More than half a billion years ago, a tiny ancestor of today’s arthropods scuttled along the floor of a shallow sea in what’s now Yunnan, China. It had large grasping arms, stalked eyes, and a surprisingly modern-looking brain tucked into a head barely wider than the tip of a pencil.



Now, a new look at this ancient fossil - Jianfengia multisegmentalis - is reshaping what scientists thought they knew about how these animals first branched into two major evolutionary paths.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arthropods-rule-the-world">Arthropods rule the world</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-people-think-insects-will-become-a-sustainable-food-source/">Insects</a>, spiders, crabs, centipedes - all of them are arthropods. This massive group includes more than a million known species. 



Arthropods live everywhere: in the ocean, on land, in the air, and even inside of other animals. Their tough exoskeletons, segmented bodies, and jointed legs have helped them survive and thrive for over 500 million years.



But one big puzzle has remained: where exactly did the two main branches of arthropods come from?



On one side, you have mandibulates - creatures like insects, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-invasive-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-mediterranean/">crustaceans</a>, and millipedes, which have antennae and use jaws (or mandibles) to eat. On the other hand, chelicerates - spiders, scorpions, and horseshoe crabs - have fangs or pincers instead of jaws.



Until now, scientists weren’t sure when or how these two groups split. That’s where Jianfengia comes in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fossil-that-tells-a-different-story">A fossil that tells a different story</h2>



At first, Jianfengia was thought to belong to a group called megacheirans, meaning “large hands” in Greek. 



These extinct animals had long, claw-like limbs sticking out from their heads - similar to the claws of modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horseshoe-crabs-view-the-world-through-compound-eyes/">horseshoe crabs</a>. Because of that, scientists had placed them in the chelicerate group.



But when researchers took a closer look at the fossilized brain of Jianfengia, they noticed something didn’t add up.



The research team, led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a>, reconstructed the nervous system from four well-preserved specimens. 



What they found was unexpected: a brain that looked a lot like that of a modern shrimp or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bright-coloration-in-crayfish-does-not-serve-an-evolutionary-purpose/">crayfish</a>. It even had features seen in simple freshwater crustaceans, like brine shrimp - the kind sold as “sea monkeys.”



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



“These megacheirans didn't have antennules, which are antenna-like appendages that are common to crustaceans, insects and centipedes,” said lead researcher Nicholas Strausfeld, a professor in the U of A Department of Neuroscience. 



“Instead we see these strange, quite sturdy head appendages that were specialized for reaching and clasping things.”



Turns out, those big “claws” weren’t early versions of spider fangs after all. Instead, they were likely the ancestors of antennae - the kind found in today’s insects and crustaceans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-with-ancient-eyes">Seeing with ancient eyes</h2>



Jianfengia’s head was only about 0.08 inches wide, but it packed in a lot of sensory power. It had stalked compound eyes, like those of insects and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-crabs-and-lobsters-have-emotions-and-feelings/">crabs</a>, plus at least three single-lens eyes - the simple kind also seen in many modern arthropods.



In one fossil, the researchers even looked inside the compound eyes and saw fossilized cone cells that once supported light-sensitive parts of the eye. 



“What we saw was unexpected: the brain looks really modern, comparable to that of a living crustacean,” Strausfeld said.



This level of detail is almost never seen in fossils this old. Soft tissues like brains usually break down long before they can fossilize. But thanks to the fine-grained rock and lucky conditions in this ancient seabed, a few rare specimens kept their delicate neural features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-cousins-go-separate-ways">Ancient cousins go separate ways</h2>



Another fossil - Alalcomenaeus - also belonged to the megacheiran group and had similar body parts. However, it turned out to be quite different on the inside. Its brain looked more like that of Limulus, the horseshoe crab, which is a chelicerate.



So even though these two creatures looked similar on the outside, their brains revealed that they were actually early members of different arthropod groups. One led to modern crustaceans and insects. The other led to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-species-joro-spiders-has-invaded-the-united-states-heres-what-to-look-for/">spiders</a> and scorpions.



“Many repeats of these comparisons revealed that in the arthropod tree of life, Jianfengia sat at or near the root of all mandibulates, whereas its putative cousin, Alalcomenaeus, has the same status, but within the chelicerate branch of the tree of life,” said co-author David Andrew of Lycoming College.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-same-tools-different-outcomes">Same tools, different outcomes</h2>



The key body part in all of this are the large claws sticking out of the head. Over hundreds of millions of years, evolution shaped them into very different things.



“In chelicerates, these ‘great appendages’ shrunk, so they eventually became the spider fangs,” said Strausfeld. “In mandibulates, evolution modified them into segmented antennules.”



Some tiny marine crustaceans alive today - called ostracods - still have antennules tipped with claspers, offering living proof of this evolutionary transition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arthropods-from-the-inside-out">Arthropods from the inside out</h2>



Looking at a creature’s shell or limbs can tell scientists part of the story. But to really understand where an animal fits in the family tree, the brain may offer better clues.



“Our results demonstrate that close examination of fossilized neural remains can provide powerful data indicating evolutionary relationships impossible to obtain just from features of the exoskeleton,” Strausfeld said. 



“One needs to know what to look for in the fossil brain because it tells us a lot about a fossil’s identity.”



Frank Hirth, a co-author from King’s College London, noted that the organization of their fossilized brains perfectly aligns with that of living arthropods, suggesting that their ancient constituents are extraordinarily robust, yet diverse.



This may explain why arthropods are the most successful inhabitants of this planet, said Hirth.



Ultimately, the tiny brain of a long-dead sea creature has helped scientists solve one of the oldest mysteries in animal evolution - where the arthropod family tree began to branch.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62849-w">Nature Communications</a>.



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Tiny fossil rewrites the giant arthropod family tree

More than half a billion years ago, a tiny ancestor of today’s arthropods scuttled along the floor of a shallow sea in what’s now Yunnan, China. It had large grasping arms, stalked eyes, and a surprisingly modern-looking brain tucked into a head barely wider than the tip of a pencil. Now, a new look at this ancient fossil - Jianfengia multisegmentalis - is reshaping what scientists thought they knew about how these animals first branched into two major evolutionary paths. Arthropods rule the world Insects, spiders, crabs,...

A research team led by scientists from <a href="https://www.uu.se/en">Uppsala University</a> has sequenced the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/decoded-genomes-shark-evolution/">genomes</a> of 11 eastern gorillas using specimens that date back as far as 100 years for comparison to the genomes of present-day gorillas. The study revealed that the Grauer's gorilla, which is classified as critically endangered, has recently lost genetic diversity and has accumulated harmful mutations.

“We found that the genetic diversity in Grauer's gorilla has declined significantly in just a few generations,” said PhD student Tom van der Valk.

Habitat destruction and poaching in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has led to an 80 percent decline of Grauer's gorillas in recent decades. The genetic analysis showed that this dramatic population decline increased the frequency of inbreeding, leading to a loss of genetic variation. 

Animal species with low genetic variation are at a higher risk of extinction because they are less equipped to handle environmental changes or to fight off disease. In the Grauer's gorillas, the researchers also identified several potentially harmful mutations that have become more prevalent over the last four or five generations. 

“This recent increase in harmful mutations really emphasises the need to reverse the ongoing population decline in Grauer's gorillas,” said study co-author Love Dalén at the <a href="http://www.nrm.se/en/16.html">Swedish Museum of Natural History</a>.

Some of the mutations identified in the study were found in genes that affect disease resistance and male fertility. Other mutations are associated with genes that regulate the development of fingers and toes, which could explain why some present-day gorillas have fused digits.

Study co-author Katerina Guschanski concluded, “Our study highlights that historical museum specimens constitute a unique resource for monitoring recent changes in the genetic status of endangered species.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Amy Porter, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International

Eastern gorillas have lost genetic diversity and gained mutations

A research team led by scientists from Uppsala University has...

A new study by scientists at <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> has revealed that the noise from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wind-turbines-harm-birds-100-miles-away/">wind turbines</a> interferes with a strategy used by robins to protect their territory. In an article written for <a href="http://theconversation.com/au">The Conversation</a>, Professor Mark Whittingham details the study findings. 

“Much of the evidence for how wind turbines affect birds concerns their distribution patterns around turbines, but we know little about why birds choose to avoid them,” writes Professor Whittingham. “The robin, a widespread small bird which lives in rural areas where turbines are common, seemed a perfect candidate to investigate.”

The researchers subjected male robins to one of three conditions: another robin’s song, a robin’s song with wind turbine noise, and wind turbine noise alone.

“Robins defending their territory typically respond to an intruder by increasing the proportion of low frequency sounds in their songs,” writes Professor Whittingham. “We found that the robins subjected to robin song and wind turbine noise simultaneously had significantly fewer low frequency elements in their songs and so their songs sounded higher pitched. We interpreted this as interference from the wind turbine noise which occurs at low frequencies.”

The experts speculate that lower frequency noises are used by the robins to make them sound bigger and more intimidating in an effort to defend their territory. 

“But with the low frequency sound emitted by wind turbines drowning them out, there was a suggestion that robins were having to rely more on puffing out their red chest to deter aggressors,” says Professor Whittingham. 

“That may be why breeding songbirds, such as the skylark, avoid turbines. Recent work has found breeding bird populations such as the Dupont’s lark, a near-threatened species of songbird found in North Africa and Spain, declined in areas with wind turbines.”

The research suggests that there are reasons,  beyond the risk of fatal collision, that birds are avoiding wind turbines. 

“Noise emitted from turbines could disrupt their communication and leave them vulnerable. This is particularly troubling when we consider that wind turbines are often located in remote areas, some with high densities of songbirds, such as meadow pipits and skylarks in upland areas of the UK.”

“Of course, it is important to remember the bigger picture. While wind turbines may harm birds nearby, renewable energy is a vital solution to climate change - perhaps the most pressing threat to biodiversity globally.”

Nevertheless, says Professor Whittingham, noise pollution from wind turbines should be measured during assessments of wind energy projects to minimize the impacts to surrounding wildlife. 

The full article, “Robin hushed: wind turbines are making songbirds change their tune,” can be found <a href="https://theconversation.com/robin-hushed-wind-turbines-are-making-songbirds-change-their-tune-109136">here</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind turbines hurt the robin’s ability to defend its territory

A new study by scientists at Newcastle University has revealed...

African clawed frogs are known for being cannibals of their own offspring, and experts at <a href="https://www.sun.ac.za/english">Stellenbosch University</a> in South Africa wanted to know if the tadpoles of other species of frogs were also at risk of being devoured by them. In particular, the team was concerned about the safety of tadpoles belonging to an endangered species in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cape-town-water-crisis/">Cape Town</a> known as Cape platanna.

The researchers placed African clawed frogs in tanks with tadpoles from both their own species and from those of the Cape platanna. The study confirmed the scientists’ fears, revealing that the frogs preferred eating the tadpoles of the endangered species.


According to <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>, study lead author Dr. John Measey said the findings suggest that the African clawed frog could actually distinguish between the two types of tadpole. Dr. Measey said this is “very bad news for the Cape platanna.”

To help prevent the extinction of the Cape platanna, Dr. Measey believes it may be necessary to physically remove African clawed frogs.

The invasive frog species has now managed to spread out across four continents. This is due, in part, to a significant pet trade in the 1950s and 1960s. The African clawed frogs are native to the cooler regions of sub-Saharan Africa, but not to Cape Town.

Study co-author James Vonesh told New Scientist, “It’s another interesting example where human alteration of the landscape has changed the playing field.”

The research is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652028">African Journal of Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cannibalistic frogs are threatening an endangered Cape Town species

African clawed frogs are known for being cannibals of their...

A new study has revealed that bees require very few brain cells to count objects. The researchers found that organization in the brain is much more important than the size of the brain. 

Researchers at <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a> set out to understand how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/first-vaccine-bee-colonies/">bees</a> count. The team simulated a very simple “brain” on a computer with just four nerve cells, which is far fewer than the one million cells that are typically found in a bee brain.

By inspecting one single item at a time just as bees do, the simulated brain could easily count small quantities of items. This is much different from how humans count by looking at a group of objects at once and counting them together. 

The researchers propose that the clever strategy used by bees makes the complex task of counting much easier and gives bees impressive cognitive ability that requires minimal brain power.

“Our model shows that even though counting is generally thought to require high intelligence and large brains, it can be easily done with the smallest of nerve cell circuits connected in the right manner,” said study lead author Dr. Vera Vasas. “We suggest that using specific flight movements to scan targets, rather than numerical concepts, explains the bees’ ability to count. This scanning streamlines the visual input and means a task like counting requires little brainpower.”

“Careful examination of the actual inspection strategies used by animals might reveal that they often employ active scanning behaviours as shortcuts to simplify complex visual pattern discrimination tasks. Hopefully, our work will inspire others to look more closely not just at what cognitive tasks animals can solve, but also at how they are solving them.”


To model the input for their simulated brain, the experts studied the point of view of a bee as it flies close to the objects and inspects each one. The researchers found that the simulated brain was able to accurately estimate the number of items on display when provided with the actual visual input that a bee receives while carrying out the same task.

“These findings add to the growing body of work showing that seemingly intelligent behaviour does not require large brains, but can be underpinned with small neural circuits that can easily be accommodated into the microcomputer that is the insect brain,” said Professor Lars Chittka.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/home">iScience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

When it comes to bee brains, size does not matter

A new study has revealed that bees require very few...

A study by Dr. Michael O'Sullivan at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/">University of Portsmouth</a> has revealed previously unknown details of well-armed flying reptiles from British Jurassic fossils. Dr. O'Sullivan has also discovered a new species of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-mass-extinction-event/">pterosaur</a> with a wingspan of two meters, which was a giant in its time.

Over the last two centuries, more than 200 fossils of flying reptiles known as pterosaurs have been recovered from the Stonesfield Slate. However, their significance has been overlooked by palaeontologists, likely because they are mere fragments.

But now, a detailed investigation has found that the fossils contain evidence of multiple pterosaur lineages in the UK's Jurassic past, including some unexpectedly large and formidably armed species.

The new species was named Klobiodon rochei, which mean “cage tooth” in reference to its huge, fang-like teeth. This feature, which is known from inspection of the lower jaw of Klobiodon, is particularly interesting because few pterosaurs had any teeth at this time. The coastal flier would have caught fish and squid using its enormous teeth, swallowing them whole.

“It's large fangs would have meshed together to form a toothy cage, from which little could escape once Klobiodon had gotten a hold of it,” said Dr. O'Sullivan.

“The excellent marine reptiles and ammonites of the UK's Jurassic heritage are widely known, but we celebrate our Jurassic flying reptiles far less.”

[caption id="attachment_1864283" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Flying-reptiles.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1864283" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Flying-reptiles-768x1024.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="933" /></a> Image Credit: Mark Witton[/caption]

“The Stonesfield pterosaurs are rarely pretty or spectacular, but they capture a time in flying reptile evolution which is poorly represented globally. They have an important role to play in not only understanding the UK's natural history, but help us understand the bigger global picture as well.”

Klobiodon and other Stonesfield pterosaurs lived alongside Megalosaurus, which is one of the most famous dinosaurs in the world and was the first ever named. As global sea levels rose and the world warmed, however, Jurassic Britain turned into a series of large tropical islands.

Dr. O'Sullivan explained, “Klobiodon has been known to us for centuries, archived in a museum drawer and seen by dozens or hundreds of scientists, but it's significance has been overlooked because it's been confused with another species since the 1800s.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.app.pan.pl/">Acta Palaeontologica Polonica</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Mark Witton

A fresh look at old fossils reveals Britain’s Jurassic past

A study by Dr. Michael O'Sullivan at the University of...

Discussions on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/internet-global-wildlife-trafficking/">wildlife trafficking</a> usually revolve around iconic species such as elephants and rhinos. These species provide a charismatic face to the issue but are far from the only animals exploited for the illegal wildlife trade. But a new<a href="https://wildlifejustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/WJC-DragonReport-LR-DEF.pdf"> report</a> by the Wildlife Justice Commission outlines the little known world of illegal turtle and tortoise trading for the live pet trade.

The report, entitled Operation Dragon: Revealing new evidence of the scale of corruption and trafficking in the turtle and tortoise trade, details the organization’s 2-year investigation into the illegal trade of turtle and tortoise species in South Asia. The Wildlife Justice Commission used undercover investigators to learn about the inner workings of major trafficking networks and put a halt to these operations.

“Eight wildlife trafficking networks were significantly disrupted, 30 arrests were made, and five traffickers have already been jailed, while other suspects are awaiting trial. More than 6,000 live reptiles, ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered, were seized by the authorities from the illegal pet trade,” the Wildlife Justice Commission stated in a<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/operation-dragon-new-evidence-of-the-scale-of-corruption-in-the-illegal-turtle-and-tortoise-trade-in-southeast-asia-a-report-by-the-wildlife-justice-commission-817689585.html"> press release</a>.

Another important discovery detailed in the report was the massive trade in threatened species of turtles and tortoises. Four of the six most commonly sighted species by undercover investigators are currently either endangered or critically endangered. The other two species of turtles are both vulnerable.

"Our teams also noted an increase in the trafficking of rarer and higher-value freshwater turtles. Given their vulnerable population status, there is concern that any removal from the wild will have a significant impact on their ability to recover," Sarah Stoner, Senior Investigation Manager at the Wildlife Justice Commission stated in the press release.

Threatened and endangered species are often more valuable in the illegal wildlife trade because of their rarity. A 2017<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Serene_Chng2/publication/317664475_Rising_internet-based_trade_in_the_Critically_Endangered_ploughshare_tortoise_Astrochelys_yniphora_in_Indonesia_highlights_need_for_improved_enforcement_of_CITES/links/59f92bf"> study</a> which analyzed the internet-based trade in critically endangered ploughshare tortoises in Indonesia found advertisements for 126 tortoises from 2010-2015. The turtles were being advertised from $509–$47,000. It is estimated that there are currently less than 600 ploughshare tortoises left in the wild and the species is considered at an<a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/9016/12950950#population"> “extreme risk”</a> of extinction within the next 10 to 15 years. 

Despite the species dire state and protection from the wildlife trade by international treaty, there is still a high demand for the species.

In April 2018, over<a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/wildlife-watch-radiated-tortoises-poached-madagascar/"> 10,000 critically endangered radiated tortoises</a> were found by authorities crammed into a house in Madagascar, believed to be en route to the wildlife trade where they are highly sought after by reptile collectors for their prominent patterns. Undercover investigators with the Wildlife Justice Commission sighted 1,546 ploughshare tortoises during their operation.

The Wildlife Justice Commission report found that the corruption of transportation officials helped to enable the trafficking of turtles and tortoises. Wildlife traffickers often transported their products through certain routes because of their confidence that the product would not be detected.

This report provides important insight that can be used to crack down on the illegal turtle and tortoise trade. “Whilst corrupt officials facilitated this trade, we focused our activities on developing the intelligence picture to inform investigative efforts by dedicated wildlife and police officials in India and Malaysia… It is these officers who are the unsung heroes, working to do what is right in an area where many find the allure of money all too tempting,” the report states.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Inside the illegal trade of turtles and tortoises

Discussions on wildlife trafficking usually revolve around iconic species such as...

While the holidays are a time of warmth and celebration, they also pose some of the biggest risks for your four-legged friends. From the extra sweets and chocolate around the house to the colorful decorations and ornaments that a cat or dog may try to play with, it’s important to take a few extra precautions to ensure your pet is safe over the holiday season. 

Along with knowing the risks, it’s also important to understand what it is about certain household items, foods, and decorations that causes harm. 

First, there’s the most obvious risk for pets, especially dogs, during the holiday season: the increased risk of eating candies, cookies, or chocolates that are toxic to animals. 

Most pet owners are generally aware that it’s unsafe for their dog to consume chocolate of any kind. However, some chocolate and cocoa products are more dangerous than others and knowing which ones could mean the difference between a puppy with a little tummy trouble or an emergency trip to the vet. 

Chocolate, just like any other sweet, is enticing to dogs, but the cocoa beans used to make chocolate contain compounds called methylxanthines which are toxic to dogs. Coffee beans also contain methylxanthines.

Some chocolate has higher quantities of methylxanthines compared to others. For example, baking chocolate and cocoa powder poses a much higher risk than milk chocolate. 

While a little chocolate may not be deadly to your dog, it’s always a good idea to call your vet if you suspect your dog has eaten any. The size of your dog and the kind of chocolate consumed will factor into the type of treatments your vet may recommend.

Ingesting methylxanthines, even at low doses, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, an elevated heart rate, and seizures, according to the <a href="https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets">American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals</a>. 

During the holidays, the number of chocolate poisonings and trips to the vet increase because there are more chocolate and sweets out in the open. 

Chocolate isn’t the only sweet holiday treat that’s bad for pets. Anything <a href="https://www.wagthedoguk.com/2014/08/22/bad-nuts-for-dogs/">containing nuts </a>should be avoided, as some nuts like <a href="https://www.aspca.org/news/animal-poison-control-alert-macadamia-nuts-are-toxic-dogs">macadamia nuts</a> are poisonous and will cause similar symptoms as chocolate poisoning. 

It’s not known which toxin causes the problem in macadamia nuts, but macadamia nuts are part of the same family as grapes which contain another toxin that can cause kidney failure in dogs. 

In order to avoid unnecessary trips to the vet, always be aware of the food in your pantry and refrigerator, and if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/science-holiday-baking/">you’re baking</a> with nuts, sweeteners like xylitol, or chocolate, keep anything potentially harmful out of reach of your pet. 

Holiday hazards don’t end at food, though, and your pet’s natural tendency to chew on things can make seemingly benign holiday decorations and plants a real danger. 

Chords from lights and batteries are a chewing hazard for dogs and could even cause electrocution or mouth burns. Cats are famous for knocking things off of surfaces, and the colorful glass ornaments on the tree are no exception. 

Fragile glass ornaments also have a tendency to break, and shards could end up in an unsuspecting paw or worse, could cause severe damage to the digestive tract and mouth if eaten. 

When it comes to the Christmas tree itself, many pet owners may not realize just how problematic holiday plants can be as well. 

Christmas trees sometimes tip over and could cause an unfortunate accident if your pet happens to be nearby. Real pine trees also need water which could contain harmful fertilizers and sugar that aren’t good for pets to drink. 

If a cat or dog ends up chewing and swallowing pine needles they may end up damaging the intestines or stomach. 

Holly and mistletoe are two common plants that tend to pop up in abundance during the holidays, and both are poisonous to pets. 

The shiny red berries of holly may be what attracts your pet, but the leaves actually pose a bigger threat. According to the <a href="https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/holly/">Pet Poison Helpline</a>, holly contains the same toxic substance that chocolate does, methylxanthine, and if eaten could cause vomiting, diarrhea, and continued lip smacking. 

The holly plant also has sharp and pointy leaves which could damage the gums, tongue, or throat of your pet. Mistletoe is also toxic to pets, and the risks can vary depending on what type of species your pet comes in contact with. 

Phoranedruon serotinum mistletoe contains a toxin called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/mistletoe">phoratoxin</a> which is known to cause blurred vision, nausea and <a href="https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/mistletoe/">stomach pain in pets</a>. Phoranedruon serotinum is an American mistletoe, but Viscus album, the European variety, is considered more toxic. Mistletoe berries also contain compounds that when ingested could be dangerous for dogs. 

Poinsettias, on the other hand, pose a relatively low risk to pets and have a low level of toxicity, although it’s still not a good idea to leave your pet unsupervised around houseplants no matter how toxic. 

With poinsettias, it’s the sap you need to be concerned about, as the milky, white sap of the plants contain chemicals called <a href="https://csuvth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/Plants/Details/115">diterpenoid euphorbol esters</a> which can cause mild skin irritation or digestive problems if eaten. 

Another major holiday risk that is not often discussed is ensuring that house guests make sure medications are kept out of sight and safely stored away. 

Lastly, while pets are social creatures and a house full of guests may be a wonderful and exciting event for some dogs and cats, it’s always important to make sure your pet has a safe and quiet space they can retreat to if things get overwhelming, or if company induces anxiety.

With just a few extra precautions and an understanding of what the risks are, you can enjoy the holidays hazard-free and keep your pet safe from harm. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How to keep your pets safe during the holidays

While the holidays are a time of warmth and celebration,...

As climate change triggers more frequent extreme weather events, some animal species are struggling to adapt, scientists claim.

"The growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones, droughts and floods is causing unpredictable and immediate changes to ecosystems and obstructing existing management efforts," said Dr. Sean Maxwell of the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>, who recently led a analysis of more than 70 years of research into how various species respond to such events.

As an example, he pointed to Austalia’s spectacled flying foxes, a species of megabat. During a heat wave that swept over Queensland in November, up to a third of the bats were killed, Maxwell said. 

That event shows the importance of research into how animals deal – or don’t – with extreme weather events, he said.

It’s not the only one, either.

"Some of the negative responses we found were quite concerning, including more than 100 cases of dramatic population declines and 31 cases of local population extinction following an extreme event,” he said. "Populations of critically endangered bird species in Hawaii, such as the palia, have been annihilated due to drought, and populations of lizard species have been wiped out due to cyclones in the Bahamas."

Cyclones top the list of most dangerous extreme weather events for animal species and plants, the researchers found. Birds, fish and reptiles struggled to survive the massive storms. 

For mammals and amphibians, though, heat waves and droughts are the most dangerous events. Drought was linked to 12 separate major declines of mammal populations, the researchers found, along with 13 cases of breeding declines among birds. 

Dr. James Watson, head of the university’s <a href="https://cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au/">Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science</a>, said the research by Maxwell’s team can help inform plans to protect species moving forward.

"The research clearly shows species will respond, often negatively, to extreme events," Watson said. "As climate change continues to ensure extreme climate and weather events are more and more common, we now need to act to ensure species have the best chance to survive.”

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12878">Diversity and Distributions</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Extreme weather events put wildlife, plants in danger

As climate change triggers more frequent extreme weather events, some...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-zone-speciation-animals/">Speciation</a>, the formation of new species, is a long, slow, and complicated evolutionary process. 

Researchers are still working to unravel the mysteries of speciation, and a new study of hybrid howler monkeys is offering some key insights into the process. 

Geographic isolation, when a population of species is split through a new geographic formation like a river or mountain range, is a common driver of speciation.

The two isolated populations then begin to evolve to adapt to the environmental changes and eventually the two populations are so genetically different from one another that they are recognized as two unique species.

However, there’s more to the equation than just geographic isolation, and researchers from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> have identified the different forms of natural selection that help move speciation along in a new study published in the journal Molecular Ecology. 

The study, which examined two species of howler monkeys that occasional interbreed in Mexico, provides a rare inside look at natural selection and how reinforcement favors reproductive isolation. 

For nearly two decades, the researchers monitored and studied mantled howler monkeys and black howler monkeys who co-exist and occasionally interbreed in a 12-mile hybrid zone in Mexico. 

The hybrid zone is a recent development as the two species diverged around three million years ago but came together again within the last 10,000 years. 

Interbreeding is common in nature, but if the two species are interbreeding, then that means the howler monkeys are not reproductively isolated. 

Reproductive isolation is part of speciation, and natural selection works to ensure that reproductive isolation is complete by strengthening gene barriers that prevent successful mating between species. 

Natural selection works to prevent hybrids by increasing genetic differences between species. 

This process is called reinforcement and has been strongly debated by biologists because very little evidence of it has been found in nature. 

To see if reinforcement was at play in the hybrid zone, the researchers collected and compared DNA from the two howler monkey species both within the radius of the hybrid zone and outside the parameters where interbreeding occurred. 

“We observed patterns in the genetic data suggesting that hybridization is playing a direct role in completing the speciation process by enhancing genetic differences between species,”  Marcella Baiz, the study's first author. “We found a signal for multiple forms of natural selection driving species differences, including reinforcement, a process that has been highly debated. 

The researchers found stronger genetic differences between the two species in the hybrid zone compared to species that were further away from the zone. 

“Speciation is a complex process that can be driven by direct and indirect mechanisms that interact to maintain and strengthen the process, and this study is one of the few natural examples that document this,” said Baiz.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Milagros González

Hybrid howler monkeys provide insight into speciation

Speciation, the formation of new species, is a long, slow,...

Scientists have explored how different species of mammals survive living in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/soot-traffic-big-cities/">urban environments</a>. The study revealed that these mammals produce more young compared to those in rural areas, and have also adopted several other strategies for successfully living in cities. 

Study lead author Luca Santini is an ecologist at <a href="https://www.ru.nl/english/">Radboud University</a>.

“This is the first step of many to understand why certain mammals manage to live in cities and why other species don't,” said Santini. “It's important to gain more insight into how mammals live in urban environments, so we can eventually achieve a more peaceful coexistence.”

The research team collected studies from all over the world that recorded the number of mammal species in cities. 

“The large number of studies that have already been conducted show that birds in cities, for example crows, tend to be cleverer, meaning that they are better able to adapt to unexpected situations,” said Santini. “However, mammals in cities are far less investigated, and only studies on a single mammal species, such as bats, have been carried out.”

“Mammals have way more diverse traits than birds, such as a higher diversity in body structure, size, life-history and ecology. Therefore, we were curious to know whether there are particular traits that are positively affecting the ability of mammal species to flourish in new ecosystems, such as urban environments.”

The finding that stood out the most in the review is that all groups of urban mammals seem to produce more young. 

Santini explained, “In general, animals that produce larger litters do so to compensate for a high mortality rate amongst their young. This suggests that a high mortality rate due to, for example, road traffic accidents, persecution by humans, and predation by domestic cats and dogs could be a major selective pressure for mammals in urban environments.”


Some of the other characteristics of urban mammals were much less straightforward.


“For example a larger brain mass appears to be mostly associated with carnivores and primates who only occasionally visit urban environments, such as jackals, wolves, bears and baboons, rather than with mammals who permanently live in cities, such as genet cats and mongooses among carnivores, or hedgehogs and shrews among insectivores. We also found that carnivores and primates that sporadically visit cities tend to be larger than average. This may be because they need to cover large distances in short times.”


Overall, the study findings suggest that different groups of mammals use different strategies to succeed in the city.  

“However, because the number of mammal species in an urban environments compared to the total number of mammal species is quite small - 190 out of approximately 6,000 species - this makes the statistics quite challenging, which makes it hard to make definite statements about specific groups of mammals and traits.”

Next, Santini hopes to investigate which species live in parks, suburbs, or city centers and why they have chosen those areas. 

“We expect that the number of animals living in urban environments will increase, because urban areas will expand and natural habitat will become more fragmented. Many animals that we believe cannot live in urban areas today, might start visiting and using cities in the future.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How mammals survive living in urban areas

Scientists have explored how different species of mammals survive living...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dolphinsplus.com/dolphin-plus-charities/marine-mammal-responder">Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder</a> in Key Largo, Florida, have discovered that some dolphins enjoy watching television, and they are not picky about what is on. Not all of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-dolphins-vulnerable-sharks/">dolphins</a> had the same responses, with some showing more interest and others showing signs of excitement and aggression. 

The research team presented the dolphins with episodes of Spongebob Squarepants, clips from Sir David Attenborough's Planet Earth featuring other cetaceans, as well as other nature shows.

Next, the experts monitored the behavior of the dolphins to measure any indications of interest, such as pressing their heads against the glass or nodding their heads. The team also looked for any signs of aggression, such as swimming erratically with jerky movements or clenching their jaws.

The study revealed that some dolphins were more curious about the television shows than others, and they did not express more or less interest based on what show was playing. 

“Rough‐toothed dolphins displayed significantly more behaviors, particularly interest and bubble behaviors, than bottlenose dolphins, with no differences observed between the species for the percentage of time spent watching,” wrote the study authors.

“Among bottlenose dolphins, males watched the television longer, and responded behaviorally significantly more, displaying a higher rate of bubble and aggressive behaviors than females.”

“Male rough‐toothed dolphins displayed significantly more aggressive behaviors than females, with no other sex differences noted.”


The findings suggest that the aggressive behaviors observed in some of the dolphins may be caused by their inability to control or &nbsp;physically interact with the television. The researchers said that the television could be used in the future as an “enrichment device,” engineered for different species by their responses to it.

Observing how dolphins respond to various shows will also provide experts with new opportunities to understand how they think. &nbsp;

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10982361">Zoo Biology</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Even dolphins enjoy watching television

Researchers at the Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder in Key...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> has found the first direct evidence of how ancient insects hatched. The researchers observed structures used for egg hatching that can be traced back tens of millions of years to a newly described species called Tragichrysa ovoruptora, which means “egg breaking” and “tragic green lacewing.”

The experts found several green lacewing newborn larvae preserved inside of a piece of 130 million-year-old Lebanese <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-baleen-whales/">amber</a>. The team found the split egg shells from where they hatched, and also identified minute structures known as egg bursters that were used by the hatchlings to crack the eggs.

This is the first time that these specialized structures have ever been definitively documented in the fossil record of egg-laying animals.

Study lead author Dr. Ricardo Pérez-de la Fuente is a researcher at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.


“Egg-laying animals such as many arthropods and vertebrates use egg bursters to break the egg surface during hatching; a famous example is the ‘egg tooth’ on the beak of newborn chicks,” explained Dr. Pérez-de la Fuente. “Egg bursters are diverse in shape and location. Modern green lacewing hatchlings split the egg with a 'mask' bearing a jagged blade. Once used, this 'mask' is shed and left attached to the empty egg shell, which is exactly what we found in the amber together with the newborns.”

[caption id="attachment_1864181" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/eggs.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1864181" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/eggs-1024x655.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="448" /></a> Image Credit: Modified from the open access article published in Palaeontology: 'The hatching mechanism of 130-million-year-old insects: an association of neonates, egg shells, and egg bursters in Lebanese amber'[/caption]

Green lacewing larvae are small predators that use sickle-shaped jaws to pierce and suck the fluids of their prey. While the larvae trapped in the ancient amber are significantly different from their modern-day relatives, the egg shells and egg bursters examined in the study are remarkably similar to those of today's green lacewings. The T. ovoruptora larvae appear to have been trapped by resin while clutching the eggs from which they had just hatched.

Study co-author Dr. Michael S. Engel from the University of Kansas said, “The process of hatching is ephemeral and the structures that make it possible tend to disappear quickly once egg-laying animals hatch, so obtaining fossil evidence of them is truly exceptional.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14754983">Palaeontology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Insects trapped in ancient amber reveal how eggs hatch

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

<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.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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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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