In the natural world, family often defines survival strategies. Across species, cooperation among relatives has evolved into a powerful tool to ensure success in challenging environments. Yet few creatures embody this principle so intricately as the long-tailed tit.



Found flitting through British gardens, these small birds reveal extraordinary loyalty to their kin. Far from fleeting connections, long-tailed tits show unwavering commitment to family, even during the upheaval of migration. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooperation-in-animal-societies">Cooperation in animal societies</h2>



Recent research from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sheffield</a> brings the hidden social lives of long-tailed tits into sharp focus, offering new insights into how cooperation shapes animal societies.



Decades of careful observation and rigorous analysis culminated in a study that redefines what we know about the evolution of social behaviors. 



Through the lives of these tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-adapt-their-survival-strategies-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>, we glimpse powerful lessons about kinship, resilience, and the surprising complexity of animal communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-tailed-tits-stay-loyal-to-family">Long-tailed tits stay loyal to family</h2>



The study, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, draws on an extraordinary 30-year dataset. It confirms that long-tailed tits retain strong family bonds throughout migratory movements - a phenomenon never before documented so consistently in cooperative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-brains-and-wide-ranges-cant-save-birds-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>.



Long-tailed tits migrate not as isolated individuals but as tightly knit family units. This behavior ensures that when they arrive at new locations, they are surrounded by familiar, trusted kin ready to support each other.



"This 30-year study is unique in its depth and has allowed us to understand the evolution of cooperation in a way that would not have been possible otherwise. The discovery of family ties persisting through migration is particularly exciting," noted Dr. Jennifer Morinay, co-lead author of the research.



"These tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-evolution-timeline-pushed-back-20-million-years-by-baminornis-zhenghensis-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> essentially travel with their support network, ensuring that when they reach their new location, they have their kin ready to assist. It highlights the profound importance of family in their social structure."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-groups-survive-together">Family groups survive together</h2>



The research identifies several intertwined processes that create and sustain these family structures. Limited natal dispersal ensures many young birds settle close to their birthplace. Even when they do move, long-tailed tits often migrate alongside their siblings, keeping family bonds intact across vast distances.



At the same time, environmental pressures, particularly high predation rates, play a significant role. Frequent nest failures result in clusters of surviving families, making the presence of close kin nearby more likely. Together, these ecological and demographic factors form what scientists term "kin neighborhoods."



Incredibly, even migratory long-tailed tits, such as those studied in Estonia, preserve these ties during long journeys. Studies found that 82% of migratory flocks included at least one first-order relative. These findings challenge longstanding assumptions that migration disrupts social cohesion among birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-roots-of-helping-behavior">Evolutionary roots of helping behavior</h2>



Long-tailed tits do not only stick close to their families; they actively help them. When breeding attempts fail, many individuals redirect their efforts to assist <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-birds-are-at-great-risk-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relatives</a> raising broods. This redirected helping strengthens the survival chances of their kin’s offspring, ultimately boosting their own inclusive fitness.



"The push and pull between cooperation and competition is something we readily recognize in our own lives. This study demonstrates that these same fundamental tensions are at play in the social dynamics of long-tailed tits and likely many other species," noted Professor Ben Hatchwell, co-lead author of the study.



"Our long-term research provides significant insights into the ecological and social conditions that favour cooperative behaviour and the evolutionary forces that sculpt these intricate social interactions."



Helping decisions are not random acts of kindness. They are influenced by various factors including the bird’s own breeding success, its relatedness to nearby individuals, and the strength of prior social bonds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mistakes-in-kin-recognition">Mistakes in kin recognition</h2>



Despite their strong social instincts, long-tailed tits sometimes help unrelated individuals. 



About 30% of helpers were found assisting nests of non-kin. Scientists believe this stems from errors in kin recognition rather than a deliberate choice.



The birds rely heavily on learned acoustic cues to identify relatives. Calls learned during the nestling stage help them recognize kin, but these vocal cues are not always completely reliable. Studies show overlap in call similarities between kin and non-kin, leading to occasional misdirected care.



Efforts are ongoing to determine whether other cues, such as olfactory signals, also influence how long-tailed tits recognize their family and make crucial helping decisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environment-shapes-cooperation">Environment shapes cooperation</h2>



The study also shows how environmental pressures influence the rates of cooperation. Moderate levels of nest predation foster the highest levels of helping behaviour. 



If predation is too low, there are fewer failed breeders needing alternative strategies. If too high, there are simply fewer successful nests available to help.



Shorter breeding seasons similarly encourage cooperation. With less time to attempt new broods after failure, many birds abandon independent breeding and instead opt to help their kin.



Interestingly, overall population density did not seem to impact cooperation rates, suggesting that the quality of family connections matters more than simple numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-where-to-live">Choosing where to live</h2>



Where a bird chooses to settle has long-term fitness consequences. Males who stay close to their natal territory accrue higher indirect fitness by helping relatives. Conversely, males who disperse far have fewer opportunities to help and lower overall inclusive fitness.



Females experience a different dynamic. Those who disperse farther tend to achieve slightly better direct reproductive success, likely because dispersal reduces inbreeding risks.



These differing pressures create a fascinating tug-of-war, shaping dispersal behaviours across generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-ties-of-long-tailed-tits">Family ties of long-tailed tits </h2>



Perhaps the most striking revelation is that migration, once believed to hinder the evolution of cooperation, does not necessarily break social bonds. Long-tailed tits maintain their family ties even after traveling hundreds of kilometres.



This finding challenges traditional theories and highlights the incredible flexibility of social strategies in the natural world. Stable territorial groups are not the only route to successful cooperation. 



Dynamic, migratory species can also evolve and sustain sophisticated social systems based on family loyalty.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-long-tailed-tits-recognize-family">How do long-tailed tits recognize family?</h2>



Looking ahead, the researchers aim to untangle the specific mechanisms that allow long-tailed tits to recognize and remember their kin.



Current efforts focus on understanding the role of calls, scents, and social associations built during early life stages. Scientists are investigating whether maintaining winter flock associations with relatives influences recognition in later breeding seasons.



These studies promise to deepen our understanding of how cooperation, kinship, and social cognition evolve across species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-birds-with-mighty-hearts">Tiny birds with mighty hearts</h2>



Through the lives of long-tailed tits, we see how powerful, enduring, and flexible family bonds can be, even in a world full of risks and change.



The study from Sheffield shows that nature’s loyalty is not reserved for mammals or large social species alone. In every tiny flutter of a long-tailed tit’s wing, there lies a rich story of kinship, survival, and the enduring power of cooperation.



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.14237" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>. 



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Long-tailed tits migrate in family units and maintain lasting bonds

In the natural world, family often defines survival strategies. Across species, cooperation among relatives has evolved into a powerful tool to ensure success in challenging environments. Yet few creatures embody this principle so intricately as the long-tailed tit. Found flitting through British gardens, these small birds reveal extraordinary loyalty to their kin. Far from fleeting connections, long-tailed tits show unwavering commitment to family, even during the upheaval of migration. Cooperation in animal societies Recent research from the University of Sheffield brings the hidden social lives of long-tailed...

“They’re fighting like cats and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-mirror-owners-emotions/">dogs</a>.” This old saying has forever engrained the expectation of cat/dog conflict into our minds. Many pet lovers know that it’s simply not true, and now animal researchers have disproved the old cliche on a truly massive scale – by studying groups of big cats and wild dogs. 

Scientists found that tigers, leopards, and dholes, a kind of Asian wild dog, have worked out a way to get along. This is surprising, given that the species all compete for the same prey. 

That’s not to say that the ferocious felines and feral canines all pile into a nest and cuddled together. In animal kingdom terms, “getting along” means that they didn’t kill each other. 

Researchers discovered that when there is ample prey, dholes and big cats tend to avoid each other. This is easy, given that the dogs are more active during the day, while leopards and tigers tend to prowl at night.

When prey became scarce, though, the animals sometimes overlapped. Even so, the dholes still managed to avoid the big cats. In addition to this, the leopards studied worked hard to avoid the tigers, as well. This is due to smart adaptations that enable the species to hunt and avoid conflict to remain alive. 

“Tigers, leopards, and dholes are doing a delicate dance in these protected areas, and all are managing to survive,” said Ullas Karanth,<a href="https://www.wcs.org/our-work/places/asia"> WCS</a> Director for science in Asia.

“We were surprised to see how each species has remarkably different adaptations to prey on different prey sizes, use different habitat types and be active at different times. Because of the small and isolated nature of these high prey densities in these reserves, such adaptations are helpful for conservationists trying to save all three,” he explained. 

Karanth is the lead author of the study, which was published in the journal<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org"> Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>. 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Ullas Karanth,<a href="https://www.wcs.org/our-work/places/asia"> WCS</a>

&nbsp;

When big cats meet wild dogs, this is what happens...

“They’re fighting like cats and dogs.” This old saying has...

Soon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fact-family-farmers-grants/">farmers </a>will have an app to help them save the bees! It can be a laborious process for a farmer to encourage bees to pollinate their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-happening-quickly-food-crops-adapt/">crops.</a> They would have to walk through her fields, assess possible locations, take measurements, crunch numbers and still, they could only guess a number of plants bees would pollinate. But soon farmers will have an app to help them calculate the crop productivity and pollination benefits of supporting endangered bees.

Bee expert Taylor Rickett from the University of Vermont is co-leading the app's development and introduced the new interactive technology at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting panel, <a href="https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2017/webprogram/Session14937.html">Plan Bee: Pollinators, Food Production and U.S. Policy</a>, on Feb. 19.

The currently nameless app which will be launching later this year, allows users to explore land management scenarios, and virtually test how bee-friendly decisions would improve their business.

Pre-loaded with aerial images of North America, the app allows users to calculate their best practices for boosting pollination once their enter their address details. According to Ricketts. "You simply draw different options - from wind breaks to planting flowers or bringing in honey bees. The app will do a pollination, productivity, and eventually, a cost-benefit analysis. Farmers can then determine which choices bring the best return on investment."

The app uses the first <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/giee/?Page=news&amp;storyID=22053&amp;category=gund">national map of U.S. wild bees</a> as a base which found the key insects are disappearing in the country's most important farmlands - including California's Central Valley, the Midwest's corn belt and the Mississippi River valley.

That study, led by UVM bee researchers, showed that with further bee losses, farmers could face higher costs and the nation's food production could experience "destabilization" due to climate change, pesticides, habitat loss and disease.

Ricketts added "Farmers are a natural partner to protect bees because pollinators are essential for growing many foods,"

The hope is that the app will make the best available science and bee-friendly practices accessible to users - which can help making real steps to reverse bee losses.

"Government action is key, but saving bees requires more than that," says Ricketts. "Leadership from the private sector, especially farmers and agricultural businesses, is crucial. Their choices will have a huge impact on whether pollinators fail or flourish. This gives farmers a chance to help with an issue that directly impacts their businesses". What we all know is that it's going to take a lot of work from everyone to save the bees.

–

Source: <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/giee/?Page=news&amp;storyID=22530&amp;category=gund">UVM</a>

By: Frances Levine Editor-in-Chief

Save the bees with an app!

Soon farmers will have an app to help them save...

You’d think that the terrifying <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107290/">Jurassic Park</a> movies would have warned scientists not to bring dinosaurs back from the dead, but no – they never learn, do they? And now a team of scientists from Harvard University is plotting to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction. Not just a regular woolly mammoth, either: a mammoth-elephant hybrid. 

Woolly mammoths became extinct thousands of years ago, but if everything goes according to plan, they could be roaming around (hopefully not loose) again within the next two years. 

Researchers say that they can take DNA extracted from frozen mammoth carcasses and program those genes into an Asian elephant, creating the crazy hybrid creature they’re proposing. Imagine an elephant with mammoth-like features such as thick, protective layers of fat and the characteristic long, shaggy hair. 

The head of the scientific team, Professor George Church, explained, “We're working on ways to evaluate the impact of all these edits and are basically trying to establish embryogenesis in the lab. The list of edits affects things that contribute to the success of elephants in cold environments.”

“We already know about ones to do with small ears, subcutaneous fat, hair and blood, but there are others that seem to be positively selected,” he said to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">The Guardian</a>.

The technique that will be used to create the new creature is known as CRISPR/Cas9. First demonstrated in 2012, it allows scientists to “cut and paste” strands of DNA from one animal into another one. After being sliced, spliced, and edited, the mammoth embryo will be created in an artificial womb.

Scientists refer to these kinds of experiments as “de-extincting,” which sounds much more tame than “unleashing long-dead creatures from our nightmares upon us once more,” dontchathink? It’s not that the woolly mammoth is so bad; it’s just that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/hatzegopteryx-ancient-t-rex/">T-Rex</a> could be next! 

--
By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Could woolly mammoths be coming back from the dead – and SOON?

You’d think that the terrifying Jurassic Park movies would have...

Studying wild <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ring-tailed-lemurs-big-trouble/">lemurs</a> is like – well, it’s like chasing a bunch of monkeys, because that’s exactly what scientists must do. In order to learn anything about individual lemurs, researchers need to capture and tag them. As you can imagine, this is an unpleasant process for everyone involved. Now, scientists (and lemurs alike) are breathing a sigh of relief, as a team of researchers has developed a technology that will make the lemur chase moot. The new system is called LemurFaceID and as its name implies, it uses facial recognition technology to digitally “tag” wild lemurs. 

The facial recognition system consists of a database full of photographs of individual lemurs. Researchers say that scientists will be able to use the database for things such as conservation efforts and conducting evolutionary studies. The latter requires researchers to collect data over the lifespan of individual animals. This helps them learn more about a species’ population growth, reproduction, and overall survival. 

Rachel Jacobs is a biological anthropologist at <a href="https://www.gwu.edu/">George Washington University</a> and is a co-author of the paper. She explained why she and the other team members worked to create the system. 

 "We are excited about the results of this truly cross-disciplinary collaboration," she said. "The ability to consistently study individuals over long periods of time, as well as integrate data across different studies, are some of the challenges we face when studying wild animal populations. Senior author, Stacey Tecot (<a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>), and I weren't particularly satisfied with the common approaches used in lemur research, so we aimed to do something different with red-bellied lemurs, and we sought the expertise of our computer science collaborators.”

Hopefully, the system will be useful for more than just lemurs. Jacobs says that she thinks the technology could be used for animals such as red pandas and certain bears – ones that have variations in hair and skin patterns that are similar to the ones seen in lemurs. The results of their study were published in BioMed Central. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Rachel Jacobs, <a href="https://www.gwu.edu/">George Washington University</a>

Stacey Tecot, <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>

Facial recognition technology has officially gone monkeys, folks

Studying wild lemurs is like – well, it’s like chasing...

When fin whales feed, they display feats of athletic prowess that would make even Tom Brady seem lame. They leap out of the water and then dive deep into the ocean, rapidly accelerating towards their prey. They can catch as much as 22 pounds of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/app-helps-fishermen-sell/">fish</a> as they filter water out of their giant mouths while keeping their meal safely inside. 

How do they safely perform those crazy lunge feeding maneuvers without getting hurt, though? Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> have discovered the secret. 

The area that risks injury are the nerves that run along the floor of the whales’ mouths. During a lunge, fin whales are able to inflate a pocket between their body wall and the blubber that lies on top of it in order to extend those nerves as far as possible – more than doubling their length, in fact. 

"But when they shorten again these nerves have to fold so tightly that they develop bending stretches, which could damage the nerve," said zoologist Margo Lillie. ”It surprised me that just folding them up created a problem.”

The way that fin whales protect these nerves has been described as a “Russian doll-like” nesting structure in which one fold fits inside the next. The nerves are so large that researchers were able to study them using microCT scans.

Lillie explained how the folds work. "The first level of waviness allows the nerve to extend when feeding,” she said. “Then the nerve structure is folded at a second level of waviness at a smaller length scale--that creates enough slack in the shortened nerve tissue to allow it to go around each fold without being damaged."

When the nerve is recoiled, its shape resembles a river meander.

”The shape is a sine generated curve, which is characteristic of a wide range of natural structures including the jet stream, a buckled rod, and flow patterns in rock. The bends tend to be as uniform as possible and this minimizes the work required to make the structure. It's a special, ideal shape,” said Lillie.

The results of the study were published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>. 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Margo Lillie, <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a>

Fin whales use this funky trick to avoid injury while hunting

When fin whales feed, they display feats of athletic prowess...

Cluck, cluck, cluck – chickens lay eggs. It’s bizarre to think of a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chicken-psychology-birds-smart-complex/">chicken</a> going into labor and giving live-birth to a baby. Although that’s never happened with one of our fine feathered friends, scientists do believe they’ve discovered evidence of a prehistoric egg-layer that did manage to give birth. 

Researchers found a fossilized specimen of the dinocephalosaurus – a creature that lived in the South China seas during the Middle Triassic era between 251 million and 199 million years ago. 

Dinocephalosaurus was a reptile, and like all reptiles such as snakes and turtles, it was known to lay eggs. In fact, the ancient species evolved into modern day egg-layers like crocodile and birds. These critters all historically nest and lay their brood, rather than settling down to give birth to a litter. 

However, a team of scientists from China found something startling inside the fossilized dinocephalosaurus; a tiny embryo hiding inside the mother’s rib cage. But was the smaller creature actually an embryo, or was it merely the remains of an undigested prehistoric lunch? 

In a statement, Professor Jun Liu of <a href="http://www.hfut.edu.cn/">Hefei University of Technology</a> in China said, “We were so excited when we first saw this embryonic specimen several years ago but we were not sure whether the embryonic specimen [was] the last lunch of the mother or its unborn baby.”

They determined that the discovery was, in fact, an embryo and not something the mother had eaten due to the fact that the embryo the same species as the mother. The smaller creature was also facing forwards inside the mother. 

“Upon further preparation and closer inspection, we realized that something unusual has been discovered,” Liu said. 

With this discovery, scientists realize that live birth reproduction first started a full 50 million years earlier than they previously thought. The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Communications. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 
Source: Jun Liu of <a href="http://www.hfut.edu.cn/">Hefei University of Technology</a>

This prehistoric egg-layer’s secret totally stunned scientists

Cluck, cluck, cluck – chickens lay eggs. It’s bizarre to...

Scientists have discovered a completely new species of crocodile. Well, sort of.

What they actually discovered were the fossilized remains of a crocodile. While exploring the Langneberg Quarry in Germany, a team of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/archaeological-lost-kingdom-dark-ages/">archaeologists</a> came across the remains of what appeared to be some sort of small crocodile-like atoposaurid species. The Langneberg Quarry is a hotspot for archaeologists, as the area is extremely rich in terrestrial vertebrates and marine-related fossils. 

Although the fossils had held up remarkably well over the centuries, they were partially embedded in sediment. This made it difficult for scientists to fully examine them. They were able to determine that the creature belonged in the Theriosuchus genus. 

To find out more, they used micro-computed tomography to create a 3-D reconstruction of one of the skulls they had discovered. The images revealed features not previously seen on other crocodile species. Researchers noted openings in the creature’s jaw bone as well as in front of its eye. The team also made note of tooth morphology. 

The team realized that they had, in fact, discovered an entirely new species of crocodile – a rather small one – and named the creature Knoetschkesuchus. They published their findings in the journal<a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/"> PLos ONE</a>. 

"The study describes a new diminutive crocodile Knoetschkesuchus langenbergensis that lived around 154 Million years ago in Northwestern Germany," says Daniela Schwarz, a researcher from the<a href="http://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/en/institutes-museums/einrichtungen/mfn/"> Leibniz Institute for Evolutionary and Biodiversity Research</a> in Germany. "Knoetschkesuchus belongs to the evolutionary lineage that leads to modern crocodiles and preserves ­ for the first time in this group ­ two skulls in 3D, allowing us detailed anatomical studies via micro-CT images. Our research is part of the Europasaurus-Project which studies the remains of a unique Jurassic island ecosystem in Northern Germany.”

[caption id="attachment_131029" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/crocadile.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-131029" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/crocadile-300x189.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="189" /></a> While exploring a quarry in Germany, a team of archaeologists came across the remains of what appeared to be a small crocodile atoposaurid species.[/caption]

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Daniela Schwarz,<a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/"> PLos ONE</a>

Take a look at this brand new species of crocodile

Scientists have discovered a completely new species of crocodile. Well,...

Lonely Polar Bear takes desperate measures to find a mate as female polar bear travels to a new zoo. 

Not long ago, we brought you an article about how a Dutch zoo had started a program they were calling<a href="http://www.earth.com/image/tinder-orangutans-primates-date/"> “Tinder for orangutans”</a> using tablet technology to make love matches between male and female primates at the facility.

It seems that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/philadelphia-zoo-mourns-oldest-aardvark/">zookeepers</a> have to double as matchmakers for various animal species. Often lacking opposable thumbs or useful typing skills, animals can’t simply take out a personals ad in order to find that special someone. 

(Imagine if they could, though: “Female seeking strong, aggressive male who likes to lead the pack. I enjoy taking short, back-and-forth walks in my enclosure and being fed exquisite dinners of leaves and grubs. When not pacing, I adore batting around the giant rubber ball provided for playtime. Would you like to join me in making a scratchy nest in the grass?”)

Ahem! But they can’t – and sometimes caretakers have to get creative in helping the furry ones find love.

This was the case at the<a href="https://www.toledozoo.org"> Toledo Zoo</a> in Ohio. They’ve actually shipped one of their bears off to a zoo near Chicago in hopes that she’ll make a connection with one of the male bears there.

The female is a 21-year-old polar bear named Nan. Her love vacation will send her to meet Hudson, a handsome male bear who resides at the<a href="https://www.czs.org/Brookfield-ZOO/Home"> Brookfield Zoo</a>. They won’t exactly be allowed to meet each other in person at first, however. They’ll enjoy small talk and spending time with one another in neighboring enclosures that are separated by a fence. 

<a href="https://www.aza.org">The Association of Zoos and Aquariums</a> arranged the move through its polar bear species survival program. Nan was born in the wild, making her a genetically-important bear. An orphan, she was discovered near Barrow, Alaska, before spending 16 years at the Toledo Zoo. Let's hope this lonely polar bear finds the love she was looking for.

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Lonely Polar Bear makes an epic journey to find love

Lonely Polar Bear takes desperate measures to find a mate...

Humans are simply obsessed with putting animals in front of the mirror. We dance around with our cats in order to show them their reflections. We laugh and film YouTube fodder when our puppy discovers its reflection for the first time and becomes adorably ferocious about it. 

It seems that scientists are obsessed with showing animals their own reflections, as well. However, their experiments with nonhumans and reflective surfaces serve more of a purpose than creating viral videos. They’re actually learning about animals and self-awareness. 

A recent study, for example, found that while rhesus <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/female-monkeys-prefer-males-take-action/">monkeys</a> can use a mirror to find food objects, they aren’t typically aware of their own reflections. This awareness is known as mirror self-recognition (MSR). Scientists wondered: if monkeys don’t naturally display MSR, is it a skill they can be taught? 

To test this out, Mu-ming Poo, a neurobiologist at the<a href="http://english.sibs.cas.cn"> Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences</a> used laser pointers and mirrors to see if they could make the monkeys aware of their own reflections. 

In the experiment, scientists placed the monkeys in specially-designed chairs in front of large mirrors. Devices with soft rubber balls attached were used to hold the monkeys’ heads in place so that they’d look towards the mirror. Then, the research team shined a laser pointer at different places: on the boards holding the chair contraption in place, as well as on the rubber balls.

Whenever the monkey touched the location of the light, they were rewarded with a tasty treat. After a few weeks of this kind of training, scientists expanded the possible locations of the laser light pinpoints to include the monkey’s face.

The monkeys continued to respond to the laser pointer, successfully locating the dot when it appeared on their faces. They all passed the standard face mark test for MSR and were able to perform the tasks both in the chair and when returned to their cages.

What does this test mean for monkey mirror recognition? “The monkey has to learn that the hand in the mirror is his own hand. And he has to learn how to control it precisely by watching it in the mirror,” Poo explained to the journal<a href="http://science.sciencemag.org"> Science</a>. “That’s the key.”

The findings were published in the<a href="http://www.pnas.org"> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Mu-ming Poo,<a href="http://english.sibs.cas.cn"> Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences</a>

Peek-a-boo! Monkeys can recognize themselves in the mirror

Humans are simply obsessed with putting animals in front of...

When protesters try to prevent a construction project from moving forward, they employ all sorts of creative methods. They gather in huge crowds to chant, sing, and shout down developers. They unfurl huge banners to get their message out. Sometimes they even chain or handcuff themselves to construction equipment to bring operations to a screeching halt. Now, critics of a high-pressure Ohio gas pipeline slated to be constructed across the northern half of the state are receiving some unexpected help from the animal world. It may be that giant bulldozers and big money are no match for a tiny, furry bat that dwells in the area. 

The northern long-eared bat lives in caves and trees throughout the route that has been proposed for the NEXUS pipeline. The developers of the NEXUS – Spectra Energy and DTE Energy – were successfully able to argue against pipeline opponents’ suggestions that the project should be rerouted through less populated areas that don’t bring it near homes and businesses. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shot those arguments down, saying that the current proposed pipeline route doesn’t pose any environmental problems.

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wild-boars-vampire-bats-rabies-oh/">bats</a>, however, create a new problem for developers, as these tiny creatures are classified as a threatened species. Their status prevents construction crews from chopping down trees in the bats’ habitat area between April 1 and September 30. 

This could create a huge delay for the NEXUS project, as it’s scheduled to be completed and begin delivering gas later this year. 

John Medina, a resident of Medina County, is on the forefront of the fight to keep the pipeline from being constructed along the current route. He and other property owners worry about the potential danger of having a pipeline with explosive natural gas running so close to their backyards and businesses. 

They hope that the bats will throw a serious wrench in the planned Ohio gas pipeline. 

"Time is our friend and their foe,” Medina told the<a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/"> Associated Press</a>. 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image: AP/<a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/62bd407ff5144afb85a219dece58b5b2">Tony Dejak</a>

Ohio gas pipeline may be halted by a tiny bat species

When protesters try to prevent a construction project from moving...

For the first time, the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a> conducted a survey of all of the cricket and grasshopper species in Europe. The survey turned up some bad news for people who love the soothing sound of cricket song.

“Europe’s rapidly changing landscape is affecting many species, including insects we are so familiar with, such as crickets and grasshoppers,” said Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy Director of the IUCN Global Species Programme, in the organization’s announcement.

Europe has more than 1,000 species of crickets and grasshoppers. About a quarter of them are at risk of extinction, the IUCN said.

The two-year study was funded by the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm">European Commission</a>, and more than 150 entomologists and other experts joined the count.

Agricultural practices are one factor in the demise of crickets in Europe, the IUCN found. This includes the loss of grasslands to crops, overgrazing, frequent mowing, the use of fertilizers, and the use of heavy machinery, the agency said.

Another factor is more frequent and intense wildfires in recent years. This is a larger problem in southern Europe, especially in places like Greece and the Canary Islands, the IUCN said.

Some of the crickets and grasshoppers are also losing habitat to tourism-related development, especially in coastal areas, the IUCN said.

The problem goes beyond waning cricket song. Many cricket and grasshopper species are a key part of the food chain in Europe, the scientists said. Birds and reptiles rely on them, and if the insects go extinct, it could disrupt entire ecosystems.

“To bring these species back from the brink of extinction, more needs to be done to protect and restore their habitats,” Vié said. “This can be done through sustainable grassland management using traditional agricultural practices, for example.”

The IUCN suggested that countries create monitoring and management programs to protect the insects. France is already implementing a conservation plan for its critically endangered Crau plains grasshopper, the agency noted.

Monitoring programs could give an on-the-ground look at population trends and more quickly identify species on the verge of dying out.

“If we do not act now, the sound of crickets in European grasslands could soon become a thing of the past,” Vié said.

— 

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Cricket song could go silent without action, IUCN says

For the first time, the International Union for Conservation of...

The first rule of Monkey Fight Club is that you do not talk about Monkey Fight Club. Monkey fights that start out as one or two primates throwing punches can often escalate into an all-out brawl involving the majority of the adults in the group. 

Researchers wondered: when a small fight breaks out, how many <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/baboons-math-abilities-par-kids/">monkeys</a> need to get involved to interrupt the system of things? What is the critical point at which the social regime totally upends? 

To get answers, scientists had to enter Monkey Fight Club – sort of. Bryan Daniels of the<a href="https://complexity.asu.edu/asu-sfi-center-biosocial-complex-systems"> ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems</a> and David Krakauer and Jessica Flack of the<a href="https://www.santafe.edu"> Santa Fe Institute</a> looked to ideas and models from statistical mechanics to analyze conflict behavior among monkeys to determine the critical point at which breakdown occurs. 

According to Daniels, "agitating four or five individuals at a time can cause the system to destabilize and huge fights to break out.” This isn’t an exact formula, however, as individual monkeys make distinct contributions to the overall sensitivity of the group. This means that depending on individual actions, the group may be more easily controlled or more likely to descend into madness. 

If more stable members of the group can break up ongoing monkey fights, the group will settle down and move away from the critical point. However, if other members of the group can target the influential members and rile them up, the group will go hurtling towards the critical point. 

Group sensitivity isn’t always a negative thing, as it can help animal societies better survive. For instance, it helps an animal such as a fish quickly shift from foraging for food into escape mode when threatened. 

Scientists would like to find out if an animal’s environment affects their overall sensitivity and distance from the critical point. 

“I think we’ve just scratched the surface,” said Daniels.

The team’s findings were published in the journal<a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/"> Nature Communications</a>. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Bryan Daniels,<a href="https://complexity.asu.edu/asu-sfi-center-biosocial-complex-systems"> ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems</a>

David Krakauer, Jessica Flack,<a href="https://www.santafe.edu"> Santa Fe Institute</a>

What do monkey fights tell us about animal society structure?

The first rule of Monkey Fight Club is that you...

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

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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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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