Insects are the tiny engines of life: flying, crawling, pollinating, and recycling. They sustain plants, hold food webs together, and enrich the soil. But despite the fact that insects are everywhere, they are quietly disappearing.



The crisis is no longer just in farmlands and cities. A new study from Colorado’s mountains shows steep declines even in wild, remote areas. That makes the warning louder: no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-populations-dramatically-declining-around-the-world-rising-temperatures/">ecosystem</a> is safe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insects-decline-in-mountains">Insects decline in mountains</h2>



Keith Sockman, a biologist at the <a href="https://www.unc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> at Chapel Hill, spent 20 years counting flying insects in a high Colorado meadow. 



The site sits above 3,000 meters, near wilderness, with little human disturbance. It has decades of weather records, which made it ideal for linking insect numbers with climate.



The results were stark. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/very-little-is-known-about-99-of-all-insects-on-earth/">Insect</a> numbers fell by an average of 6.6 percent every year. Over two decades, that meant a 72.4 percent drop. The main culprit was rising summer temperatures, especially warmer nights.



“Insects have a unique, if inauspicious position in the biodiversity crisis due to the ecological services, such as nutrient cycling and pollination, they provide and to their vulnerability to environmental change,” Sockman said. “Insects are necessary for terrestrial and fresh-water ecosystems to function.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-warmth-lingers-at-night">When warmth lingers at night</h2>



The study found a lagged effect. Hot summers hurt <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/">insect</a> numbers the following year. Warmer nights were the most damaging. 



Over the past 38 years, summer low temperatures in the region rose by about 0.8°C per decade. That left insects with less recovery time from daytime heat.



This matches what scientists have seen with mountain butterflies. Even slight rises in nightly lows can strain species already adapted to narrow temperature ranges.



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



Germany’s famous study showed over 80 percent declines in farmed landscapes over 27 years. Those findings were often blamed on pesticides and habitat loss. 



Sockman’s work shows something different. Insects are collapsing even in a meadow with little human pressure. Climate itself may be enough.



“Several recent studies report significant insect declines across a variety of human-altered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-farming-is-causing-many-insect-species-to-collapse/">ecosystems</a>, particularly in North America and Europe,” Sockman said. 



“Most such studies report on ecosystems that have been directly impacted by humans or are surrounded by impacted areas, raising questions about insect declines and their drivers in more natural areas.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-forces-at-play">Other forces at play</h2>



Climate change explains much, but not everything. Sockman points to other possibilities: shifts in vegetation as meadows change, rising carbon and nitrogen altering plant nutrition, or natural succession. 



The traps used in the study also captured mainly flying insects. That means the decline may not reflect every insect group, though the loss is still severe.



Seasonal timing shifts (when insects emerge earlier or later) could also play a role. But the data showed consistent drops that timing alone could not explain. Even if some insects shifted their activity to earlier in the season, the overall counts did not recover. 



Years with hotter summers still produced smaller populations the next year, which suggests the pressure is deeper than timing changes. It points toward long-term stress, not just seasonal mismatch, driving the collapse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-mountain-insects-matter">Why mountain insects matter</h2>



Mountain ecosystems are fragile. Insects there need traits like cold tolerance, rapid development, and resilience to harsh winds. 



They pollinate alpine flowers, recycle nutrients in short growing seasons, and serve as prey for birds. If they vanish, the entire system weakens.



“Mountains are host to disproportionately high numbers of locally adapted endemic species, including insects. Thus, the status of mountains as biodiversity hotspots may be in jeopardy if the declines shown here reflect trends broadly,” Sockman said.



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



High mountains and high latitudes are warming faster than the rest of the planet. They act like islands, with no higher ground for species to escape to. What is happening in Colorado is likely happening elsewhere too. 



The losses here are not local - they are global warnings, signaling risks for ecosystems from the Andes to the Himalayas and across Arctic regions where insects support both wildlife and human livelihoods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-insects-in-mountains">Protecting insects in mountains</h2>



Insect monitoring must expand beyond farmland and suburban areas. Remote ecosystems also need attention. Long-term studies like Sockman’s are rare but essential for tracking change.



The message is urgent. Insects are not resilient enough to withstand unchecked warming. If they vanish, food webs will collapse, pollination will falter, and ecosystems will unravel. Their fate is tied to ours.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.70187" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecology</a>.



-----



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Remote mountain meadow confirms global insect crisis

Insects are the tiny engines of life: flying, crawling, pollinating, and recycling. They sustain plants, hold food webs together, and enrich the soil. But despite the fact that insects are everywhere, they are quietly disappearing. The crisis is no longer just in farmlands and cities. A new study from Colorado’s mountains shows steep declines even in wild, remote areas. That makes the warning louder: no ecosystem is safe. Insects decline in mountains Keith Sockman, a biologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spent 20...

In India's westernmost state of Gujarat, lions are dying at a shocking rate, and there is concern that diseases carried by domestic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dogs-intelligence-overestimated/">dogs</a>, canine distemper virus (CDV) and tick-borne babesiosis, may be to blame. At least 23 Asiatic lions have died in just three weeks.

Asiatic lions are already endangered, and this event has killed off three percent of the estimated 650 individuals that remain. Officials are searching the Gir Forest to locate lions from other prides living near the affected animals so that they can be isolated.

After the first 11 lions died, forest officials speculated that most of the deaths were the result of “infighting,” which is when an outside group of lions attacks in a battle over territory. However, the discovery of three dead female lions seemed to contradict this theory. 

Male lions involved in a rivalry over hunting grounds often fight to the death, but this would not explain what killed the lionesses. An investigation was launched into whether disease played a role in the fatalities.

Before the death toll reached 23, one forestry official told the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/">Times of India</a>: “Of the report of 21 deaths, four lions were confirmed to have died of canine distemper virus (CDV), while 17 succumbed to babesiosis protozoa infection carried by ticks found on most cattle and canines in the wild.”


India’s Supreme Court is calling for an inquiry into the deaths, including details on what preventative measures are being taken. The Gujarat High Court has called into question whether illegal big cat shows, where chicken is fed to wild lions, may have caused the fatal illnesses.

According to the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC</a>, 184 lions have died in the Gir Forest region since 2016, and only 30 of these deaths were due to unnatural causes such as being struck by a car or a train.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Diseases carried by dogs may have been killing rare lions

In India's westernmost state of Gujarat, lions are dying at...

Have you ever wondered why huskies, border collies, and some shepherd dogs have those piercing blue eyes? 

Consumer genetics, made popular by companies like <a href="https://www.23andme.com/">23andMe</a> and <a href="https://www.ancestry.com/">Ancestry</a>, may have provided an answer, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the canine DNA startup company <a href="https://embarkvet.com/">Embark Veterinary, Inc.</a>

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1007648">PLOS Genetics</a> and it's the first of its kind to use consumer genomics with non-humans as well as the largest canine genome-wide association study ever conducted. 

Consumer genetic testing has given people an unprecedented look at their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/older-adults-dna-testing-results/">DNA</a> and genetic history. 

This is all made possible thanks to large databases of genomic data, and now this new study shows how consumer genomics can shed light on animal traits that have yet eluded scientists, like the blue eyes of the Siberian Husky. 

The researchers analyzed data from 6,070 genetically tested dogs along with phenotype data that had been submitted by owners via web surveys and uploaded photos. 

A 98.6 kilobase duplication on the canine chromosome 18 near the ALX4 gene was found to correlate strongly with eye color in huskies and Australian Shepherds. A kilobase represents 1,000 base pairs of DNA or the rungs of the ladder on a DNA strand. 

Just one copy of the gene variant could cause blue eyes or blue and brown eyes, but the researchers say there are still unknown genetic and environmental factors that have yet to be identified that influence husky eye color. 

“This study demonstrates the power of the approach that Embark is taking towards improving canine health,” said Aaron J. Sams, a co-author of the study and member of Embark Veterinary, Inc. “In a single year, we collected enough data to conduct the largest canine study of its kind. Embark is currently pursuing similar research projects in a range of morphological and health-related traits and we hope to continue to use our platform to move canine genetics and health forward in a very real way.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Jamie Leszczak

What gives huskies their piercing blue eye color?

Have you ever wondered why huskies, border collies, and some...

Birds in forests with lower levels of calcium in their diet lay smaller eggs than birds in urban areas, according to a new study.

Researchers from the <a href="https://iso.uni.lodz.pl/">University of Lodz</a> conducted the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology, and found that blue tit eggs in an urban parkland were five percent larger than eggs laid in a forest nearby. 

The researchers set up two experimental sites ten kilometers apart in Central Poland for a lengthy observational study to assess how different environments and food availability impacted a bird’s eggs. 

In the forest, the researchers ensured that the birds had ample access to caterpillars, a food prized by nestlings but lacking in calcium. In the park, the birds had access to plenty of calcium and water but not as many caterpillars. 

Observations and measurements on size, shape and the number of eggs laid by the blue tits at the two sites were recorded by the researchers every day for 12 years. 

The researchers had data on 8,573 eggs from 771 complete clutches at the end of the study. 

Besides differences in shape, the researchers also found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pointy-bird-eggs-evolved-cliffs/">eggs</a> in the forest environment were more rounded which could also be due to the lack of calcium. A rounder egg needs less calcium for the chick to thrive compared to more oblong shapes. 

“Poor availability of calcium in the forest environment we studied- for example due to smaller numbers of shelled snails - may have created a pressure of natural selection towards producing smaller eggs, more spherical eggs, so that the limited calcium was used more economically,” said Jerzy Banbura, the corresponding author of the study. “The larger eggs and smaller clutch sizes in urban areas may reflect the greater availability of calcium in this environment.”


Banbura noted that while some trade-off between size and shape of eggs was expected, the extent of how egg size differed between the two environments went beyond the hypothesized expectations. 

The researchers also documented an overall decrease in egg size between the two sites by the end of the study period. 


“The decrease in egg size over the study period was surprising because it has often been suggested that global warming would increase egg sizes,” said Banbura. “However, global warming also causes more frequent extreme weather events, which make the environment less predictable in the short-term; this may contribute towards the decreasing trend in egg size we found.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

City birds lay larger eggs due to their diets

Birds in forests with lower levels of calcium in their...

In eusocial species – organisms that are highly organized and have groups of infertile workers – altruism is a community trait that can help keep the group alive and fit. For many years, it has been thought that genetics and the level of relation between individuals was the most important factor for the evolution of altruistic social behavior in some organisms. Now, a new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/">Hokkaido University</a> has found that this is not the case.

An organism’s “fitness” is directly related to its ability to successfully reproduce and propagate its genes. In this study, researchers studied the foraging and nesting behaviors of the sweat bee (Lasioglossum baleicum), and found that the fitness was more strongly linked to the bees’ cooperative behavior than it was to their genetic similarity. This is the first empirical evidence to suggest that social behavior in eusocial species is only somewhat attributed to how related the individuals are to each other.

The results of this study go against earlier theories that linked altruistic selfless behavior in eusocial species to genetic relatedness and a desire to propagate their own genes. Past studies have found that, in some insect species, genetic similarity is higher between sisters than between a sister and its own offspring – this has been considered the key factor in the formation of a eusociety.

In their study, evolutionary biologist Eisuke Hasegawa and his colleagues studied five aggregations of sweat bee nests in a variety of areas on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. Each aggregation contained two types of nests: one in which multiple females worked together to care for the offspring of a single queen, and one in which a mother bee took care of her own offspring.

Observations found that the females working in cooperative nests foraged more often than females in solitary nests. Solitary nests were also devoid of adult females for a much larger amount of time than social nests, which leaves the nest vulnerable to predators. The main predator of sweat bees is the ant, which a solitary female sweat bee is able to fend off by plugging the nest opening with her head to protect it from scout ants. Cooperative nests are much more efficiently defended, as other females are able to defend the nest when one goes off to forage.

Individual females in social nests were found to have higher fitness than solitary females, which means that social bees are more successful in propagating their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/two-genes-control-genes/">genes</a>. The researchers found that 92 percent of the increase in fitness is a result of the benefits of grouping (i.e. more efficient foraging and defense). The other 8 percent is attributed to genetic similarity between individuals. 

“There has been a decade-long debate among scientists as to whether genetic similarity or the benefit of grouping is the primary drive of sociality,” says Hasegawa. “Our study could help reveal some of the factors behind the evolution of cooperation, including among humans, by quantifying how much cooperative behavior contributes to the increased fitness of altruistic individuals in a group.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Norihiro Yagi

Cooperation in a society matters more than genetic relations

In eusocial species – organisms that are highly organized and...

Victor and Isabel, the world's first <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/first-test-tube-lion-cubs/">lion cubs</a> to be conceived through artificial insemination, are described as being “healthy and normal” five weeks after they were born in South Africa. The outcome suggests that this reproductive alternative could be an option to help save lions and other endangered cat species.

Andre Ganswindt is the director of the Mammal Research Institute at the <a href="https://www.up.ac.za/">University of Pretoria</a>, where the experiment was developed. 

“There are tremendous threats to wildlife due to the loss of habitat and anthropogenic pressures which also affect big cats,” said Ganswindt. “That is why a number of species are listed as vulnerable or endangered, but this research could combat the threat of extinction facing several types of big cat around the world.”

After 18 months of preparation such as closely monitoring the female lion's hormone levels, she was artificially impregnated.

[caption id="attachment_1802021" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-03-at-8.50.37-AM.png"><img class="wp-image-1802021" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-03-at-8.50.37-AM-1024x553.png" alt="" width="700" height="378" /></a> Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images[/caption]

“We collected sperm from a healthy lion, and luckily it was successful,” said Ganswindt. “There were several attempts, but surprisingly it didn't take too much effort.”

The African lion is currently listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The West African lion subpopulation is classified as “critically endangered.”

A news release from the University of Pretoria explains why the development of artificial insemination protocols are needed to protect lions from extinction. 

“Although African lions normally breed quite well in captivity, the wild population is highly fragmented and suffers progressively from isolation and inbreeding. Indiscriminate killing and prosecution, habitat loss and prey depletion, epidemic diseases, poaching, and trophy hunting threaten the extinction of these existing wild populations.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images

First lion cubs conceived with artificial insemination are healthy

Victor and Isabel, the world's first lion cubs to be...

A team of experts has reviewed over 300 studies focused on the cognitive abilities of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dogs-helped-humans-exclude/">dogs</a> and many other species. The investigation revealed that the intelligence of dogs has been overestimated when they are compared to other animals.

Study co-author Stephen Lea is a professor of Psychology at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.

“During our work it seemed to us that many studies in dog cognition research set out to 'prove' how clever dogs are,” said Professor Lea. “They are often compared to chimpanzees, and whenever dogs ‘win,’ this gets added to their reputation as something exceptional.”

In order to accurately measure the intelligence level of dogs, the researchers determined that dogs must be classified as carnivorans, social hunters, and as domestic animals. 

“Taking all three groups into account, dog cognition does not look exceptional,” said study co-author Dr. Britta Osthaus of <a href="https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/">Canterbury Christ Church University</a>. “We are doing dogs no favor by expecting too much of them. Dogs are dogs, and we need to take their needs and true abilities into account when considering how we treat them.”

The cognitive abilities of dogs were measured up against other animals that fit into the three categories, including cats, spotted hyenas, wolves, bottlenose dolphins, horses, and chimpanzees. The comparisons were based on associative learning, sensory cognition, physical cognition, spatial cognition, social cognition, and self-awareness.

The study revealed that dogs did not test higher than other animals in associative learning, and their physical cognition was comparable to that of other species. While dogs performed well in spatial tasks, they did not necessarily stand out.

Dogs are known for their impressive social skills, particularly the way they interact with humans. However, other animals were found to be even more perceptive of social cues.


“Some other domestic species may do as well as dogs, though no other social hunters (except for wolves) have been shown to do as well,” wrote the researchers. “Dogs also have impressive capacities for social learning, and they seem to do better at these tasks than any other carnivorans, except wolves. Nevertheless, they have not demonstrated any capacities that have not also been shown in other social hunters.”

Dogs are also known for having an excellent sense of smell, but similar levels of sensory cognition have been found in some carnivorans and domestic animals.

“Dogs are special insofar as they occupy the intersection between domestic animals, social hunters and carnivorans,” Dr. Britta told <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/">Newsweek</a>. “But their cognition is not fundamentally different from that of the comparison species. Dogs do not show any cognitive ability that could not be expected from any comparison species. Their cognition is not exceptional.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/psychology/journal/13420">Learning &amp; Behavior</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ruh-roh: The intelligence of dogs may have been overestimated

A team of experts has reviewed over 300 studies focused...

The sunny hills and plains of southern Spain may not, like the Amazon rainforests or the savannahs of Africa, evoke images of wildlife in peril. Pastoral and balmy, the region is dotted with farms and small towns. To those who don’t frequent the area, it seems frozen in time, a picture of Mediterranean bliss. In fact, this idyllic landscape is the last stronghold of one of the few large predators to survive in Europe. And though efforts in the past several decades have resulted in a remarkable resurgence, the golden-eyed, spotted ghost of the Iberian Peninsula is still hanging on by a thread.

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) was once widespread in Spain and even outside of it. The species is one of four species of lynx. The others are the bobcat (L. rufus) and Canadian lynx (L. canadensis) of North America, and the Eurasian lynx (L. lynx) of Europe and Asia. The Iberian lynx, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/95/1/19/2187452">which diverged as a unique species</a> some 1.5 million years ago, is intermediate in size between the bobcat and the Eurasian and Canadian species. 

As recently as the <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/40270018/Ancient_DNA_evidence_of_Iberian_lynx_pal20151122-25325-11el43z.pdf">late Holocene</a>, it ranged into France and Italy. (A species known as the cave lynx is now thought to be either a subspecies, or the progenitor, of the Iberian lynx.) Theories vary as to how the Eurasian species and the Iberian species interacted. Some contend that the Iberian lynx was pushed out of the majority of Europe by the larger Eurasian lynx while others suggest that their ranges only ever overlapped slightly.

Whatever the case, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/92/5/1081/885349">since at least the early 19th century</a>, the Iberian lynx has been in decline, its range having shrunk to small parts of Spain and Portugal. Beginning in the 1940s, that decline became even more precipitous. It wasn’t until 1963, however, with the publication of a <a href="https://www.iberlibro.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22854970971&amp;searchurl=sortby%3D0%26vci%3D7331636">paper on the subject</a>, that its plight received any real attention. This resulted in the <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5b3e/13ae1cb7a4aff1ec3f32b4dc6fda90949703.pdf">protection of the species from hunting in Spain</a> in 1966; a hunting ban was not instituted in Portugal until 1974. 

Nonetheless, the population sustained even further reductions during the period leading up to the turn of the century. The species was considered extirpated in Portugal by 1992. By 2002, the species was restricted to a small area of southern Iberia, perhaps 2% of the area it once inhabited. Its two remaining strongholds were Doñana National Park and the Sierra Morena Mountains. And the population amounted to a mere 94 individual animals. 

That year, the lynx was listed as critically endangered by the IUCN and efforts begun to conserve it in the 1990s were ramped up substantially. The largely EU-funded <a href="http://www.iberlince.eu/index.php/eng/">LIFE Iberlince</a> project has been at the forefront of the efforts to restore the species to its former range. 

Begun in the mid-1990s, the project received an influx of funding following the realization a decade later that the species was truly in crisis. To date, some $75 million dollars have been spent in an attempt to salvage the decimated population. Four breeding centers, three in Spain and one in Portugal, have been successful in inducing the animal to reproduce in captivity. In addition to reintroducing captive-bred specimens to their primary refugia in the Iberian peninsula, they have also expanded the species’ current range to the Montes de Toledo and the Matachel Valley in Spain and the Guadiana Valley in Portugal. 

As of 2016, 404 Iberian lynx live in the wild, largely due to reintroduction efforts, which have created new breeding populations. The captive breeding programs have been careful to select genetically distant specimens in order to avoid problems with inbreeding in an already shallow gene pool.

Despite this quadrupling of the population from its nadir, the Iberian lynx still faces a multitude of threats to its ultimate reestablishment. Poaching, somewhat curtailed by national regulation, nonetheless still poses a danger. The fragmentation of its habitat by agricultural endeavours such as strawberry farms and timber plantations haven’t helped. Worse still is the expansion of roads through its habitat. In 2014, 22 Iberian lynx perished due to car collisions. Conservationists have constructed underpasses for them, but automobiles remain a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wildlife-corridors-habitat-fragmentation/">significant obstacle</a> to fully restoring these finicky felines. And finicky they are. 

Perhaps the greatest spectre hanging over the efforts to save the Iberian lynx is the alarming decline of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). This colonial species of lagomorph constitutes some 90% of the lynx’s diet. An adult lynx needs to capture one rabbit a day and a breeding female needs three. While in times of desperation they will resort to eating partridge (<a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Alectoris_rufa/">Alectoris rufa</a>), and other birds, and may take the fawns and calves of fallow deer (<a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dama_dama/">Dama dama</a>), red deer (<a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cervus_elaphus/">Cervus elaphus</a>), and mouflon (Ovis musimon), they really do prefer the tender meat of rabbits. That’s the problem. As ubiquitous as the rabbit might seem in other parts of the world, the European rabbit population has dwindled alarmingly in Spain. 

A strain of rabbit hemorrhagic disease swept Europe beginning in 2011. It devastated a population already etiolated by myxomatosis, a fatal disease intentionally introduced worldwide in the 1950s as a means of controlling unwanted bunnies. By 2014, hemorrhagic disease had claimed nearly 90% of the rabbits in the lynx’s home range. In an effort to compensate for this loss, hundreds of thousands of rabbits have been released into the areas currently inhabited by the lynx. Artificial warrens have been constructed to encourage their persistence. And supplementary food and water are offered to otherwise wild specimens. 

While the numbers suggest that these efforts have been somewhat successful, conservationists were vexed when in 2015 the IUCN downgraded the Iberian lynx from critically endangered to endangered. Though it may be slowly reestablishing its former range, factors such as climate change imperil its ultimate survival. The spotted spectre of the Iberian peninsula isn’t out of—or rather, into—the woods yet.

--

By <a href="mailto:rtpallardy@gmail.com">Richard Pallardy</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Spanish Ghost: Resurrection of the Iberian Lynx

The sunny hills and plains of southern Spain may not,...

Recently, severe drought has struck parts of the already rather arid Australian outback and it’s having a noticeable impact on emus.

Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) are the second largest living bird by height in the world after the perhaps more famous ostrich.  Emus cover the whole of Australia, and once subspecies lived on Tasmania and King Island as well but were killed off quickly after European colonization.  Emus are flightless and reach towering heights (for birds) of up to 6.2 feet. The birds eat plants and insects and have been observed to fast for weeks when food isn’t available.  Quick, agile and strong, emus have managed to cohabitate with human hunters and dingoes for at least 40,000 years and retain healthy populations in Australia today. 

Emus are native to Australia but they’ve also been raised in parts of the United States.  Some farmers in the US decided that raising the exotic bird for meat and eggs might be a way to make a good profit.  Largely speculative emu farming in the US was a failure. In 1998, <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-12-27/news/9812270274_1_american-emu-association-bird-health-foods">The Chicago Tribune</a> reported that Emu farming had peaked a few years before that, leading to some of the large birds being released.  An Emu in Harrisburg, Illinois disrupted traffic and was killed by the police to stop potential car accidents.

Emu meat is lower in cholesterol and fat than beef and so was embraced by a fickle health food trend.  Emu meat consumption and even use of its oil for therapy has declined and many farmers didn’t know what to do with the flightless Australian bird. 

 In the area of my own hometown of Grand Junction Colorado, I’ve seen a few emus, walking behind high fences and making an odd drum-like sound deep in their chests.  The birds look like nothing so much as dinosaurs on long scaly legs and fluffily feathered bodies. I know a commercial paleontologist who sells casts of an emu’s foot as a representation of what a theropod dinosaur foot may have looked like.  Many of the emus I’ve seen over the years in Western Colorado were said to have been turned out, much like the once farmed emus of Illinois. Some even speculate that the emus released into the desert may have found a way to establish small feral populations unseen by most in the rough canyon lands of the southwest. 

Given the strength, speed, intelligence and size of the emu, it isn’t too surprising that there have been conflicts between them and humans in their homeland of Australia as well as the US.  In the wake of World War I, the Australian government hit on a plan to settle and occupy veterans returning from the Great War. 

Military veterans were given plots of land in the dusty outback to turn into farms.  <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/running-ponies/the-great-emu-war-in-which-some-large-flightless-birds-unwittingly-foiled-the-australian-army/">Scientific American</a> reports that by 1920 the government had turned over 90,000 hectares of land to veterans for farming.  By that time, the Australian government was running out of good land and started giving veterans more marginal property near Perth.  The onset of the Great Depression and little experience in farming set the veterans up for failure and into the struggle stepped the emu.  

Initially emus were a protected animal under Australian law.  Things changed when emus started eating wheat planted by the veterans turned farmers and seemed to be wreaking havoc on crops already planted in marginal land by the inexperienced.  Emus were (temporarily) reclassified as vermin, which anyone could legally kill. Quickly the situation escalated and things got nasty. 

The farmers called on the Australian government to send in the military to cull the herds of emus, starting what would come to be called The Great Emu War.  Mostly the military’s efforts ended in failure. The emus proved smarter than people generally conceded. The birds seemed to learn how far away from machine guns they could stand safely out of range.  The emus coordinated with one bird reportedly watching out while the others fed and calling an alarm at any danger. The birds moved so quickly it was hard to shoot them with any accuracy. In the end it was estimated that it took 10 military bullets to kill a single emu during the ‘war’.  The military operation stopped and instead the government simply supplied guns and ammunition to locals for their own effort in emu control.

This year, a drought has hit parts of Australia particularly hard.  <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/34798fb4-ac22-11e8-94bd-cba20d67390c">Financial Times</a> reports that this is the driest beginning for the growing season since 1982 and the third driest on record in the state of New South Wales.  The drought has also hit Victoria, Queensland and parts of South Australia. In reaction to the drought, the federal government of Australia offered up a $2 billion aid package to help farmers and others affected.

As the world’s third largest beef exporter, Australia has been hit hard by the drought, their cattle herd expected to drop by almost 2 million head this year.  The wildlife which must compete with livestock for food and water has also been hurt by the drought. 

Emus have once again begun competing with humans for land and resources.  The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-45239791">BBC</a> reported that emus have wandered into Broken Hill and other towns in New South Wales and surrounding areas.  Emus have even been seen walking down main streets of rural communities. Some locals have left out food and water for the emus, others have merely been startled by their sudden appearance.  Emus have been seen crashing soccer games, eating from gardens and drinking any water available. In other areas kangaroos have been reported entering towns as well, searching for a means of survival.  

Along with the hardship on livestock, farmers and wildlife, bushfires have increase in response to Australia’s drought.  Amidst the increase in emus and kangaroos arriving like some biblical plague, a debate on climate change has flared up in Australia.  Some Australians, especially farmers and other rural dwellers are skeptical over climate change. It’s impossible to link a specific drought to climate change but it’s possible that faced with such a severe drought, Australian farmers may rethink the possible implications of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mojave-bird-populations-declines/">climate change</a>.                          

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Australian drought driving more frequent encounters with emus

Recently, severe drought has struck parts of the already rather...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> has demonstrated that the varying personalities of male great tits influence how they bond with their future <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/puffins-migrate-struggle-breeding/">breeding</a> partners. The research revealed that male birds who are shy have a tendency to play the field, while the males who are more bold focus on forming strong, monogamous relationships.

The courageous males were also found to be more proactive by selecting their future partners sooner. In addition, they put more effort into their relationship before the breeding season began. Shy males were less dedicated to forming a strong bond, and spent their time flocking with other females.

“Finding a mating partner is of utmost importance to these birds, just as it is for many species across the animal kingdom,” said study lead author Dr. Josh Firth. “We wanted to ask why individuals of the same species differ so much in how much effort they put into forming these relationships.”

The study was focused on the personality traits of hundreds of great tits at Oxford University's Wytham Woods. The research team used radio-frequency identification tags to track the birds and their social networks over several years.

“We show that personality plays an important role explaining the differences in pair-bonding tactics; proactive males dedicate more time to their chosen future partner, even long before mating begins, while the less proactive males take the alternative option of sampling lots of different females right up until the breeding season actually starts,” explained Dr. Firth.

“Through linking differences in male bird's behavior to different mating strategies, the findings suggest their may be no 'best personality' to have, and therefore help explain why we even see these differences in personalities in the first place. It could well be the case that being bold and proactive is better for finding a good partner in some social situations, while more reserved strategies are preferable in others.”

The study authors hope that the findings will lead to further research on how individual behavioral differences can shape social relationships across various species.

 The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Molly Harwood

Bold male birds are more monogamous than the shy ones

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

Insects are an eco-friendly source of protein - would you try one?. Would you be open to trying a snack made with insects? 

For people in western countries, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-insects-eaten-microplastics/">insects</a> are rarely consumed as food, and if they are it’s usually as a novelty, but in many countries insects are a welcome source of protein. 

According to a recent report in <a href="https://theconversation.com/eating-insects-has-long-made-sense-in-africa-the-world-must-catch-up-70419">The Conversation</a>, roughly 2 billion people around the world eat insects, and in Africa it is especially common. 

In a future where food insecurity is slated to become a widespread challenge due to climate change, finding ways to sustainably meet food demand and still reduce greenhouse gas emissions is key, and one way to do this is to cut back on livestock farming and meat production. 

Insects could be a viable alternative protein source, but how do you get countries that don’t typically eat insects to warm up to entomophagy (the practice of eating insects). 

But now, a new study may have found the answer and it has to do with clever marketing. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html">University of Bern</a> conducted a study examining strategies that could be employed to help people be more comfortable with eating insects. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2018.00088/full">Frontiers in Nutrition</a> and the results suggest that promoting insects as a luxury or tasty delicacy could help improve the appeal in countries where insects are not regularly eaten. 

“Insects have numerous health benefits as a source of protein and dramatically outperform conventional meats in terms of greenhouse gas emissions,” Sebastian Berger, the lead author of the study. “Therefore, insect-based food might help in the fight against climate change.”

The researchers asked members of the public in Cologne, Germany to view advertisements for an insect-based food. Some of the advertisements promoted insects as an environmentally friendly and healthy food, but other adverts highlighted the pleasurable and tasty aspects of the food. 

Participants were then given a mealworm chocolate truffle and a questionnaire about the treat, if they were willing to try it, what they thought it would taste like, it’s quality, and if it was eaten, how it tasted. 

It was the advertisements that promoted the insect truffle as luxurious and high-quality that peeked the most interest and appeal among consumers. The advertisements that showcased the insect as eco-friendly were not as effective. 

The researchers say that for people who don’t eat insects, marketing is crucial for overcoming the “disgust” factor that consumers might have about eating insects. Promoting the eco-friendly benefits just isn’t enough to make the insect itself appealing. 

Instead, the study shows that appealing to people’s emotions is the more strategic way to go and giving insects luxury status could help sway strong feelings of disgust. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Insects are an eco-friendly source of protein - would you try one?

Insects are an eco-friendly source of protein - would you...

Driving past a wild animal carcass is a sad yet inevitable part of many drives throughout the United States. As human expansion continues, we are increasingly encroaching on animal habitats resulting in human-wildlife conflicts and casualties. But wildlife corridors use an innovative approach to help mitigate the effects of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/habitat-fragmentation-extinction/">habitat fragmentation</a> and protect wild animals.

Wildlife corridors are structures which link two or more wildlife habitats. The corridors help animals cross over roads and other obstacles, which have historically caused high rates of mortality. According to the non-profit <a href="http://www.culturechange.org/issue8/roadkill.htm">Culture Change</a>, 1 million animals are hit by motor vehicles every day in the U.S.

Habitat loss poses the greatest threat to wildlife today and range size is seen as the most important predictor of extinction risk. Habitat loss adversely affects wildlife in many ways, such as reducing their access to resources, making them easier targets for poaching, decreasing genetic fitness and pushing them closer to humans. Exacerbating the effects of habitat loss is the issue of<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/114/29/7635.full"> habitat fragmentation</a>. Not only are animals’ habitats becoming smaller, but the animals are also more likely to live in patches of land, isolated from others by roads, cities and farmland.

To help address the issue of habitat fragmentation, wildlife corridors are increasingly being built across the world. Wildlife corridors can be found in countries such as<a href="https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/10-important-wildlife-corridors"> India, Nepal, Canada and Germany</a>. The United States is home to multiple wildlife corridors including over 40 structures, both overpasses and underpasses, along Highway 93 in Montana. Just this week, a section of a wildlife corridor in Seattle opened up and deer have already been <a href="https://q13fox.com/2018/09/26/critters-begin-crossing-animals-only-bridge-over-i-90/">seen</a> using it despite the fact that the crossing isn’t even fully constructed yet.

U.S Representative Don Beyer hopes to see more wildlife corridors across the United States. He introduced the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act in 2016, which would establish a national system of corridors to help diminish the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. While the bill is not currently being considered this session,<a href="https://wildlandsnetwork.org/policy/wildlife-corridors-conservation-act/"> The Wildlands Network</a> states that they anticipate the bill will be reintroduced this year.

A system of wildlife corridors could be hugely beneficial for wildlife, especially for species with a large range such as bears, mountain lions and panthers. Stories about mountain lions getting hit by cars in California routinely make the news. Even the cougar known as P-32 who<a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150814-mountain-lions-animals-science-california-death/"> become famous</a> for navigating Los Angeles’ busy freeway system eventually was struck and killed by a car.

Wildlife corridors have already proven successful in the U.S.<a href="http://www.peopleswaywildlifecrossings.org/"> People’s Way Partnership</a>, an organization who builds awareness and support for wildlife corridors along U.S. Highway 93 in Montana, has been researching the corridors for 14 years. The organization states on their website, “We can definitively state that US 93 North crossing measures have reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions and maintained or improved habitat connectivity for deer and black bear.”

Additionally, a<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01450.x"> meta-analysis</a> on the effectiveness of wildlife corridors analyzed 78 experiments and found that 60 experiments showed positive results and overall, the corridors increased movement between patches of habitat by 50 percent.

Despite their ability to allow wild animals to move safely, a 2012<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1001253#pbio.1001253-Wildlife1"> article</a> published in PLOS One questions the overall effectiveness of the corridors. The authors point out that there is little evidence that corridors promote gene flow and studies on corridors have focused on environments that are different from landscapes the corridors are designed for. The authors do not discount the potential of wildlife corridors and continue to study the effectiveness of corridors.

Wildlife corridors alone will not prevent continued population declines. While we work to creatively mitigate the effects of our expanding world, we also need to protect pristine habitat areas for wildlife.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Wildlife corridors help reduce deaths from habitat fragmentation

Driving past a wild animal carcass is a sad yet...

You may notice as you grow older that you share certain characteristics with your mother (physical characteristics, we’re definitely not saying you act at all alike). You might have your mom’s nose, or her eye color, or penchant for getting sunburnt way too easily – it’s all part of the traits she passed down to you. And while it may be somewhat frustrating to know she bears responsibility for a few of your physical flaws, at least you can sleep easy knowing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/giraffes-long-necks/">giraffes</a> have the same problem.

A new study published in <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a> has confirmed a 49-year-old hypothesis about how baby giraffes inherit their characteristic spots. The report, published by researchers at Penn State, finds that a giraffe’s spot pattern is passed down from mother to baby, and that the survival of young giraffes is directly related to their spot pattern – which helps provide camouflage from predators.

“Giraffe spot patterns are complex and can be quite different among individuals, but we don’t really know their purpose in the wild,” explains first author Derek E. Lee, an associate research professor at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>. “Complex markings can help animals evade predators, regulate their temperature, or recognize family or individuals, all of which can affect their ability to survive and reproduce. In this study, we analyzed survival records and photos of spots of Masai giraffes, and show that spot patterns do affect juvenile survival and are heritable – they are passed from mom to baby.”

Dr. Anne Innis Dagg was the first giraffe field researcher in Africa, and presented evidence back in 1968 that the shape, number, area, and color of spots in a giraffe’s coat may be heritable. However, her hypothesis came from studying a small zoo population. In this study, the researchers observed wild giraffes and used modern imaging and analysis techniques to confirm this nearly five-decade old hypothesis.

The study also determined that newborn giraffes with larger spots and irregularly shaped spots had better survival rates during their first few months of life. This is likely due to the spots providing better camouflage, but it could also be a result of other survival factors such as temperature regulation or visual communication.

“My hope is that other scientists will use the same tools to measure mammal coat patterns to advance our understanding of what these patterns mean,” says Lee. “Quantifying heritability and fitness consequences of variation in coat patterns could help us understand how and why complex coat patterns evolve in wild animals.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Derek Lee, Wild Nature Institute/Penn State

Baby giraffes inherit their spots from their mothers

You may notice as you grow older that you share...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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