Humans often learn by watching two other people interact and then copying what fits the moment. A new study shows blue-throated macaws can do the same thing.



This ability, known as third-party imitation, suggests a more flexible kind of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-and-bees-are-capable-of-complex-social-learning/">learning</a> than simple mimicry. It points to social knowledge that spreads without direct teaching.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-parrots-learn">How parrots learn</h2>



The work was led by Esha Haldar at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (<a href="https://www.bi.mpg.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPIB</a>) in Germany. She and colleagues tested whether parrots can learn by watching a conspecific, meaning a member of the same species, interact with a person.



Researchers define intransitive actions as movements that are not aimed at an object - for example, lifting a leg or fluffing feathers. This focus is important because it rules out shortcuts, ensuring the birds copy the movement itself rather than just the end goal.



Earlier tests in domestic dogs found no evidence of third-party imitation for such goal-less movements. The contrast helps frame what makes the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ecuadors-rare-red-faced-parrot-gets-a-new-home/">macaw</a> results notable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-macaws-are-masters-of-imitation">Macaws are masters of imitation </h2>



Two groups of blue-throated macaws took part and none had been trained to imitate on command. In total, the researchers ran 462 sessions of 10 trials each, which equals 4,620 trials.



Birds in the test group watched a trained macaw respond to human hand signals with one of five movements, including fluff, spin, vocalize, lift leg, and flap wings. After a brief pause, the observer bird received the same hand signal for up to 12 seconds.



Birds in the control group received the identical signals but saw no other bird perform the actions. Rewards were given only when the subject produced the correct movement after the signal.



Across the five possible actions, the test group learned more responses than the control group. They also reached the criterion faster and with greater accuracy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-imitation-in-birds">Imitation in birds</h2>



The test birds learned an average of 4.16 actions, while the control birds averaged 2.20. This difference was statistically significant and was matched by higher response accuracy and quicker learning in the observers that had watched the interaction.



“Our findings show that third-party imitation, even for intransitive actions, exists outside humans, allowing for rapid adaption to group specific behaviors and possibly cultural conventions in parrots,” noted Haldar. 



The control birds never mastered the flap wings movement, and the observers learned it last, indicating how unlikely that action was without demonstrations.



Some observers even copied an action briefly before receiving any signal or reward. Those spontaneous moments appeared for spin, fluff, or vocalize and were not reinforced.



Because the target movements were goal-less, explanations like goal copying or object enhancement fit poorly. The design therefore supports imitation of movement patterns within a social context.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adapting-to-local-routines">Adapting to local routines</h2>



Parrots are not only vocal mimics. A large <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24335-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey</a> shows many species keep learning new vocalizations across their lives, and they use those sounds in rich social settings.



Training research also shows that parrots can learn by observing people interact with each other. The model rival <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8469950/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">technique</a> uses two human trainers to teach labels and concepts to African grey parrots, making observational learning a practical tool in the lab.



Wild parrots <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0049747" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">display</a> flexible social communication too. Orange fronted conures can address specific flock mates by imitating their contact calls, which shows how imitation can serve precise social goals.



The macaw experiment fits that broader picture of social minds. Learning from two others may help newcomers adapt to local routines quickly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parrots-must-learn-fast">Parrots must learn fast</h2>



In third-party tests with intransitive actions, household dogs did not copy the model. Those studies suggest dogs may rely more on objects or explicit training in such tasks, which makes intransitive movements harder to match without prior practice.



Parrots face different pressures in the wild, including frequent regrouping and shifting partners. Under those conditions, rapidly matching another bird’s movements could aid coordination and affiliation.



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



The sample was small and the action set was limited to five movements. That means follow up studies should scale up both the number of birds and the diversity of actions.



Related work points to another piece of the puzzle. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-parrots-in-the-illegal-wildlife-trade-with-dna-technology/">Macaws</a> also show automatic imitation in a separate experiment, where seeing a movement makes the same movement more likely even when it is not helpful.



Future tests can separate motivation from mechanism by varying the reward schedule or by using two birds as the interacting pair. Researchers can also probe whether observers track the human cue, the demonstrator, or both.



If third-party imitation helps birds synchronize with new partners, it could shape how social traditions form and stick. That is a strong reason to look for similar abilities in other parrots and then in wild settings.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-11665-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Parrots that learn like people: Macaws copy without being taught

Humans often learn by watching two other people interact and then copying what fits the moment. A new study shows blue-throated macaws can do the same thing. This ability, known as third-party imitation, suggests a more flexible kind of learning than simple mimicry. It points to social knowledge that spreads without direct teaching. How parrots learn The work was led by Esha Haldar at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (MPIB) in Germany. She and colleagues tested whether parrots can learn by watching a conspecific, meaning...

The hawksbill sea turtle is known for its beautiful shell, which has been admired by animal-lovers and exploited by poachers for decades. 

“The beauty of tortoiseshell has been the hawksbill’s curse,” says Dr. Emily Miller, an assistant research scientist at the <a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a> and first author of a new study published in <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>. Her research involved analyzing 150 years of tortoiseshell trade records and using realistic harvest models to explore the trade of endangered hawksbill sea turtles.

Hawksbills are critically endangered, and are mainly being <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservationists-brand-tortoise-shells/">killed for their shells</a>, which are used to make translucent, semi-precious material called tortoiseshell. This material has been carved into items such as sunglasses, bracelets, guitar picks, and combs. 

Prior estimates of the global tortoiseshell trade relied on data that only went as far back as 1950, but scientists know that these turtles have been hunted for centuries. The team at the Monterey Bay Aquarium collected archival import records from dozens of countries going back to 1844 for this study. These new records showed that over half a million kilograms of tortoiseshell were traded before 1950. From this data, the authors estimated that this correlated to over 880,000 turtles killed.

The study found that roughly nine million turtles were harvested for shells over 150 years across a range that includes tropical Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean waters. These findings are more than six times previous estimates. 

Miller used archival records to identify the top tortoiseshell exporters, finding a significant connection with modern IUU fishing patterns. Trade from Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Fiji, and Thailand combined to account for more than half of the historical exports.

“The fact that the tortoiseshell trade patterns and the IUU fishing patterns overlap so strongly suggests that social and economic factors are driving them,” Miller explains. “These drivers are issues of governance and longstanding trade relationships that form complex and opaque trade networks.”

By establishing the link between contemporary IUU fishing and long-standing tortoiseshell trade routes, this new research may be able to inform improved monitoring of other illegal trafficking of narcotics, guns, and humans. While the study has shed light on the illicit tortoiseshell trade, it has also shown how connected these activities are, and potentially given us a better idea of how to stop them.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kyle Van Houtan/NOAA

History of tortoiseshell trade sheds light on other illegal trafficking

The hawksbill sea turtle is known for its beautiful shell,...

photopanel resize

If you’ve ever read about ants, it’s likely you know that many ant colonies are rigidly structured – each ant has a specialized role within the colony that differs from the roles of other groups of ants. But a new study published in <a href="https://www.plos.org/">PLOS ONE</a> has found that it’s not just the jobs that differ, but the neurobiology of an individual may differ significantly according to their role within the colony.

Darcy Greer Gordon of <a href="http://www.bu.edu/">Boston University</a> and colleagues studied turtle ant (Cephalotes varians) colonies, which are socially organized into multiple castes that are behaviorally and phenotypically different. Ants in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ants-colony-working-together/">colony</a> are either sterile minor works (who perform most of the colony tasks), soldiers (who use their plate-shaped heads to defend the colony, acting as “living doors” in the entrances), or gynes (reproductive females that have the same head shape as soldiers, which they use for defense in early colony foundation).

The study was to determine whether turtle ant neurobiology is caste-specific. In the red mangrove stands of the Florida Keys, the researchers collected both queened colonies and colony fragments, which are made up on only winged gynes, soldiers, and workers. The team dissected out the ants’ brains, imaged them, and then analyzed brain structures.

They found that gynes had significantly larger overall brain volume than soldiers and minor workers, whose brain volumes were similar. It was also determined that gynes and soldiers tended to have significantly larger visual-processing regions than minor workers. When compared to gynes and soldiers, minor work brains were larger in regions generally linked with processing capabilities, which may help them with performing their diverse tasks.

When the researchers examined synaptic structure in regions associated with cognitive processing, they found differences across castes. Minors had fewer and larger synaptic complexes than both gynes and soldiers, which were similar to each other. The soldier brains were intermediate to the worker and gyne features in this respect, which may offer insight into their evolutionary origin.

“Ant societies show extraordinary division of labor where only queens reproduce, and sterile workers, sometimes strikingly different in size and shape, specialize on tasks such as nursing, foraging, housekeeping, and defense,” says Gordon. “In the turtle ant, Cephalotes varians, differences in the size and structure of the brain, which are detected using computational neuroimaging, reflect task specializations across queens, soldiers, and workers.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alexander Wild, 2019

The role an ant plays in its colony is reflected in its neurobiology

If you’ve ever read about ants, it’s likely you know...

New research has found that one-third of all bee species native to the UK are declining, which could have a huge impact on the country’s agricultural industry.

Populations of both bees and hoverflies, considered key pollinators, are dropping and without pollinators doing their job, crops don’t get pollinated.

Only 34 percent of crop pollination in the UK is done by bees in apiaries which leaves a large majority of pollination for wild bees and hoverflies.

In the United States, farmers face similar challenges as bee colonies continue to decline due to colony collapse disorder, climate change, invasive pests and diseases, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weed-killer-declining-bee-populations/#.XJuVaihKhPZ">harmful pesticides</a>, and habitat degradation.

It’s estimated that the economic value of pollinators in the UK is 690 million pounds per year, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6852437/Decline-native-UK-bee-population-numbers-spell-disaster-pollinating-crops.html">Daily Mail</a>.

To get a better idea of how severe bee declines have become, researchers reviewed and analyzed 715,392 biological records of bee populations that were collected from citizen scientists between 1980 and 2013.

In that time frame, bees and hoverflies covered 25 percent less geographic area and, in some regions, population declines were recorded between 25 and 55 percent.

Along with these drastic declines, the researchers also noticed a slight increase in some wild bee populations, but these trends were not enough to outweigh the overall trends in species loss.

“In many respects it is a worrying trend, which could have an impact on the UK’s food supply,” Gary Powney, from the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6852437/Decline-native-UK-bee-population-numbers-spell-disaster-pollinating-crops.html">Daily Mail</a>. “A huge proportion of species are decreasing.”

To help slow bee declines, experts recommend leaving a portion of your yard or garden untamed. Flower boxes filled with plants like lavender could also be useful in urban areas where gardens are infeasible due to space restrictions.

“This new paper provides further evidence, were it needed, that our pollinators are in trouble and that the health of our environment and food supply cannot be taken for granted,” Matt Shardlow, chief executive of conservation charity Buglife, told the Daily Mail. “Solitary bees, rare bees and bees, and hoverflies that live in the uplands are in particular trouble and need urgent help.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

One third of wild bees in the UK are suffering declining populations

New research has found that one-third of all bee species...

Antlions are notorious for being some of the fiercest predators in the insect kingdom. After trapping other insects in their pits, antlions use their razor sharp jaws to drain the bodily fluids of their victims within minutes. A study led by experts at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has now uncovered new details about how they build their deadly traps.

While it was known that antlions meticulously line their traps with fine grains of sand and toss out larger debris, the researchers were amazed to find just how methodical these insects actually are. 

During their work in the field, the experts performed an experiment in which they gave antlions a mixture of large and small sand grains. When they captured and separated all of the grains thrown out of the pit, the researchers found that antlions were discarding grains of sand that were only slightly larger than the grains being used for construction. 

“It is almost like a conjuring trick - many more large grains are ejected than seems possible,” said Professor Nigel Franks. “One answer is that the antlion is ‘interrogating’ much more sand to find and eject large grains than just the volume of sand that has to be removed to form the final pit.”

The researchers collaborated with physicists at Imperial College London to get more insight about the properties of granular mixtures. The team developed a computational model that simulated an antlion digging in granular mixtures to investigate how and why the insects use spiral digging.


“This technique is a superbly efficient time-saving method that literally enables antlions to plough through a large volume of sand such that the small avalanches they create cause large sand grains differentially to cascade to the bottom of the construction trench where they can be preferentially ejected during pit construction,” said Professor Franks. 

Lining the pits with fine <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sand-crabs-comets/">sand</a> grains makes them extremely avalanche-prone. 

“Any prey item that ventures into the pit will ride an avalanche down to the deadly antlion at the bottom of the pit. Such pits are an intriguing example of the ever-present force of natural selection that shapes biology,” said Professor Franks.

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How antlions construct death traps for their victims

Antlions are notorious for being some of the fiercest predators...

Rauhhautfledermaus (Pipistrellus nathusii)

When the sun goes down, we all instinctively reach for the lamps and light switches in our homes, attempting to prolong the light hours and continue our work (or maybe just brighten our current Netflix binge). And while these <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/artificial-light-pollution-causes-spring-to-come-early/">artificial lights</a> are of major benefit to our lives, they can be a hindrance to the lives of nocturnal animals – particularly in cities, where light is almost constant. However, the effects of artificial light likely varies across species, seasons, and types of light.

Now, a recent study published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution">Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</a> from the <a href="http://www.izw-berlin.de/">Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research</a> (IZW) has revealed new evidence of how exactly UV light emitting and non-UV emitting street lamps affect the activity of bats in the Berlin metropolitan area. The study also investigates if tree cover could mitigate the effects of this light pollution.

The researchers found that bat responses to light pollution were complex. “We observed a higher activity of two pipistrelle bat species, the common pipistrelle and Nathusius' pipistrelle, in areas with high numbers of UV emitting street lamps,” says Tanja Straka, a scientist at the IZW's Department of Evolutionary Ecology and first author of the study. This may be because these bats are taking advantage of the insects that are attracted to UV emitting lamps. “However, all other species were less active at and even repelled by the lamps, irrespective of whether the light they emitted did or did not contain UV light,” Straka explains. 

In this study, the research team considered these effects in relation to tree cover. Bats use trees as shelter during the day, but at night when the street lamps come on, the trees can still provide shade for bats in lighted areas. The researchers’ goal was to determine how tree cover influences bat responses to artificial light.

Results showed that bat response to artificial light was intensified in areas with more tree cover. This may be due to increased tree presence also leading to more insects attracted to the vegetation. But mouse-eared bats were found to be present less in areas with lots of street lamps as well as denser tree cover. It seems that this species is more light sensitive, and avoids illuminated areas even when there is tree cover.

The researchers also observed that high-flying insectivorous bats were more active in areas when light emission from LED street lamps was mitigated by high tree coverage, compared to areas where LED lamps were present with fewer trees. Unlike UV lights, LED lights do no attract insects and so they’re likely less attractive as a foraging area for these bats. 

The team collected all of this information through analysis of over 11,000 bat calls recorded at 22 sites in the Berlin metropolitan area. They could identify species through the calls, and used this to calculate the activity of each species at each site. 

“The bottom line is that for bats the relation between artificial light and vegetation is complex and it varies between species, yet overall artificial light at night has negative consequences for bats,” explains Christian Voigt, the Head of Department. “Even those species that may hunt at street lamps opportunistically will suffer on the long run from the constant drain of insects dying at street lamps. Trees are important for urban bats, not only as a shelter but also as a source for prey insects. Hence artificial light should be avoided in habitats with many trees.”

Some solutions to reducing the negative effects of artificial lights on these species would be to add trees to the more brightly lit areas, or turn off the lights when the area is not in use. While these lights may be useful for our purposes, we have to remember that we share these areas with species that thrive in the dark.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Christian Giese

Street lamps and tree cover influence urban bat activity

When the sun goes down, we all instinctively reach for...

Nearly one-third of Asian elephants in India, Myanmar, and Thailand live in captivity, either as working elephants in the timber industry or in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephant-sanctuary-attractions-inhumane/#.XJpcgihKhPY">tourism</a>. 

Myanmar alone has the largest population of captive elephants in the world, but given that captive elephant populations are particularly vulnerable to decline, endangered elephants are usually captured from the wild to help sustain captive worker populations. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield </a>and the <a href="http://www.utu.fi/welcome">University of Turku</a>, along with the <a href="http://www.myanmatimber.com.mm/">Myanmar Timber Enterprise</a> as part of the <a href="http://elephant-project.science/">Myanmar Timber Elephant Project</a>, are currently working on reducing this dependence on wild elephants while still boosting captive populations. 

Captive populations and endangered wild elephants are tightly linked. according to the researchers, and even though conservation of wild elephants is a priority, captive elephants are just as important to ensuring the future survival of the species. 

“The dependence of captive elephant populations on capture from the wild in the past is truly alarming,” said Virpi Lummaa, the leader of the study. “The problem with elephants is that they take so long to grow and reproduce and have very complex social lives, making them vulnerable to population declines when disturbed.” 

In a new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers examined trends in elephant capture and the impact elephant capture had on the 3,500 working elephants over 54 years. 

The researchers analyzed birth and death rates of captive populations and found that young captive elephants have a higher risk of early death, especially when separated from their mothers to start training. 

If handlers and logging companies could work to improve the wellbeing and lifespan of young elephants, captive elephant populations would stand a better chance at sustaining their numbers without the capture wild elephants. 

At four years of age, juvenile elephants are separated from their mothers and trained to work. 

This is stressful for the young elephants, as elephants are highly social animals with complex familial bonds. These relationships need to be taken into account when working on improving the welfare of captive elephants. 

“Our model suggests we may see declines in captive elephants for up to 50 years so we must now work to ensure that the captive population is sustainable,” said John Jackson, the lead author of the paper. “With so many Asian elephants in captivity, we must safeguard both captive and wild elephant populations and the people living and working alongside them for the future of the species.” 

The researchers also say that identifying a pregnant female early on in her pregnancy could help as handlers can then ensure that the mother has what she needs to care for and bond with her calf. These small steps would go a long way in helping captive populations, according to the study. 

“One hopeful result is that we may see improvements in population growth if we are able to improve the survival of young elephants by just 10 per cent,” said Jackson. “This shows we can really make a difference by improving welfare for these vulnerable individuals in captivity.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How to boost captive elephant numbers without taking more from the wild?

Nearly one-third of Asian elephants in India, Myanmar, and Thailand...

Sue, one of the largest and most well-preserved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/real-t-rex-feathers-massive-eyes/#.XJpc8ihKhPY">Tyrannosaurus rex</a> skeletons in the world, has been knocked down a peg when it comes to world’s biggest T. rex. 

Paleontologists from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a> have reported that a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, first discovered in 1991 in Saskatchewan, Canada, is the largest ever found.

Measuring a massive 42 feet (13 meters) in length and likely weighing more than 19,000 pounds when it was alive (8,800 kilograms), the skeleton, nicknamed Scotty, is not only a couple hundred kilograms heavier than Sue, but its size and weight make it larger than all other carnivorous dinosaurs. 

“This is the rex of rexes," said Scott Persons, the lead author of the research. “There is considerable size variability among Tyrannosaurus. Some individuals were lankier than others, and some were more robust. Scotty exemplifies the robust. Take careful measurements of its legs, hips, and even shoulder, and Scotty comes out a bit heftier than other T. rex specimens.”

Scotty roamed prehistoric Canada 66 million years ago, and when its skeleton was first discovered, the bones were encased in hard sandstone and paleontologists have only now fully assembled the one-of-a-kind specimen. 

“It wasn’t until now we’ve been able to take a step back and look at the specimen as a whole,” Persons told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2197485-huge-t-rex-fossil-suggests-many-dinosaurs-were-bigger-than-we-thought/">New Scientist</a>. “And doing so there’s an oh gosh moment, because the specimen really is enormous.”

Part of the reason Scotty, so named after a celebratory bottle of scotch that was used to toast the find, is so massive is because the dinosaur was as old as T-Rex’s can get. 

“Scotty is the oldest T. rex known,” said Persons explains. “By which I mean, it would have had the most candles on its last birthday cake. You can get an idea of how old a dinosaur is by cutting into its bones and studying its growth patterns. Scotty is all old growth.”

The T. Rex grew fast and didn’t have a particularly long lifespan. Scotty is estimated to have died at around 30 years old. This means that Scotty had a lot of time to add muscle and mass after reaching full maturity. 

“By Tyrannosaurus standards, it had an unusually long life. And it was a violent one,” Persons said. “Riddled across the skeleton are pathologies--spots where scarred bone records large injuries.”

Scotty will soon be on display at the<a href="https://www.royalsaskmuseum.ca/"> Royal Saskatchewan Museum</a> in May of this year. 

“I think there will always be bigger discoveries to be made,” said Persons. “But as of right now, this particular Tyrannosaurus is the largest terrestrial predator known to science.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Amanda Kelly

Scientists confirm the world’s largest T. Rex ever discovered

Sue, one of the largest and most well-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex...

Earlier this month, a woman was attacked by a jaguar at a zoo in Phoenix, Arizona. According to <a href="https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2019/03/13/jaguar-attack-at-zoo-may-reflect-new-normal-of-selfie-culture-expert-says/">Cronkite News</a>, the woman allegedly stepped over a safety barrier to take a selfie next the caged jaguar that then grabbed her arm in its mouth.  Another zoo visitor threw a water bottle through the cage bars to distract the cat long enough for the woman to escape. 

Unfortunately, incidents like this are part of the new normal selfie culture.  People sometimes risk their lives to take the perfect selfie, a trend that seems to draw into question how firm our collective grasp of reality is and what else we’re willing to endanger for image beyond our persons.

Rightfully, the blame for the jaguar attack was assigned to the woman taking the selfie, not the cat.  But it’s not always so fair for the animal, though. We have a history of killing dangerous animals that attack us, even when objectively, the attack is understandable.  Unfortunately, an animal attack of someone taking a selfie isn’t an isolated instance.

In 2015, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/22/travel/yellowstone-woman-bison-attack-selfie/index.html">CNN</a> reported on a woman who turned her back on bison in Yellowstone National Park to take a selfie and was subsequently attacked by the large mammal.  The attack was one of three that resulted from tourists taking photos of bison in the park that season, even though park visitors are warned to keep their distance from the iconic animals.  

The <a href="https://nypost.com/2018/05/04/man-mauled-to-death-by-bear-while-taking-selfie/">New York Post</a> reported last year that a man died while trying to take a selfie with an injured bear he found in the forest when he pulled off the road to urinate.  Another man was crushed to death by a wild elephant while trying to take a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tourists-close-wildlife/">selfie</a> with the animal. 

Reporting on multiple studies, the <a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/audience/david-whitley/os-ae-selfie-deaths-david-whitley-1005-story.html">Orlando Sentinel</a> says that more people are killed by foolish selfies than by shark or alligator attacks.  From 2011 to 2017, selfies claimed on average 43 lives a year. A huge increase in selfie-caused death occurred from 2014-2015 to 2016-2017, and the growth has been attributed to more selfies and better selfie technology.  

While death for a selfie is always a pointless tragedy, if someone <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/02/yosemite-couple-death-selfie-photography-travel-blog-taft-point">falls off a cliff taking a selfie</a>, they’re the only victim.  When a person is attacked by an animal, the situation is more complicated.

A <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/06/21/do-wild-animals-that-attack-people-need-to-die/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.a2c5bffc8b67">Washington Post</a> piece from 2016 asked the question ‘should wild animals that attack people be killed?’ The report describes a bear attack on a marathon runner.  The runner was injured but not killed by the bear, a mother with small cubs who was likely startled by the runners quick movement. The bear was put down despite only acting in fear to defend her cubs in normal bear fashion.  Under New Mexico State law, where the attack took place, a bear is required to be put down after attacking a person, no matter the circumstances. 

Other instances of a single animal attacking or killing a person involve more than one animal being killed, because which animal is the offender is uncertain.  When a toddler in Florida was killed by an alligator, at least six gators were killed in turn. When a mountain lion pounced on a child in Colorado, <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2016/06/18/officials-find-kill-2-mountain-lions-following-attack-on-boy-near-aspen/">two of the cats were killed</a>.  The <a href="https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-alligator-removals-lane-graves-20171101-story.html">Orlando Sentinel</a> reports that there’s a pattern of wildlife officials killing more alligators after a high profile attack, despite the rarity of human fatalities caused by alligators in general.  More than 300 alligators have been removed from Disney property and killed since 2009. Selfies and other such foolhardy behavior can further deteriorate already fraught relationships between humans and wildlife.  In the end, the wildlife suffer more than the people who engage in risky behavior, including selfie-taking. 

With the costs so high for humans and wildlife alike, we must ask, why do people continue to exhibit such reckless behavior?  A lack of engagement in the real world, a blurring of the lines between social media and the world around us may be to blame.  

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/10/09/blurred-lines-between-fact-and-fiction-on-social-media-add-up-to-death-in-l-a/?utm_term=.8811cdaf9f4f">The Washington Post</a> reported in 2015 how the misunderstanding of video footage by the LAPD lead to a fatal police shooting.  Media has always distorted views, news, and propaganda, and that shaping of mass perception is nothing new.  What is new is the desire to be watched, to be the media changing behavior patterns, with consequences even for those who aren’t engaged in social media, including animals.  With reality so distorted for those taking selfies as well as those looking at them online, it’s fair to ask whether people are even seeing the animals (or dangerous geographic features) that are photographed.

In The White Tigers of Cincinnati, an essay in David Quammen’s book, Wild Thoughts From Wild Places, the author reflected on wildlife voyeurism before the selfie age in a way even more relevant today,

“People watch the films, they visit the zoos, and by the mesmeric power of these vicarious experiences they come to carelessly believe that the Bengal tiger (or the white rhino, or the giant panda, or the diademed sifaka) is alive and well because they have seen it.  Well I’m sorry but they haven’t seen it.  They’ve seen images; they’ve seen taxidermy on the hoof.  And the wellness, even the aliveness, is too often a theatrical illusion.  Zoos are not fragments of the world of nature, no. They are substitutes.”

If that can be said for zoos, what can be said for wildlife images on social media?  <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/5-times-animals-have-been-killed-in-zoos-due-to-human-encounters-1891162359.html">Ecowatch</a> lists five instances of zoo animals being killed after encounters with humans.  There are many more examples of animals outside of zoos being killed after encounters with humans.  If current trends in selfie taking continue, we should expect more animals will be put down after attacking humans as well.  It seems likely that the selfies that don’t illicit an animal attack will encourage more risky behaviors around dangerous animals, for selfies or simply out of cluelessness.  

It may not matter to some whether they have a real connection with wildness or non-human animals but the consequences go far beyond a simple world view.  For wildlife in captivity or not, a selfie can lead to a deadly encounter with humans. Next time you happen upon an animal, dangerous or not, and your hand instinctively twitches towards that phone, pause.  Consider just dwelling in the moment; keep it for yourself. Some things truly cannot be shared. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Dying for the perfect selfie: Animal attacks and social media

Earlier this month, a woman was attacked by a jaguar...

More than 57 million households across the United States have <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bird-feeders-hummingbird-interactions/">bird feeders</a> in their backyards, and Americans spend more than $4 billion on bird food each year. Researchers at <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> set out to investigate how the act of feeding birds may influence people, and found that these individuals have a significant impact on conservation. 

Study co-author Ashley Dayer is an assistant professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech.

“Given that so many people are so invested in attracting birds to their backyard, we were interested in what natural changes they observe at their feeders beyond simply more birds,” said Professor Dayer. “In particular, we wanted to know how they respond to their observations. For example, how do they feel if they see sick birds at their feeders, and what actions do they take to address these observations?”

In collaboration with researchers at the University of Georgia, the team analyzed how people respond to natural events at their feeders. The team used data that was collected in a survey of over 1,000 people participating in Project FeederWatch, a program that involves more than 25,000 individuals who observe and document backyard birds.

The analysis revealed that, as a result of feeding, most people noticed natural changes in their backyards such an increase in the number of birds at their feeders. The bird watchers also reported the presence of cats, hawks, or sick birds near the feeders.

“More and more, we see that humans are interacting less with nature and that more of our wildlife are being restricted to areas where there are humans around. Looking at how humans react to and manage wildlife in their own backyards is very important for the future of wildlife conservation and for understanding human well-being as the opportunities for people to interact with wildlife become more restricted to backyard settings,” said Professor Dana Hawley.

Study co-author David Bonter is the director of Citizen Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which is the lab that manages Project FeederWatch.

“From my 17 years working with people who feed birds as part of citizen science projects, I've heard a great deal about their impactful observations at their feeders,” said Bonter. “This study provides important information about the breadth and pattern of these experiences through responses of over 1,000 participants. The findings will help us at Project Feederwatch improve how we work with bird watchers toward our shared goal of bird conservation.”

The researchers were surprised to find that people prioritized natural factors, such as cold weather, more than time and money, when deciding how much to feed birds.

“Feeding wild birds is a deceptively commonplace activity. Yet, it is one of the most intimate, private, and potentially profound forms of human interaction with nature,” said Professor Darryl Jones, who was not involved in the study. “This perceptive study uncovers some of the remarkable depth associated with bird feeding and discerns that people who feed birds are alert to a wide range of additional natural phenomena.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/publications/journals/people-and-nature/">People and Nature</a>.
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Virginia Tech

People who feed wild birds have an impact on conservation

More than 57 million households across the United States have...

Paleontologists unearth a treasure trove of Cambrian fossils in China. A treasure trove of fossils dating back as far as 518 million years discovered in Southern China is rivaling that of other rich fossil sites and further analysis of the fossils could help provide insight into what life was like during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-diversify-earth/#.XJkyJChKhPY">Cambrian Explosion</a>. 

The Cambrian Explosion marks the sudden emergence of diverse life forms in the fossil record, and fossils from the Cambrian Explosion make up some of our earliest understandings of life during the Paleozoic Era.

[caption id="attachment_1870250" align="aligncenter" width="631"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fossils-1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1870250" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fossils-1.jpg" alt="" width="631" height="421" /></a> Fossilized jellyfish, Image Credit: Fu et al., Science, 2019[/caption]

Thanks to rich fossil sites like the Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and the Emu Bay Shale in Australia, researchers have been able to identify and study the early origins of our complex marine ecosystems as we know them today. 

However, the discovery of thousands of fossils from Qingjiang site in China are quickly proving even more valuable, some of which belong to never before described species. 

The Qingjiang biota, as it’s called in a study published in the journal Science, is older than the Burgess Shale and is helping researchers fill in the gaps in the Cambrian fossil record.

[caption id="attachment_1870251" align="aligncenter" width="629"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fossils-2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1870251" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/fossils-2.jpg" alt="" width="629" height="352" /></a> Fossilized comb jelly and mud dragon, Image Credit: Fu et al., Science, 2019[/caption]

The fossil site is believed to be left over from a 500-million-year-old mudslide, and researchers have excavated 4,351 separate fossils of early jellyfish, sponges, anemones, algae, and arthropods. 

Qingjiang is also unique from other Cambrian fossil troves in that the researchers have found evidence of both hard and soft-bodied organisms. 

Of the thousands of fossils, the researchers were able to identify 101 species, and 53 of those species are unknown. Paleontologists unearth a treasure trove of Cambrian fossils in China 

“The treasure trove of the Qinjiang biota provides an exciting opportunity to explore how paleoenvironmental conditions influenced ecological structuring and evolutionary drivers during the Cambrian Explosion,” said Dr. Allison Daley, a paleontologist not involved in the study who penned an accompanying perspective on the research. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Jon Husson, Shanan Peters, <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>

Paleontologists unearth a treasure trove of Cambrian fossils in China

Paleontologists unearth a treasure trove of Cambrian fossils in China....

Every year, humpback whales make long migrations from their preferred cold feeding grounds to warmer tropical waters to breed and give birth. 

Even though many large species of whales migrate, migratory patterns are so varied from species to species and even from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humpback-whales-sing/#.XJkCgyhKhPY">males to females</a>, that tracking the ancient origins of these migrations can prove challenging. 

It’s been suggested that whales started traveling long-distances around five million years ago, but the specifics of ancient whale migration have remained unclear. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://stri.si.edu/">Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute</a> and the <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/">University of California</a>, Berkeley decided to tackle ancient whale migration, not by looking at ancient whale fossils as one would expect, but also by focusing on the fossils of ancient whale barnacles. 

“Instead of looking for clues to migration patterns from the whale's bones, we used hitch-hiking whale barnacles instead,” said Larry Taylor, the leader of the study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

Whale barnacles are crustaceans that attach themselves to whales by sucking in the whale’s skin. 

This relationship doesn’t seem to serve any advantage for the whale, but for the barnacle, life attached to a whale provides easy access to nutrient-rich waters as the whale slowly meanders through the ocean.

[caption id="attachment_1870239" align="aligncenter" width="640"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/barnacle-fossil.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1870239" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/barnacle-fossil.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></a> Fossil whale barnacle, Image Credit: Larry Taylor[/caption]

“Whale barnacles are usually species-specific --one species of barnacle on one type of whale,” said Aaron O'Dea, a co-author of the study. “This gives the barnacle several advantages-- a safe surface to live on, a free ride to some of the richest waters in the world and a chance to meet up with others when the whales get together to mate.”

For this study, the researchers examined barnacle fossils and modern whale barnacles to analyze isotope signatures.

Because barnacles are crustaceans, their shells take in oxygen isotopes from the water throughout a barnacle’s lifespan. These isotopes allow the researchers to age the barnacles and estimate where the barnacle has traveled in its life. 

“The signals we found in the fossil barnacles showed us quite clearly that ancient humpback and grey whales were undertaking journeys very similar to those that these whales make today,” said Taylor. “It seems like the summer-breeding, and winter-feeding migrations have been an integral part of the way of life of these whales for hundreds of thousands of years.”

The study helps provide a more detailed picture of ancient whale migrations, and the researchers plan to continue tracking whale migrations using whale barnacle fossils.

“Hunting for fossil whale barnacles is easier than whales, and they provide a wealth of information waiting to be uncovered,” said Seth Finnegan, a co-author of the study. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Aleria Jensen, NOAA/NMFS/AKFSC

Barnacle fossils reveal secrets of ancient whale migrations

Every year, humpback whales make long migrations from their preferred...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a> has revealed that damage to parts of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/golden-snub-nosed-monkeys-nurse/">monkeys</a> heightens their defensive response to threats. The study findings suggest that subregions of the brain’s prefrontal cortex play an important role in different anxiety disorders.

Previous studies have already linked the OFC and its larger brain network to anxiety disorders in humans. For example, researchers found a correlation between arachnophobia and generalized anxiety disorder and reduced activity in the lateral and medial OFC.

A research team from the <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml">National Institute of Mental Health</a> and the <a href="https://icahn.mssm.edu/">Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai</a> investigated the role of these OFC subregions in male rhesus macaques. The animals had been trained to retrieve a fruit snack reward in the presence of one of two fake predators, including a grayish-green snake or a black, hairy spider. The monkeys also retrieved the rewards in the presence of neutral objects. 

After lesions were selectively produced in the lateral or medial OFC of eight monkeys, these animals took longer to reach for the fruit snack in the presence of the predator stimuli compared to animals with no brain alterations. The researchers also found that this effect could be attributed to heightened defensive behaviors.

According to the experts, the heightened defensive responses to the snake and spider that followed damage to either subregion of the OFC persisted among the monkeys over time and were not reduced. In addition, monkeys with medial OFC lesions showed a greater tendency to express defensive behaviors even in the absence of a threat. 

The study results indicate that dysfunction in distinct subregions of the OFC may be responsible for specific symptoms of various anxiety disorders.

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Damage to the prefrontal cortex of the brain may cause anxiety disorders

A new study from the Society for Neuroscience has revealed...

<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.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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