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...

Officials insist that it’s necessary to prevent wild bison from spreading disease. Wildlife advocates decry it as misguided and unnecessary. As the two sides face off, a plan to slaughter hundreds of wild bison in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/obama-moves-block-new-mining-near-yellowstone-national-park/">Yellowstone National Park </a>is moving forward. 

After two weeks of negotiations between the state of Montana, Yellowstone, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, all parties agreed to allow the plan, which will involve the slaughter of up to 1,300 of the 5,500 Yellowstone bison. The agreement spares 25 bison earmarked for the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, where conservationists are working to establish new herds. 

Proponents of the slaughter say that it’s a necessary part of a 16-year program developed to prevent bison from spreading brucellosis to cattle. Brucellosis, a disease that causes abortion in pregnant animals, only currently exists in among the wildlife in the Yellowstone area. It’s been eradicated throughout the rest of the nation. 

The bull bison selected for the repopulation program at Fort Peck will be quarantined and watched for disease for a year. Jody Lyle, a spokeswoman for Yellowstone, says that this is an important step in a program designed to choose disease-free bison for conservation efforts. 

Critics of the slaughter disagree. "Stop the slaughter, let them roam and manage them just like we do with elk, just like we do with deer, just like we do with other wildlife,” Stephany Seay of the Buffalo Field Campaign told the<a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/"> Associated Press</a>. She suggests giving the Montana wildlife agency jurisdiction over wild bison. Currently, that power rests with the state’s livestock department. 

According to research, there have been no recorded instances of wild bison transmitting brucellosis to livestock. This is partly due to hunters shooting bison as the animals leave the park in search of food at lower elevations. More than 300 bison were killed this winter, and over 5,000 have been killed or captured since 1985. 

--
By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Yellowstone wild bison slaughter causes outcry

Officials insist that it’s necessary to prevent wild bison from...

Much like YouTube users today, the ancient Egyptians worshipped cats. But could it be that the ancients also worshipped a much less refined animal – the shrieking, smelly <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/baboons-math-abilities-par-kids/">baboon</a>? 

Archaeologist believe so, based on a discovery of a tomb decorated with a hoard of the hairy beasts. The tomb is the resting place of Khonsu, a “true renowned scribe” during the Ramesside period around 1200 B.C. They discovered it while exploring another tomb – that of Userhat, a high official under Amenhotep III. 

The north wall of Khonsu’s tomb featured a scene depicting four baboons worshiping Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god. Why would baboons take such a prominent place on the tomb of an important scribe? Historians believe that ancient Egyptians revered the primates for their perceived wisdom. 

Jiro Kondo, a professor in Egyptology at Japan’s <a href="https://www.waseda.jp/top/en">Waseda University</a>, led the excavation team that found the tomb. They discovered it in Luxor among the ruins of the necropolis of Thebes.

The archaeologists were stunned to come upon the tomb of Khonsu. They found it by chance while removing rubble from the forecourt of Userhat’s tomb. 

In addition to the sun god scene, the team noted a depiction of Khonsu and his wife worshipping Osiris and Isis, the god of the underworld and his wife, the goddess of motherhood and magic. Behind them stand two figures that experts believe are Khnum or Khnum-Re, deities that had the heads of rams. 

The tomb also features hieroglyphics indicating that Khonsu was regarded as a “true renowned scribe.” The ceiling is decorated in complex and colorful patterns.

These findings are from the outer chamber of the tomb; archaeologists have yet to excavate the inner chamber. With the discovery of Khonsu’s tomb, Kondo is hopeful that there may be tombs of other scribes lying undiscovered nearby. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Move over, cats: ancient Egyptians also worshipped baboons

Much like YouTube users today, the ancient Egyptians worshipped cats....

It seems that we all could have been here 2 billion years sooner if not for pesky simple lifeforms that held everything up. Complex life forms like plants and animals need <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-seek-solve-mystery-cambrian-oxygen-spike/">oxygen</a> to survive, but scientists have found that 2.4 billion years ago, organisms were caught in a bizarre, low-oxygen cycle after the “great oxidation event” in which oxygen developed on the planet. Oxygen levels were so low, in fact, that it delayed evolution for 2 billion years. 

Wouldn’t the appearance of oxygen encourage evolution, rather than holding it back? One would think so, but the truth is more complex. Scientists at the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk">University of Exeter</a> say that the dead bodies of simple lifeforms created a layer of organic material in the earth’s sedimentary rocks. The Great Oxidation provided oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere before a shifting in tectonic plates brought this material up to the surface.

Once there, the material reacted with the newfound oxygen, behaving like a giant oxygen sponge. In fact, the organic material consumed the oxygen as fast as it was produced – effectively keeping oxygen levels so low that more complex plant life couldn’t form. Without more complex plant life to produce additional oxygen, the oxygen levels remained too low to create complex plant life which significantly delayed evolution.

Eventually, land plants did arrive and provide the oxygen necessary to support other complex life forms like animals and eventually, mankind. 

Professor Tim Lenton, one of the authors of the study, said, ”The history of life on Earth is closely intertwined with the physical and chemical mechanisms of our planet. It is clear that life has had a profound role in creating the world we are used to, and the planet has similarly affected the trajectory of life. I think it's important people acknowledge the miracle of their own existence and recognize what an amazing planet this is.”

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: Tim Lenton, <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk">University of Exeter</a>

Low oxygen levels delayed evolution by 2 billion years

It seems that we all could have been here 2...

As the old saying goes: “An elephant never forgets.” Well, neither do red-footed tortoises – at least not for about a year and a half.

Scientists have found that red-footed tortoises are able to remember where they stashed their food for up to 18 months. In addition to remember where they hid their food, they can recall which stashes are their favorite ones. 

Of course, it’s key for animals in the wild to be able to locate their food sources. However, this study proved that these turtles can remember information for much longer than scientists originally thought possible. 

It also showed that beyond getting back to their food, tortoises are able to make decisions about which stash is the tastiest. This is the first time scientists realized that these reptiles can retain information and exercise judgment about the quality and quantity of their food.  

Why are these skills important? Anna Wilkinson from the <a href="https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/">University of Lincoln</a> was part of the research team. She explained that such behavior is essential because of the lifespan of a tortoise, as well as its natural habitat. 

"Long-term memory is an important characteristic for animals which live for a long time, particularly if they inhabit environments where resources are patchily distributed like forests," she said. “A long-term memory enables them to retain information that is crucial for survival, such as the appearance and location of key resources.”

To study the tortoises, scientists did not spend time following the creatures around on their hands and knees, tortoise-style, from one forest food stash to another. Rather, they trained the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-footprints-show-reptiles-rise/">reptiles</a> to associate certain colored sheets with specific quantities and flavors of food. The tortoises were able to use the cues to choose their favorite foods. They were also able to remember this information 18 months later. 

The findings of the study were published in the Royal Society journal<a href="http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org"> Biology Letters</a>. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Source: Anna Wilkinson, <a href="https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/">University of Lincoln</a>

Red-footed tortoises have tremendous long-term memories

As the old saying goes: “An elephant never forgets.” Well,...

In some species, the males evolved beauty. Male peacocks have blue feathers and brightly colored, elaborate tails, while male quetzals are green and gold with red chests. Females of both species are drab. Many other bird species follow the same pattern. 

Outside of the bird world, male male lions have large, bushy manes, and males and females of some lizard species change to different colors when they reach maturity.

But in most species where males develop ornamentation, it serves no purpose other than to attract a mate – deer who do battle with their antlers being among the few exceptions.

When the females of a species where the ones who evolved beauty, on the other hand, attracting a mate is rarely the only reason. Sometimes it’s not the reason at all.

A new study has found that in many species, females may have evolved beauty as a means of self-defense. In other cases, a female’s ornamentation helps them to gain social status, and not just among males. 

“We develop a population genetic model to … demonstrate that, contrary to common inferences, male mate choice, variation in male quality (in the form of a direct fecundity benefit to females), and female ornamentation can coexist in a population without any sexual selection on female ornamentation taking place at all,” wrote the researchers from the <a href="http://www.unc.edu/">University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill</a>. 

In other words, male ornamentation is often the result of social selection, while female ornamentation can evolve due to one or two out of any number of reasons. 

To test their theory, Dr. Courtney Fitzpatrick and Dr. Maria Servedio tracked how traits from “attractive” females were passed down among animal species. They noticed a few interesting trends:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">In species where males choose mates and females are mate-limited, “attractive” females tend to attract higher quality males. However, the rate at which “attractive” traits are passed on don’t seem to correlate with this sexual selection, Fitzpatrick and Servedio discovered.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">In species such as primates where receptive females can always find a mate, it’s been assumed that some traits such as swellings evolved to attract a mate. However, when females can find a quality mate regardless of these features, that explanation doesn’t fit, the researchers said.</li>
</ul>
The biologists’ research seems to show that in many cases, male animals’ preference for a female trait was not the reason that trait evolved. The attraction may even have come later, they said.

“[O]ur model is a formal reminder that to conflate male mate choice with sexual selection on females is to draw a false equivalency, particularly in species with traditional mating systems,” the researchers wrote.

Instead, some of the female traits may have evolved to help compete for resources such as food, or to raise the female’s social status, Fitzpatrick and Servedio said. Like species where females prefer larger or stronger males, these traits may have become “attractive” to males because they indicate a female is stronger, healthier, and a better provider or protector, they said. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evo.13107/full">Evolution</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Females evolved beauty as tool for defense, status symbol

In some species, the males evolved beauty. Male peacocks have...

New animal testing method saves lab mouse lives. According to PETA, over 100 million mice are killed in laboratory experiments each year – and that’s in the U.S. alone. Japanese scientists are hoping to lessen <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animal-cruelty-video-sparks-boycott/">animal suffering</a> and mortality by creating a new animal testing method for human drug trials.

Associate Professor Noriyuki Yanaka from<a href="https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en"> Hiroshima University</a> worked with a team to develop a non-invasive method of testing the anti-inflammatory properties of fortified health foods and medications on mice. Their hope is that this procedure will change the way scientists conduct animal testing.

The research, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/articles/srep38697">Nature</a>, involved looking at inflammation of fatty tissues inside the body. Metabolic disorders such as cancer, Type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular doses result in over-nutrition. The body fights this by releasing white blood cells. While this is meant to be a good thing, it can be problematic for obese fatty tissue, which becomes inflamed and damaged. 

In order to study these tissues, scientists had to euthanize a large number of mice as they progressed through their research. Yanaka and his team have discovered a gene called Serum Amyloid A3 (Saa3) that can be detected when fatty tissue is inflamed. 

They injected this gene into fertilized mouse eggs and created a batch of mice that could be examined in a non-invasive fashion to determine if their fatty tissue exhibited signs of inflammation. Scientists then divided the mice into two groups – feeding the first group a high-fat diet and the others a natural-wild diet. They were able to use bioluminescence to examine the fatty tissues of the mice, noting that the ones on the high-fat diet showed signs of inflammation, while the ones on the natural-wild diet did not. 

Yanka said that the new method does not completely eliminate the need to euthanize lab mice, but hopes that it will cut known on the number of deaths. "What we are proposing is a way to reduce not only the number of animals which are used in experiments, but also animal experiments themselves,” he said.

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 
Source: Noriyuki Yanaka, <a href="https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en">Hiroshima University</a>

New animal testing method saves lab mouse lives

New animal testing method saves lab mouse lives. According to...

In the “X-Men” comics and movies, Wolverine has the unique ability to heal wounds within seconds. Sharks aren’t quite so fast, but their speedy healing abilities recently led scientists to study shark DNA in search of a cure for cancer. 

Scientists have known for a while that cancer rates are incredibly low among sharks. The ocean predators also heal quickly. An open wound can heal in a matter of hours on a healthy shark.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>, <a href="http://www.clemson.edu/">Clemson University</a>, and <a href="http://www.nova.edu/">Nova Southeastern University</a> thought the two unique aspects of shark health might be related. They teamed up to study shark DNA and see what, if any, clues they could find.

“In addition to their ancient history and fundamental position in vertebrate systematics, chondrichthyans possess a wide variety of biological characteristics of note,” the researchers wrote in their study. 

Chondrichthyans include sharks, rays, skates, and related fish. 

Over hundreds of millions of years, the DNA of chondrichthyans has undergone unique changes that may grant them accelerated healing abilities, the researchers found. 

“Such traits include, but are not limited to, the presence of a primitive adaptive immune system, efficient wound healing, and the evolution of regional endothermy in several species,” the scientists wrote.

When a shark is injured, a layer of new cells rapidly grows to fill in the wound, much more quickly than in mammals. 

Two genes particularly stood out to the researchers. Both are linked to higher rates of cancer in humans. In sharks, however, they act to prevent cancer. 

“Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a process that eliminates dysfunctional cells and one of the hallmarks of cancer is the ability of malignant cells to evade apoptosis,” they wrote. 

In humans, the two genes seem to work together to shut off cell death in some cells, which encourages formation of cancerous tumors. In sharks, however, those genes seem to induce death in cancerous cells, the researchers said.

Now, the scientists are studying tissues from those species using genomics, which focuses on the structure, function, and mapping of genomes. Little genetic mapping of shark DNA has been completed.

They hope that they can pinpoint how sharks developed their healing superpowers, the scientists said. They also hope to find out if those abilities can be used to help humans who are ill or injured.

Maybe Wolverine’s nickname should have been “Shark Boy.”

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-016-3411-x">BMC Genomics</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Scientists: shark DNA may hold the key to curing cancer

In the “X-Men” comics and movies, Wolverine has the unique...

Next winter, you may not be the only one heading to the doctor for your annual flu shot. According to new research, your <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/negotiating-world-dog-walking/">dog</a> may need to get a similar flu vaccine.

Soon, this will be easier than ever, thanks to Luis Martinez-Sobrido and his team at the<a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd.aspx"> University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry</a>. They’re in the process of developing a canine influenza vaccine that can be given intranasally. Their new study was published in the<a href="http://jvi.asm.org"> Journal of Virology</a>.

Unlike the canine flu vaccine injection that’s currently available, the nasal vaccine will be made with a live form of the virus. This makes it more effective than the injectable form, which is made of an inactive flu virus and requires two separate shots over a period of several weeks.

While canine flu isn’t as well known as the human form of the virus, it causes similar symptoms. Dogs infected with canine influenza often experience lethargy, loss of appetite, sneezing, and coughing. While dogs tend to pass the illness to each other and not to humans, scientists say dog-to-human flu transmission is possible.  

“Dogs are great companion animals, and we’re in much closer contact with them than we are with birds or swines,” Martinez-Sobrido said to<a href="http://www.time.com"> Time</a> magazine. “It could be a matter of time before a dog’s virus is able to transmit to humans.”

This is why experts are recommending that dogs get flu shots along with their owners. They compare dogs passing flu to human owners with swine and avian flu outbreaks that have occurred in the past. Like the human flu vaccine, the doggy version would need to be given annually in order to remain current and outpace virus mutations. 

So next winter, when you stop by to get your yearly flu shot, keep your fine furry friend in mind, too – they don’t like the sniffles any more than you do! 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Luis Martinez-Sobrido,<a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd.aspx"> University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry</a>

Scientists suggest a new flu vaccine for your dog

Next winter, you may not be the only one heading...

Hamsters fed corn turn from cute and cuddly into something from a horror movie.

Hamsters are cuddly, adorable, and sweet – until you feed them a corn-based diet. In a scene that’s reminiscent of a 1980’s horror movie, corn-fed hamsters turn into dark-tongued cannibals that store their young in their hamster pantries and munch on them during mealtimes.

Surprised? Scientists in northeastern France were, too, as they started what they thought would be an experiment on how a hamster’s diet affects its ability to reproduce in the wild. They tested groups of hamsters with two different diets – one that was corn-based and one that was wheat-based. Both diets included sides of yummy worms and clover.

Neither group had problems reproducing and had babies at similar rates. However, the mortality rates of the babies in the corn-based diet group were higher. Researchers soon found that this was because the mothers would store the tiny pups in with their supply of maize and then eat it all – pups included.

The reason? Scientists suspected Vitamin B3 deficiency after they noted that the corn-fed hamsters had dark, swollen tongues, thick blood, and would run around in circles and pound on their feeders when scientists appeared in the room. To confirm their suspicion, they added Vitamin B3 supplements to the hamsters’ diets without making any additional changes. The frantic and cannibalistic behavior ceased.

The team of researchers, led by Mathilde Tissier at the<a href="http://en.unistra.fr/"> University of Strasbourg</a>, believe that the study sheds light on the plummeting population of Cricetus cricetus hamsters in western Europe. There, hamsters live in virtual mazes of maize as their natural habitat has given way to industrial corn farming. The scientists published their findings in the British Royal Society journal<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org"> Proceedings B</a>.  

Gerard Baumgart, President of the Research Centre for Environmental Protection in Alsace has worked for years to protect endangered hamster. He believes the study is a call to action and said to the <a href="https://www.afp.com/en/news-hub">AFP</a>, “There's clearly an imbalance. Our hamster habitat is collapsing.” 

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Mathilde Tissier,<a href="http://en.unistra.fr/"> University of Strasbourg</a>

&nbsp;

Hamsters fed corn become carnivorous cannibals

Hamsters fed corn turn from cute and cuddly into something from...

The mercury is rising, in more ways than one. As ocean temperatures rise, they may be dragging mercury levels in fish along with them, scientists discovered in a new study.

Climate scientists have recorded steadily rising surface air and ocean temperatures for the past several years. Climate change has already been linked to an ongoing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-scientists-pacific-ocean-warming-caused-east-african-drought/">drought in East Africa</a>. One study showed extreme drought linked to global warming had the potential to cause <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-new-dust-bowl/">another Dust Bowl</a>. 

But new studies are showing that warmer air has also been linked to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/attribution-science-extreme-weather-events/">extreme rainfall events</a>. Along with flooding and crop damage, heavy rainfall can lead to toxic seafood, a team of Swedish scientists has discovered.

And all that rain brings runoff.

At issue is the amount of mercury that already exists in coastal waters.

“The input of mercury (Hg) to ecosystems is estimated to have increased two- to fivefold during the industrial era, and Hg accumulates in aquatic biota as neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg),” the research team wrote in their study. 

In some places, mercury levels are even higher. For example, the San Francisco Bay has high mercury levels, not just from the usual sources but from the <a href="https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2015/11/05/mercury-in-san-francisco-bay/">1849 Gold Rush</a>. Hydraulic mining operations used mercury to process ore, and that mercury washed in enormous amounts down rivers to the bay. 

Now, rainfall could wash organic matter from inland down those rivers and others around the world. In coastal waters, that organic matter can react with mercury to create a powerful neurotoxin known as methylmercury.

That neurotoxin can accumulate in zooplankton in high amounts, the scientists said. As fish and other marine creatures eat the zooplankton, methylmercury builds in those animals. And as humans fish and eat their catch, it transfers again.

To test their theory, the researchers used a newly developed isotope tracer to monitor formation of methylmercury in runoff events at the Bothnian Sea, off the coast of Sweden. They found that increased runoff caused more organic matter to flow into the sea, and that encouraged bacterial growth. The bacteria, an added step to the sea’s food chain, caused methylmercury levels to spike, the scientists found.

Infants and pregnant women are especially sensitive to methylmercury poisoning, but all humans are at risk. Symptoms of methylmercury poisoning can include blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness, and central nervous system impairment, according to <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001651.htm">MedlinePlus</a>. Symptoms can’t be reversed after exposure.

According to the <a href="http://www.who.int/ipcs/assessment/public_health/mercury/en/">World Health Organization</a>, mercury is highly toxic to humans when ingested. One of the most common ways it’s eaten? As methylmercury in fish. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/1/e1601239.full">Science Advances</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Mercury levels in fish may rise with global temperatures

The mercury is rising, in more ways than one. As...

Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would be an “act of self-sabotage,” according to the <a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/">Sierra Club</a> and other conservation organizations.

The wall, a pet project of new President Donald Trump, has met with resistance since it was proposed. But beyond the $12 to $25 billion <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37243269">price tag</a> and the risk of the U.S. damaging relations with its <a href="https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/americas/mexico">third biggest trading partner</a>, activists are now raising concerns about the wall’s environmental impact.

The president insists the wall is necessary to prevent illegal immigration from Mexico. The Mexican government will pay for it, he said; Mexico has refuted that claim.

The amount of concrete needed to build a wall on the magnitude the president has proposed would produce massive amounts of carbon dioxide, engineers in New York and London told <a href="https://about.bnef.com/blog/scientists-warn-trumps-border-wall-will-be-bad-for-the-planet/">Bloomberg News</a>. 

A wall stretching 1,000 miles – slightly over half the length of the U.S.-Mexico border – would require about 275 million cubic feet of concrete, the engineers said. That could release up to 1.9 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere, they said.

Still, while most scientists agree that human-produced atmospheric carbon is a major contributor to climate change, a handful of skeptics and the president himself disagree.

Unfortunately, the atmospheric carbon produced by a massive wall on the border are not the only ecological costs. 

For the members of the animal kingdom who live along the border, a man-made wall could cut through their territory. Animals such as El Jefe, the only wild jaguar in the United States, and American black bears that rely on mating with their Mexican counterparts could be cut off from others of their species.

Animals that regularly migrate could be blocked from their summer homes. Species that have been shifting north to cooler climes could also find themselves stuck.

“Walls and barriers have already been constructed across more than 650 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border,” the Sierra Club said on its Borderlands website. “These barriers block wildlife migration, cause flooding and damage pristine wild lands, including wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and national forests.”

The Sierra Club has taken up positions against a number of the president’s actions during his first week in office, including an order restarting work on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Activists: wall on U.S.-Mexico border will damage environment

Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would be an...

“You have to share!” It’s a lesson we try to teach children from the time they are born. According to a recent study, scientists have discovered that humans aren’t the only animals capable of sharing things. It turns out that man's best friend can display generosity, as well – especially with other <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cats-just-smart-dogs-thank-much/">dogs</a> that they know and love. 

Rachel Dale, Friederike Range, and their other colleagues at the <a href="https://www.vetmeduni.ac.at/en/messerli/">Messerli Research Institute</a> in Vienna conducted an experiment in which they gave dogs a bar-pulling task in which they could deliver treats to other dogs. They found that the dogs would deliver treats to partner dogs, but would do so more often if the other dog was familiar to them. The research was published in the journal<a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/"> PLOS ONE</a>.

Scientists also conducted tests to find out if man's best friend would continue to deliver treats to a partner dog under various circumstances. What if the task were more complex? What if the partner dog was a stranger? What would the effect be if another dog were present in the room? 

The next setup was different. ”The dogs were first trained to touch a token in exchange for a food reward for themselves. They were then trained to recognize two more tokens: one that resulted in a reward being delivered to a partner dog and another which did not,” Dale explained. Partner dogs were in a separate enclosure that was visible to the dog being tested.

During the tests, they discovered that dogs were willing to deliver treats to partner dogs even when the task grew more complicated. The experiment showed that the dogs preferred delivering treats to partners who were familiar to them, as they did so three times more often than they gave treats to unfamiliar dogs. If another dog was present in the room with the test dog, treat-giving went up. If the dog was alone in the room, the number of treat deliveries dropped.  

So now you know: knick knack, paddy whack, give a dog a bone – and he’ll share it.

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Source: Rachel Dale, Friederike Range, <a href="https://www.vetmeduni.ac.at/en/messerli/">Messerli Research Institute</a>

Man’s best friend has the capacity to share, scientists say

“You have to share!” It’s a lesson we try to...

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

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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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