When you think about butterflies and moths, what comes to mind? A peaceful scene of these creatures fluttering around flowers, their delicate bodies brushing against petals while they seek nectar. Well, it's time to add another scene to that mental canvas -- one with static electricity.



New research reveals that these insects amass so much static electricity while in flight that they pull pollen towards them from several millimeters or even centimeters away.



Dr. Sam England from <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bristol's School of Biological Sciences</a> leads a team of researchers that has made this striking discovery. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butterflies-moths-and-static-electricity">Butterflies, moths, and static electricity</h2>



This fascinating finding holds implications for these insects' effectiveness as high-efficiency pollinators.



Dr. England's team also discovered that the extent of static electricity varies amongst different species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-love-pretty-butterflies-and-that-complicates-data-for-scientists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">butterflies and moths</a>. 



These differences align with aspects of their ecology, such as whether they visit flowers, hail from a tropical environment, or are day or night flyers.



This evidence suggests that the quantity of static electricity an animal accumulates is an adaptive trait, making it a candidate for natural selection's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-twist-in-the-evolution-of-plant-pollinator-relationships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolutionary process</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accumulation-in-butterflies">Accumulation in butterflies</h2>



“We knew many species accumulate static electricity as they fly, likely through friction with the air. It had been suggested that this static electricity might enhance the pollination capabilities of flower-visiting animals, like bees and hummingbirds, by using electrostatic attraction for pollen," Dr. England elaborates.



So, the intriguing question was whether this principle extends to an array of crucial pollinators such as butterflies and moths. If they, too, accumulate significant charge, could that charge attract pollen onto them?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-factors-behind-static-electricity-in-butterflies">Factors behind static electricity in butterflies</h2>



The team studied 269 butterflies and moths across 11 different species, native to five continents and found in various ecological niches. 



Scientists then compared these species to determine whether ecological factors correlated with their charge. This investigation helps establish static charging as a trait upon which evolution can act.



"A clearer picture is developing of how static electricity's influence in pollination might be powerful and widespread," Dr. England shared. 



"By establishing electrostatic charging as a trait upon which evolution can act, it opens up numerous questions about how and why natural selection might lead to animals benefiting or suffering from the quantity of static electricity they accumulate."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-power-of-pollinators">Invisible power of pollinators</h2>



"We've discovered that butterflies and moths accumulate so much static electricity when flying, that pollen is literally pulled through the air towards them as they approach a flower," Dr. England concluded. 



These creatures can pollinate without even touching flowers, making them incredibly effective at their job and highlighting their crucial contribution to our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-butterfly-migration-sparked-by-a-surge-in-vegetation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-innovation-triggered-by-nature">Innovation triggered by nature</h2>



This study's practical implications are far-reaching. Technology might harness this knowledge to artificially increase pollinators or pollen's electrostatic charges, thereby enhancing pollination rates in natural and agricultural settings.



The insights gained from Dr. England's study could pave the way for innovative strategies in agriculture, particularly in the context of increasing crop yields. 



By manipulating the electrostatic properties of pollen or enhancing the natural static electricity in pollinators like butterflies and moths, farmers could potentially improve the efficiency of pollination processes.



This approach may lead to a reduced need for chemical pollinators and support more sustainable farming practices. 



Moreover, understanding how static electricity influences interactions between flowering plants and their pollinators can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inform conservation efforts</a> aimed at preserving diverse ecosystems that rely on these critical relationships.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-butterflies-and-electricity">Future research on butterflies and electricity</h2>



As the study opens new avenues of inquiry, future research may delve deeper into the genetic and ecological factors that influence the accumulation of static electricity among pollinators. 



Investigating the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon could shed light on the evolutionary history of these species and their interactions with various plants. 



Additionally, examining the effects of environmental changes -- such as climate change and habitat loss -- on the electrostatic charging capabilities of butterflies and moths will be crucial in assessing the resilience of pollination systems.



This line of research may also contribute to our understanding of how biodiversity loss impacts ecosystem functionality, emphasizing the need for comprehensive conservation strategies.



“For me personally, I would love to do a wider survey of as many different species of animal as possible, see how much static electricity they accumulate, and then look for any correlations with their ecology and lifestyle. Then we can really begin to understand how evolution and static electricity interact!” Dr England concluded.



So, the next time you see a butterfly or a moth flutter by, remember, there's a whole lot of science in that seemingly simple flight!



The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2024.0156" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of The Royal Society Interface</a>. 



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Butterflies use static electricity to catch pollen without touching it

When you think about butterflies and moths, what comes to mind? A peaceful scene of these creatures fluttering around flowers, their delicate bodies brushing against petals while they seek nectar. Well, it's time to add another scene to that mental canvas -- one with static electricity. New research reveals that these insects amass so much static electricity while in flight that they pull pollen towards them from several millimeters or even centimeters away. Dr. Sam England from Bristol's School of Biological Sciences leads a team of researchers...

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the oceans were filled with sea scorpions that killed their prey with sidelong strikes of their long serrated tails, according to a study by researchers at the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a>.

The findings followed discovery of a fossil of a new species of the eurypterid, Slimonia acuminata, near Lesmahagow, Scotland, the university said.

"Our study suggests that sea scorpions used their tails, weaponized by their serrated spiny tips, to dispatch their prey," said Scott Persons, paleontologist and lead author of the study, published in <a href="http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/an/current#">The American Naturalist</a>  

The scorpions, were related to modern scorpions and horsehoe crabs, and had thin, flexible bodies and pinching claws that could grow up to three meters in length. Although the scorpions were inflexible vertically, they were very adept at moving horizontally.

"This means that these sea scorpions could slash their tails from side to side, meeting little hydraulic resistance and without propelling themselves away from an intended target," Persons said. "Perhaps clutching their prey with their sharp front limbs eurypterids could kill pretty using a horizontal slashing motion."

The research breaks new ground in the study of eurypterids. “Such a high degree of apparent lateral tail flexibility has not been previously recognized in eurypterids,” the new study said. 

Ancient early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-species-similarities-humans/">vertebrates</a> were likely the scorpion’s food source, the researchers said.

The side-winding tail was “an effective means of predatory attack and self-defense,” the study said.

[caption id="attachment_307228" align="aligncenter" width="720"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/138455_web.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-307228" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/138455_web.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="473" /></a> Image Credit: Nathan Rogers[/caption]

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a>

&nbsp;

Were sea scorpions the original sea monster?

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the oceans were filled...

Researchers have discovered fossilized footprints of an ancient reptile species that are over 200 million years old and could include new fossil evidence never before seen.

Eudald Mujal from <a href="http://www.uab.cat/web/universitat-autonoma-de-barcelona-1345467954774.html">Universitat Autónama</a> in Spain and his colleagues examined trace fossil footprints of vertebrates from around 247 to 248 million years ago in the Pyrenees Mountains in Catalonia.

Their study was to investigate which vertebrate species lived during the beginning of the Mesozoic era. The Mesozoic era was a period of time immediately following the Permian mass extinction, which took place over 250 million years ago and resulted in the loss of roughly 90 percent of all species. The environmental and climatic conditions following this extinction hindered the recovery of vertebrate species as a whole across the globe.

The researchers identified tracks made by archosauromorphs – the ancestors of crocodiles and dinosaurs – by creating 3D models and silicone molds of the fossils they found. Most of these fossils were small, around half a meter in length, but a few specimens were longer than three meters.

In their analysis, the team identified a new footprint, belonging to Prorotodactylus mesaxonichnus – which led them to believe that this Pyrenean Prorotodactylus genus is related to archosauromorphs, rather than being a dinosauromorph as previously thought.

The research team postulates that the abundance of archosauromorph fossils in the Pyrenees is evidence of the role that archosauromorphs played in vertebrate recovery following the Permian mass extinction. “Trace fossils are evidence that archosauromorphs dominated the fluvial environments of the Catalan Pyrenees during the Triassic vertebrate recovery, early after the end-Permian mass extinction,” says Mujal.

This gives scientists a new perspective on vertebrate recovery following the largest mass extinction to ever occur on the planet. 

More information on this study can be found in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.plos.org/">PLOS</a>

Image Credit: Eudald Mujal from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

Fossil footprints shed light on recovery after mass extinction

Researchers have discovered fossilized footprints of an ancient reptile species...

“Are you left or right-handed?” is a commonly asked question amongst humans, but research shows that certain animals also tend to favor one “hand” over the other. In fact, “handed-ness” or left-right asymmetry is relatively common throughout the animal kingdom. Now, in a review published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</a>, researchers provide some insight into why people and animals many naturally favor one side of the brain over the other.

This left-right asymmetry is not limited to just our human brains, as several animal models have been found that can give us a look into the genetic and epigenetic backgrounds of the phenomenon of lateralization. “Studying asymmetry can provide the most basic blueprints for how the brain is organized,” says lead author Onur Güntürkün, a researcher at the <a href="http://www.rd.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/neuro/index.html.en">Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience</a> at <a href="http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/index_en.htm">Ruhr-University Bochum</a>, in Germany. “It gives us an unprecedented window into the wiring of the early, developing brain that ultimately determines the fate of the adult brain.”

Güntürkün believes that brain lateralization serves three purposes. One of those purposes is perceptual specialization, where certain areas of the brain are more specialized and focused on performing certain tasks. For example, in most people the right side of the brain focuses on recognizing faces, while the left side focuses on identifying letters and words.

Another purpose is motor specialization. The ability to use our hands competently is key to everyday life and survival, being specialized in that ability helps us move, eat, fight, and hunt. “What you do with your hands is a miracle of biological evolution,” says Güntürkün. “We are the master of our hands, and by funneling this training to one hemisphere of our brains, we can become more proficient at that kind of dexterity.”

Scientists think that natural selection led to some sort of advantage that resulted in about 10% of the population favoring the opposite hand. This connection is made through parallel processing, which allows use to do two different tasks using different parts of the brain concurrently.

Brain asymmetry is “…an invention of nature, which evolved because many animals have the same needs for specialization that we do,” explains Güntürkün. There have been studies that show how birds – such as chickens – use one eye to distinguish grain from pebbles on the ground while simultaneously using the other eye to keep watch for predators overhead.

Other research on pigeons has determined that this specialization can often be a result of environmental influences. It was found that when a pigeon chick is developing in the shell, its right eye turns toward the outside, while its left eye faces its body. When the right eye is exposed to light that comes through the shell, it triggers a series of neuronal changes that cause the two developing eyes to ultimately have different specializations.

On the other hand, the zebrafish model of lateralization has allowed researchers to uncover the genetic aspects of asymmetrical development – specifically the genetic makeup of the Nodal-signaling pathway.

Güntürkün believes that this research can lead to a better understanding of the effects of asymmetry on brain conditions in humans, saying that “there are almost no disorders of the human brain that are not linked to brain asymmetries.” Further research in this area can provide insight on how the developmental process leads to mistakes within the wiring of our brains.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>

Why animals evolve to favor one side of their brain

“Are you left or right-handed?” is a commonly asked question...

The Gentoo Penguins are easily recognizable with their white eye patches and fiery red beaks. These penguins are particularly fascinating to scientists because they are persevering in a region where other penguins species are dwindling. An opportunity to study the Gentoo Penguins in their natural habitat usually means braving the frigid terrain of areas such as the Antarctic peninsula or the sub-Antarctic islands. A team of researchers created an easier way to get a glimpse of these birds by setting up time-lapse cameras.

Experts from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> and The National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina set out to observe the Gentoo Penguins and their behavior during nonbreeding season. The cameras were placed at seven sites in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-sets-record-high/">Antarctica</a>, Argentina, and on several islands. The goal was to analyze the patterns and actions of the species across their range to determine when they occupy breeding sites. The study, published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, shows that the Gentoo Penguins arrived at their breeding sites early in the nonbreeding season. They were present in greater numbers when there was open water and the coastline was not shut in by ice.

Caitlin Black is a researcher with the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>. She explains,"Working with cameras allows us to understand half of this species' life without having to spend the harsh winter in Antarctica. It has been exciting to discover more about why Gentoos are present year-round at breeding sites without having to handle a single bird. I believe the applications for this technology are far-reaching for colonial seabirds and mammals, and we are only just beginning to discover the uses of time-lapse cameras as deployed virtual ecologists in field studies." 

Each of the cameras captured between eight and fourteen images per day. Volunteers accessed the website penguinwatch.org and reported the number of penguins visible in each photo. Ultimately, the different observation sites fell into three groups that are distinguishable by breeding site attendance patterns and the number of penguins present.

Mark Hauber is the Editor-In-Chief of The Auk: Ornithological Advances and a professor of Animal Behavior at <a href="http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/">Hunter College</a> and the <a href="https://www.gc.cuny.edu/">Graduate Center of the City University of New York</a>. Hauber says, "What most seabirds do away from their nest is often anybody's guess. For Antarctic birds, this is compounded by the long periods of darkness that penguins and others must face in the winter.” 

Hauber adds, “This new research in The Auk: Ornithological Advances on Gentoo Penguins colonies reveals critical year-to-year differences in where the birds are when they are not nesting: In some years, only the most temperate sites are visited, and in other years both southerly and northerly locations are busy with penguins.”

Animals such as the Gentoo Penguins make modifications in their migration patterns to adjust to their changing habitats. Results of these types of studies can be used to analyze the impact that disturbances - such as the fishing industry and climate change - have on penguin populations.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href=" https://www.earth.com/staff/ ">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">The University of Oxford</a>

Image Credit: T. Hart

Footage reveals the new migration strategies of penguins

The Gentoo Penguins are easily recognizable with their white eye...

Who knew frog slime could actually be helping in fighting the flu! Turns out, skin secretions from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frogs-toads-see-color/">frogs</a> are a rich source of antimicrobial peptides. Also known as host defense peptides, these compounds are part of a frog’s innate immunity system. While frogs have been known to inherently contain antibacterial properties, a new discovery reveals frog mucus contains antiviral peptides as well. 

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/">Emory Vaccine Center</a> and the <a href="http://rgcb.res.in/">Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology</a> collaborated in the study, which reveals that a component of South Indian frog excretions can kill the H1 type of flu viruses. The study, published today in the medical journal Immunity, suggests this revelation will have a positive influence on the future of flu vaccinations and containment strategies. 

Joshy Jacob, PhD., is an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at <a href="http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/">Emory Vaccine Center</a> and <a href="http://www.med.emory.edu/">Emory University School of Medicine</a>, and the senior author of the study. Dr. Jacobs explains, “Anti-flu peptides could become handy when vaccines are unavailable, in the case of a new pandemic strain, or when circulating strains become resistant to current drugs.”

The researchers called one of the antiviral peptides identified in the study “urumin,” named after an ancient Indian sword. Urumin was discovered in the skin secretions of the Indian frog Hydrophylax bahuvistara. This particular peptide stood out to scientists because instead of attempting to destroy its target as an antibacterial peptide would attempt to do, urumin inhibited the development of the flu virus. 

The urumin damaged the stability of the hemagglutinin, a glycoprotein that protrudes from the surface of the influenza virus. It searches for cells within the body upon which to launch a flu attack. Over a dozen types of hemagglutinin are known, and these determine the type of flu and how threatening it is. Hemagglutinin is the attack target of many proposed universal vaccines.

Dr. Jacobs says the fact that urumin advanced upon the hemagglutinin specifically “could be valuable because current anti-influenza drugs target other parts of the virus.”

The research showed that urumin administered intranasally to unvaccinated mice safeguarded them from potentially lethal doses of various flu viruses. Urumin protected against the H1 types of flu, but was not successful in protecting against other strains such as H3N2.

The newly-discovered peptides create an initiative for antiviral drug discovery.

The continuation of this study may lead Dr. Jacob and his colleagues to strategies for stabilizing antiviral peptides for effective use. The team is also hoping to extract peptides from frogs that are capable of killing other viruses. 

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.vaccines.emory.edu/">Emory Vaccine Center</a>

Image: Sanil George, Jessica Shartouny

How frog slime could actually help you fight the flu

Who knew frog slime could actually be helping in fighting...

It's the look that any dog owner immediately recognizes when their pooch chews up a pair of tennis shoes or the couch cushions.

There's actually a name for it, Nathan H. Lents, is a professor of molecular biology at <a href="http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/">John Jay College</a>, of the City University of New York, writes in <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beastly-behavior/201704/the-guilty-dog-look-and-other-borrowed-signals">Psychology Today</a>.

The "apology bow" has been studied extensively in wolves, Lents writes. and it is more complex than previously believed. 

In wolves, it is first displayed when a pup bites too hard during rough and tumble wrestling play. 

"A dog that bites too hard is punished by temporary shunning," Lents wrote. "They are removed from the social unit and ignored for a time. In order to be reintroduced, the offending wolf must approach with an apology bow and be re-admitted into the group."

Domesticated <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/chocolate-bad-dogs/">dogs</a> inherited this type of behavior from their wolf ancestors and have expanded the apology bow to include other types of infractions. 

"They will use it after any kind of infraction that results in being punished," Lents writes. “As social animals, they crave harmonious integration in the group and neglect or isolation is painful for them."

Dogs, like humans and other animals, send signals with their body language, according to Lents.

An "apology bow" can signal remorse but also submission, he wrote.

In the same way, a human handshake which can be both a greeting and a signal to bury the hatchet after a fight.

"Facial expressions and body language are rich forms of communication among animals and a complex array of signals can be conveyed with just a few gestures," wrote Lents. "The key is context. Just like humans rarely misinterpret a smile from a snarl, animals surely understand the subtleties of their own body language.”

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beastly-behavior/201704/the-guilty-dog-look-and-other-borrowed-signals">Psychology Today</a>.

Why your dog looks so guilty: the science behind dog shaming

It's the look that any dog owner immediately recognizes when...

In recent years, beachgoers in Cape Cod and nearby areas have been reporting jellyfish stings that have similar symptoms to stings that were occurring off of the Russian coast. People were reporting stings that led to severe pain as well as respiratory and neurological issues. Scientists were perplexed by this news, as the jellyfish known to cause these stings are native to the North Pacific and should be nowhere near the Atlantic Ocean.

Clinging jellyfish (Gonionemus) are tiny members of the jellyfish family that attach themselves to seagrass and seaweed – they are also the culprits in this stinging scandal. These jellies were long assumed to be native to the North Pacific, but have now become widely distributed throughout the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Now, research published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">Peer J</a> describes the first genetic study of clinging jellyfish diversity in populations around the world. The researchers found some surprising links among the distant communities of jellyfish, and also may have discovered that there is more than one species of this stinging organism.

By obtaining tissue samples from a number of different Atlantic and Pacific locations, the researchers uncovered a genetic match between populations of stinging jellyfish in Russia and those found along the East Coast of the United States. Analysis of DNA from the tissue samples led to the identification of seven variants, some of which were specific to just one location while others were spread among communities in distant locations.

They also discovered that jellyfish from the Northeast Pacific and Northeast Atlantic locations were genetically different from Northwest Atlantic and Northwest Pacific populations. This suggests that the two related groups may actually be entirely different species of Gonionemus.

Annette Govindarajan – lead author of the study and a biologist at <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute</a> (WHOI) – says, “In the past, some people have suggested that the Atlantic and the Pacific jellies were different forms. Others have suggested that jellies in the Atlantic were introduced from the Pacific. But what we found doesn't correspond exactly to either hypothesis.” Instead, the researchers think that the jellyfish found in the Northwest Atlantic and Northwest Pacific are likely a different species.

“The study documents what we suspected, that there are different types of Gonionemus jellies and some of these types co-occur in New England," says coauthor and fellow <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">WHOI</a> researcher Mary Carman. “Some types seem to have a toxic sting to people and some do not.” The relationship between genetic variants of jellyfish and toxicity is something the researchers would like to pursue in the future. “It could very well be that the toxicity is a function of both genetics and the environment, perhaps something in the environment is triggering the toxicity,” explains Govindarajan. 

In the meantime, Govindarajan believes that beachgoers shouldn’t be too concerned about encountering the stinging jellies – despite the fact that they bloom in the summer months. “Unlike other jellies, it is unlikely that these would be in open water,” she explains. “We only see them in areas with eelgrass or seaweeds since they’re able to cling to these surfaces with the sticky pads found on their tentacles.”

The research team hopes to study further genomic analyses that will give greater insight into what genetic markers can reveal about these species and their toxicity. Further research could lead to a better understanding of how these invasive forms of jellyfish are dispersing, so that their future invasions can be curtailed. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a>

This stinging jellyfish has been invading East Coast beaches

In recent years, beachgoers in Cape Cod and nearby areas...

The Eastern wood pewee is a small North American bird named after the unique sound of its song.  While not yet classified as a threatened species, its numbers are declining at alarming rates. The number of these birds in the Washington D.C. area has dropped by over 50% in the last 70 years. Researchers from <a href="https://www2.gmu.edu/">George Mason University</a> teamed up to identify a likely cause for this rapid decline in bird population - the interference of traffic noise.

The researchers chose three parks in the Washington D.C. area to set up an observation. They selected sites where the traffic was constant, and also where the road was closed weekly for 36 hours at a time. The frequencies, bandwidth, and length of the birdsongs were analyzed. Low frequency traffic noise was added within 20 seconds of each bird vocalization along with full spectrum background <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-prevents-birds-hearing-danger-alerts/">noise</a>.

The study, published today in the journal Bioacoustics, reveals that the birds changed both the length and frequencies of their songs as a result of shifts in traffic noise. When the traffic was silenced due to road closure, the songs returned to their natural state including longer duration, lower frequencies, and broader bandwidth. 

Dr. Katherine Gentry of <a href="https://www2.gmu.edu/">George Mason University</a> is the lead author of the study. She explains, "We found that Eastern wood pewees modified their songs to optimize transmission depending on traffic noise levels.”

The interference of traffic can make bird habitats unsuitable for many reasons. Besides immediate threats such as visible disruption and fatal vehicle collision, traffic disturbance can cause communication issues that have long-term repercussions. Birds will not only have a more difficult time establishing and maintaining their territories due to a lack of communication, but will also find it more challenging to attract mates and maintain bonds with them. 

Significant changes are needed for the Eastern wood pewee to thrive again. The ideal solution for conservation of these and other roadside habitats is uniform noise reduction. According to the authors of the study, road closures and traffic rerouting could become part of a much-needed conservation effort.

“The results confirm that temporary measures to reduce traffic noise, such as weekend road closures, can benefit animals and is a feasible and effective option for managing traffic noise," concludes Dr. Gentry.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www2.gmu.edu/">George Mason University</a>

Is traffic noise causing birds to stop singing?

The Eastern wood pewee is a small North American bird...

It’s a giant, black, mud-dwelling, shipworm and it doesn’t eat much.

That’s what an international team of researchers is now investigating following the discovery of the creature inside a shell in the Philippines, according to the<a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/"> University of Utah</a>. 

The existence of the giant shipworm has been known for centuries because of the three-to-five foot shells it lives in and leaves behind, the University said. Finding a live specimen of the worm has been elusive.

"The shells are fairly common," said lead investigator<a href="http://www.northeastern.edu/cos/marinescience/daniel-l-distel/"> Daniel Distel, Ph.D.</a>, a research professor and director of the <a href="https://www.northeastern.edu/ogl/">Ocean Genome Legacy Center at Northeastern Universit</a>y, "But we have never had access to the animal living inside."

It was unclear exactly where the worm, Kuphus polythalamia, lived until <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/satellite-mount-pinatubo-philippines/">Philippines</a> television aired a documentary showing the creatures in a shallow lagoon and prompting a team of researchers to launch an expedition.

The international team led by scientists at the<a href="http://healthsciences.utah.edu"> University of Utah</a>, is the first to research the worm. The finding will be published online in the Apr. 17 issue of the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

The researchers huddled around Distel as he carefully washed the sticky mud caked to the outside of the giant shipworm shell and tapped off the outer cap, revealing the creature living inside.

"I was awestruck when I first saw the sheer immensity of this bizarre animal," says Marvin Altamia, researcher at the <a href="http://www.msi.upd.edu.ph/">Marine Sciences Institute, University of the Philippines.</a>

It’s not your average shipworm, which burrows deep into wood that has washed into the ocean and digests it with the help of bacteria. Kuphus lives in the mud, using bacteria that live in their gills to make food for them. The bacteria use hydrogen sulfide as energy to produce organic carbon that feeds the shipworm.

"We are also interested to see if similar transitions can be found for other animals that live in unique habitats around the world," said Distel.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a>

Mysterious, giant, gooey shipworm mystery finally solved

It’s a giant, black, mud-dwelling, shipworm and it doesn’t eat...

They can’t blame it on the beer. A new study has found that when male spiders approached a female of a different species of spider, not only was sex out of the question, but the females might attack or even have them for dinner, <a href="http://www.livescience.com/58633-jumping-spiders-court-any-female.html">LiveScience</a> reported.

Eighteen percent of the “clueless’ males were attacked and one was eaten after performing their song and dance mating rituals for females of another species, according to the study published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

In fairness to the male spiders, they have colorful faces and legs but females are light brown, with only subtle differences in the markings on their backs and faces.

The researchers observed 42 spider interactions between four species of jumping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-spiders-rainbow-colors/">spiders</a> in the genus Habronattus, along a riverbed in the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area near Phoenix.

More than half of the spider encounters studied were between sexually mature males and females. The sexually mature males were not shy, performing mating dances for the females every time they came into contact, regardless of the species, the study said.

The inherent dangers of hitting on a spider of the wrong species could be the purpose of the elaborate mating ritual, LiveScience said. It allows the males to initiate their approach at a safe distance, Lisa Taylor, an assistant research scientist at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and lead author of the study, said in a statement.

"This study provides some new insight into the age-old question of why males go to such ridiculous lengths to impress females," Taylor said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.livescience.com/58633-jumping-spiders-court-any-female.html">LiveScience </a>

Photo Credit: UFL/IFAS

Male spiders have terrible game, risk getting eaten by females

They can’t blame it on the beer. A new study...

New research has found that while many tropical forests may appear structurally undisturbed, hunting can exert significant pressure on wildlife and result in large population declines.

The review covered 176 studies, which spanned from South America to Asia and Africa, encompassing 97 bird and 254 <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/chewing-early-mammals-survive/">mammal</a> species. Hunted and unhunted sites were analyzed for mammal and bird abundance and the data was used to estimate the overall reduction in these populations.

They concluded that both bird and mammal populations were significantly reduced in hunted areas – 53% and 82% respectively. Furthermore, the study found a direct relationship between population reduction and distance from hunters’ access points, urban trading markets, and protected areas. So even though mammal populations were higher inside protected areas compared to non-protected areas, nearby hunting still had a negative impact on mammal abundance within the protected areas.

It was also found that smaller mammals were almost always more abundant in places with higher hunting pressure than larger species, which the researchers say is due to smaller species experiencing a decrease in predation pressure as a result of humans hunting the more desirable medium and large-sized animals. So it goes without saying that these smaller mammals are big fans of the current hunting practices.

The authors believe a possible solution to these problems would be to increase strategies that sustainably manage wildlife hunting in both protected and unprotected tropical regions, as current strategies aren’t doing the job.

While protecting certain regions of tropical forests may help sustain some of the wildlife in that specific area, it’s important to understand the impact of hunting practices in nearby forests. Since most non-human species have a tough time reading sign postings, they’re likely to unknowingly cross between protected and non-protected areas. Studies like this are important for giving us a reality check on whether or not our protection efforts are helping.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>

Hunting significantly reduces bird and mammal populations

New research has found that while many tropical forests may...

Without any access to a GPS or Google Maps, its hard to imagine how certain migratory species are able to navigate over vast distances. While these abilities have been heavily studied in animals such as geese and salmon, new research reported in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a> shows new insight into how young eels are able to make a similar journey.

Each year, these juvenile eels travel from breeding grounds in the Sargasso Sea to coastal and freshwater habitats from North Africa to Scandinavia, where they spend several years before returning to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and then die.

Scientists have discovered that their ability to navigate is based on detecting slight differences in the earth’s magnetic field, which guides them to swim in the direction of the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream then leads them home to Europe.

“We were not surprised to find that eels have a magnetic map, but we were surprised to discover how well they can detect subtle differences in magnetic fields,” says Lewis Naisbett-Jones at the <a href="http://www.unc.edu/">University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill</a>. What also surprised them was that their ocean simulation models had revealed that the young eels use their magnetic map to target the Gulf Stream, instead of targeting Europe.

The researchers used a “magnetic displacement” experiment to show how juvenile eels detect magnetic fields and modify their behavior based on what they find. This involved building an experimental apparatus that allowed them to create magnetic fields in two different locations along the eel’s migratory route. They then placed juvenile eels within the apparatus and recorded which direction they moved.

They found that eels exposed to magnetic fields that exist in two locations along the migratory pathway oriented in different directions. By using computer simulations that imitated ocean currents, they found that if young eels swim even weakly in the directions the researchers observed, many more of them would successfully enter the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slowing-gulf-stream-will-spare-europe-the-worst-of-climate-change/">Gulf Stream</a> and eventually reach Europe.

These findings place eels on the exclusive list of animals with the ability to navigate based on a magnetic “sixth sense”. The researchers believe their study can be used to better predict shifts in the eels’ migratory routes and assist with the recruitment and catch of European eels – one of Europe’s most important fisheries.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="about:blank">Cell Press</a>

Young eels use magnetic “sixth sense” to find the Gulf Stream

Without any access to a GPS or Google Maps, its...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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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

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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

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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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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