically required skin procedures, as well as various primates in structured environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-human-skin-heals-slower-than-primates">Why human skin heals slower than primates</h2>



Scientists have long recognized that different species rely on diverse strategies for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teen-skin-bacteria-could-hold-the-secret-to-acne-prevention/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tissue</a> repair. Some rely on quick wound contraction, while others regenerate skin through careful layering of new cells.



Hair follicles play a big part in healing because each follicle can hold stem cells that jump into action once the skin is injured. 



Humans, however, lack the dense covering seen in many fur-bearing mammals, which can mean a smaller pool of helpful cells.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sweat-glands-impact-skin-healing-in-humans">Sweat glands impact skin healing in humans</h2>



Sweat glands help <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">people</a> stay cool in hot conditions, but they might not support tissue repair as efficiently as follicles. Researchers think that a shift toward more sweat glands and fewer follicles could have slowed healing.



Perspiration lets people remain active for longer in warm regions. This advantage may have outweighed the slower closure of skin wounds, giving humans better odds in harsh environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-structures-compensate-for-slow-healing">Social structures compensate for slow healing</h2>



Reduced healing speed might seem problematic. Yet humans have social systems that can compensate for a delayed rate of repair.



Community care, shelter, and shared resources ensure that a slow recovery does not always threaten survival. 



Archaeological <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199909023411006" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> points to the fact that ancient groups cared for individuals with injuries, allowing them to live despite physical challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-skin-healing-differs-from-other-primates">Human skin healing differs from other primates</h2>



Chimpanzees showed a wound-closure pace similar to monkeys, suggesting they all share a roughly similar rate. Humans were the clear exception in this investigation.



Experts noted that a thicker epidermis and a more elaborate sweat duct system could be part of the reason. These <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0914628107" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">traits</a> likely emerged as humans evolved larger brains and better heat management.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-drives-human-skin-s-structure">What drives human skin’s structure</h2>



Dermatologist teams often examine how genes shape the surface of our bodies. Emerging <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12822721/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> suggests that specific genetic switches influence sweat gland formation, hair density, and wound repair.



Variations in these pathways likely pushed ancient humans toward less body hair. Over time, the result was a distinctive type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skin-may-play-a-hidden-role-in-ebola-infection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skin</a> that protects us while sacrificing rapid recovery from damage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-slow-skin-healing-is-a-concern">Why slow skin healing is a concern</h2>



Slow wound repair remains a challenge in modern clinics. Specialists are searching for therapies that might encourage faster closure, especially in older adults and those with illnesses.



Looking to primates and other mammals could inspire new approaches. If scientists can figure out what helps non-human species regrow skin so effectively, they might adapt those tools for human medicine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toward-future-solutions">Toward future solutions</h2>



Gene editing, advanced dressings, and novel cell-based treatments hold potential. Combining these discoveries with an understanding of natural healing in primates might shorten recovery times.



Some <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30890574/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers</a> hope to replicate the healing strategy of smaller mammals that close cuts quickly. Although it is still experimental, progress in stem cell therapy could transform patient outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-doctors-approach-slow-skin-healing">How doctors approach slow skin healing</h2>



Recognizing that human skin mends more slowly can alter how surgeons and doctors manage postoperative care. Extra monitoring of sutures and incisions might prevent complications.



People with chronic wounds could benefit from therapies tailored to overcome certain genetic hurdles. Targeted interventions might address the biology behind slower healing in humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-medicine-still-lags-behind-nature">Modern medicine still lags behind nature</h2>



Despite advances in medical care, human wound healing often relies on external help like stitches, antibiotics, and dressings to prevent infection and speed recovery. 



These interventions, while effective, highlight how dependent we’ve become on tools to make up for our slower natural response.



In contrast, non-human primates and rodents typically heal without assistance, suggesting that their bodies are still better wired for independent repair. 



This contrast points to an evolutionary gap between our biological abilities and the environments we've built to support them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-research-on-human-skin-healing">New research on human skin healing</h2>



Additional insights from comparative biology might identify subtle differences that set human skin apart. Continued experiments may reveal fresh angles on how hair follicles, sweat glands, and immune responses interplay.



Clues from ancient fossils hint that humans have coped with injuries for centuries. Groups likely shared information about wound treatments, shaping our medical traditions.



The study is published in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0233" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Medical oddity: Human skin heals three times slower than our primate relatives

Many people believe that small skin injuries heal quickly. Recent...

Rats scurry through alleyways, tunnels, and parks. While these creatures are a common sight in city life, their movements may carry far more danger than many realize. 



A newly published six-year study reveals how rat migrations within cities contribute to the spread of a serious bacterial infection called leptospirosis - a disease that can be fatal for both humans and animals.



In this study, scientists from <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tufts University</a>, along with researchers from Northern Arizona University, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), worked together to track the spread of leptospirosis in Boston. 



The team also introduced a new way to test rat kidneys for this disease-causing bacteria, a method that may change how future infections are traced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-leptospirosis">What is leptospirosis?</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-and-shrews-living-close-together-trade-gut-bacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leptospirosis</a> is caused by a bacterium that often thrives in rats. It's spread primarily through rat urine, which contaminates soil, water, and other parts of the environment. From there, it can infect humans, dogs, and other animals. 



While common in tropical areas, this disease is now appearing more in colder regions, likely due to the warming effects of climate change.



In Boston, the disease has been found in the city’s rat populations, with various strains moving between neighborhoods as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shipping-superhighways-helped-brown-rats-conquer-north-america/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rats migrate</a>. 



The research team was able to genetically link a 2018 human case of leptospirosis in Boston to infected rats in the same area, confirming a strong connection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-a-hidden-bacteria-in-rats">Tracking a hidden bacteria in rats</h2>



From 2016 to 2022, researchers worked with Boston’s Inspectional Services Department to trap and test rats from 17 different sites. 



They collected and analyzed DNA from the kidneys of 328 rats. Out of those, 59 rats - covering 12 different sites - tested positive for the Leptospira bacteria. Culturing this bacterium is no easy task. 



Marike Rosenbaum is an assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.



“The primary way to get a full genomic sequence of a virus or bacteria is to culture it, which was a challenge in this case because Leptospira is considered a fastidious organism. It has specific requirements for temperature, pH, and nutrients," said Rosenbaum.



"But our USDA collaborators cultured the bacteria from not only fresh but also frozen rodent kidneys, which has never been reported in the literature before, to get isolates."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-the-whole-genome">Using the whole genome</h2>



Experts at Northern Arizona University’s Pathogen &amp; Microbiome Institute used specialized DNA techniques to isolate and enhance the bacterial genetic material. This allowed researchers to gather a detailed view of how the bacteria spread and evolve.



“The new genetic and tools that we developed and used in this study are real game changers for leptospirosis research, as we can now use the power of the whole genome to look for relatedness among samples, something that just wasn’t possible before,” said Dr. Dave Wagner, executive director of the PMI at NAU.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-movement-of-disease">Mapping the movement of disease</h2>



By combining genetic sequencing with information on rat migration, the team was able to see how leptospirosis travels through the city. 



“Because we were able to do the culturing and the sequencing, we were able to look more closely at how the different strains of leptospirosis are related, which helps us understand how the bacteria are getting transmitted between rats and rat populations in the city,” Rosenbaum said.



This information could help shape better strategies for controlling rat populations and minimizing human exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-to-human-health">Threats to human health </h2>



The researchers also studied a single human case of leptospirosis in Boston, working with the CDC to analyze the bacterial strain. They compared it to those found in local rats. 



The result was striking: the strain in the human was nearly identical to those found in three rats from the same area, even though those rats were collected in different years. "It's very strong evidence that the source of that human case was a rat,” said Rosenbaum.



Not every case of leptospirosis is detected. Some people may have no symptoms at all. Others might feel slightly sick before recovering. However, a small number of infections lead to serious complications - including organ failure or even death.



“Human exposure to rats is not very common. But certain populations might be at higher risk, like unhoused people or people who engage in outdoor injection drug use, which are situations that lead to more direct contact with rats,” said Rosenbaum.



Diagnosing leptospirosis is tricky. Many doctors don’t think to test for it unless they suspect exposure. And even when they do, antibiotic treatment can eliminate the bacteria before it shows up on a test. 



Positive results also aren’t always reported to public health databases, making it harder to track.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-how-rats-travel">Understanding how rats travel</h2>



The research also uncovered how rats move throughout Boston. “Rats have a high degree of genetic structure, which means there are distinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rat-populations-are-increasing-in-cities-as-temperatures-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rat populations throughout the city</a> that are highly related to each other,” Rosenbaum explained.



These populations don’t mix often. But when rats do migrate - due to construction, habitat disruption, or environmental changes - they can carry bacteria with them. Each rat group tends to maintain its own unique strain of leptospirosis over time.



A rat in Boston typically needs to travel over 600 meters - more than a third of a mile - to encounter a genetically different group. Wide roads limit this movement, while green spaces and corridors make it easier for them to spread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eradicating-rats-isn-t-the-answer">Eradicating rats isn’t the answer</h2>



The goal is not to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rat-eradication-is-beneficial-for-seabirds-and-coral-reefs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eradicate rats</a> entirely. That would be nearly impossible. Instead, scientists want to understand how different pest control methods affect rat migration and disease spread.



“Extermination is not realistic,” Rosenbaum said. “But I think better understanding of how the different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eco-friendly-pest-control-this-simple-cinnamon-trick-keeps-mice-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pest control</a> interventions are impacting rat migrations and transmission of pathogens amongst the rat population would be really helpful.”



By combining genetic science, city mapping, and public health, this study sheds new light on how a quiet pest in our cities can carry a very loud threat - one that deserves more attention.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0012966" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>.



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Rats are spreading a deadly disease across cities

Rats scurry through alleyways, tunnels, and parks. While these creatures...

In 1980, a single male grasshopper was collected on São Nicolau, Cape Verde. After that, silence. For decades, the Monte Gordo grasshopper (Eyprepocprifas insularis) was lost to science. 



Declared extinct in 1996, the grasshopper returned in 2023 - thanks to a pair of curious biologists and a night walk under torchlight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-extinct-grasshopper-re-emerges">An extinct grasshopper re-emerges</h2>



Rob Felix and Annelies Jacobs were on a casual field holiday in Cape Verde when they made the discovery. 



“During a night walk, on our first evening on São Nicolau, to a colony of a unique seabird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>, the Fea, I stumbled upon a grasshopper sitting on the path," said Felix. 



"When I looked closer in the torch's light, I immediately recognized its unique appearance. I shouted out loud, 'It's Eyprepocprifas!' To my surprise, correct at once, because it's not the most easily pronounceable genus name."



In the days that followed, they found more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grasshopper-size-changes-in-response-to-shifting-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specimens</a> - male, female, and nymphs - mainly on Monte Gordo’s steep slopes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-living-fossil-in-a-fragile-ecosystem">A living fossil in a fragile ecosystem</h2>



Eyprepocprifas insularis is unique. It is the only short-winged grasshopper species endemic to Cape Verde. 



The grasshopper has survived in isolation for likely millions of years, earning its title as a “living fossil.” Its lineage shows little evolutionary change and few living relatives.



“E. insularis must have been there for a very long time and has been able to withstand the severe ecological conditions,” noted the study authors.



Cape Verde’s rugged mountains and erratic climate likely shaped this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-populations-dramatically-declining-around-the-world-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insect’s</a> unusual features. Its tough exoskeleton may help it withstand harsh droughts and limit water loss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-to-the-monte-gordo-grasshopper">Threats to the Monte Gordo grasshopper</h2>



Monte Gordo Natural Park is a protected area on São Nicolau Island in Cape Verde. It includes high mountain landscapes that provide the only known home for the Monte Gordo grasshopper.



The park's highlands have different types of plant life. Some areas are filled with native shrubs, especially a plant called Euphorbia tuckeyana, which only grows in Cape Verde. 



Other areas were replanted in the past with foreign trees like pine, eucalyptus, and cypress. These changes affect the local habitat, but some patches of natural vegetation remain.



The grasshopper lives in the higher parts of this park - between 650 and 1,100 meters (2,130 to 3,610 feet) above sea level. It prefers the moist, cooler slopes that face northeast. These areas often have rocky ground and are covered in fog, which provides much-needed moisture in an otherwise dry climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vulnerable-grasshopper-with-a-tiny-range">Vulnerable grasshopper with a tiny range</h2>



Even though scientists found several of these grasshoppers during the 2023 rediscovery, they were all located in the northern section of the park. 



This shows the insect lives in a very limited area. Its total occupied space is only about 12 square kilometers (4.6 square miles).



Because of its tiny range and the risk from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/technology-offers-new-hope-for-declining-insect-populations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental changes</a>, the grasshopper is listed as “Vulnerable” by the <a href="https://iucn.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN</a>. This label means it could become extinct if its habitat is damaged further.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grasshoppers-with-jumping-power">Grasshoppers with jumping power</h2>



E. insularis has remarkable jumping power and may be active both day and night. Most adults were spotted sitting quietly on the ground or on rocks.



When disturbed, they leap far - using strong hind legs. Nymphs were observed on plants like Asteriscus smithii, suggesting host-plant interactions that are still unknown to science.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/grasshopper_Eyprepocprifas-insularis_thought-extinct_leaf_credit-Rob-Felix_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/grasshopper_Eyprepocprifas-insularis_thought-extinct_leaf_credit-Rob-Felix_1s.webp" alt="Eyprepocprifas insularis, male from Assomada Pass. Credit: Rob Felix" class="wp-image-1968604"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Eyprepocprifas insularis, male from Assomada Pass. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Rob Felix</figcaption></figure>



Mounting these grasshoppers for study was also difficult. The researchers needed great force to pierce their bodies with pins, indicating a very dense, water-conserving cuticle. This feature may be another adaptation to dry island conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-changed-their-habitat">What changed their habitat?</h2>



Before human settlement, São Nicolau’s highlands supported dense native woodlands. That changed drastically in the last 400 years. Introduced species replaced native flora. 



Grazing, deforestation, and fire damaged the landscape. Droughts and storms added further stress.



The insect’s ability to survive in degraded and partially reforested areas shows some flexibility. But that does not guarantee safety. The decline of key plants or food fungi could trigger a population crash.



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



“Now that it has been found again, we have the opportunity to take steps to protect this unique species and its habitat,” noted the researchers.



Conservation efforts already exist in Monte Gordo, including replanting native flora and controlling grazing. These efforts now gain urgency to save the grasshopper, once thought to be extinct, from vanishing forever. 



The researchers recommend prioritizing the moist, least drought-prone areas - particularly north-facing slopes - for habitat protection.



There is also potential for more discoveries. During their brief fieldwork, Rob and Annelies noted several insect species not previously recorded in Cape Verde. The archipelago may still hide more surprises.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-back-from-the-edge-of-extinction">Back from the edge of extinction </h2>



Eyprepocprifas insularis has returned from the edge of extinction. But its future depends on what comes next - science, policy, and our respect for its fragile mountain home.



The rediscovery also brought renewed attention to the earlier work of Michel Lecoq, who first described the grasshopper and later declared it extinct.



Lecoq is affiliated with <a href="https://www.cirad.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CIRAD</a> (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) and the CBGP (Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations), <a href="https://www.umontpellier.fr/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Montpellier</a>, France.



The study is published in the <a href="https://jor.pensoft.net/article/144016/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Orthoptera Research</a>. 



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Grasshopper species presumed extinct for 43 years was recently rediscovered

In 1980, a single male grasshopper was collected on São...

Colorful,Parrotfish,Feeding,On,A,Tropical,Coral,Reef

Coral reefs are among the most dazzling ecosystems on Earth. When viewed from above, they display intricate structures and colors. But many reefs also show curious rings of bare sand encircling them. These circles, called grazing halos, appear in satellite images as pale outlines around patches of coral.



The origin of grazing halos has long puzzled scientists. Why do they form in some places and not others? Why do they vary in size? And most importantly - do they reveal something about the health of the reef?



A new study published in The American Naturalist suggests a surprising answer. It’s not just fear that creates these halos - it’s also the way <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breaks-in-ancient-coral-growth-reveal-earths-climate-past/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coral</a> shelter is arranged.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-landscape-of-fear">The landscape of fear</h2>



One widely accepted theory to explain grazing halos involves fear. Fish like parrotfish and other herbivores leave the safety of coral reefs to feed on algae or seagrass.



However, they do not venture far because predators like sharks lurk in the open. To avoid becoming prey, these fish tend to graze close to shelter.



Their grazing creates visible halos - barren rings where the vegetation has been eaten. The behavior aligns with what ecologists call the “landscape of fear.”



According to this idea, prey animals avoid open areas and concentrate activity near shelter, which alters the way that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-may-be-more-resilient-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> look.



But this explanation has gaps. Some reefs that are full of predators lack halos. Others, where predator populations have collapsed due to overfishing, still show clear halos. 



Something else must be shaping these patterns - something embedded in the landscape itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reef-shelter-layout-and-halo-formation">Reef shelter layout and halo formation</h2>



The new study points to the layout of coral shelters as a missing piece of the puzzle. The researchers examined how the spatial distribution of reef <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-may-not-adapt-quickly-enough-to-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">structures</a> influences halo formation. Do halos behave differently when coral is clustered tightly versus scattered widely?



The team used Heron Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to test their ideas. This site is a hub for reef science and faces ongoing threats from climate change, including coral bleaching, storm damage, and ocean acidification.



The study explored how coral shelter layout affects where herbivores graze. Some corals are clustered closely together and provide tightly packed shelter, while others are more dispersed. 



The scattered corals create more distance between safe zones. The team predicted that these differences would shape how halos appear - or disappear - across the seascape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-models-predict-halo-shapes-on-reefs">Models predict halo shapes on reefs</h2>



To explore this, the researchers built two mathematical models. The first was geometric. It examined how simple circular shapes - representing coral patches - overlap on the seafloor. This helped predict how much vegetation should remain in areas around the patches, depending on how the shelters are arranged.



Study lead author Theresa Ong is an assistant professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth.



“If the shelter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-could-vanish-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> is tightly packed in one space, then there’s not much room for nervous prey to explore and less vegetation to eat. But if shelter is more evenly distributed, the halos carve out more empty space in the landscape and their distinctive patterns disappear into one another as they overlap," noted Professor Ong.



The geometric model revealed that clustered coral leads to clearer, more distinct halos. Scattered coral causes the rings to overlap and blur, making them harder to detect. This may explain why halos vary across reefs - even when predator presence remains constant.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grazing-patterns-change-over-time">Grazing patterns change over time</h2>



Geometry only tells part of the story. Grazing patterns change over time as vegetation regrows and fish populations fluctuate. So, the team developed a second model - one that added time and movement into the equation.



The dynamic model showed two scenarios. When coral patches are dispersed, fish must travel further to feed. This can lead to overgrazing - vegetation disappears, fish numbers drop, vegetation returns, and the cycle begins again. Halos may vanish and reappear in a rhythmic pattern.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/coral-reef_grazing-halos_great-barrier-reef_credit-Google-Earth_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/coral-reef_grazing-halos_great-barrier-reef_credit-Google-Earth_1s.webp" alt="Overview view of Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, and close-up view of a selected reef region (box in overview) where macroalgae cover is dense and coral halos (vegetation-free space surrounding coral patch reefs) are prevalent. Example 1X-scale plots (47 × 47 m) are indicated by arrows to illustrate increasing dispersion in coral patch distributions. Credit: Google Earth Pro" class="wp-image-1968578"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Overview of Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, and close-up view of a selected reef region (box in overview) where macroalgae cover is dense and coral halos (vegetation-free space surrounding coral patch reefs) are prevalent. Example 1X-scale plots (47 × 47 m) are indicated by arrows to illustrate increasing dispersion in coral patch distributions. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Google Earth Pro</figcaption></figure>



When coral is clustered, grazing remains more localized and consistent. This leads to more stable halo patterns. 



The models suggest that both stable and cyclic halos can exist on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restored-coral-reefs-can-bounce-back-in-just-four-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">healthy reefs</a> - and both tell stories about how the ecosystem is functioning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-all-changes-are-alarming">Not all changes are alarming</h2>



A major insight from the study is that halo patterns - whether stable or oscillating - are not in themselves signs of reef health or decline. What matters more is how those patterns change over time.



“Oscillating halos are not necessarily a sign of overfishing or poor reef health,” said Ong. “What’s more concerning is if static halos suddenly start cycling or if cyclic halos suddenly become static, which could indicate a major shift in system health and resilience.”



In other words – it’s not the presence or size of the halo that reveals the truth, but whether its behavior shifts in ways that suggest underlying ecological change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-satellites-for-reef-surveillance">Using satellites for reef surveillance</h2>



Studying coral reefs directly is expensive and difficult. That’s where satellite imagery offers a powerful advantage. Researchers can quickly scan large areas and assess general patterns - even from space.



“There are a lot of endemic species on reefs, especially on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-is-on-the-brink-of-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Barrier Reef</a>, which we could easily lose due to the compounding effects of climate change and overfishing,” noted Professor Ong.



“So gaining a better understanding of how halo patterns reflect reef community dynamics may be useful in reef conservation efforts.”



Halos might become an early warning system. Their changes could alert scientists to shifts in predator numbers, herbivore behavior, or coral shelter integrity - all of which influence reef resilience.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-halo-dynamics-beyond-reefs">Halo dynamics beyond reefs</h2>



The models developed by the team aren’t limited to coral reefs. They apply to any system where grazing happens near shelter. 



Think of cattle grazing near trees, or deer feeding near forest edges. The same logic - of safety shaping movement - plays out across many ecosystems.



Still, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-could-vanish-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coral reefs</a> are especially fragile. Climate change is heating the oceans, acidifying waters, and disrupting food webs. Even subtle changes in reef structure can lead to major ecological shifts.



From overlapping rings of sand to predictive models and satellite imagery - this work reveals that coral reefs are writing their own story in patterns we can now begin to understand. We just have to learn how to read the halos.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/735688" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The American Naturalist</a>.



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What 'grazing halos' and parrotfish reveal about coral reef health

Coral reefs are among the most dazzling ecosystems on Earth....

Bats in the dense tropical forests stretching from Panama to Brazil don’t hunt by sight - they listen.



One species, the fringe-lipped bat, doesn’t fly aimlessly in search of food. Instead, it tunes into the love songs of frogs and toads. But here’s the twist: not every song leads to a safe or tasty meal.



Some frogs are too big. Others are toxic. So how do these bats know which calls are worth following? It turns out, they learn through experience.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-what-s-edible-takes-time">Learning what’s edible takes time</h2>



Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (<a href="https://stri.si.edu/">STRI</a>), together with scientists from Purdue University, found that fringe-lipped bats aren’t born knowing which calls to trust. Instead, they learn as they grow. This study offers the first clear evidence that predators who eavesdrop on other species' signals sharpen their skills over time.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunting-habits-of-fringe-lipped-bats-revealed-in-their-poop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fringe-lipped bats</a> are among nature’s most skilled eavesdroppers. They key in on the mating calls of more than a dozen frog and toad species in their habitats. 



As soon as they hear the right call, they swoop in within seconds. But not every call promises a safe bite. Some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frogs-have-a-third-eye-for-direct-light-sensing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frogs</a> defend themselves with toxins. Others are just too large to handle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-bats-avoid-bad-frogs">How bats avoid bad frogs</h2>



To avoid a bad meal, adult bats have developed a keen ability to filter out the wrong calls - like a spam filter for frog croaks. What scientists didn’t know was whether this ability was instinctual or learned. That question sparked this new study.



"It's truly remarkable that these bats hunt using the calls of an entirely different group of animals in the first place, and we have wondered for a long time how these bats acquire this unusual skill," said Logan James, STRI postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wild-bats-face-frog-audio-test">Wild bats face frog audio test</h2>



To figure it out, the research team captured both adult and juvenile fringe-lipped bats from the wild. They then played recordings of 15 different frog and toad <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-frogs-rely-on-illusions-to-deceive-their-enemies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mating calls</a> - some from palatable species, others from toxic or oversized ones.



As expected, the adult bats were picky. They clearly responded more often to calls from edible frogs. The younger bats, however, weren’t as selective. On average, juveniles reacted similarly to all the calls, regardless of the frog’s palatability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-danger-detection-takes-practice">Danger detection takes practice</h2>



The one thing they could do was recognize larger prey by sound, just like the adults. But they hadn’t yet learned to identify which species were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mystery-solved-how-poison-frogs-store-their-toxins-without-harming-themselves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toxic</a>. This finding suggests that young bats rely on size cues early on, while their ability to detect danger develops with time and experience.



"We knew from previous research that these bats are very clever and can learn during experiments, but we had not tested whether their aptitude for learning had a role in fine-tuning their responses to sound cues from their natural prey," said James.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-juvenile-bats-still-learning-the-ropes">Juvenile bats still learning the ropes</h2>



This research is the first to compare how predators of different ages respond to the same eavesdropping cues. And the results are surprisingly relatable. Like many young animals - and even human kids - these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wind-turbines-kill-more-female-and-juvenile-bats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">juvenile bats</a> need time to build up their decision-making skills.



"We have studied this fascinating species for years, and in many aspects, we understand its behavior very well," said Rachel Page, staff scientist at STRI and one of the study's senior authors.



"But this was the first time we had ever tested juvenile bats. It was so interesting to see that, like human children, young bats needed time and experience to hone their discrimination skills."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-widespread-predator-pattern">A widespread predator pattern</h2>



The findings point to a much broader pattern in nature. Fringe-lipped bats may not be the only predators who learn this way. Many animals might be sharpening their hunting instincts through trial and error.



Ximena Bernal, a research associate at STRI and professor at Purdue University, is one of the study's senior authors. 



"This study highlights the power of development and learning to shape eavesdropping behavior, an insight that may extend far beyond bats to other predators also navigating complex sensory environments," said Professor Bernal.



"We hope it will inspire other scientists to examine how early experience modulates predator-foraging decisions."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0450" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Bats learn which frogs are safe to eat by eavesdropping

Bats in the dense tropical forests stretching from Panama to...

When we think of climate heroes, fish might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet many of the species we commonly eat are doing more than just swimming around - they’re busy reshaping the ocean floor.



This quiet activity, known as bioturbation, turns out to be a major player in the process of storing carbon beneath the seabed.



In a recent study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a>, scientists examined how fish contribute to bioturbation in shallow waters around the U.K.



The research focused on the critical role fish play in mixing ocean sediments and what that means for both the health of marine ecosystems and our changing climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-fish-slow-climate-change">How fish slow climate change </h2>



The researchers found that 185 fish species actively help churn and rework the seabed. Of those, 120 are regularly caught by commercial fisheries. 



Some of the most active species include Atlantic cod, Atlantic hagfish, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eel-trade-is-pushing-another-species-to-the-brink/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European eel</a>, which are all well-known names in fish markets and kitchens. These fish aren’t just food. They’re key to maintaining the seabed's ability to store organic carbon.



“Ocean sediments are the world’s largest reservoir of organic carbon - so what happens on the seabed matters for our climate,” said <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a> Ph.D. student Mara Fischer, who led the study.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/burrowing-crabs-bring-beneficial-bacteria-to-mangrove-forests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bioturbation</a> is very important for how the seabed takes up and stores organic carbon, so the process is vital to our understanding of how the ocean absorbs greenhouse gases to slow the rate of climate change," she added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-modify-ecosystems">Fish modify ecosystems</h2>



The process of churning and mixing the seabed sediments results in changes to the physical and chemical characteristics of the substrate. It is essentially a form of modifying the ecosystem through burrowing, feeding, digging and disturbing the deposits on the bottom. 



Bioturbation is important for the wider ocean ecosystems, as well as for the sediments on the sea floor.



“We have a good understanding of how invertebrates contribute to global bioturbation - but until now, we have been missing half the story," explained Fischer. “Our study is the first to attempt to quantify the bioturbation impact of fish, and it shows they play a significant, widespread role.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overfishing-threatens-key-fish-species">Overfishing threatens key fish species</h2>



Many of the fish that do the heaviest lifting on the seabed are facing serious threats because they are popular eating fish.



Professor Callum Roberts is an expert in the Center for Ecology and Conservation at Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.



“Many of the largest and most powerful diggers and disturbers of seabed sediments, like giant skates, halibut and cod, have been so overfished they have all but vanished from our seas,” said Professor Roberts.



“These losses translate into big, but still uncertain, changes in the way seabed ecosystems work.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-contribution-of-fish">Measuring the contribution of fish</h2>



To measure each fish’s contribution, the team looked at three factors: how the fish rework sediment (called their bioturbation mode), how often they do it, and their body size. This helped them calculate a "bioturbation impact score" for each species.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-european-eel">European eel</h3>



The European eel is a burrower, with a bioturbation score of 100 out of 125. It is listed as critically endangered. It is mainly fished using traps and nets and is considered a delicacy in many places. 



However, it faces several threats, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-found-in-every-aquatic-species-tested/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution</a>, habitat loss, diseases, parasites, and climate change.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-atlantic-cod">Atlantic cod</h3>



The Atlantic cod, which excavates vertically, also scored 100. It is listed as vulnerable and is caught primarily through trawling and longlining. It is widely consumed in dishes such as fish-and-chips, salted cod, and fresh filets. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-stocks-are-collapsing-globally-as-overfishing-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Overfishing</a>, climate change, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-and-habitat-degradation-have-devastated-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat degradation</a> have led to significant population declines, especially in the North Sea and West Atlantic.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-common-skate">Common skate</h3>



The common skate is classified as a lateral excavator and has a bioturbation score of 50. It is critically endangered. Although now protected in some areas, it is often caught accidentally as bycatch. 



Common skate numbers have plummeted due to overfishing. The species is particularly vulnerable because of its large size, slow growth, and low reproductive rate - each female lays about 40 eggs every other year, and it takes 11 years to reach maturity.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-seabram">Black seabram</h3>



The black seabream is a nest builder with a bioturbation score of 36. It is listed as a species of least concern. It is primarily caught using bottom trawling, gillnets, and hook-and-line. Fishing during the spawning season in April and May can disrupt nest building and reduce population growth. Bottom trawling at this time can destroy nests and remove both fish and eggs.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gurnard-fish-species">Gurnard fish species</h3>



The red gurnard, a sediment sifter, scored 16. It is also listed as being of least concern. While historically not a major target for commercial fisheries, the red gurnard has become more commonly fished in recent years, including in Cornwall. It is mainly caught by trawlers. 



There are currently no fishing regulations for gurnard species in the E.U. - no minimum landing size, no quota - raising concerns about sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-support-seabed-health">Fish support seabed health</h2>



It’s surprising how long this important role of fish has gone unnoticed. "Anyone who has spent time underwater, whether snorkeling or diving, knows that fish are constantly digging up the seabed,” said study co-author Julie Hawkins.



“It’s hard to believe that such an obvious and important activity has been largely overlooked when it comes to understanding ocean carbon burial.”



The research was part of the Convex Seascape Survey, a five-year global project led by the University of Exeter, Blue Marine Foundation, and Convex Group Limited. 



The survey is the largest of its kind aimed at learning how oceans and continental shelves fit into Earth’s carbon puzzle.



Understanding how fish support seabed health could help shape future conservation and fishing policies. As climate change accelerates, every part of the system matters - and fish may be doing more for us than we ever imagined.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113625002156?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Environmental Research</a>.



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Fish are quietly battling climate change on the seabed

When we think of climate heroes, fish might not be...

Humans have reshaped the planet’s green corners into highways, buildings, and sprawling neighborhoods. These developments are now reaching farther into ancient tropical habitats, prompting questions about how wildlife like rats and shrews cope with the shifting environment.



A recent project reveals that small mammals in parts of Borneo’s rainforest are not just adjusting to human-altered landscapes; they may also be exchanging gut bacteria. 



Alessandra Giacomini of <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swansea University</a> helped direct this work, shining a spotlight on how native and invasive species can end up sharing microscopic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-have-very-clever-ways-of-supporting-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">companions</a> in ways that might surprise people who think of rats and shrews as entirely separate creatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rats-and-shrews-are-adaptable">Rats and shrews are adaptable</h2>



Urban boundaries in northern Borneo sit next to aging forests. This zone contains four small mammal species, including three rats and one shrew called <a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Suncus_murinus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Suncus murinus</a>, which is known to dine on insects and scurry through residential corners.



<a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/44575-Rattus-rattus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rattus rattus</a> and <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/44576-Rattus-norvegicus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rattus norvegicus</a> are the best-known invasive rodents worldwide, with the former often seen in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257670909_The_secret_life_of_the_city_rat_A_review_of_the_ecology_of_urban_Norway_and_black_rats_Rattus_norvegicus_and_Rattus_rattus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">varied settings</a> across Asia. The native Sundamys muelleri appears more comfortable in lush habitats but has somehow found a way to persist near people.



The researchers looked at the <a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/science/microbiome" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbiomes</a> of these animals across different sections of the urban-rural boundary. Each species has its own natural feeding style and distinct digestion <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-fat-diets-cause-high-anxiety-through-changes-in-gut-bacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">processes</a>, yet certain rodents shared bacterial groups when they occupied similar terrain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rats-and-shrews-share-gut-bacteria">Rats and shrews share gut bacteria</h2>



“Our findings suggest that shared environmental use can drive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-microbes-have-an-unexpected-link-to-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbiome</a> similarity as much or even more than the genetic relatedness of host species,” said Giacomini. This reveals a pattern where animals living in similar conditions may acquire overlapping sets of gut bacteria.



The scientists noticed that Rattus rattus and the native Sundamys muelleri had particularly close microbiome profiles when found in the same suburban zones.



Habitat appears to be a factor that might nudge bacteria to flow between species, especially when they rummage for food in overlapping patches of vegetation or navigate the same drainage areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-differences-in-a-changing-habitat">Differences in a changing habitat</h2>



“This raises important questions about the role of gut <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-methane-producing-microbe-discovered-in-the-human-gut/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbiomes</a> in helping animals adapt to new and changing environments,” stated Dr. Konstans Wells, an expert in Swansea University’s animal health research group.



Environment-driven changes appeared strongest in Norway rats, which showed contrasting microbial patterns between city and suburban locations.



Shrews, on the other hand, have diets heavier in insects and do not share digestive traits with rats. Shrew samples had the lowest variety of bacteria in their guts. They still showed some bacterial strains that popped up in the rodents, but in much smaller numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-health-implications">Potential health implications</h2>



Rats are known carriers of certain pathogens linked to human illnesses, such as <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">leptospirosis</a>. 



When invasive rats and local species like shrews trade bacteria, there might be pathways for zoonotic microbes to shift from wildlife to people. This highlights the delicate balance between animals adapting to city life and the unseen microbes that tag along.



Researchers plan to see whether future shifts in land use could place more species in prolonged contact. Gathering evidence about bacterial transfers could inform decisions on limiting potential disease risks. 



There is growing interest in whether animals like rats and shrews, with flexible appetites or broad tolerance for disturbed spaces, are better at adapting microbiomes to new diets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-more-microbial-exchanges">Tracking more microbial exchanges</h2>



Dr. Tamsyn Uren Webster and Dr. Wells are expanding these efforts. They want to examine whether other communities of creatures exhibit a similar overlap of microscopic life.



Borneo’s rainforests remain a frontier for biodiversity, yet people continue to occupy these spaces with shops, farms, and new homes.



It is possible that native wildlife, including certain rodents, will keep settling near people as the push for housing spreads. Researchers wonder if these animals will pick up even more bacteria from one another, creating scenarios where local and foreign species unknowingly blend their gut microbes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-which-rodents-will-thrive">Predicting which rodents will thrive</h2>



Seeing rats and shrews in a city might seem normal, but their exchanges of gut bacteria could have wide-ranging consequences.



These hidden microbes can shape how creatures digest food and defend themselves against infections. They can also carry disease-causing agents that might slip into human populations if left unchecked.



Scientists believe that understanding each animal’s unique gut flora helps predict which species are poised to thrive. Over time, these data might become a key ingredient for policymakers who aim to manage invasive rodents in newly built neighborhoods. 



The hope is to balance development with safeguards against the unforeseen effects of living alongside opportunistic animals.



The study is published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.17782" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Ecology</a>.



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Rats and shrews living close together trade gut bacteria

Humans have reshaped the planet’s green corners into highways, buildings,...

We often celebrate social friendship as a pillar of health, longevity, and happiness. Across species, from humans to gorillas and other animals, social bonds appear to enrich lives. Yet, what if these connections don’t always help? What if social behavior sometimes drains more than it gives?



A recent study from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, in collaboration with the universities of Exeter and Zurich, uncovers this hidden complexity. 



By tracking 164 wild mountain gorillas over 21 years in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, researchers revealed a nuanced picture of how friendship and social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gorillas-are-digging-for-a-surprising-food-in-the-jungle-soil/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roles</a> influence survival and reproduction.



This research doesn’t just apply to gorillas. It reflects the deeper currents of our own evolutionary past. It forces us to rethink whether more friendship always means better health or longer life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-bonds-don-t-always-help-gorillas">Social bonds don’t always help gorillas</h2>



In humans, the social environment ranks among the strongest predictors of health and lifespan. Similar patterns emerge in other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-infertility-humans-linked-same-genes-gorilla-small-penises/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social mammals</a>, suggesting ancient evolutionary links. 



But even with the known benefits of connection, individuals often vary in how social they are. Some display behaviors that seem, at first glance, to defy evolutionary logic.



The mountain gorillas in this study helped clarify that contradiction. Scientists looked at both individual social traits and broader group characteristics to explore how these elements influence fitness. 



The findings reveal a pattern of highly context-dependent outcomes. The costs and benefits of sociality change with sex, group size, and the nature of relationships.



Despite strong fitness benefits tied to social bonds, not everyone gains equally. A female gorilla’s experience of friendship might be very different from a male’s - and what works in one group may not work in another.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-shifting-equation-of-friendship">The shifting equation of friendship</h2>



The research uncovered a striking set of contrasts. Female gorillas in smaller <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-gorillas-self-aware-new-research-challenges-old-assumptions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groups</a> who maintained strong bonds were less likely to fall ill. 



However, these same females had fewer offspring. On the other hand, females in larger groups who had strong ties were more likely to get sick but also had higher birth rates. Health and reproduction pulled in opposite directions.



For males, the trade-offs played out differently. Those with strong, stable bonds had fewer injuries - perhaps because allies provided safety - but experienced higher rates of illness. These findings shake the assumption that sociality always leads to better outcomes.



“Having a lot of strong social relationships is often really good - but sometimes it isn’t,” said Dr. Robin Morrison, lead author and senior researcher at the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-stress-makes-male-gorillas-sick">Social stress makes male gorillas sick</h2>



Why would strong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-friendships-social-bonds-evolve-over-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relationships</a> lead to more illness in males? The answer may lie in the costs of bonding itself. 



“It’s possible that males expend more energy by having close social ties, as they have to defend females and offspring, and the stress of this may reduce their immune function,” explained Dr. Morrison.



In other words, it isn’t always the risk of disease transmission that causes illness. The emotional and physical toll of guarding others, staying vigilant, and maintaining dominance might chip away at the immune system. 



This insight links emotional labor with biological consequences - a concept that resonates far beyond the gorilla world.



The gorillas remind us that relationships, while powerful, demand energy. Sometimes, the social load can overwhelm the very systems meant to protect us.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-group-traits-shift-the-balance">Group traits shift the balance</h2>



The study didn’t stop at individual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pets-increase-life-satisfaction-as-much-as-marriage-or-close-friendships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behavior</a>. The researchers looked closely at the traits of entire gorilla groups - size, cohesion, conflict, and stability - and how they altered the effects of personal social styles. 



What they found was a dynamic interaction. Group context shaped whether a gorilla’s social strategies helped or harmed.



In small groups, friendly females enjoyed low illness rates but had fewer babies. In large groups, the same friendly behavior led to more sickness but also higher reproduction. These trends show that social advantages are not fixed - they shift depending on who surrounds you.



“With these forces pushing in different directions, the ‘optimal’ social type will depend on an individual’s sex, age, offspring and wider social group,” said Dr. Sam Ellis from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-all-social-traits-help-gorillas">Not all social traits help gorillas</h2>



The implications stretch beyond the animal kingdom. In humans and other social mammals, researchers often treat connection as inherently good. But the gorilla study highlights a deeper complexity. In some cases, behaviors once considered maladaptive - like avoiding others - can yield unexpected benefits.



“In some situations social traits that we’ve previously thought of as maladaptive can have important benefits,” said Dr. Ellis.



The paper’s title, “Group traits moderate the relationship between individual social traits and fitness in gorillas,” captures this balance. It shows that both personal and social group characteristics shape the path to survival and reproductive success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-long-term-look-into-gorilla-life">A long-term look into gorilla life</h2>



This research would not have been possible without long-term observation. For over two decades, scientists tracked interactions among gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. The study paints a detailed portrait of lives marked by leadership, loyalty, loss, and resilience.



“This paper highlights the incredible value of long-term studies to furthering our understanding of the evolution of sociality and how the benefits or costs of sociality can vary considerably across different environments,” said Dr. Tara Stoinski, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of the <a href="https://gorillafund.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund</a>.



Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (<a href="https://www.snf.ch/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SNSF</a>) and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the project demonstrates how essential sustained research is in revealing the deeper workings of social evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-gorillas-behind-the-research">The gorillas behind the research</h2>



The study includes unforgettable case studies that bring the numbers to life. Gutangara, a successful mother, lives in one of the park’s largest groups. Though she forms many friendships, Gutangara spends most of her time with her offspring, both young and grown. She holds the record among the observed gorillas with eight surviving children.



Maggie, once the top-ranking female in the Bwenge group, was both fierce and nurturing. She often initiated grooming but could also be aggressive. After the dominant male’s sudden death, she led the group. However, after merging with a neighboring group, she could not adjust and chose to leave. She vanished into Congo, her fate unknown.



Titus, a silverback male, lost his parents early to poaching. Despite this, he became the dominant male at just 15. Known for his gentleness, he had deep bonds with the females in his group. 



They often stayed in physical contact with him - an unusual trait among gorillas. His soft leadership helped him maintain dominance for 20 years.



Cantsbee, another silverback, ruled his group for 22 years and fathered at least 28 children. Known for his peaceful authority, he rarely fought but always protected others. He shared a deep bond with his son Gicurasi, who took over as leader later. When Cantsbee grew ill, he left the group, returning only once before passing away in solitude.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diversity-in-social-strategies">Diversity in social strategies </h2>



What this study reveals is the delicate, ever-shifting calculus of social behavior. Fitness doesn’t rely solely on closeness. It emerges from how an individual fits into their specific group, under particular conditions, during specific life stages.



By revealing how personal and group traits interact, this research offers a new view of evolution. It suggests that diversity in social strategies isn’t just tolerated - it may be necessary. In gorillas, as in humans, there is no one right way to connect. 



Sometimes, stepping back is just as important as reaching out.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421539122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Some gorillas get sick from being 'too social'

We often celebrate social friendship as a pillar of health,...

Close,Up,View,Of,A,Sea,Otter,(enhydra,Lutris),Who

When ochre sea stars began dissolving along the Pacific coast in 2013, marine biologists feared a domino effect in the rocky intertidal zone. The orange-and-purple Pisaster ochraceus is a classic “keystone” predator - remove it, and the tightly knit ecological web can unravel. 



What no one predicted was that the die-off would reverberate far beyond the tide pools, ultimately reshaping the menu - and the numbers - of sea otters hunting in adjacent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pacific-kelp-forests-existed-32-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kelp forests</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-falling-sea-stars-and-rising-mussels">Falling sea stars and rising mussels</h2>



Sea-star wasting syndrome swept from Alaska to Baja California with unprecedented speed, leaving many local Pisaster populations functionally extinct in a matter of months. 



On the Monterey Peninsula, field teams led by the <a href="https://marine.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network</a> (MARINe) watched decades-old monitoring plots lose nearly every visible star by late 2013.



Without those relentless predators to keep them in check, California <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-mussels-are-ideal-for-ecosystem-restoration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mussels</a> began carpeting the rocks. Within three years, mussel cover tripled, climbing from roughly five percent of available surface to more than eighteen percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fewer-sea-stars-more-otters">Fewer sea stars, more otters</h2>



That population explosion did not go unnoticed by the region’s most charismatic marine mammal. <a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a> scientists had already logged tens of thousands of hours observing southern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-otters-help-kelp-forests-recover-but-theres-more-to-the-story/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea otters</a> as they surfaced with prey.



Before 2013, mussels represented a minor side dish - less than seven percent of the typical otter diet. By 2016, the proportion had leapt to nearly eighteen percent, effectively pushing mussels into staple territory. 



“Our research shows that the loss of a predator in one ecosystem can send shockwaves into another,” said lead author Joshua Smith, a research scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium. 



Mussel abundance appears to have acted like an all-you-can-eat buffet. The local otter census, which had hovered around 373 animals through 2012, rose to an average of 535 between 2014 and 2024. 



Because otters consume prey at the surface, scientists could verify that many of those extra calories were coming directly from the burgeoning mussel beds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-tide-pools-and-kelp-forests">Linking tide pools and kelp forests</h2>



The experts coined the term “keystone interdependence” to describe the phenomenon: the fate of a key predator in one habitat alters food webs - and potentially population dynamics - in an adjoining habitat. In this case, a tide pool predator’s collapse reshaped the foraging landscape of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pacific-kelp-forests-existed-32-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kelp forest</a> hunter.



“It’s an example of how ecosystems are connected through keystone predation in ways that we haven't understood before,” Smith noted. Long-term MARINe records were crucial for pinning down that connection. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/otters_sea-stars_Pisaster-ochraceus_linked_credit-MBA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/otters_sea-stars_Pisaster-ochraceus_linked_credit-MBA_1s.webp" alt="Monterey Bay Aquarium led reserach published in the journal Science Advances shows that a mass die-off of ochre sea stars (often called Pisaster ochraceus) due to a sea star wasting event created a mussel boom – offering sea otters an unexpected prey buffet. Click image to enlarge. Credit: MBA" class="wp-image-1968424"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Monterey Bay Aquarium led reserach published in the journal Science Advances shows that a mass die-off of ochre sea stars (often called Pisaster ochraceus) due to a sea star wasting event created a mussel boom – offering sea otters an unexpected prey buffet. Click image to enlarge. Credit: MBA</figcaption></figure>



Four intertidal sites around the peninsula have been surveyed regularly for decades, yielding counts of Pisaster, estimates of mussel coverage, and precise measurements of bed expansion toward the sea. 



When those data were matched with the aquarium’s otter-foraging database, the correlation between star loss, mussel gain, and otter diet shift became unmistakable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-short-lived-reward-for-otters">Short-lived reward for otters</h2>



While the loss of sea stars- and subsequent mussel windfall - has helped otters, researchers caution that the benefit may be short-lived. 



With no predators to prune them, mussels are now reaching sizes that recovering sea stars cannot easily handle.



Even if sea stars populations rebound, it may take years for size structures - and the prior equilibrium - to return. Scientists suspect the otters will eventually pivot again, either as mussels dwindle or as other prey become more profitable.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate</a> variability complicates the forecast. The sea-star collapse overlapped with the northeast Pacific’s record-breaking 2014-2016 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-warn-of-an-alarming-rise-in-marine-heatwaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine heatwave</a>.



Warmer water stressed kelp forests, sea-urchin numbers exploded, and otters temporarily targeted urchins to protect their kelp refuge. 



Once the mussel bonanza emerged, the mammals switched menus again, underscoring their role as flexible generalists in a rapidly changing ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predators-and-resilient-ecosystems">Predators and resilient ecosystems</h2>



“Predators like sea stars and sea otters are essential to maintaining resilient ecosystems. When these predators are removed, everything crumbles,” Smith said. 



Study co-author April Ridlon, director of U.S. and California science at the aquarium, noted that the findings challenge conventional single-habitat conservation planning.



“The findings of this study show that predators are important for enabling ecological resilience, and that when predators decline in one ecosystem, the consequences may be manifest in another,” she explained.



Senior sea otter biologist Leilani Konrad added that protecting predators in one realm can inadvertently bolster resilience in the next. 



“Our findings of keystone interdependence reveal that conservation of predators in one ecosystem can enhance resilience that transcends ecosystems and protects biodiversity," said Konrad.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fragile-ecosystems-with-missing-links">Fragile ecosystems with missing links</h2>



As marine heatwaves and disease outbreaks become more frequent under climate change, scientists expect further surprises in how coastal food webs respond. 



The Monterey Bay team is now using drone surveys, time-series photography, and genetic tools to track whether young sea stars can gain a foothold amid shells too large to crack.



The researchers are also watching for the day when otters - having trimmed the largest mussels - adjust their diet yet again, perhaps returning their focus to urchins if kelp forests rebound. 



For now, the study offers a rare silver lining: one group’s misfortune has provided temporary relief to another threatened species.



Yet it also sounds a cautionary note about the fragility of such balances. The intertwined stories of stars, mussels, and otters illustrate that in nature, no ecosystem stands alone - and that losing a single link can tug on threads stretching far beyond our initial field of view.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu1028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Sea otter populations thrive when sea stars vanish from an area, but why?

When ochre sea stars began dissolving along the Pacific coast...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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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

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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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



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

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

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