Rats scurry through alleyways, tunnels, and parks. While these creatures are a common sight in city life, their movements may carry far more danger than many realize. 



A newly published six-year study reveals how rat migrations within cities contribute to the spread of a serious bacterial infection called leptospirosis - a disease that can be fatal for both humans and animals.



In this study, scientists from <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tufts University</a>, along with researchers from Northern Arizona University, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), worked together to track the spread of leptospirosis in Boston. 



The team also introduced a new way to test rat kidneys for this disease-causing bacteria, a method that may change how future infections are traced.



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



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-and-shrews-living-close-together-trade-gut-bacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leptospirosis</a> is caused by a bacterium that often thrives in rats. It's spread primarily through rat urine, which contaminates soil, water, and other parts of the environment. From there, it can infect humans, dogs, and other animals. 



While common in tropical areas, this disease is now appearing more in colder regions, likely due to the warming effects of climate change.



In Boston, the disease has been found in the city’s rat populations, with various strains moving between neighborhoods as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shipping-superhighways-helped-brown-rats-conquer-north-america/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rats migrate</a>. 



The research team was able to genetically link a 2018 human case of leptospirosis in Boston to infected rats in the same area, confirming a strong connection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-a-hidden-bacteria-in-rats">Tracking a hidden bacteria in rats</h2>



From 2016 to 2022, researchers worked with Boston’s Inspectional Services Department to trap and test rats from 17 different sites. 



They collected and analyzed DNA from the kidneys of 328 rats. Out of those, 59 rats - covering 12 different sites - tested positive for the Leptospira bacteria. Culturing this bacterium is no easy task. 



Marike Rosenbaum is an assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.



“The primary way to get a full genomic sequence of a virus or bacteria is to culture it, which was a challenge in this case because Leptospira is considered a fastidious organism. It has specific requirements for temperature, pH, and nutrients," said Rosenbaum.



"But our USDA collaborators cultured the bacteria from not only fresh but also frozen rodent kidneys, which has never been reported in the literature before, to get isolates."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-the-whole-genome">Using the whole genome</h2>



Experts at Northern Arizona University’s Pathogen &amp; Microbiome Institute used specialized DNA techniques to isolate and enhance the bacterial genetic material. This allowed researchers to gather a detailed view of how the bacteria spread and evolve.



“The new genetic and tools that we developed and used in this study are real game changers for leptospirosis research, as we can now use the power of the whole genome to look for relatedness among samples, something that just wasn’t possible before,” said Dr. Dave Wagner, executive director of the PMI at NAU.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-movement-of-disease">Mapping the movement of disease</h2>



By combining genetic sequencing with information on rat migration, the team was able to see how leptospirosis travels through the city. 



“Because we were able to do the culturing and the sequencing, we were able to look more closely at how the different strains of leptospirosis are related, which helps us understand how the bacteria are getting transmitted between rats and rat populations in the city,” Rosenbaum said.



This information could help shape better strategies for controlling rat populations and minimizing human exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-to-human-health">Threats to human health </h2>



The researchers also studied a single human case of leptospirosis in Boston, working with the CDC to analyze the bacterial strain. They compared it to those found in local rats. 



The result was striking: the strain in the human was nearly identical to those found in three rats from the same area, even though those rats were collected in different years. "It's very strong evidence that the source of that human case was a rat,” said Rosenbaum.



Not every case of leptospirosis is detected. Some people may have no symptoms at all. Others might feel slightly sick before recovering. However, a small number of infections lead to serious complications - including organ failure or even death.



“Human exposure to rats is not very common. But certain populations might be at higher risk, like unhoused people or people who engage in outdoor injection drug use, which are situations that lead to more direct contact with rats,” said Rosenbaum.



Diagnosing leptospirosis is tricky. Many doctors don’t think to test for it unless they suspect exposure. And even when they do, antibiotic treatment can eliminate the bacteria before it shows up on a test. 



Positive results also aren’t always reported to public health databases, making it harder to track.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-how-rats-travel">Understanding how rats travel</h2>



The research also uncovered how rats move throughout Boston. “Rats have a high degree of genetic structure, which means there are distinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rat-populations-are-increasing-in-cities-as-temperatures-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rat populations throughout the city</a> that are highly related to each other,” Rosenbaum explained.



These populations don’t mix often. But when rats do migrate - due to construction, habitat disruption, or environmental changes - they can carry bacteria with them. Each rat group tends to maintain its own unique strain of leptospirosis over time.



A rat in Boston typically needs to travel over 600 meters - more than a third of a mile - to encounter a genetically different group. Wide roads limit this movement, while green spaces and corridors make it easier for them to spread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eradicating-rats-isn-t-the-answer">Eradicating rats isn’t the answer</h2>



The goal is not to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rat-eradication-is-beneficial-for-seabirds-and-coral-reefs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eradicate rats</a> entirely. That would be nearly impossible. Instead, scientists want to understand how different pest control methods affect rat migration and disease spread.



“Extermination is not realistic,” Rosenbaum said. “But I think better understanding of how the different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eco-friendly-pest-control-this-simple-cinnamon-trick-keeps-mice-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pest control</a> interventions are impacting rat migrations and transmission of pathogens amongst the rat population would be really helpful.”



By combining genetic science, city mapping, and public health, this study sheds new light on how a quiet pest in our cities can carry a very loud threat - one that deserves more attention.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0012966" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>.



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Rats are spreading a deadly disease across cities

Rats scurry through alleyways, tunnels, and parks. While these creatures are a common sight in city life, their movements may carry far more danger than many realize. A newly published six-year study reveals how rat migrations within cities contribute to the spread of a serious bacterial infection called leptospirosis - a disease that can be fatal for both humans and animals. In this study, scientists from Tufts University, along with researchers from Northern Arizona University, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Centers for Disease...

New research has found that birds who live next to their friends and family live longer and experience less stress. 

A study conducted by researchers at the<a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/"> University of East Anglia </a>monitored Seychelles warblers who live in the Seychelles Islands. The team examined how the birds interacted with each other and the impact those interactions had on their stress levels. 

The results showed that birds who lived near family and friends did not fight with each other, and that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-declining-numbers/">birds</a> who had friends and family close showed fewer signs of aging and stress. 

The researchers were able to measure the warblers stress levels by looking at telomeres, which are the caps at the end of a chromosome. 

Telomeres are important in gauging stress and aging because they erode faster as a result of both. The birds who weren’t fighting with their neighbors had longer telomeres. 

“Territory owners who are constantly fighting with neighbours are stressed and have little time to do other important things – such as finding food and producing offspring – and their health suffers as a result,” said Kat Bebbington, lead author of the study.

Birds and other animals are like humans in that they “own” a piece of property, a home or nest that they defend against predators. Territorial disputes with unfamiliar neighbors result in a stressful environment and impacts health and longevity of the birds.

The research helps to show how birds socialize and interact with each other, particularly amidst habitat degradation where they find themselves in unfamiliar situations with close, unknown neighbors. 

Bebbington and fellow researchers hope that this study will showcase the importance of understanding the complexities of bird relations and how they impact a bird’s health and well-being. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds need friends too! Those who do have longer lives

New research has found that birds who live next to...

Genetically modified crops have been prevalent around the world for decades, helping increase crop yields and decrease destruction from pests. In 2016, over 240 million acres of genetically modified corn, cotton, and soybeans were planted around the world that contain insect-killing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). These proteins kill caterpillar and beetle pests that would otherwise destroy the crops, but the proteins are harmless to people and considered to be environmentally friendly.

One of the main fears about Bt use, as well as the use of BT protein sprays used by some organic farmers, is that widespread use could result in significant evolution of resistance in pests. A recent study from the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> has analyzed this issue, finding the factors behind why certain pests adapt quickly to Bt proteins, while others don’t.

The study involved analysis of global data on Bt crop use and pest responses, including data from 36 cases representing responses of 15 pest species on every continent (minus Antarctica, of course). The results were published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nbt/">Nature Biotechnology</a>.

“When Bt crops were first introduced in 1996, no one knew how quickly the pests would adapt,” says Bruce Tabashnik, head of the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona’s</a> Department of Entomology. “Now we have a cumulative total of over 2 billion acres of these crops planted during the past two decades and extensive monitoring data, so we can build a scientific understanding of how fast the pests evolve resistance and why.”

Of the 36 cases studied, the researchers found 16 cases as of 2016 in which resistance substantially reduced the efficacy of Bt crops. In these cases, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protect-bees-managing-ticks/">pests</a> evolved resistance in an average time of just over five years. “A silver lining is that in 17 other cases, pests have not evolved resistance to Bt crops,” Tabashnik adds. Many of these crops continue to be effective even after 20 years. 

In looking beyond just resistance statistics, the researchers wanted to determine what factors help keep resistance at bay. They found that two such factors were recessive inheritance of resistance in pests, and farmers planting a large amount of refuges. Refuges – for those of you who are not farmers – are areas of standard, non-Bt crops planted near Bt crops in order to reduce the chances that two resistant insects will mate with each other. 

However, the most concerning finding of the study was that pest resistance to Bt crops is evolving faster now than ever. This is mainly because resistance to some Bt proteins results in cross-resistance to related Bt proteins produced by crops that are planted later.

Luckily, the development of a new type of Bt protein called a vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) may be the answer we need. All other Bt proteins are part of another group of proteins, known as crystalline (Cry) proteins. Since these two groups of Bt proteins are so different, cross-resistance between them is very unlikely.

This study is the most comprehensive evaluation of pest resistance to Bt crops ever. Further research will help to increase our understanding of how these proteins affect pests and keep our crops safe.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alex Yelich/University of Arizona

Pests are becoming resistant to genetically modified crops

Genetically modified crops have been prevalent around the world for...

According to <a href="http://www.who.int/">The World Health Organization</a>, snake bites cause 81,000 to 138,000 deaths per year. In Okinawa, Japan, home to the Okinawan pit viper, 50 snake bites were recorded in 2016. But unlike most animal bites, with snakes it’s not the tooth wound that you have to worry about, it’s the venom released.

Scientists have struggled to study the chemical makeup of poisonous venom in snakes because its composition varies greatly from snake to snake and evolves so rapidly through the generations. 

But a new study, published in the journal Biology and Evolution, documents a scientific first where researchers sequenced the genome of a pit viper, also known as the Taiwan habu, and compared it to its sister species the Sakishima habu.

The research allows a closer look at the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-snakes-wild-sex-drive/">snake</a> venom.

“For many years it was known that snake venoms evolve very rapidly, and the most common explanation for this has been natural selection, but there are reasons to suspect that this might not be the only evolutionary force at work,” said Alexander Mikheyev, senior author on the paper and head of the Ecology and Evolution Unit at the<a href="https://www.oist.jp/"> Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). </a>

The researchers gathered venom and tissue samples from over 30 Taiwanese and Sakishima habus and mapped the entire sequence of genes in the venom. Genome sequencing involves finding the “order” of DNA nucleotides or bases in a genome. 

The researchers note that in order to understand how the chemical composition of venom, you also have to understand how the primary function of the snake’s venom drives that composition. 

Venom doesn’t just attack one of the bodily systems, it actually paralyzes and blocks neural activity, and then attacks the bloodstream. This is why snake venom is such an extremely effective weapon and just a minuscule amount is enough to paralyze a rodent. 

The effective traits in venom are passed on through the generations, but what is less studied are the ineffective traits passed down that do not influence venom. 

“You can think of venoms evolving over two axes. One of those is pushing them to be more effective, but another axis actually pushes them to be less effective,” said Mikheyev.

Researchers were able to identify this push and pull between traits passed down in the sequenced venom genomes which they say will help future research.

Although snake venom is highly toxic, there have been some proposed medical applications of the venom which further research could help advance.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: OIST/Steven Aird

Why poisonous snake venom is such a dangerous weapon

According to The World Health Organization, snake bites cause 81,000...

A large majority of the honey produced worldwide contains pesticides, with some at dangerously high levels, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the UK and Switzerland tested 198 samples of honey from all over and found that three-quarters contained at least one neonicotinoid chemical, which can both harm humans and bees.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybee-hives-weakened-pesticides/">Neonicotinoids</a> are a type of insecticide derived from nicotine, which can also damage the bee’s ability to reproduce. 

A <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/neonicotinoid-pesticides-slowly-killing-bees/">PBS</a> report showed two recent studies documenting the effects of neonicotinoids on bees, finding that bees exposed to the harmful chemicals in a lab environment lived shorter lives. Their hives were also infected and sickly, and often even lost their queens. 

“The tainted hives tended to lose their queen and then struggled to find a new one. A queen sustains the colony, so without her, there are no eggs or future bees,” writes Roni Dengler, author of the PBS article. “Neonicotinoid pesticides are slowly killing bees.” 

While researchers can document the effect of the pesticides on bees with relative ease, there’s almost no way to document how levels of neonicotinoids will affect humans over time. This is why the discovery of the pesticide in honey is so alarming.

“What we don’t know is whether there are long-term, chronic effects from lifetime exposure to a cocktail of these and other pesticides in our honey and most other foods,” said Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the<a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/"> University of Sussex</a>. 

The researchers gathered honey samples from all over the world and tested them for trace amounts of five different known neonicotinoids. 

Many of samples showed evidence of the pesticides, but below the safe levels recommended by the <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en">European Union</a>. However several samples had higher-than-safe levels, including those from Germany and Poland. 

The researchers are advocating for tighter regulations, including the possibility of a widespread ban on the use of neonicotinoids.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

75 percent of the world’s honey contains dangerous pesticides

A large majority of the honey produced worldwide contains pesticides,...

This past Wednesday, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-clean-power-plan/">Trump administration</a> declined to list 25 species as endangered, including the Pacific walrus, which is of particular concern to environmental groups. But the Trump administration believes that listing these species for extra protection “is not warranted at this time.”

The Pacific walrus has been considered as a candidate for the endangered species list due to the significant loss of its Arctic sea ice habitat. In addition to the Pacific walrus, other species that were denied protection include Barbour’s map turtle, Bicknell’s thrush, the Big Blue Springs cave crayfish, the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, Kirtland’s snake, and the Black Hills populations of the black-backed woodpecker.

“This is a truly dark day for America’s imperiled wildlife,” says Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>. “You couldn’t ask for a clearer sign that the Trump administration puts corporate profits ahead of protecting endangered species.”

On the other side of the fence, U.S. Rep. Don Young, from Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation, applauded the decision about the Pacific walrus. “I welcome this action by the Fish and Wildlife Service, a decision that recognizes the health and stability of Alaska's walrus population and ignores the extreme political pressures often associated with new Endangered Species Act listings,” Young said in a statement.

However, Greenwald disagrees, saying that these species “are now one step closer to extinction.” He continued, “We’re going to challenge as many of these bogus findings as we can.”

Whatever side you’re on, the science shows that Arctic ice is rapidly diminishing. We’ll likely see how this continues to affect the Pacific walrus – as well as many other species – in the near future. It will be revealed soon enough whether or not this decision was the right one. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump administration refuses to list 25 species as endangered

This past Wednesday, the Trump administration declined to list 25...

Parrots are some of the most intelligent birds and are known for their ability to imitate human voices. But have you ever wondered how they get their colorful feathers?

The budgie, a member of the parrot family, is a parakeet and an extremely sought after pet. It’s friendly chirping and ability to quickly learn phrases and mimic sounds from its surroundings are some of the reasons why the budgie is so popular. 

Budgies, like their larger parrot counterparts, also have extremely colorful plumage and can come in a range of colors including kiwi green, blue, and white. 

New research has shed light on what gives the budgie and other parrots their vibrant, colorful feathers. 

A study published in the journal Cell explains how researchers found a mutated gene that was responsible for the budgie’s bright pigments. 

One interesting fact about budgies is that the only color budgie you’ll find in the wild is green, while the blue and white hues are the result of specific breeding and mutations. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-parrots-explain-dinosaurs-fly/">Parrots</a> and parakeets like the budgie have been studied by scientists for years, and their colors are a great source of interest. 

“Budgerigars are a great system for studying parrot colors because artificial selection over the last 150 years has resulted in a large number of simple Mendelian genetic traits that affect color,” said Thomas Cooke, a graduate student at<a href="https://www.stanford.edu/"> Stanford University</a> and the study’s first author. 

For the study, the researchers conducted several experiments, first mapping the genes to isolate the area of the budgie that is responsible for the blue color mutation. 

There were several genes in this area, so the researchers had to narrow it down. 

DNA sequencing of 234 budgies and 15 museum specimens from Australia showed that one mutated gene called MuPKs resulted in the blue pigment. 

MuPKs was found in both yellow and blue budgies, but a specific amino acid that correlated with the gene was discovered in the blue budgies. 

"We identified an uncharacterized gene in budgerigars that is highly expressed in growing feathers and is capable of synthesizing the budgie's yellow pigments,” said Cooke. 

MuPKs is a gene found in all birds, but the reason chickens don’t have kiwi green and vibrant yellow feathers is that they, unlike members of the parrot family, don't carry certain enzymes that react the mutation in their feathers. 

The researchers are excited about what their findings mean for understanding coloring and pigmentation in parrots all over the world, as well as learning more about gene mutation and enzymes in different members of the parrot family. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists reveal how parrots get their colorful feathers

Parrots are some of the most intelligent birds and are...

According to new research, increased livestock grazing in protected forests is shrinking the habitats of wild giant pandas and driving them away.

A new <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> study published in the journal Biological Conservation reports that one-third of all giant panda habitats in the <a href="http://www.discoversichuan.com/wanglang-national-nature-reserve/">Wanglang National Nature Preserve</a> have been damaged from free-range livestock grazing.

As grazing has increased, it has resulted in severe habitat degradation in the preserve, pushing the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/panda-habitats-shrinking-splintered/">pandas</a> out.

"Local communities leave their livestock to free range in the forests and only come to feed them salt twice a month. So the livestock feed on the bamboos year-round, especially in winter," said Binbin Li, assistant professor at <a href="https://dukekunshan.edu.cn/en/research/environmental-research-center">Duke Kunshan University’s Environmental Research Centre</a>, and leader of the study.

Increased grazing has been driven by a multitude of factors, including a logging ban, the increased demand for meat, and drops in tourism, prompting farmers to raise livestock in the protected forests. 

“It is not just an ecological problem, but also a gamble between the communities, the nature reserves, local governments and other stakeholders,” said Li. 

The Wanglang National Nature Preserve is one of 67 nature reserves in China and has the largest population of wild giant pandas. Even though China has implemented conservation policies to stop deforestation, grazing is becoming an increasing problem. 

For the study, the researchers collected data from the park’s monitoring systems. GPS collars on livestock helped track where the grazing occurred and where in the park the panda habitats were most affected. 

The results of the study show that grazing drives out giant pandas and damages bamboo regeneration. 

“If grazing is left uncontrolled, we are going to lose huge amounts of suitable panda habitats, to which we have devoted so much effort to protect in the past decades,” said Li.

--

By: <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Binbin Li

Increased livestock grazing is shrinking panda habitats

According to new research, increased livestock grazing in protected forests...

Climate change is extending blooming seasons – and that could be bad news for important pollinators like bees.

Researchers at <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> studying the effects of earlier and longer-lasting blooming seasons found that, far from helping bees, they may actually be causing harm.

"We asked whether variation in snowmelt timing and summer precipitation directly affected bumble bee colonies and their survival, or if the snowmelt and precipitation effects on flowers were more important,” said Dr. Rebecca Irwin, who co-led the study. “It turns out that the effects on flowers played a more critical role in affecting bee populations."

The researchers were specifically looking at the effects of climate change on three species of bumble bees that live at higher altitudes, Irwin said.

She and her colleagues studied in depth a collection of data gathered at the <a href="http://www.rmbl.org/">Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory</a> in Colorado over a period spanning more than 40 years. After analyzing the data, they used modeling to examine the effects of climate change on the blooming seasons and the bees that rely on flowers in the region.

The data showed that, when snowmelt comes early, blooming seasons start earlier and last longer, which sounds like a good thing for pollinators at first. But plants don’t actually produce more flowers, Irwin and her colleagues found. Instead, they stretch the usual number of blooms over a longer period of time, meaning that on a day-to-day basis there are actually fewer flowers for bees in search of food.

"Longer flowering seasons mean an increasing number of resource-poor days for bees, which means that bee abundance suffers," Irwin said. "We found that bee abundance increased when there was more summer precipitation and shorter flowering seasons."

The researchers plan to continue collecting and analyzing data on the three bee species, as well as expand to look at other species of pollinators. 

Their research has been published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.12854/abstract">Ecology Letters</a>. It was funded by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Longer flower blooming seasons may be bad for bees

Climate change is extending blooming seasons – and that could...

While we’ve known that chimpanzees can learn to use tools, it had been previously assumed that they needed to watch others first to acquire the skill. But now, researchers have learned that chimpanzees can spontaneously learn on how to use tools their own. 

Researchers from the United Kingdom and Germany observed wild chimpanzees who used sticks to scoop up food from the water and tested to see if this could be replicated in captive chimpanzees who were not shown the behavior first. 

Chimpanzees from Twycross Zoo in the UK were given containers with water and food, without being shown how other chimps successfully used the same scooping motion to get the floating food using sticks as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzee-mothers-teach-their-children-how-to-use-tools/">tools</a>. 

The results of the study show that chimpanzees possess “latent solutions,” or inherent behavioral traits, that allow them to learn and adapt without being shown by other chimpanzees. 

“The commonly held belief is that chimpanzee behavior is cultural, much like how human culture has been passed between groups. But if that was the case, the same behaviors should never re-occur in naïve subjects. Nobody, for example, could accurately reinvent extinct languages on the spot,” said Elisa Bandini, the lead author of the study. 

Dr. Claudio Tennie, the study’s co-author, noted that the assumption that chimps need demonstrations might have just been a misunderstanding of how the chimpanzees were interacting. 

“Given these results, the long-held assumption that apes must observe one another in order to show these behaviors may have been due to an illusion of cultural transmission, created by the apes arriving at the same behavior independently,” said Tennie. 

The study sheds new light on learning skills of chimpanzees and may even provide insight into how early humans might have initially learned to use tools.

The new research was published in the journal PeerJ.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Chimpanzees can learn how to use tools without demonstration

While we’ve known that chimpanzees can learn to use tools,...

Have you ever wondered why some people are pet people, while others don’t understand the appeal of owning animals? The answer could be in our genes. 

John Bradshaw, an expert on anthrozoology (the study of human-animal interactions) and a visiting fellow at the<a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/"> University of Bristol</a>, as well as a member of the <a href="http://www.asab.org/">Council of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour</a>, has devoted much of his work to helping pet owners better understand animal behavior. 

In an article written for <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-why-some-people-love-animals-and-others-couldnt-care-less-84138">The Conversation</a>, Bradshaw explains some fundamentals about domestic animals and why certain people are predisposed to pet ownership. 

According to the <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html??referrer=https://www.google.com/">Humane Society of the United States</a>, 65 percent of households own a pet, and Bradshaw notes that around 50 percent of households in Britain have a pet. These statistics suggest that pet ownership is a relatively Western phenomenon. 

“Indeed, it is often assumed that pets are a Western affectation, a weird relic of the working animals kept by communities of the past,” writes Bradshaw. 

There have been many claims that owning a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/easiest-pets-care/">pet</a> is good for your health, with studies showing that dogs and cats can lower blood pressure and improve quality of life. 

However, there isn’t much hard proof to corroborate these claims, and so the answer to why some like having a pet around and some don’t must date back further in history. 

According to Bradshaw, pet ownership is likely genetic, ranging back as far as when animals were first domesticated hundreds of thousands of years ago. Hunter-gatherers who found that domesticating animals was beneficial to survival laid the foundation for a symbiotic relationship between dogs and humans. 

“Kept isolated in these ways, the new semi-domesticated animals would have been able to evolve away from their ancestors’ wild ways, and become the pliable beasts we know today,” says Bradshaw. 

Those people who “couldn’t care less” about owning a pet may have inherited genes from groups who were not dependent on animals or didn’t need to form any bonds or relationships with animals to thrive. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Your love for animals may actually be genetic

Have you ever wondered why some people are pet people,...

Studies have shown that owning a dog helps keep people active, reduces stress and depression, and even improves overall cardiovascular health. New research reveals that the love dog owners have for their pets is also reciprocated, which is perhaps the greatest benefit of all.

When Dr.Gregory Berns lost his <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breathing-trouble-pugs-french-bulldogs-tough-predict/">dog</a> of many years, he wanted to know if his pet had loved him. Dr. Berns developed a study to demonstrate whether or not dogs feel emotions like people do. He documented the findings in his book What It's Like To Be a Dog.

As a neuroscientist at <a href="http://www.emory.edu/">Emory University</a>, Dr. Berns became curious if MRI testing could reveal more about what dogs are thinking and feeling. He wanted to see if the emotional processing center of a dog's brain is similar to that of humans.

Dr. Berns built an MRI simulator in his basement and trained his Terrier to become comfortable with it over the course of three months. Once he had established what training was needed to prepare dogs for an MRI without having to put them to sleep, he looked for dog owners who would lend their pets to the study. Since 2012, around 90 dogs have been trained and scanned.

To assess whether dogs love humans as much as they love food, Dr. Berns’ research team developed an experiment during which they gave the dogs food for some of the time and praise the rest of the time. The experts observed the reward centers of their brains and found that the majority of dogs responded equally to food and praise.

“Now, about 20 percent had stronger responses to praise than to food. From that, we conclude that the vast majority of dogs love us at least as much as food,” Dr. Berns told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a>.

The team also found space in the dogs’ brains that is dedicated to processing faces. This indicates that dogs are not adapting this capability throughout life but that they are processing faces from the time they are born, which was not previously realized.

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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

Science proves that your dog really does love you

Studies have shown that owning a dog helps keep people...

Although methane does not linger in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide, methane emissions have a more devastating impact on the climate in the short-term. A new study sponsored by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> reveals that global livestock methane emissions have been significantly underestimated due to use of outdated guidelines.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.globalchange.umd.edu/">Joint Global Change Research Institute</a> found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cowspiracy-film-review/">methane (CH4) emissions</a> for 2011 are 11 percent higher than previously evaluated. These calculations were based on guidelines provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2006. 

Dr. Julie Wolf of the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a> and the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/">Agricultural Research Service</a> is the senior author of the study. 

"In many regions of the world, livestock numbers are changing, and breeding has resulted in larger animals with higher intakes of food,” said Dr. Wolf. “This, along with changes in livestock management, can lead to higher methane emissions.” 

According to Dr. Wolf, “Methane is an important moderator of the Earth's atmospheric temperature. It has about four times the atmospheric warming potential of carbon dioxide.”

The current study found 8.4 percent more CH4 from enteric fermentation in dairy cows and 36.7 percent more manure management CH4 than was found using IPCC-based calculations.

“Direct measurements of methane emissions are not available for all sources of methane,” explained Dr. Wolf. “Thus, emissions are reported as estimates based on different methods and assumptions. In this study, we created new per-animal emissions factors - that is measures of the average amount of CH4 discharged by animals into the atmosphere - and new estimates of global livestock methane emissions."

Based on the updated emissions factors created in this study, the researchers produced significantly larger livestock CH4 emission estimates compared to calculations made using IPCC emission factors for most regions. However, emission estimates varied considerably by region.

"Among global regions, there was notable variability in trends in estimated emissions over recent decades,” said co-author Dr. Ghassem Asrar. “For example, we found that total livestock methane emissions have increased the most in rapidly developing regions of Asia, Latin America and Africa. In contrast, emissions increased less in the US and Canada, and decreased slightly in Western Europe.”

According to Dr. Asrar, the largest increases in annual emissions were found “over the northern tropics, followed by the southern tropics." The study is published in the open access journal <a href="https://cbmjournal.springeropen.com/">Carbon Balance and Management</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Agriculture causes even higher methane emissions than reported

Although methane does not linger in the atmosphere as long...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" 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.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" 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> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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