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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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How the pandemic changed dog behavior over 3 years

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

Colorful,Spawning,Salmon,Swimming,In,A,Shallow,Creek.

The story of salmon migration is often told as a single, determined journey. Young salmon hatch in freshwater streams, then swim downriver to the ocean. After years at sea, they return to the very river where their lives began, to spawn and restart the cycle.



But new research is challenging this narrative. Many young salmon, it turns out, aren’t sticking to a straight path.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-broader-journey-than-expected">A broader journey than expected</h2>



New research from <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA Fisheries</a>, Tribal scientists, and university scientists shows that up to 22 percent of juvenile salmon in California and Washington streams make unexpected detours. 



These young fish were tracked swimming down to the ocean and then back up into different rivers - some as many as nine times. In a few cases, they traveled as far as 40 miles (64 kilometers) up the coastline to entirely new rivers.



Rather than heading out to sea and staying there until adulthood, these juveniles wander. They criss-cross the coastal landscape, slipping between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-quarter-of-freshwater-fish-species-face-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">freshwater</a> and saltwater as they explore their options.



“Stretches of coast and their rivers form enormous salmon nurseries for the exploring juveniles,” explained the researchers.



The team documented this pattern in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-is-killing-coho-salmon-in-urban-streams/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coho salmon</a> (Oncorhynchus kisutch), as well as steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii) trout, all of which are salmonids . And they believe other salmon species may do the same.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-salmon-use-the-coast-for-migration">How salmon use the coast for migration</h2>



The salmonids didn’t just travel at random. Some popped into unfamiliar rivers for short visits. Others spent entire seasons in new places.



The fish were seen using streams on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and Northern California - places separated by long stretches of saltwater.



“The landscapes are much more connected than we realized, and salmon take advantage of that,” said Stuart Munsch, lead author of the study.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/salmon_young-juveniles_break-migration-rules_illustration_credit-Su-Kim_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/salmon_young-juveniles_break-migration-rules_illustration_credit-Su-Kim_1s.webp" alt="This schematic highlights empirically observed paths of two juvenile coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch, orange and purple) and one juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss (yellow) that made complex movements among drainages over periods of 203 days, 305 days, and 241 days, respectively. Numbers track individuals’ chronological detection sequences. Arrows indicate movement paths among drainages, with dashed line arrows showing additional details of individuals that moved back and forth between the East Twin and West Twin Rivers. Credit: Su Kim." class="wp-image-1968182"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This schematic highlights empirically observed paths of two juvenile coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch, orange and purple) and one juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss (yellow) that made complex movements among drainages over periods of 203 days, 305 days, and 241 days, respectively. Numbers track individuals’ chronological detection sequences. Arrows indicate movement paths among drainages, with dashed line arrows showing additional details of individuals that moved back and forth between the East Twin and West Twin Rivers. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Su Kim.</figcaption></figure>



“This provides a more complete and accurate picture of the habitat they are using, which helps us make informed decisions as to how to promote their recovery.”



By testing out different rivers and streams, salmonids might find better shelter or more food. They might also be learning from each other - schooling with fish from different populations and picking up clues about where to find refuge or prey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stable-habitats-with-new-risks">Stable habitats with new risks</h2>



Heavy rains in the Pacific Northwest can quickly turn peaceful streams into violent torrents. Water flow shifts rapidly, and vital stream features like wood and gravel can be swept away. 



In such unstable environments, the ability to search out new, more stable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-will-create-large-habitats-for-pacific-salmon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitats</a> might be a lifesaver. But this behavior comes with danger. Young salmonids moving between fresh and saltwater become easier targets for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-salmon-outsmart-predators-on-their-journey-to-the-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">predators</a>.



“They’re perfect food for lots of other species, so they are taking a risk but also finding some benefits as they go,” said Todd Bennett, a salmon scientist at NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center.



Still, the potential payoff may be worth it. Munsch noted that the young salmon and trout are searching for the best opportunities they can find.



“By moving around, they are also spreading the risk as some may find alternative habitats that better support them as conditions change," said Munsch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-questions-about-salmon-behavior">New questions about salmon behavior</h2>



It’s already known that adult salmon sometimes stray into different rivers than the ones they were born in. But could that behavior be shaped by their earlier wanderings as juveniles?



The scientists are still looking into that. They say more monitoring is needed to determine whether the rivers explored by juveniles affect where they return to spawn later in life.



What’s clear is that juvenile salmon are more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-oceans-welcome-salmon-to-the-arctic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mobile</a> than previously assumed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-closer-look-at-salmonid-migration">A closer look at salmonid migration</h2>



On the Olympic Peninsula, the researchers documented nearly 900 juvenile coho salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout moving between different river systems. Depending on the location and year, up to 22 percent of tagged fish were later detected in other rivers.



Most fish moved between just two rivers. But around 8 percent of them moved between three different systems, making up to nine distinct migrations during their juvenile years.



In Northern California, 28 coho salmon were recorded moving between river drainages. One even swam from a tributary of Redwood Creek to another stream feeding Humboldt Bay - a journey of about 40 miles (64 kilometers).



This behavior might not be unique to the U.S. Pacific Coast. The team reviewed other studies and found similar movements on three continents. That suggests it could be widespread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-salmon-management">Rethinking salmon management</h2>



Some of the salmonids followed routes commonly traveled by other fish. Others used paths that were rarely monitored. 



Because the study could only track fish in rivers equipped with monitors, the researchers believe their findings may underestimate how many juveniles make these kinds of moves.



The takeaway? Scientists may need to revise how they think about salmon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-unpredictable-effects-on-salmon-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migration</a>.



“We wouldn’t know about this unless we happened to be looking,” said Bennett. “Even after so many scientists have studied salmon over many decades, they still figure out how to surprise us.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.2848" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.



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Many young salmon break the typical migration rules, boosting survival chances

The story of salmon migration is often told as a...

Earth’s ancient oceans once held marine predators that could rival the fiercest movie monsters. In the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, the seas were ruled by titanic predators. With jaws measuring up to two meters and teeth sharp enough to shred bone, pliosaurids were apex hunters.



Ichthyosaurs, with their streamlined bodies, resembled swordfish but grew far larger and swam faster. Crocodile-like thalattosuchians dominated the coasts and deeper <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-life-became-strangely-uniform-after-earths-worst-mass-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waters</a> alike.



For millions of years, these animals sat atop marine food webs. Their dominance seemed unshakable. Then, something changed. The fossil record tells a story of sudden disappearance. 



One by one, these giants vanished. In their place, a new lineup of marine predators took over - mosasaurs with eel-like tails, long-necked plesiosaurs, and rapidly diversifying sharks. What triggered this massive reshuffling of ocean life?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mass-extinction-of-marine-predators">Mass extinction of marine predators</h2>



Scientists believe the answer lies in a dramatic period during the middle Cretaceous, around 94 million years ago, when top marine predators were lost in a mass extinction event.



According to a new study led by Valentin Fischer of the <a href="https://www.uliege.be/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Université de Liège</a> in Belgium, this shift was driven by severe environmental changes. The findings highlight a time of both ecological collapse and evolutionary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jurassic-extinction-may-hold-clues-about-our-oceans-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opportunity</a>.



At the heart of the change is a period known as the Cenomanian/Turonian transition. It marked the peak of a greenhouse world, the hottest interval in the last 541 million years. 



Atmospheric carbon dioxide soared and ocean circulation faltered. Vast parts of the ocean floor became anoxic (deprived of oxygen) making life impossible for many marine species.



Nutrients like sulphur and iron were thrown out of balance. These shifts cascaded throughout the food web. As Fischer’s team suggests, this extreme climate moment destabilized the entire marine ecosystem, especially at the top where large predators thrived.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-predators-faced-a-deadly-filter">Top predators faced a deadly filter</h2>



Valentin Fischer and his colleagues aimed to understand how this transition shaped marine reptile <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-caused-marine-mass-extinctions-millions-of-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolution</a>. To do so, they built a comprehensive dataset. 



The researchers studied the evolutionary relationships of hundreds of marine reptile species, mapping which groups went extinct and when. Then, they compiled the largest collection to date of two-dimensional and three-dimensional anatomical data on marine reptiles.



The team combined data on the phylogenetic relationships of hundreds of marine reptile lineages to analyze how extinctions were distributed in the tree of life.



Then, they used the largest sample of 2D and 3D data on marine reptiles ever assembled to analyze the effect of these extinctions on the predatory capabilities of Cretaceous marine reptiles.



“Our analyses showed that the Cenomanian-Turonian transition is associated with elevated rates of extinction and that these extinctions disproportionally targeted some groups of large and fast predators, in a stepwise manner,” said Fischer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-marine-predators-hunted-differently">New marine predators hunted differently </h2>



What does it mean for a predator to disappear from an ecosystem? Not just an empty niche, but a major change in how animals hunt, compete, and survive. 



Fischer’s study found that predator skulls from before and after the transition had markedly different shapes. This affected feeding behavior in a fundamental way.



For example, skull shapes of predators were significantly different after the transition, notably resulting in distinct bite force, said Fischer.



This means that while new predators took over, they hunted differently. Some may have focused on smaller prey, while others developed crushing bites for armored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-was-the-cause-of-earths-largest-mass-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">victims</a>. The loss of long-distance fast swimmers, like ichthyosaurs, opened the door for other body plans and strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-end-of-one-era-sparked-another">The end of one era sparked another</h2>



The extinction of familiar marine predators didn’t signal the end of danger in the seas. It marked a rebirth. Mosasaurs surged in diversity and size, eventually becoming the new apex predators. 



Sharks too adapted, evolving faster and with more varied diets. The marine ecosystems of the Late Cretaceous looked different not just in species but in structure and dynamics.



This was not merely evolution marching on. It was evolution restructured by crisis. An environmental shock turned the oceans into both a graveyard and a cradle. Out of loss came transformation. Understanding these moments helps us grasp how life on Earth responds to extreme climate events.



The <a href="https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU25/EGU25-3100.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> was presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly (<a href="https://www.egu25.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EGU 2025</a>).



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Climate chaos caused a mass extinction of top marine predators

Earth’s ancient oceans once held marine predators that could rival...

For decades, pterosaurs were cast as soaring shadows above the dinosaur-dominated world. These flying reptiles, icons of the Mesozoic skies, seemed distant from the muddy, grounded lives of their land-based cousins. 



But a new study from the <a href="https://le.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a> is challenging that image. Drawing on more than 160-million-year-old fossilized footprints, the researchers have made a significant breakthrough. These prints reveal a hidden side of pterosaur life - one where they walked, hunted, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-fossil-fills-crucial-gap-in-pterosaur-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thrived</a> on solid ground.



Published in Current Biology, the study identifies the makers of ancient tracks once thought enigmatic. With 3D modeling, statistical analysis, and close anatomical comparisons, the team linked three distinct track types to specific pterosaur groups.



The findings open up a deeper understanding of how these animals moved and evolved, showing a major ecological shift during the mid-Mesozoic period.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaurs-were-not-just-fliers">Pterosaurs were not just fliers</h2>



The popular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-took-flight-millions-of-years-before-birds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">view</a> of pterosaurs has long focused on their aerial prowess. 



They were seen as ocean-faring gliders or cliff-dwelling fliers, rarely imagined among swampy flats or dusty inland habitats. Preservation bias reinforced this picture - bones were often found in marine rocks, while trackways were rarer and harder to interpret.



But the new research confronts that bias. It shows that by the Middle Jurassic, some pterosaur groups had firmly established themselves on land. Quadrupedal walking was not just possible - it was a widespread and successful mode of movement.



“Footprints offer a unique opportunity to study pterosaurs in their natural environment. They reveal not only where these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-mastered-land-before-dominating-the-sky/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creatures</a> lived and how they moved, but also offer clues about their behavior and daily activities in ecosystems that have long since vanished,” noted lead author Robert Smyth, a doctoral researcher at the Centre for Palaeobiology and Biosphere Evolution, University of Leicester.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracks-tied-to-three-pterosaur-groups">Tracks tied to three pterosaur groups</h2>



The team identified three distinct footprint types, each linked to a major pterosaur clade: ctenochasmatoids, dsungaripterids, and neoazhdarchians. 



These prints vary in shape, size, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaur-bones-biomimicry-could-inspire-better-aircraft-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distribution</a>. Yet together, they illustrate a dramatic expansion of pterosaur diversity into land-based ecosystems during the Jurassic and Cretaceous.



Using both multivariate analysis and anatomical synapomorphies (shared traits), the team matched the fossil tracks with body fossils. Many of the prints retained fine details, such as joint pads, heel structures, and even traces of webbing between toes.



"Finally, 88 years after first discovering pterosaur tracks, we now know exactly who made them and how," said co-author Dr. David Unwin from the School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaur-footprints-in-coastal-wetlands">Pterosaur footprints in coastal wetlands</h2>



Ctenochasmatoids, known for their elongated jaws and filter-feeding teeth, left the most abundant tracks. Their footprints are broad, triangular, and often display splayed metatarsals and impressions of webbing. 



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cracking-the-code-of-pterosaur-flight-soaring-vs-flapping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">features</a> suggest they walked with plantigrade feet and likely moved through shallow water environments, such as tidal flats and lagoons.



Their tracks are found in formations across Europe and North America and often occur in large numbers. This suggests these pterosaurs were not just visitors but key players in coastal ecosystems. 



The track features align with known skeletal remains of species like Ctenochasma elegans, which had long metatarsals and short toes ideal for walking in wet sediment.



Interestingly, these footprints show that metatarsal I was longer than the others - a rare trait among reptiles but common in ctenochasmatoids. This makes their tracks relatively easy to distinguish from those of crocodiles or other reptiles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-others-walked-along-lakes">Others walked along lakes</h2>



Found only in China’s Tugulu Group, dsungaripterid tracks are rarer but highly distinctive. These pterosaurs had powerful jaws with beak-like tips and large crushing teeth in the rear. 



Their tracks feature a short digit I and longer outer digits, forming a unique footprint shape that reflects their specialized foot anatomy.



These prints appear alongside skeletal remains of Dsungaripterus weii and Noripterus complicidens, supporting their identification. The sediment they walked on - fine-grained mudstones and sandstones - suggests they roamed deltaic and lakeshore environments.



The matching between tracks and bones in this case is unusually strong. It provides one of the clearest examples of a direct connection between movement traces and the animals that made them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neoazhdarchians-walked-the-land">Neoazhdarchians walked the land</h2>



Neoazhdarchians, which include giants like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cracking-the-code-of-pterosaur-flight-soaring-vs-flapping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quetzalcoatlus</a>, left narrow, elongated tracks often showing deep, round heel impressions.



Their footprints appear across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. These animals had long legs and necks, suggesting they hunted like modern ground-foraging birds, perhaps stalking prey in open environments.



Unlike the aquatic habitats favored by other pterosaurs, neoazhdarchian tracks are found mostly in continental settings. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pterosaur_Balaeonognathus_steps_tracks_credit_ULeicester_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pterosaur_Balaeonognathus_steps_tracks_credit_ULeicester_1s.webp" alt="Pterosaur tracks meet their match. Where ancient footprints meet their maker. A side-by-side comparison of a pterosaur’s hand and foot with 155-million-year-old tracks from Wyoming, USA. The false-color depth map reveals the shape and pressure of each step, showing that these creatures bore more weight on their hands while walking. Credit: University of Leicester" class="wp-image-1968081"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pterosaur tracks meet their match. Where ancient footprints meet their maker. A side-by-side comparison of a pterosaur’s hand and foot with 155-million-year-old tracks from Wyoming, USA. The false-color depth map reveals the shape and pressure of each step, showing that these creatures bore more weight on their hands while walking. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Leicester</figcaption></figure>



This includes plains, deserts, and dry riverbeds. Their stride patterns often match those of large dinosaurs, hinting at shared migration routes or similar responses to terrain.



These trackways typically lack deep impressions from the toes, suggesting that the feet had minimal soft padding and were adapted for efficient walking over firm ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaurs-footprints-tell-a-story">Pterosaurs footprints tell a story</h2>



Tracks are not just impressions in stone - they are records of action. They show how animals lived in their habitats, what surfaces they preferred, and sometimes even how they interacted with others. Unlike bones, which can be moved and broken, tracks stay where they were made.



This study confirms that the fossil track record can complement and even extend the fossil bone record. It fills gaps, clarifies behaviors, and adds context to the static images offered by skeletons.



"Tracks are often overlooked when studying pterosaurs, but they provide a wealth of information about how these creatures moved, behaved, and interacted with their environments," Smyth concludes. 



"By closely examining footprints, we can now discover things about their biology and ecology that we can't learn anywhere else."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-tracks-from-fliers">No tracks from fliers</h2>



One of the most striking findings is what isn’t there. Tracks from early pterosaurs - those before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/footprints-reveal-ancient-playground-for-giant-jurassic-dinosaurs-scottish-lagoon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Middle Jurassic</a> - are entirely absent.



This supports the idea that these species were arboreal or scansorial, rarely walking on flat land. Their limbs and feet were poorly suited to ground movement, and they likely spent most of their lives in trees or cliffs.



Also missing are footprints from groups like tapejarids and pteranodontians. These pterosaurs, though well known from bones, appear poorly adapted to life on the ground. 



Their feet lacked the features seen in trackmakers, which may explain why their prints are absent from fossil surfaces.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-land-walking-changed-evolution">Land walking changed evolution</h2>



This track-based approach has revealed a major shift in pterosaur evolution. 



By the Middle Jurassic, the evolution of longer limbs and more stable feet allowed some pterosaurs to take advantage of ground-based habitats. They diversified and spread, becoming important members of land-based ecosystems.



The study shows that pterosaur terrestrial invasion was not a random occurrence. It was a structured expansion, involving specific clades with shared foot traits. These groups walked with purpose and left behind tracks that tell the story of their hidden lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-tracks-still-reveal">What tracks still reveal</h2>



As more footprints are discovered and linked to their makers, the image of pterosaurs continues to evolve. Far from being limited to flight, many were capable terrestrial animals that played vital roles in their environments.



This study not only repositions pterosaurs in the Mesozoic world - it also highlights the power of trace fossils to reveal secrets that bones alone can’t show. 



And perhaps most exciting of all, it suggests there’s much more to find - not just in the skies of prehistory, but in the ground beneath their feet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00446-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Pterosaur footprints discovery leads to surprising conclusion

For decades, pterosaurs were cast as soaring shadows above the...

Rainbow,Lorikeets

North America’s birds are disappearing, and they're vanishing at the fastest rate in the places they dominate. A new study using nearly two decades of data from citizen scientists reveals that birds are declining where they should be thriving.



The findings spotlight an ecological emergency but also highlight recovery potential. 



The analysis, conducted by researchers at the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>, tracked 495 bird species between 2007 and 2021 using over 36 million observations submitted to the <a href="https://ebird.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eBird</a> platform.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-declining-across-north-america">Birds declining across North America</h2>



The researchers sought to build a detailed picture of population trends across North America. The result was sobering: in 83% of species, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-might-repeat-evolution-under-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> declines were steepest in areas where the birds were most abundant.



“We're not just seeing small shifts happening, we're documenting populations declining where they were once really abundant," said Alison Johnston, one of the researchers. 



"Locations that once provided ideal habitat and climate for these species are no longer suitable. I think this is indicative of more major shifts happening for the nature that's around us." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-decline-most-where-they-once-thrived">Birds decline most where they once thrived</h2>



Previous studies warned us about overall losses. Since 1970, North America has lost more than 25% of its breeding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-brains-and-wide-ranges-cant-save-birds-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>. But knowing where declines are happening is crucial to respond effectively. 



Until now, efforts to pinpoint local declines faced a major hurdle: lack of fine-scale, consistent data across species' ranges.



Johnston’s team tackled this with a machine learning model that could handle vast and varied data inputs. It accounted for human observation behavior, which often distorts raw counts. 



The model separated real population changes from observer differences, enabling a clearer picture of regional trends.



The result: a high-resolution map of shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-living-in-cities-are-usually-more-colorful-and-less-brown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird populations</a>, not just across North America, but also Central America and the Caribbean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-even-thriving-birds-face-local-losses">Even thriving birds face local losses</h2>



While the big picture shows 75% of bird species are in decline - with 65% declining significantly - the local view is more complex.



Nearly every species (97%) shows areas of both gain and loss. That’s a hopeful sign. It suggests some areas offer refuge, while others face stress from climate change and habitat degradation.



“This is the first time we’ve had fine scale information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-americas-birds-scientists-declare-a-full-on-emergency-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> changes across such broad spatial extents and across entire ranges of species. And that provides us a better lens to understand the changes that are happening with bird populations,” said Amanda Rodewald, co-author of the study.



Even birds considered stable at a regional level may be struggling in their core areas. And species in low-density zones sometimes fare better. 



These patterns suggest strongholds are now vulnerable, and previously marginal areas may serve as safe havens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-habitat-climate-and-human-action">Role of habitat, climate, and human action</h2>



Birds that breed in grasslands and drylands face the sharpest declines. These ecosystems are especially sensitive to habitat disruption and climate shifts. 



The findings suggest abundance itself doesn’t guarantee resilience. In fact, pressure may concentrate in places with high population density, degrading quality faster.



Not all regions show loss. The Appalachians and western mountain ranges host stable or growing populations. These areas might offer clues for restoration efforts elsewhere.



“Areas where species are increasing where they're at low abundance may be places where conservation has been successful and populations are recovering, or they may point to locations where there may be potential for recovery,” said Johnston.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-scale-of-bird-decline">The scale of bird decline</h2>



“We employed causal machine learning models and novel statistical methodologies that allowed us to estimate changes in populations with high spatial resolution while also accounting for biases that come from changes in how and where people go birding,” said Daniel Fink.



The study ran over 500,000 simulations, requiring more than 6 million hours of computing. That equates to about 85 years of work on a standard laptop. This technical effort was matched by the public’s commitment to citizen science.



“Knowledge is power. Because of the volunteers that engage in programs like eBird, because of their enthusiasm and engagement, and generosity of time, we now know more about bird populations and more about the environment than we ever have before,” said Rodewald.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-conservation-starts-here">Smarter conservation starts here</h2>



The study's maps and methods help policymakers make sharper choices. 



“It’s this kind of small-scale information across broad geographies that has been lacking and it’s exactly what we need to make smart conservation decisions,” said Rodewald.



By seeing exactly where birds are declining or doing well, conservation groups can act with more precision. The insights allow them to focus on recovery where it’s most needed - and most possible.



The message is clear: North America’s birds are in crisis, even in their safest places. But with detailed insight and active stewardship, recovery is within reach.



This research was supported by foundations, <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF grants</a>, and supercomputing resources from <a href="https://www.psc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center</a> and <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>. Together, they’ve made a detailed, actionable map for the future of bird conservation.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn4381" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Birds are declining fastest where they were once common

North America’s birds are disappearing, and they're vanishing at the...

Deep beneath the clear, blue surface of the Gulf of Aqaba, the seafloor holds pockets of water so salty they behave more like dense syrup than seawater. These hidden lakes are called brine pools. 



These anomalies resist mixing with the surrounding ocean, lock out oxygen, and create chemical stews that would knock out most marine life. 



An <a href="https://oceanx.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OceanX</a> research mission, using a remotely operated underwater vehicle on the research vessel <a href="https://oceanx.org/oceanxplorer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OceanXplorer</a>, stumbled onto a set of these pools barely an hour’s sail from the Saudi coast.



The find reshapes ideas about where brine pools can form and what they can teach us. Until now, most known pools lay far offshore in the central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stromatolites-algae-found-saudi-arabia-red-sea-new-clues-earliest-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Sea</a>, Mediterranean, or Gulf of Mexico. 



Discovering a group barely 1.2 miles from land, more than 5,800 feet below the waves, opens a front‑row seat on both ancient disasters and present‑day survival tricks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-pools-of-brine-and-zero-oxygen">Hidden pools of brine and zero oxygen</h2>



Brine pools form when salt deposits buried beneath the seabed dissolve and seep upward, collecting in natural basins. Because the brine is heavier than normal seawater, it sits in place like oil in a pan, creating underwater shorelines and currents of its own. 



The steep chemical gradient - high salinity, zero oxygen, exotic metals - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lost-city-reveals-chemical-pathways-that-could-explain-the-origin-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supports microbes</a> that tolerate conditions much harsher than those in ordinary seas.



Sam Purkis and colleagues at the University of Miami’s <a href="https://www.earth.miami.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rosenstiel School</a> of Marine and Atmospheric Science first spotted the main pool, roughly the size of a soccer field, on the eastern wall of the Aragonese Deep. 



Three smaller pools were clustered nearby. Faults in the seabed had stretched the crust, leaving a depression that trapped the leaking brine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-close-range-discovery">Close‑range discovery</h2>



The fact that these pools lie only about 1.2 miles from shore was a surprise because earlier brine pools discovered sat far out on the continental slope. 



Their proximity means material flushed off land by flash floods, earthquakes, or tsunamis can tumble straight in. That makes these basins natural catchers’ mitts for regional history.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_OceanX-expedition_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_OceanX-expedition_1s.webp" alt="a Brine surface in the foreground onlaps the “beach” which is characterized by a rich microbial community (orange-to-gray in color). In b, at a water depth of 1770 m, a Sea-Bird CTD system is lowered through the brine-seawater interface, a stark transition in density which is especially visible via injection of biodegradable dye (c). d A small (10 m2) brine pool situated 50 m to the west of the main pool and associated with boulders shed from the nearby foreslope. As for the main pool, the microbial community also stains the beach surrounding this small pool. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX" class="wp-image-1968041"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">a) Brine surface in the foreground onlaps the “beach” which is characterized by a rich microbial community (orange-to-gray in color). In b, at a water depth of 1770 m, a Sea-Bird CTD system is lowered through the brine-seawater interface, a stark transition in density which is especially visible via injection of biodegradable dye (c). d A small (10 m2) brine pool situated 50 m to the west of the main pool and associated with boulders shed from the nearby foreslope. As for the main pool, the microbial community also stains the beach surrounding this small pool. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX</figcaption></figure>



"We were very lucky," Purkis enthused. "The discovery came in the last five minutes of the ten‑hour ROV dive that we could dedicate to this project." 



The ROV’s sensors had just enough battery left to hover over the shimmering interface where brine met seawater and collect jars of water and mud for laboratory study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historical-record-written-in-mud">Historical record written in mud</h2>



Inside the big pool, researchers cored more than 10 feet into the sticky gray sediment. Each layer told a story: coarse grains dumped by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underwater-volcanic-eruptions-are-more-harmful-than-previously-believed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">submarine landslides</a>, charcoal washed in during desert flash floods, even a band left by a tsunami‑driven surge. 



Together the layers stretch back at least 1,200 years, offering one of the Gulf of Aqaba’s most detailed geologic archives.



One layer stood out - a jumbled mix that matched debris from a submarine slump dated to about 500 years ago. 



That slide likely kicked up a sizable wave along both Egyptian and Saudi coasts, an event local folklore hints at but modern hazard planners rarely include in risk maps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-life-in-a-brine-pool">Extreme life in a brine pool</h2>



Despite the chemical gauntlet, the edges of the pools bristle with life. 



Shrimp swarm in clouds at the halocline, snagging prey stunned by the salt shock. Eels dart down to snatch cramp‑stricken fish, then retreat to oxygenated water to recover. 



<a href="https://youtu.be/GZ6_6Mta4Xc?si=k-I4DQFyqNafZGPU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Video from the ROV</a> even caught a deep‑sea dogfish patrolling the brine’s shimmering boundary like a sentry on a patrol line.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_extremophile-life-discovered_OceanX-expedition_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_extremophile-life-discovered_OceanX-expedition_1s.webp" alt="In a, an eel, possibly Ariosoma mauritianum, swims over the periphery of the main pool in the vicinity of a ubiquitously present bigeye houndshark Iago omanensis (b). c As yet unidentified flat fish, possibly a sharpnose tonguesole Cynoglossus acutirostris, collected while it was encountered skimming the brine surface. d A common component of the pool’s megafauna, the shrimp Plesionika sp. (Pandalidae), a species which congregates abundantly atop topographic highs overlooking the pools (e). Red light illumination allows the natural behavior of this species to be observed (f). Here, a Plesionika sp. is encountered &gt;30 m from the edge of the main brine pool, just above the brine surface. Observed behavior consistent with scavenging—this individual and others were recorded retrieving metazoans shocked or killed by the brine. The bivalve Apachecorbula muriatica pervasively inhabits a 20-cm-thick zone above the brine-seawater interface. In g, this narrow zone falls on a slope-sourced breccia block. h Sampled A. muriatica in close-up. Note abundant production of byssus thread with multiple split terminations—a characteristic of this species. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX" class="wp-image-1968039"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In a, an eel, possibly Ariosoma mauritianum, swims over the periphery of the main pool in the vicinity of a ubiquitously present bigeye houndshark Iago omanensis (b). c As yet unidentified flat fish, possibly a sharpnose tonguesole Cynoglossus acutirostris. (Pandalidae), a species which congregates abundantly atop topographic highs overlooking the pools (e). Red light illumination allows the natural behavior of this species to be observed (f). Here, a Plesionika sp. is encountered >30 m from the edge of the main brine pool, just above the brine surface. In g, this narrow zone falls on a slope-sourced breccia block. h Sampled A. muriatica in close-up. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX</figcaption></figure>



Microbiologists are eyeing the mud for unfamiliar microbes. Similar brine pools in the Red Sea have yielded molecules that show promise against certain cancers. 



Extreme chemistry pushes microbes to invent proteins and enzymes not seen elsewhere - potential treasure for future medicine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brine-pools-and-extraterrestrial-life">Brine pools and extraterrestrial life</h2>



"Until we understand the limits of life on Earth, it will be difficult to determine if alien planets can host any living beings," Purkis noted. 



The newly sampled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-life-snails-tubeworms-living-beneath-seafloor-hydrothermal-vents/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes thrive</a> without oxygen, under crushing pressure, and bathed in salt levels four to eight times higher than the open sea. 



Conditions on icy moons such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europa-clipper-will-search-for-signs-of-life-on-jupiters-icy-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Europa</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extraterrestrial-life-moons-planets-detected-single-grain-ice-floating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enceladus</a> may echo those extremes, making Aqaba’s pools a handy stand‑in for testing ideas about extraterrestrial habitability.



The team’s report, published in Communications Earth &amp; Environment, adds that the pools' chemistry resembles fluids locked inside ancient salt layers drilled from the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. 



By comparing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Aqaba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gulf of Aqaba</a> samples with drill‑core data, geochemists hope to refine models of how Earth’s oceans evolved from primordial brines to the oxygen‑rich waters that support today’s sprawling food webs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Seismic faults slice right beneath coastal resorts and ports in both Egypt and Saudi Arabia. By logging every underwater landslide or flood signature, the brine‑pool cores give planners a long‑term scorecard of past shocks. 



That information can sharpen building codes and emergency plans in a region now racing to expand tourism and infrastructure.



The NEOM brine pools also sit in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-continental-rift-african-splitting-landmass-creating-ocean-basin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Sea</a> within the footprint of the massive <a href="https://www.neom.com/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NEOM development</a> zone, a large-scale, futuristic development project in northwestern Saudi Arabia. 



Understanding how sediments move in and out of the Aragonese Deep will help engineers place pipelines, cables, and seafloor installations where they won’t be buried - or exposed - by the next big slide.



Future cruises aims to lower experiments into the brine itself, watching how microbes handle sudden changes in temperature and pressure. 



Every vial hauled back to the deck may tighten the boundary on where life can exist, both on this planet and on worlds still waiting for a first visit.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00482-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth and Environment</a>.



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'Extreme life' that shouldn’t exist discovered at the very bottom of the Red Sea

Deep beneath the clear, blue surface of the Gulf of Aqaba,...

Can a sea lion really feel the beat like we do? That question has fascinated scientists exploring biomusicality - how different species respond to rhythm and music.



One famous sea lion is helping provide surprising answers. Ronan, the rhythm-savvy sea lion who once bobbed her head to pop tunes, is back in the spotlight. And according to new research, her sense of rhythm is not only real - it may be sharper than most humans’.



Ronan the sea lion lives at the Long Marine Laboratory, part of the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Santa Cruz</a>. In 2013, she gained global attention when researchers showed that she could synchronize her head bobs to music, even unfamiliar songs with new tempos. 



Now, a new study confirms that Ronan has kept her skills sharp over the years - and her rhythmic timing might just outperform ours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dancing-sea-lion-surprises-scientists">Dancing sea lion surprises scientists</h2>



In the latest experiment, scientists set out to test Ronan’s timing accuracy. They designed a beat-keeping task that closely matched how she naturally responds - through head bobbing.



To compare her abilities with humans, the team asked 10 UC Santa Cruz undergraduates to move one arm up and down in sync with a simple metronome <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-are-born-with-the-ability-to-recognize-the-beat-in-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat</a>. Three tempos were used: 112, 120, and 128 beats per minute. 



Ronan had only been trained at 120 bpm, so the other two were new to the sea lion. Even so, she didn’t miss a beat. At her practiced tempo of 120 bpm, she was incredibly precise, hitting the beat within just 15 milliseconds on average. That’s roughly a tenth the duration of a human blink.



“She is incredibly precise, with variability of only about a tenth of an eyeblink from cycle to cycle,” said Peter Cook, one of the study's authors. “Sometimes, she might hit the beat five milliseconds early, sometimes she might hit it 10 milliseconds late. But she's basically hitting the rhythmic bullseye over and over and over again.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ronan-volunteers-for-rhythm-training">Ronan volunteers for rhythm training</h2>



The researchers are quick to point out that Ronan chooses to take part in these sessions. She’s never forced or deprived of food. 



If she doesn’t feel like working, she’s free to swim off. Before each session, she climbs onto a special ramp where she waits calmly. When she’s ready, she signals the team, and the experiment begins.



Ronan’s rhythm training spans over a decade. Since joining the lab in 2010, she’s completed about 2,000 short rhythm tasks - each just 10 to 15 seconds long. There were even years when she didn’t practice at all. That’s not a lot compared to a typical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-prefer-listening-to-live-music-than-to-a-recording-of-the-same-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">child’s exposure to music</a>.



“She definitely wasn’t overtrained,” Cook said. “Realistically, if you added up the amount of rhythmic exposure Ronan has had since she’s been with us, it is probably dwarfed by what a typical 1 year old kid has heard.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dancing-her-way-to-fame">Dancing her way to fame</h2>



Ronan’s path to stardom began with hardship. Born in the wild in 2008, she stranded repeatedly due to malnutrition and was eventually deemed non-releasable. 



UC Santa Cruz took her in and made her part of their Pinniped Lab, where researchers explore the cognitive and sensory abilities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-mammals-in-the-us-are-highly-vulnerable-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine mammals</a>. The lab uses positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation. 



Ronan has participated in a wide range of projects, from rhythm and memory to diving physiology. And she’s still going strong. At 16 years old and 170 pounds, she’s considered to be in her prime.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewriting-the-rules-of-rhythm">Rewriting the rules of rhythm</h2>



The original 2013 study on Ronan challenged a leading theory in biomusicality. That theory said only vocal mimics - such as humans and some birds - could synchronize to music because their brains are wired for vocal learning. 



Ronan, however, isn’t known to learn new vocalizations. The sea lion's ability to keep time raised new questions.Despite early praise, some researchers doubted Ronan’s rhythm <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seals-can-perceive-rhythm-early-in-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skills</a>. 



They argued that her performance wasn’t as consistent as human timing. This led to the new study, which set out to compare Ronan’s beat-keeping abilities directly with humans using the same test conditions. The results were clear. 



Ronan wasn’t just keeping up - she was outpacing her human peers. She showed greater precision and less variability at every tested tempo. To further confirm this, the researchers used student data to model the theoretical performance of 10,000 humans. Ronan placed in the 99th percentile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-talent-it-s-a-choice">More than talent - it's a choice</h2>



The team that works with Ronan has built a strong bond with her over the years. They know her moods, her enthusiasm, and her intelligence. They also know she performs best when she’s motivated.



“One of the most important outcomes of the study is the fact that maturation and experience matter,” said Colleen Reichmuth, a lead researcher at the lab. “It's not just a test of rhythmic performance. It reflects her cognitive behavior and her ability to remember and refine it over time.”



And she wants to succeed. Every time she climbs the ramp and signals she’s ready, it’s because she chooses to. “She's motivated. To her, it's a game she knows how to win,” Reichmuth said, “and she likes the fish that come with it.”



Ronan’s contribution to science goes far beyond her head bobs. Her work is helping researchers rethink which species are capable of perceiving and producing rhythm. 



Since her debut, follow-up studies have explored rhythm in birds, primates, elephants, and more. She’s sparked new discussions in the scientific community and shifted how we view <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-and-possibly-even-insects-have-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal cognition</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-a-party-trick">Not just a party trick</h2>



The researchers stress that this isn’t about teaching animals cute tricks. It’s about understanding the evolution of intelligence. 



Rhythm and pattern recognition are key parts of how brains process information. And these traits may be more widespread in the animal kingdom than we thought.



Cook often gets asked why dogs don’t dance. His answer: maybe no one’s tried. "If you're going to say dogs can't dance, you have to empirically assess that - really give the dog many opportunities to receive very precise feedback on rhythmic movement and see how they do,” he said. 



“I would be very surprised if you couldn't get a border collie to do something like what Ronan does if you spend enough time on it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-lion-changed-the-beat-forever">Sea lion changed the beat forever</h2>



This new study reinforces what her team already knew - Ronan is extraordinary. But her story also carries a broader message. Intelligence comes in many forms. 



With the right training, environment, and support, animals like Ronan can reveal abilities we once thought were uniquely human.



“Ronan’s new study highlights the importance of experience, maturity, and really fine-grained training in a controlled laboratory setting to assess these questions,” Cook concluded.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-95279-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



Image Credit: Photo by Colleen Reichmuth; NMFS 23554



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Can animals feel the beat? Ronan the sea lion might just prove it

Can a sea lion really feel the beat like we...

Animal,And,Technology.,Curious,Fluffy,Labrador,Lying,On,Floor,At

Dogs have been at our side for centuries, and many of us believe they catch on to much of what we say. Some animal lovers have turned to special devices that supposedly help dogs “speak.” Yet, recent scientific findings hint that these gadgets might not work as well as people hope.



At <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eötvös Loránd University</a> in Budapest, researchers in the Department of Ethology set out to see whether certain recorded words truly register in a dog’s mind. Dr. Tamás Farago explained that these study results highlight how audio fidelity plays a key role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-understand-words-even-in-monotone-speech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> word recognition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-hear-more-speech-frequencies">Dogs hear more speech frequencies</h2>



Dogs hear a wider band of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-human-speech-changes-when-we-talk-to-dogs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frequencies</a> than humans do. Their range starts near 65 Hz and stretches to around 45,000 Hz, while people typically only reach about 20,000 Hz. 



This difference means that when we play recorded speech to dogs, equipment quality matters. If important sonic details go missing, dogs may seem confused or unresponsive.



Many devices are built for humans. They often focus on our usual speech range, between 300 Hz and 3,400 Hz, without going too high. That might help with phone calls or podcasts, but it leaves out some of what dogs may need to pick up on words.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-struggle-to-hear-poor-audio">Dogs struggle to hear poor audio</h2>



Researchers tested different ways of delivering recorded words, comparing common tools like phone-linked speakers and “talking” buttons. Their study revealed that poor sound quality from certain devices undercuts a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/talking-slower-helps-dogs-understand-what-humans-are-saying/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dog</a>’s ability to act on those recorded commands. 



“The frequency analysis showed that the loudspeaker preserves most sound frequencies of the human speech, the AIC button loses frequencies that would be necessary to convey human speech to dogs,” explained Dr. Farago.



When live speech was used, the dogs almost never missed the mark. But once the words came through lower-grade electronics, many of them struggled. That suggests a dog recognizes a speaker’s real voice more easily than hollow, tinny recordings with missing frequencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speech-clarity-even-affects-smart-dogs">Speech clarity even affects smart dogs</h2>



Some dogs are labeled <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0208" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gifted Word Learner canines</a>. They build an extra-large vocabulary and can link multiple words with specific actions or objects. 



Even so, the research found their success drops when they hear certain audio distortions. While these bright pups remain better at identifying words than other dogs, they still slip up if the playback is missing key frequency signals.



In one segment of the research, owners taught new names for toys by using a recorded voice. After a set period, the same owners tried requesting these toys either with the same recorded track or with regular speech. 



The results showed that when the new words came straight from the person’s mouth, dogs picked them out more often.



This ability to transfer knowledge suggests that real-time <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-speech-speed-can-signal-brain-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vocal cues</a> may help dogs latch onto words more effectively, perhaps because the live voice contains subtle frequencies that matter to them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-popular-talking-buttons-often-confuse-dogs">Popular talking buttons often confuse dogs</h2>



“Initially, I was genuinely surprised to see dogs looking puzzled and struggling to respond,” said lead author <a href="https://www.pada-icofa.com/about/fumi-higaki" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fumi Higaki</a>. 



<a href="https://fluent.pet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Button devices</a> got a lot of buzz on social media, thanks to videos where dogs seemingly press buttons to “say” words. But these gadgets often compress sounds in ways that strip away the lower or higher parts of speech. When the dogs in the study heard such heavily degraded cues, their performance sank.&nbsp;



“We hope our research will help improve methodologies in canine research that utilize recorded human speech,” noted project leader Dr. Claudia Fugazza. That doesn’t mean dogs never connect the dots. But it does suggest that a direct human voice might be more reliable for training, especially if you’re teaching brand-new vocabulary. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-respond-best-to-live-speech">Dogs respond best to live speech</h2>



For everyday folks trying to communicate better with their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-recognize-familiar-human-voices-even-in-recordings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> friends, live voice cues might be the more reliable method. 



Owners who rely on recorded tools may find that their dogs don’t respond as expected. Such outcomes are not because the dogs are clueless; it’s that the essential audio frequencies simply aren’t there.



Anyone eager to teach commands with digital devices should be aware that an inexpensive mic and speaker may fail to reproduce the exact vocal signals a dog needs. 



If you still want to experiment with dog “speech” tools, keep an eye on audio quality. Speaking directly may bring greater clarity for your pup, even if it seems old-fashioned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-canine-communication">Future of canine communication</h2>



This work shows that sound fidelity is not a minor detail. It might shape a dog’s entire experience of human speech. 



Manufacturers who sell “talking” buttons might need to rethink their design to keep more of the original voice frequencies. That might help dogs pick up words more consistently.



Researchers also hope this exploration spurs new technologies that consider how dogs hear. The findings suggest that with the right equipment and plenty of live interaction, dogs could keep expanding their ability to understand us. 



Each step brings owners closer to forging meaningful communication across the species divide.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96824-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Speech gadgets for dogs aren’t always reliable or clear

Dogs have been at our side for centuries, and many...

When naturalists tally the frogs in a farm pond or the orchids in a mountain meadow they always encounter the same rule of thumb: when you survey a larger range, the more species you find. The relationship seems simple, yet ecologists have puzzled over an odd signature hidden in species distribution data for nearly a century.



As one zooms out from local plots to regional landscapes. the tally of new species first soars. Then, it plateaus, taking off again at continental and global scales. That curious “S-shaped” curve is technically, the three-phase species–area relationship. 



It has appeared in everything from beetles to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-wings-have-a-surprising-effect-on-island-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> and from coral reefs to desert shrubs. Until now, no single mathematical framework explained why the curve changes its slope where it does.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-species-distributions">Predicting species distributions </h2>



A collaboration of researchers spanning Portugal, Germany, the United States and South Africa has now filled that theoretical gap. 



The experts combined basic geometry with giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> datasets to show that the three phases arise inevitably from the way individual species spread their geographic ranges across Earth’s surface.



The team's model not only reproduces the classic patterns, it also generates equations that predict how many species should occur at the precise break points between phases - a feat with direct relevance for conservation planners who must estimate extinctions as habitats are lost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-range-size-affects-species-distributions">Range size affects species distributions</h2>



Ecologists formalized the species-area relationship (SAR) in the early twentieth century, discovering that a log-log plot of cumulative species versus area usually forms a straight line. Yet when studies started to cover larger domains, investigators found the line was actually composed of three segments.



In the first segment, from local quadrants to perhaps a few hundred square kilometers, adding more land brings a flood of new species because each little patch contains slightly different microhabitats. In the middle segment, spanning thousands of square kilometers, the pace slackens; the same bird species, for instance, occupy most forests inside a biogeographic region. 



Beyond that, when continents are added, evolutionary history enters the picture and the slope shoots up again as entirely different faunas come into view. Empirically describing those bends was straightforward; explaining them from first principles proved harder. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-ranges-of-species">Individual ranges of species</h2>



“We demonstrated that the individual geographical ranges of all species within the studied areas shape the typical species distribution patterns we observe across the globe,” said lead author Luís Borda-de-Água of <a href="https://www.cibio.up.pt/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CIBIO</a> in Portugal.



By mathematically stacking these ranges like overlapping tiles on a floor plan, the team showed that the SAR’s inflection points fall where the average range size of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-temperature-extremes-change-the-distribution-of-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resident species</a> equals the sampling area. At small scales most ranges eclipse the plot, so each extra hectare introduces new species.



At intermediate scales the plot begins to rival range size, so fewer novelties appear. At the largest scales even the widest-ranging species occupy only one continent, restoring the steep climb.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-patterns-and-crunching-records">Testing patterns and crunching records</h2>



To test the idea the researchers turned to the <a href="https://www.gbif.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Biodiversity Information Facility</a>, a compendium of citizen-science sightings and museum records. They extracted roughly 700 million geo-referenced observations spanning birds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-40-of-amphibians-face-extinction-due-to-escalating-climate-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amphibians</a>, mammals and vascular plants.



For each taxonomic group they generated empirical SARs and compared them with the theoretical predictions. The correspondence was striking: predicted transition points - where the slope of the SAR changes - matched the observed curves within confidence bounds for all groups.



Borda-de-Água noted that this is a major step forward in ecology because it links a macroecological pattern to a simple, measurable property - range size - without invoking mysterious external factors. 



Senior author Henrique Pereira is a research professor at the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research <a href="https://www.idiv.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(iDiv</a>) and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. 



Pereira emphasized the significance of the research. “Discovering fundamental principles in ecology is just as thrilling as breakthroughs in physics.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-stakes-for-a-shrinking-planet"><a></a>Practical stakes for a shrinking planet</h2>



Beyond intellectual satisfaction the model carries weighty consequences for biodiversity assessments. International panels such as IPBES rely on SARs to translate lost habitat into predicted extinctions. 



If analysts know where a landscape sits on the three-phase curve they can apply the correct slope and avoid over- or under-estimating risk. The new equations provide exactly that guidance. 



Suppose a logged forest fragment still covers more area than the average range of its endemic beetles; species losses may be modest. But once destruction pushes the fragment below the first transition threshold, disappearing hectares cause a much steeper decline in species count.



Because the theory is scale-free it can also help conservationists decide whether sampling has been adequate. If observed species richness does not yet reach the slowdown phase, additional survey work is warranted before managers proclaim an inventory complete.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-species-distributions">Shifting species distributions </h2>



The authors acknowledge that species’ ranges are not static. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a>, invasive species, and land-use shifts continually redraw distribution maps. 



Incorporating dynamic range models into the three-phase framework will be a priority, as will extending tests to marine organisms and microbes, whose ranges are harder to delineate.



Still, the study offers a rare optimism amid grim extinction headlines. By revealing the geometry behind one of ecology’s most robust laws, scientists gain a clearer lens through which to view and perhaps mitigate humanity’s impact on life’s diversity.



As Pereira puts it, advances like these “unveil hidden patterns that have been shaping life on Earth for millions of years,” providing the knowledge base needed to steer those patterns, responsibly, into the future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59239-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Saving biodiversity: Scientists discover hidden pattern guiding species distributions

When naturalists tally the frogs in a farm pond or...

The tiny tardigrade is often praised for its unmatched durability. Scientists have tested these microscopic animals in punishing conditions, and some have lived to tell the tale.



Tardigrades measure just around 0.02 inches, yet appear to shrug off extreme cold, radiation, and weeks without moisture. 



Observers are now stunned to see new <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00378" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiments</a> that place micro designs on their bodies through a specialized electron beam approach.



Ding Zhao from <a href="https://www.zju.edu.cn/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zhejiang University</a>, along with fellow researchers, has introduced a way to etch micro tracings onto tardigrade exteriors without hindering their natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-bear-tardigrade-fossils-reveal-how-they-survived-several-mass-extinction-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behaviors</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-tardigrades-the-basics">Understanding tardigrades - the basics</h2>



Tardigrades, also called water bears or moss piglets, are tiny creatures that punch way above their weight. These microscopic animals lumber around on stubby legs, often in damp environments like moss, soil, or lichen. 



Despite their cuddly nickname, they’re some of the toughest life forms on Earth. They can survive boiling heat, freezing cold, crushing pressure, radiation, and even the vacuum of space. 



When things get rough, they curl up into a dry, shriveled ball called a “tun,” hit pause on life, and wait it out - sometimes for decades.



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



The term <a href="https://monroeengineering.com/blog/what-is-microfabrication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microfabrication</a> describes a set of processes for building incredibly small devices. Researchers have used these methods to create sensors, circuit boards, and other intricate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robots-can-now-learn-from-humans-by-watching-how-to-videos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tools</a>.



Achieving compatibility with delicate organisms has remained a sticking point. Old methods risk harming living cells with toxic chemicals or destructive radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattooing-tardigrades-without-harm">Tattooing tardigrades without harm</h2>



The experts used an electron beam to form patterns on a tardigrade’s outer layer. Some portions of the animals withstood the process and resumed normal movement soon after.



“Through this technology, we’re not just creating micro-<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tattoo-ink-travels-through-the-body-and-may-cause-long-term-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tattoos</a> on tardigrades - we’re extending this capability to various living organisms, including bacteria,” explained Ding Zhao.



This statement highlights how advanced microfabrication might find uses across a wide range of living systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-tardigrades-survive-extreme-conditions">Why tardigrades survive extreme conditions</h2>



Scientists are still uncovering the factors behind these creatures’ legendary <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5492148/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toughness</a>. Research has shown that certain species can return to life after losing nearly all their water content, which is a remarkable example of endurance.



This survival strategy makes them ideal test subjects for new fabrication ideas that require harsh steps like exposure to vacuum or cold. Their bodies recover in ways that few other animals can match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-implants-could-help-future-medicine">Tiny implants could help future medicine</h2>



Biomedicine may benefit from micro-scale implants or sensors that merge seamlessly with living <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tattoos-and-body-art-found-on-1200-year-old-peruvian-mummies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tissues</a>. Some experts foresee devices that collect data inside the human body without major surgical steps.



“It is challenging to pattern living matter, and this advance portends a new generation of biomaterial devices and biophysical sensors that were previously only present in science fiction,” noted Gavin King, who invented the underlying ice lithography technique but was not involved in this study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-using-micro-tattoos">Next steps for using micro-tattoos</h2>



The researchers hope to expand these methods to other resilient microorganisms. New forms of <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Anisole" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anisole</a> or related compounds might open doors to printed electronics that stick firmly on biological surfaces.



Specialized micro-sensors could someday track health markers in real time and transmit signals externally. This might transform disease monitoring and personalized care options.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-micro-tattoos-harm-tardigrades">Can micro-tattoos harm tardigrades?</h2>



There are still questions about long-term impacts on each test subject’s health and lifespan. Further studies will examine whether repeated procedures cause hidden issues inside their cells.



Refinements in cooling, beam intensity, and chemical agents are likely to minimize harm. Some scientists see this as a path to safer, more precise methods that respect an organism’s integrity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovery-of-tough-tardigrades">Discovery of tough tardigrades</h2>



Tardigrades belong to a distinct group called Phylum Tardigrada. They were first documented in the late 18th century by naturalists who studied water samples.



Early observations noted their curious shape and lumbering walk, prompting the nickname water bear. Centuries later, advanced labs continue to explore new features of their biology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-micro-tattoos-could-help-robotics">How micro-tattoos could help robotics</h2>



Scientists speculate that flexible circuits could coat the surfaces of living microbes to monitor chemical changes in high-risk environments. This might lead to real-time alerts about contamination or hidden toxins.



Similar concepts might appear in robotics, where living cells combine with manufactured parts to form hybrid machines. Supporters envision a time when microbes and human-made systems work in unison without harming each other.



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



Teams worldwide exchange notes to refine micro-scale engineering on living hosts. This collaboration crosses disciplines, tying biology, physics, and chemistry into one puzzle.



Continual improvements in electron beam control allow for finer detail with fewer side effects. Leading laboratories consider tardigrades a stepping stone to more fragile organisms.



Enthusiasts believe new micro-designs on these creatures will spark ideas for advanced drug delivery and personalized treatments. Tiny adhesives may cling to tissues and guide medication where it is needed most.



Engineers and biologists see common ground in these experiments. The combination of precise patterns and natural resilience points to methods that could redefine how we use biological surfaces in tech.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00378" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nano Letters</a>.



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Scientists found a way to put tattoos on the smallest, toughest creatures on Earth

The tiny tardigrade is often praised for its unmatched durability....

Plastic pollution in the ocean is an urgent crisis. While most people recognize its physical dangers, new research reveals deeper biological threats. 



A new study shows that ingested plastic can release hormone-altering chemicals in northern fulmars, a species of seabird that inhabits the North Atlantic and North Pacific.



Researchers from <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Santa Cruz</a> and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance conducted this study. Their findings suggest that plastics can chemically interfere with birds’ hormonal systems. This is more than a surface-level threat - this interference may affect survival, reproduction, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-all-seabirds-have-ingested-microplastics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behavior</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-after-seabirds-ingest-plastic">What happens after seabirds ingest plastic? </h2>



The researchers analyzed estrogen receptor (ER) activity in northern fulmars. ERs are vital for reproduction and development. Many plastic-associated chemicals mimic or block estrogen, acting as xenoestrogens.



To investigate this, scientists compared human and fulmar ER responses using a luciferase-reporter assay. 



Both species’ ERs were activated by common plastic additives like bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), 4-octylphenol (4-OP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP). They were inhibited by known toxicants such as tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).



This similarity in response raises concerns about ecosystem-wide effects. The chemicals leached from plastics don’t just pass through animals - they bind to key receptors that control biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-breathing-in-plastic-what-does-that-mean-for-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">systems</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-chemicals-harm-birds-for-days">Plastic chemicals harm birds for days</h2>



Lead author Liesbeth Van Hassel emphasized that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-all-seabirds-have-ingested-microplastics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic</a> ingestion may have deeper effects. 



“We’ve long known that plastic ingestion can cause physical harm to seabirds, but this study shows it may also have hidden biological effects,” she said. 



“What’s especially concerning is that these chemicals don’t just pass through - they interact with key hormone receptors in the body.”



In the study, plastic recovered from 27 fulmars’ stomachs was soaked in solvent. The leachates were tested on cloned fulmar hormone receptors. Thirteen of the birds had plastics that activated or blocked hormone receptors on day one. 



Nine of those still showed disruption after five and fourteen days, revealing a prolonged threat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-damage-caused-by-plastic-chemicals">Damage caused by plastic chemicals </h2>



The study also analyzed the polymers in the ingested <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastics</a>. Using infrared spectroscopy, they identified polyethylene (60%), polypropylene (35%), polyethylene terephthalate (3%), and 2% unidentifiable materials. 



However, the type of plastic didn’t predict hormonal response. This suggests the additives - not the base materials - cause the damage.



“Some of these plastics kept leaching active chemicals for two weeks,” said Christopher Tubbs, co-author and Associate Director of Reproductive Sciences at <a href="https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance</a>. 



“This suggests seabirds are not only swallowing harmful materials — they may be getting a continuous dose of hormone-altering chemicals.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seabirds-humans-and-plastic-chemicals">Seabirds, humans, and plastic chemicals</h2>



While fulmars and humans showed similar reactions to certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-normal-plastic-turns-into-dangerous-micro-and-nanoplastics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemicals</a>, sensitivity varied by substance and concentration. 



For instance, human ERs responded more strongly to BPA and BPS, while fulmar ERs were more sensitive to 4-OP. These differences highlight the importance of testing species-specific hormone systems rather than relying only on human models.



Previous research has shown that different bird species experience unique endocrine effects. Quail, for example, showed reproductive issues and lowered estrogen after ingesting plastic. Fulmars, with long retention times and a tendency to consume floating plastics, are especially vulnerable.



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



Northern fulmars are often used as indicators of ocean plastic pollution. Their surface-feeding habits expose them to microplastics, and their stomachs can retain these for weeks or months. This extended retention increases the chance of chemical absorption.



The team’s study offers the first data showing that a seabird’s estrogen receptors can be disrupted by chemicals released from actual ocean-recovered plastic. 



It provides a cautionary example of how plastics are harming wildlife not just physically, but chemically and hormonally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncovering-plastic-s-deeper-risks">Uncovering plastic’s deeper risks</h2>



This research is part of a broader collaboration between the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and UC Santa Cruz. 



The goal is to uncover hidden risks to species and apply this knowledge in conservation science. The team's findings highlight the need to reduce plastic waste and limit the use of harmful additives.



Plastics may look inert, but inside a bird’s stomach, they become chemical hazards. This study reveals how ocean pollution is silently rewiring the biology of marine species - one swallowed fragment at a time.



The work was supported by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oikonos.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/fisheries-observers/north-pacific-observer-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA North Pacific Observer Program</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/OSPR/Science/MWVCRC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CDFW-OSPR Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center</a>.&nbsp;These partnerships enabled collection, lab work, and analysis vital to this study.​



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749125005184" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Pollution</a>.



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Plastic is harming seabirds even more than we realized

Plastic pollution in the ocean is an urgent crisis. While...

A team of scientists has recently uncovered a unique genetic adaptation in horses that may explain their remarkable athleticism. The adaptation, previously seen only in viruses, provides horses with a way to override a premature genetic stop signal. 



The discovery, led by <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins Medicine</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://castiglionelab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt University’s Castiglione Lab</a>, focuses on a key genetic pathway known as NRF2/KEAP1 and a rare evolutionary mechanism that gives <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/all-domestic-horses-have-ancestors-in-russia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">horses</a> an athletic advantage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-secrets-of-horse-genetics">Secrets of horse genetics</h2>



The NRF2/KEAP1 pathway is found in all vertebrates and plays a critical role in protecting cells from oxidative stress. It also helps regulate metabolism and energy production. 



NRF2 is a protein that shields cells from reactive oxygen species - unstable molecules that damage DNA and accumulate during activities like exercise. KEAP1 acts as a sensor that regulates how much NRF2 is available to help cells respond to stress.



“We’ve studied NRF2 and KEAP1 for a long time, because this duo is very relevant to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-retinal-cells-explain-complex-color-perception/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">retinal</a> diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy,” said senior author Elia Duh, a professor of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins Medicine’s <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wilmer Eye Institute</a>. 



“NRF2 is important for coping with oxidative stress, as well as for mitochondrial metabolism, respiration, and energy production.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extremely-rare-adaptation-in-horses">Extremely rare adaptation in horses</h2>



Using genetic sequencing, the researchers found a peculiar mutation in the KEAP1 gene in horses, donkeys, and zebras. The mutation introduced a premature stop codon - a segment of DNA that acts like a "stop" sign, usually ending protein production too early. 



When such a stop codon appears early in a gene, the resulting protein is often too short to function properly. In humans, these premature stop codons are linked to around 11% of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-technology-could-safely-treat-hundreds-of-genetic-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inherited diseases</a>, including conditions like cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.



Surprisingly, horses have evolved a workaround. Instead of halting KEAP1 protein production, their cells recode the stop signal, allowing the gene to continue translating into a full-length, functional protein. This process, known as stop codon read through, is extremely rare in animals and has only been documented in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/viruses-that-love-to-kill-bacteria-could-help-fight-deadly-infections/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">viruses</a> before this study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-energy-better-performance">Better energy, better performance</h2>



Further molecular analysis of horse cells showed that this genetic recoding results in a more efficient KEAP1 protein, one that is highly responsive to reactive oxygen species. 



This in turn boosts the activity of NRF2, the protective protein that helps cells generate energy and fend off oxidative damage. The end result: a cellular system optimized for the extreme demands of equine endurance.



The enhanced NRF2/KEAP1 pathway in horses appears to help them meet their intense energy requirements during exercise while also minimizing the cellular damage typically caused by such exertion. 



According to the research team, this could explain how horses have evolved such exceptional speed and stamina.



“Not only does our work confirm this genetic evolutionary adaptation, it brings into focus how important this pathway is for chronic disease, age-related diseases, and exercise physiology,” Duh said. “This might give insight into the particular NRF2/KEAP1 interactions we can take advantage of therapeutically.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-human-health">Improving human health </h2>



The findings on horse genetics do more than offer insight into equine biology - they may open doors to new medical treatments. The same genetic mechanism that allows horses to bypass a premature stop codon could potentially be applied in humans to treat a variety of inherited diseases caused by similar mutations.



By understanding how horses naturally override a genetic stop signal, researchers may be able to design drugs or gene therapies that mimic the process.



“The strategy used by horses to bypass a stop codon could guide ongoing efforts to treat the many inherited diseases resulting from premature stop codons,” Duh explained.



Beyond rare genetic disorders, the study also highlights the broader relevance of the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway in age-related and chronic diseases. 



Because NRF2 plays a central role in cellular stress response and energy metabolism, targeting this pathway might offer new avenues for treating conditions like macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, or even the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protein-changes-discovered-protect-humans-mammals-from-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-horse-genetics-and-human-medicine">Horse genetics and human medicine </h2>



This discovery of stop codon read through in horses is a striking example of how evolution can find ingenious solutions to biological challenges. Until now, such a mechanism was thought to be confined to viruses, which use it to produce multiple proteins from the same genetic sequence. 



The fact that horses have developed a similar ability suggests this strategy may be more broadly applicable - and more medically significant - than previously imagined.



As the researchers continue to explore the full implications of this evolutionary adaptation, their work is helping bridge the gap between animal biology and human medicine, offering new insights into both performance and pathology.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr8589" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Horse genetics could unlock breakthroughs in human medicine

A team of scientists has recently uncovered a unique genetic...

Scientists have long questioned if evolution repeats or if chance drives every turn. A new study shows that in some birds, evolution may repeat itself - especially in how they fight for limited nesting spots.



Experts noticed that particular species of cavity-nesting birds share striking behavioral similarities. These species also display matching genetic changes, implying that repeated aggression could be tied to repeated patterns in the brain.



This new work is led by Kimberly Rosvall, an associate professor in the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Biology, who teamed up with Sara Lipshutz, an assistant professor of biology at <a href="https://duke.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Duke University</a>. Their collective effort hints at a consistent blueprint for how certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/luca-last-universal-common-ancestor-progenitor-all-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">traits</a> evolve over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-fight-hard-for-nest-spots">Birds fight hard for nest spots</h2>



Securing a hole in a tree can decide which birds get to breed. When those holes are in short supply, some species show a strong push to ward off intruders.



“I have been studying <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00555.x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cavity-nesters</a>, like tree swallows and bluebirds, for over 20 years. We knew they fiercely defend their nesting territories, including those human-made bird boxes you might see in your local park,” said Rosvall.&nbsp;



That protective streak appears consistent across several unrelated birds. Each time a lineage became reliant on enclosed nests, aggression rose in parallel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-clashes-show-repeated-patterns">Bird clashes show repeated patterns</h2>



The researchers introduced a stuffed decoy and broadcast recorded bird calls to see how real birds responded. Flares of hostility revealed how serious a species is about defending its site.



They noticed that a handful of these birds engaged quickly and confronted the decoy. Others, less tied to cavities, didn’t show the same intensity.



In each case, bold defenders shared a special signature in their brains. The team combed through more than 10,000 genes, spotting a small subset that kept popping up when aggression levels were high.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-few-genes-drive-repeated-aggression">Few genes drive repeated aggression</h2>



“It’s a small number of genes, but it’s exciting because evolution did repeat itself,” Rosvall said.&nbsp;



These genes might be key switches that help a bird ramp up hostility to secure a limited commodity. A bigger group of genes also turned up in certain lineages, pointing to multiple routes to the same end.



Those separate routes show that even with similar results, each bird family might get there in unique ways. Yet the shared core suggests a common guidebook exists whenever <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-evolution-not-random-gene-families-pangenome-influence-called-revolutionary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">competition</a> spikes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-changes-repeat-in-bird-evolution">Brain changes repeat in bird evolution</h2>



“Instead, we saw convergent increases in aggression linked to genes with connections to neurodegenerative disorders,” Rosvall said. 



One unexpected twist linked strong aggression to certain molecules commonly tied to <a href="https://utswmed.org/conditions-treatments/neurodegenerative-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neurodegenerative disorders</a> in humans.&nbsp;



Researchers stress that the birds themselves are not at high risk for human diseases. However, seeing how evolution shapes these genes might inform future studies that look at how the brain changes across species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-repetition-and-behavior-studies">Evolution repetition and behavior studies</h2>



Findings that compare natural selection to an artist have cropped up in past <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/285134" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a>. As environments shift, a repeated call for certain strategies may draw on the same genetic toolkit.



Scientists hope this knowledge can broaden our understanding of how traits emerge. That might eventually shape how we address behavior-related conditions in other animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-adjust-aggression-under-pressure">Genes adjust aggression under pressure</h2>



Some species rely on a high-alert stance for their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolution-itself-found-to-be-evolving-as-life-constantly-learns-to-adapt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survival</a>. Others benefit from more flexible approaches.



Rosvall and Lipshutz’s team shows that aggression can be fine-tuned by genes activated under competitive pressure. They also confirm that convergent evolution can affect the complex interplay between behavior and the brain.



Every time these birds faced tough nesting conditions, evolution seemed to repeat the same blueprint. This happened even across different branches of the avian family tree.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nest-fights-stress-and-behavior">Nest fights, stress, and behavior</h2>



People who watch birds in neighborhood parks may notice them skirmishing over nest boxes. Although we often think of birds as gentle creatures, competition can push them into surprising battles.



This could serve as a powerful example of how ecological stress influences social interactions. It also challenges the notion that complicated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolution-isnt-just-ancient-history-its-happening-right-now/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behaviors</a> are always shaped by separate genetic routes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shared-genes-may-shape-many-traits">Shared genes may shape many traits</h2>



Recognizing that aggression might recruit the same genes over and over helps us predict patterns in nature. Observers might wonder if other traits, from feeding habits to migration, follow a similar code.



Researchers suspect that future work could reveal shared pathways in many animals. Such comparisons may illuminate how small genetic changes reverberate through entire behaviors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-tends-to-repeat-itself">Evolution tends to repeat itself</h2>



Rivalries for prime real estate can spark bold reactions in the bird world. There’s a chance that wherever competition erupts, evolution leans on similar strategies.



In this study, repeated patterns in aggression and gene expression show that evolution tends to repeat. This consistency spans millions of years, suggesting some evolutionary solutions keep working again and again.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02675-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Nature might repeat evolution under pressure

Scientists have long questioned if evolution repeats or if chance...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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