For the first time, scientists have shown that global warming has overtaken every other human-caused pressure on wildlife protected by the Endangered Species Act. 



Drawing on a new analysis of 2,766 at-risk plants and animals across the United States and its territories, researchers report that 91 percent of federally listed species are now harmed by symptoms of climate change including rising temperatures, shifting rainfall, and other climate-linked disruptions.



“With the addition of comprehensive climate sensitivity data, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-climate-change-and-biodiversity-loss-are-one-indivisible-global-health-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a> is just as prevalent a stressor to ESA-listed species as land and sea use change; this trend likely applies more broadly as well,” the authors wrote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-threats-to-endangered-species">Climate threats to endangered species</h2>



The study, led by <a href="https://defenders.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Defenders of Wildlife</a> scientist Talia E. Niederman, set out to determine how the five dominant drivers of biodiversity loss - climate change, land and sea use change, pollution, invasive species and overexploitation - interact across taxonomic groups.



Previous national syntheses relied heavily on the threats listed in original ESA documents or in the global <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN Red List</a>, both of which can lag behind current knowledge. To correct that shortfall, the team merged those data with a suite of recent climate-sensitivity assessments that evaluate species’ exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to warming.



Incorporating this third layer revealed thousands of cases in which climate stress had gone unreported, vaulting global warming to the top of the threat ledger. 



The researchers caution that historical listing decisions and many IUCN accounts vastly underrepresent the number of species affected by climate change and urge agencies to explicitly include climate sensitivity in ESA listing decisions and management plans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cascading-risks-for-endangered-species">Cascading risks for endangered species</h2>



Although climate change now dominates, it is rarely acting alone. Over 86 percent of the species in the data set face two or more of the five drivers at once, creating dangerous feedbacks that can accelerate decline.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/without-tackling-climate-change-coral-restoration-efforts-are-insufficient/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Corals</a> and other cnidarians are hit by an average of almost five threats each, while bivalves and amphibians typically contend with more than three. Habitat conversion remains the number-one menace to freshwater organisms, whereas marine species suffer most from overexploitation.



Overall, land and sea use change still endangers 82 percent of U.S. imperiled species, and invasive species trouble more than half. Pollution and direct exploitation each jeopardize roughly a third, but their true influence may be larger because both pressures are chronically under-documented.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-numbers-stack-up"><a></a>How the numbers stack up</h2>



Among terrestrial vertebrates, 75 percent of birds, 92 percent of mammals and 83 percent of reptiles are already affected by a warmer, less predictable climate. Freshwater groups are equally vulnerable: 88 percent of assessed fish and 75 percent of amphibians show high sensitivity to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperature</a> or hydrological shifts.



Even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predicting-how-climate-change-will-alter-plant-growth-cycles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a> taxa, sometimes assumed to be more buffered, reveal striking exposure, with nearly 78 percent of flowering plants and over 90 percent of conifers triggered under at least one climate-sensitivity metric.



By contrast, initial ESA listings cited climate threats for fewer than half of these groups, and the IUCN captured only about a quarter, largely because many U.S. species have never been reassessed under the Red List’s newer climate criteria.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-need-for-updated-assessments"><a></a>Urgent need for updated assessments</h2>



The authors highlight glaring information gaps: echinoderms, corals, and mollusks suffer from outdated or missing IUCN evaluations, while federal five-year reviews - required under the ESA - often arrive late or omit emerging climate data.



Without current assessments, managers can underestimate extinction risk and fail to deploy adaptive conservation tools such as assisted migration, habitat corridors or proactive fire management. 



Expanding rapid, standardized climate-vulnerability screenings, they argue, would give agencies a clearer map of where limited resources can do the most good.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-policy-pathways-to-prevention"><a></a>Policy pathways to prevention</h2>



Even under today’s daunting statistics, the team stresses that decisive action can still prevent losses. They recommend targeting the full suite of human pressures at once - curbing greenhouse-gas emissions while also restoring degraded habitats, controlling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/growing-threat-of-invasive-species-requires-immediate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">invasive species</a>, reducing pollution and enforcing sustainable harvests.



Doing so, they contend, will yield co-benefits for people, from safeguarding fisheries and water supplies to buffering communities from extreme weather. 



"We need no further research to know that biodiversity is facing multiple persistent threats. Addressing the five drivers of biodiversity loss promptly across all affected taxa will be critical to preventing further extinction," the researchers concluded. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-climate-affects-endangered-species">How climate affects endangered species</h2>



The findings arrive as the United States prepares its first National Nature Assessment, a report intended to guide conservation investment through the mid-century. 



By demonstrating that climate change has already become the most pervasive danger for endangered species, the new study provides a sobering benchmark - and a potent call to integrate climate adaptation into every level of species recovery planning. 



Whether policymakers heed that call may determine how many of today’s imperiled species can still be saved for future generations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biaf019/8115311?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth System Dynamics</a>.



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Climate change is the largest threat to U.S. endangered species

For the first time, scientists have shown that global warming has overtaken every other human-caused pressure on wildlife protected by the Endangered Species Act. Drawing on a new analysis of 2,766 at-risk plants and animals across the United States and its territories, researchers report that 91 percent of federally listed species are now harmed by symptoms of climate change including rising temperatures, shifting rainfall, and other climate-linked disruptions. “With the addition of comprehensive climate sensitivity data, climate change is just as prevalent a stressor to ESA-listed species...

In previews of the film, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1753383/">A Dog’s Purpose</a> promises to be a tear-jerker, telling the story of a loving canine who is reborn again and again as he learns and seeks out his purpose in this world. But a recently-released behind-the-scenes video has outraged pet lovers and animal rights activists due to alleged animal cruelty.

In the video, an animal trainer on the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animal-abuse-allegations-hollywood/">set of the film</a> pushes a frightened German Shepherd into a pool of churning water. A voice can be heard off camera telling the trainer,  “He ain’t gonna calm down ‘til he goes in the water. Just got to throw him in.” The dog frantically tries to claw its way back up the side of the pool to no avail.

The video is edited and cuts to another part in which the dog, immersed and struggling to keep its head above the turbulent water, suddenly goes under. A voice yells, “Cut it!” as onlookers rush towards the edge of the pool.

<a href="http://www.peta.org/">PETA</a> is calling for a boycott of the film “in order to send the message that dogs and other animals should be treated humanely, not as movie props."

The <a href="https://www.americanhumane.org">American Humane Society</a>, which had a representative present on the set of the film, told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a> that they are hiring an independent investigator to look into the alleged animal cruelty incident. They have put the representative who was involved with the film on administrative leave.

Director Lasse Halström said on Twitter that while he did not witness the incident, he was “disturbed by the video” that was released.

“We were all committed to providing a loving and safe environment for all the animals in the film,” he tweeted. “I have been promised that a thorough investigation into this situation is underway and that any wrongdoing will be reported and punished.”

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Animal cruelty video sparks calls to boycott ‘A Dog’s Purpose’

In previews of the film, A Dog’s Purpose promises to...

Dogs simply love heading outside for a walk. This daily <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-truth-about-dog-dreams/">dog</a> walking ritual between pet and owner serves as a bonding experience – one that researchers have discovered is more complex than people originally thought.

A recent study published in <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rscg20/current">Social &amp; Cultural Geography</a> shows that dog walks actually involve constant negotiation about where to walk, how long to walk, and how the walk will take place. Dog owners often make these decisions based on their perception of their pet’s personality, likes, and dislikes. 

Taking a dog for a walk involves more than simply heading out the door for a bit of exercise. Louis Platt, lecturer at <a href="http://www2.mmu.ac.uk">Manchester Metropolitan University</a> and co-author of the study, says that dog walking is a shared experience between the dog and owner. Humans want to see their dogs have fun and wish to provide a safe, stress-free environment in which that can happen. 

This is why dog owners tailor their walk schedule and journey to their dog’s individual needs. Many owners hit the great outdoors with their canine companions because they feel that it’s where their pets can let loose and demonstrate the “doggyness” that is so often denied to them while indoors. 

Owners spoke of heading to their dog’s “favorite park” or areas where they felt the dog enjoyed frolicking. They also customize the length of their walks according to what they felt their dog would most enjoy. One study participant said that long daily walks were part of her dog’s “right” to a good life. 

Caution and anxiety also play a role in dog owner’s decisions about where and how to walk. People with large or aggressive dogs tend to avoid paths where they might meet other dogs, lots of people, or small children. Letting their canines off leash was another activity where dog owners took special care. Many of them expressed concern at the idea of their dog wandering away. Owners who approve of off-leash dog walking feel that this is “the dog’s time” to be itself. 

From when to leash up to where to head out, there’s definitely more to dog walking than lifting legs and wagging tails.

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Source: Louis Platt, <a href="http://www2.mmu.ac.uk">Manchester Metropolitan University</a>

Negotiating the world of dog walking

Dogs simply love heading outside for a walk. This daily...

This summer’s blockbuster War for the Planet of the Apes couldn’t be more timely. It is currently being argued that many of the world's primates are battling mankind for their very lives.

A study published Wednesday asserts that about 60% of earth’s non-human primate species is in grave danger of becoming extinct. The research was conducted by scientists from all over the globe and is understood to be the most exhaustive study on primates ever conducted. The study, which appeared in the peer-reviewed journal<a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org"> Science Advances</a> also warns that about 75% of apes and monkeys show declining populations.

“This is truly the 11th hour for many of these creatures,” said Paul Garber, an anthropology professor from the <a href="http://www.anthro.illinois.edu/people/p-garber">University of Illinois</a> who co-led the study.

According to the study, the expansion of human populations into countries with primates is the main cause for the threat. Climate change, hunting and the illegal pet trade, as well as loss of habitat resulting from mining, logging and agriculture are all contributing to the decline.

The Hainan gibbon population, native to China, has dropped to fewer than 30. That is, there are fewer than 30 of these animals left on earth. The population of the Grauer’s gorilla is currently around 3,800, dropping in the last 20 years from 17,000. Three hundred of the 500 species of primates in the world are threatened or endangered. Without a global prioritization of conservation, these and many other species will be wiped out in the next 25 years.

Garber adds that the threatened and endangered status of these primates should be seen as a warning. Humans will eventually face a similar fate if “we continue to pollute the environment.”

As we <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/endangered-species-act-endangered/">reported</a> earlier this week, the GOP are looking to scale back much of the Endangered Species Act. 

“Any species that gets in the way of a congressional initiative or some kind of development will be clearly at risk,” says Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of<a href="http://www.defenders.org"> Defenders of Wildlife</a> and a former<a href="https://www.fws.gov"> Fish and Wildlife Service</a> director under President Clinton. “The political lineup is as unfavorable to the Endangered Species Act as I can remember.”

“The problem seems far away but there are a few easy things consumers in the U.S. can do to help take some of the pressure off,” adds Jan Vertefeuille of the<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org"> World Wildlife Fund.</a> Insisting on products like responsibly harvested wood and recycled paper can actually help.

--

By Darryl Joseph, Earth.com Staff Writer

Most primates in danger of extinction

This summer’s blockbuster War for the Planet of the Apes...

Male <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/baboon-ancient-human-speech/">baboons</a> may resort to murder in order to reproduce faster 

Male baboons are so determined to sow their wild oats that they may consider bloodthirsty measures, a new study reveals.

When faced with a group that consists of low numbers of fertile females, male baboons resort to violence – killing infant baboons sired by other males, as well as attacking pregnant females in an attempt to cause them to miscarry. 

This behavior helps ensure that the male will be able to sire its own offspring while preventing successful reproduction by other males in the group. It’s the baboons’ way of trying to “survive and reproduce,” said study author Matthew Zipple of<a href="https://www.duke.edu"> Duke University</a>. 

Male baboons typically engage in this type of violent behavior in situations where they have few opportunities to mate. Low populations of fertile females can be caused by food shortages, among other factors.

"When reproductive opportunities abound, this behavior is less frequent,” Zipple said.

The study was published in the journal<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org"> Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>. It came about after researchers, while looking through baboon census records, noticed an increase in infant deaths shortly after a new male was introduced to the group. The deaths were only limited to infants; the numbers did not reflect similar statistics amongst one- and two-year-old baboons.

While past studies have shown that animals such as <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/study-trophy-hunting-lions-can-save-species/">lions</a>, dolphins, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ticklish-rats-researchers-tickeled-pink/">rodents </a>also commit infanticide, this data helps back theories about why these killings occur. Researchers believe that when a male baboon kills an infant or a fetus, it shortens the time they must wait to mate with the mother.

If a mother baboon gives birth to a baby, it takes at least a year for her to be ready to reproduce again. If that baby dies as a fetus or infant, she can be ready in a mere 41 days.

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Matthew Zipple,<a href="https://www.duke.edu"> Duke University</a>

Male baboons will kill to reproduce faster

Male baboons may resort to murder in order to reproduce...

Some of the world’s favorite celebrities passed away in 2016. Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds were just a few of those we mourned as the year came to a close.

It wasn’t just human celebrities we lost last year, though. Let’s not forget the favorite celebrities of the Animal Kingdom who left us in 2016, too.
<ol>
 	<li><a href="http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/the_slatest/2016/05/30/full_video_shows_harambe_the_gorilla_dragging_child_before_he_was_shot/harambecincinnatizoo.jpg.CROP.promo-xlarge2.jpg">Harambe the gorilla</a></li>
</ol>
The most memorable loss of 2016 was Harambe, who was shot after a toddler fell into his enclosure at the <a href="http://cincinnatizoo.org/">Cincinnati Zoo</a>.

His death sparked grief and outrage, along with some truly strange Internet memes. It also inspired discussions about the ethics of keeping animals in zoos, safe animal handling practices, and conservation of endangered species.

“For people who want to know more about what was going on in Harambe’s head and heart, think about your companion dog, for example. How do they respond when someone trespasses into where they feel safe?” Merc Bekoff wrote in <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/why-was-harambe-the-gorilla-in-a-zoo-in-the-first-place/">Scientific American</a>.
<ol start="2">
 	<li><a href="http://images.csmonitor.com/csmarchives/2009/11/article_photo1_315.jpg?alias=standard_600x400">Courage the turkey</a></li>
</ol>
Courage was the first turkey President Barack Obama ever pardoned, during his first Thanksgiving as president in 2009.

The tom turkey went on to live a long life at the Happiest Place on Earth: Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland in California.

Courage died just before Thanksgiving – and just after Election Day – in November 2016. The average male turkey lives about two years; Courage was at least 7 when he died of old age.
<ol start="3">
 	<li><a href="https://www.nps.gov/features/yell/slidefile/mammals/wolf/Images/17120.jpg">778M, the last of the Druid wolves</a></li>
</ol>
The Druid wolf pack was once one of the largest and most famous of the wolf packs that made Yellowstone home. 778M, born in 2007, was its last surviving member. He split off from the pack a short time before the other members were wiped out by mange.

“He would fight at the drop of the hat, and he was willing to run right into battle,” Yellowstone biologist Rick McIntyre told the <a href="http://www.mailtribune.com/entertainmentlife/20161211/last-of-druids">Mail Tribune</a>.

He was shot and killed by a hunter outside the park in November.
<ol start="4">
 	<li><a href="http://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/11022015-grizzly-1020x661.jpg">Scarface, the Yellowstone grizzly</a></li>
</ol>
778M wasn’t the only one of Yellowstone’s favorite celebrities to pass away in 2016.

Scarface was 25, old in bear years, but he didn’t die of natural causes. He was killed by a hunter right outside of the park’s northern border in April.

Scarface got his nickname from, well, his scarred face and ragged ear, earned in battle with other bears.

He was a favorite of park visitors – and biologists. With more than 15 captures and releases, he was one of the country’s most studied bears.
<ol start="5">
 	<li><a href="http://img2-azcdn.newser.com/image/1086311-12-20161003102314.jpeg">Toughie, the last of his species</a></li>
</ol>
Toughie was the last Rabb’s fringe-limbed treefrog on Earth.

The frog species was discovered in 2005, just before it was wiped out by habitat loss and disease. The last wild member of the species was heard in 2007.

Toughie was a survivor. He was 12 when he died at the <a href="http://atlantabg.org/">Atlanta Botanical Garden</a> in September, and his species died with him.
<ol start="6">
 	<li><a href="http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/161230115744-02-pan-pan-china-panda-super-tease.jpg">Pan Pan, the panda patriarch</a></li>
</ol>
Pan Pan broke the mold for pandas. Scientists have struggled to convince pandas to reproduce in captivity.

Pan Pan, on the other hand, is estimated to have more than 130 descendants, a quarter of the population of pandas in captivity. His virility and age – he was the oldest male panda in captivity – earned him the nickname “Panda Grandpa.”

“I think the pandas in captivity and in the zoos will be helpful to educate people about the importance of conservation,” Dr. Jianguo Liu of Michigan State University told <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/30/507539383/-panda-grandpa-pan-pan-dies-in-china">NPR</a>.
<ol start="7">
 	<li><a href="http://www.oneindia.com/img/2016/05/tiger-601-30-1464603333.jpg">Machli, the tiger matriarch</a></li>
</ol>
The Bengal tigress called the Queen of Ranthambore was believed to be the oldest in the wild when she died, between 19 and 20 years old.

She was also one of India’s favorite celebrities, due to her role in helping to repopulate the tiger community in <a href="http://www.ranthamborenationalpark.com/">Ranthambore National Park</a>.

“Amongst the 62 tigers of Ranthambore, what made Machli so special was her comfort level with the humans, and how she held lensmen (and women) in awe of her grace,” the park wrote on its website.

The Indian government issued a commemorative stamp in her honor. She passed away from old age on August 18.
<ol start="8">
 	<li><a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1936301.1410453934!/img/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/article_750/bretagne.JPG">Bretagne, the last 9/11 rescue dog</a></li>
</ol>
On Sept. 11, 2001, after a terror attack brought down the World Trade Center, rescuers poured into Ground Zero to try and find survivors. Search-and-rescue dogs like Bretagne also did their part.

But at 16, she had severe arthritis and was showing signs of cancer. The Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department made the tough decision to have her put to sleep in June.

“Some may say that the most a dog could be is a pet. However, to the over 400 members of the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department, Bretagne was a civil servant, a hero and is family,” the department told the <a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/cyfair/news/article/Firefighters-bid-farewell-to-last-known-9-11-7966974.php">Houston Chronicle</a>.
<ol start="9">
 	<li><a href="http://qatar.com/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/05/scooter-the-siamese-cat.jpg">Scooter, the world’s oldest cat</a></li>
</ol>
Just days after the Guinness Book named 30-year-old Scooter the world’s oldest cat, he died of old age. According to veterinarians, in human years, he would have been 136.

Scooter’s owner credited the Siamese cat’s long life to staying active. He also reportedly traveled with his owner to 45 of the 50 states.
<ol start="10">
 	<li><a href="http://static.lakana.com/media.fox29.com/photo/2016/12/30/african%20lion%20Zenda_1483121592509_2480841_ver1.0.png">Zenda, the oldest lion in the U.S.</a></li>
</ol>
As the year came to a close, the <a href="http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/">Philadelphia Zoo</a> was forced to say goodbye to one of its favorite celebrities, a 25-year-old lion who was loved by her keeper and the zoo’s guests alike.

Zenda was known as a peacemaker – an odd role for a lion.

“She was the one that held everyone together,” Kay Buffamonte, her keeper for 24 years, told <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Philadelphia-Zoo-lion-Zenda-dies-Dec-29-2016.html">Philly.com</a>.

After her health rapidly declined, the zoo was forced to make the difficult decision to end her life on Dec. 30, 2016.
<ol start="11">
 	<li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2017/01/18/Gorilla-Colo-2006-0001-Grahm-S-Jones-Columbus-Zoo-and-Aquarium-large_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpg">Colo, America's oldest Gorilla </a></li>
</ol>
Beloved Colo died just earlier this week after leading a long and happy life at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. She died in her sleep overnight less than a month after her 60th birthday. In a statementzoo president Tom Stalf said "Colo touched the hearts of generations of people who came to see her and those that cared for her over her long lifetime, she was an ambassador for gorillas and inspired people to learn more about the critically endangered species and motivated them to protect gorillas in their native habitat."

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

&nbsp;

Remembering 10 favorite animal celebrities we lost last year

Some of the world’s favorite celebrities passed away in 2016....

Moth with golden combover is named after Donald Trump

A minuscule moth with a familiar, golden coif was just named after the man who will soon be the 45th president of the United States.  

Neopalpa donaldtrumpi was discovered in California by evolutionary biologist Vazrick Nazari, of Ottawa, Canada. He named the moth after president-elect Donald Trump due to the resemblance between the golden, side-swept fur that tops its head and Trump’s signature hairstyle.

The moth has rough, yellowish-white scales on its head with an off-white body and wings that are often brown or grayish-brown. 

The species is native to Southern California and the Mexican state of Baja, California – quite ironic for a moth that was named after a candidate who ran on often fiery rhetoric around building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The moth is incredibly small, with a wingspan of just over a centimeter. It belongs to the family Gelechiidae, also known as twirler moths. When disturbed, twirler moths frequently twirl in circles.   

Nazari says that he hopes the moth’s name will encourage Mr. Trump and the general public to pay attention to conservation efforts in the U.S. Many delicate ecosystems “contain many undiscovered and undescribed species, and deserve to be protected for future generations,” he told <a href="http://www.livescience.com">Live Science</a>.   

Mr. Trump won’t be the first president to have a scientific namesake; researchers have named nine species after President Barack Obama. Scientists have also named species after characters from Star Wars, actors such as Johnny Depp, and music legends Beyoncé and Johnny Cash.  

Neopalpa donaldtrumpi isn't the only insect with a Trump-like hairstyle. The<a href="http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/MISC/MOTHS/puss.htm"> puss caterpillar</a> also has a distinctive golden hairdo. Experts don’t recommend that people grab a puss caterpillar because the tiny creatures can deliver a painful sting. 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.livescience.com"> Live Science</a>

Image: Vazrick Nazari

Moth with 'golden flake hairstyle' named after Donald Trump

Moth with golden combover is named after Donald Trump A...

Recent video footage revealed a surprising sight: common leopards were spotted wandering in the same area as snow leopards in the Qinghai province in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/anti-smog-measures-china/">China</a>. While this may sound like a beautiful find for nature lovers, scientists aren’t pleased. 

What has scientists up in arms? The snow leopard is endangered and the common leopard poses a threat to its already-dwindling numbers.

Snow leopards typically make their home in high altitudes, usually above 3,000m. They dwell in rocky areas that are more exposed. Meanwhile, the common leopards live in lower-altitude forest and woodland areas. 

Although the upper reaches of the common leopards’ habitat can sometimes overlap with the lower borders of the snow leopard’s territory, this is the first time that researchers have seen video evidence of the two cats wandering in the exact same area. 

Professor Sandro Lovari’s team from the <a href="http://en.unisi.it">University of Siena</a> in Italy has conducted studies on snow leopards in Nepal’s <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/120">Sagarmatha National Park</a> in 2013. He points to the common leopard’s ability to adapt to different habitats as the root of the problem. As common leopards move upwards, a dwindling amount of prey could force the snow leopard into higher-altitudes that are barren and inhospitable.

Byron Weckworth, China’s program director of the <a href="https://www.panthera.org">Panthera</a> conservation organization, suggests that climate change is also pushing the tree line higher and shrinking the snow leopard’s habitat.

Locals in the region don’t believe that the merging of the two species will create further harm. Some even believe that the two species could mate, pointing to the rather pale color of the common leopards in the area. Weckworth insists that this is extremely unlikely.

Lovari agrees, saying that reproduction between the two leopard species is “even more unlikely than brown bears and polar bears” successfully mating. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Sources: Sandro Lovari, <a href="http://en.unisi.it">University of Siena</a>

Scientists concerned about leopards becoming roommates

Recent video footage revealed a surprising sight: common leopards were...

Wasps have a pretty good defense in their painful stinger – or so we all thought. A species of wasp recently discovered in Peru has upped the ante, so to speak.

This astonishing wasp totes more than a stinger on its tail; it’s also equipped with what appears to be an ant’s head built into its posterior. Researchers were so shocked at their discover that they named the wasp species Clistopyga carumba. The name is based on the the Spanish phrase “Ay Carumba!” that’s often used to express surprise.

The wasp’s appearance is so odd that initially, scientists thought that it had suffered some sort of deformation. They soon realized their mistake and deemed the species “the most bizarre parasitoid wasps ever collected and described,” according to the journal<a href="http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/"> Zootaxa</a>. 

Scientists found the female wasp specimen in storage at<a href="http://museohn.unmsm.edu.pe"> The Natural History Museum of San Marcos, Lima, Peru</a>. Sadly, the dead specimen is the only one of its type ever to be discovered.

This has led scientists to hypothesize about the many possible uses of the wasp’s bizarre ant-head tail. The design of the ant’s posterior may allow it to bend upwards at a more aggressive degree, better enabling it to attack prey. 

Another possibility is that that the tail is an example of Batesian mimicry. This evolutionary tactic allows certain species to mimic other harmful species in order to frighten away potential attackers. Burrowing owls use this sort of mimicry, imitating the hissing sounds of a rattlesnake to drive predators away from their underground nests.   

In the case of Clistopyga carumba, because spiders are frightened of ants, the wasp uses a tail that resembles an ant’s head to deter lurking spiders. Scientists also believe that spiders may be attracted to the tail, seeking to attack what they believe is a dangerous ant. When the spider gets close enough, the wasp is able to kill it.

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/">Zootaxa</a>

Image: <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en/units/sci/units/biology/services/zmut/Pages/home.aspx">Zoological Museum at the University of Turku</a>

Bizarre ant-butt wasp makes scientists say, “Ay Carumba!”

Wasps have a pretty good defense in their painful stinger...

After ten years of declining numbers, the <a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger">World Wildlife Fund</a> reports that the global <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tiger-poaching-rise-luxury-market/">tiger</a> population is beginning to bounce back. Among the species they hope to see again are Caspian tigers, a long-extinct tiger breed. They roamed through Central Asia before they were declared extinct in the mid-1960s.

How do you reintroduce an animal that’s extinct? The marvels of modern day science, of course. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.esf.edu">SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry</a> have plans to use a subspecies that’s genetically identical the Caspian. 

Once they have the tigers, scientists have identified the perfect habitat for them: an area of Kazakhstan that is an ideal environment for the newly-introduced species to flourish. 

The Caspian became extinct in part because for a time, there was a price on its head. The Soviet Union paid a bounty for each tiger that was trapped or poisoned – a practice that continued until the 1930s. They also suffered from disruptions to their habitat caused by irrigation projects that tore through the forests and frightened away the tigers’ prey. 

With the tigers now off-limits for hunting, their status would be protected. In an article published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biological-conservation/">Biological Conservation</a>, the team explains how environmental groups and Kazakhstani government would prepare the tigers’ potential habitat before they could be reintroduced. Mikhail Paltsyn, a member of the research team, says that people must work to stop the riparian zone degradation that has resulted from wildfires. Since tigers need food, the next step would be to restore hoofed prey mammals to the area. Human safety issues need to be addressed in order to ensure the continued survival of those living in the area, as well as the tigers. Water is also an issue, and Paltsyn suggests that efforts be undertone to raise the water levels in nearby Balkash Lake.

The possible habitat area for the long-extinct tiger spans about 2,7000 square miles. If the plan moves forward, the population of Caspian tigers could grow to between 64 and 98 tigers within 50 years.

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.esf.edu">SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry</a>

Image: Heptner and Sludskiy 1972

Long-extinct tiger may be reintroduced in Kazakhstan

After ten years of declining numbers, the World Wildlife Fund...

No sacred cows when it comes to mosquitoes and malaria. In the past, mosquito-elimination efforts in order to control malaria in places like India have focused on humans. Now, a team of researchers is studying the connection between <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-prefer-humans-animals/">mosquitoes</a> and cattle. 

Matthew Thomas, a professor of entomology at <a href="http://www.psu.edu">Penn State</a>, says that in some parts of India where malaria is problematic, the same type of mosquito that feeds on humans also feeds on cattle. This is important because in these places, cattle sheds are often constructed in close proximity to people’s houses. In some cases, a human home may even share a wall with a cattle shed, providing the mosquitoes with easy access to both human and cattle hosts. 

Considering both the human and the cattle players in the malaria puzzle is important, insists Jessica Waite, a postdoctoral scholar in entomology at Penn State. "Given this cattle-shed 'refuge' for mosquitoes, focusing only on humans with regard to malaria control is a bit like treating the tip of an iceberg,” she said in a news release on the study. 

Researchers carried out the study by capturing 1,774 Anopheles culicifacies and 169 Anopheles fluviatilis mosquitoes in six villages in Odisha state. This area has the highest rate of malaria infections in India. In-depth testing revealed the species of the mosquitoes, as well as what sort of hosts they had fed on. 

What does this mean for mosquito-elimination efforts? Thomas says that the study indicates that insecticide sprays and treated bed nets aren’t as effective against mosquitoes that also feed on nonhuman animals. Villages might cut down such mosquito populations by spraying cattle sheds, as well. 

These efforts could be a big step toward the World Health Organization’s goal of reducing global malaria cases by 90 percent by the year 2030. 

The study appeared in the Jan. 16 edition of <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

No sacred cows when it comes to mosquitoes and malaria

No sacred cows when it comes to mosquitoes and malaria....

A female zebra shark in Australia has confirmed what women everywhere have long suspected: men are overrated. She did this by getting pregnant all by herself.

To be clear, her most recent pregnancy was accomplished solo. Leonie the zebra shark had a male companion from 1999 to 2012, when he was moved to a different tank. During that time, the pair gave birth to a whopping two dozen babies.

After her mate was moved, Leonie didn’t let that deter her from joining the Mommy Club yet again. She surprised her caretakers by giving birth to three baby <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/kiribati-establishes-shark-sanctuary/">sharks</a> in 2016. 

How is this possible? <a href="http://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Brisbane</a> researcher Christine Dudgeon and her colleagues have cycled through a few theories.

At first, they thought perhaps the female zebra shark was able to turn her body into a sperm bank. This would allow her to use her ex’s sperm to fertilize her eggs at will. Upon further investigation, they found that the baby sharks were only carrying one set of DNA – that of their mother. Congratulations, Leonie’s ex: you are not the father!

This means that Leonie had her babies via asexual reproduction. This is quite common in many vertebrate species such as sharks, snakes, Komodo dragons, rays, and turkeys. Where Leonie has scientists baffled is that while asexual reproduction is typical for females who have never had a male partner, it’s virtually unheard of in females who have previously mated with males. 

Animals who move from sexual to asexual reproduction is a phenomenon that will require more study. Researchers like Dudgeon believe that it’s possible that this kind of switch occurs more often than scientists realize; they just didn’t know to look for it before.

--

By Dawn Henderson, Earth.com Staff Writer

Female zebra shark reproduces without a male

A female zebra shark in Australia has confirmed what women...

Performing animals were at the center of the success of the "greatest show on earth." The announcement from Ringling Bros. and Barnum &amp; Bailey Circus came as a surprise to some: after being active for more than a century, they are closing down their circus.

“Ringling Bros. ticket sales have been declining, but following the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop. This, coupled with high operating costs, made the circus an unsustainable business for the company,” Chairman and CEO Kenneth Feld said in a statement posted on the <a href="https://www.ringling.com/">circus’ website</a>.

Circus lovers were saddened by the news, but it has some animal rights groups cheering.

“It’s a win for the animals,” Ed Stewart told the Sacramento Bee. Stewart co-founded the <a href="http://www.pawsweb.org/">Performing Animal Welfare Society</a> in 1984 with Pat Derby, who worked with captive animals in Hollywood.

Derby, who died of cancer in 2013, was inspired to work for animal rights after witnessing animal abuse on the sets of “Gunsmoke,” “Flipper,” and other shows, according to the PAWS website.

“PAWS applauds the decision by the Feld family to bring the curtain down on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus,” the nonprofit wrote on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pawsweb.org/">Facebook</a>. “Public opinion has radically changed, favoring an end to the use of wild animals for entertainment, whether it’s elephants and tigers in circuses or orcas in marine parks.”

Over the years, PAWS and other animal rights groups – including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Human Society of the United States – led protests and lawsuits targeting the circus.

“Ringling Bros. has changed a great deal over a century and a half, but not fast enough,” Wayne Pacelle, Humane Society president and CEO, said in a <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2017/01/ringling-bros-show-ends-011417.html">statement</a>. “It’s just not acceptable any longer to cart wild animals from city to city and have them perform silly yet coercive stunts.”

In the late 1990s, activists with the Humane Society and other groups filed a lawsuit claiming that Ringling Bros. and other circuses used bullhooks and chains on their elephants, in addition to neglecting the animals.

In 2012, after 14 years, Ringling Bros. won a $16 million settlement in court over the allegations. Feld Entertainment, the circus’ parent company, <a href="http://www.postandcourier.com/news/animal-groups-agree-to-pay-nearly-m-to-ringling/article_6b737d7a-969c-5d81-97b6-32b79a6efbad.html">received the payment</a> in May 2014.

Despite their win in court, however, the company was feeling the pressure. In recent years, California and Rhode Island banned the use of bullhooks.

In October 2016, Feld Entertainment retired the Ringling Bros. elephants, a plan they’d first suggested at the beginning of the year. The elephants now live at the 200-acre <a href="https://www.ringlingelephantcenter.com/">Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation</a>.

While animal rights groups celebrate, others are saddened by the circus closing.

The elephants had been with the circus for more than 140 years, since the beginning.

But in recent years, the elephants – like SeaWorld’s performing orcas – have been at the center of a debate over working animals.

Abuse of performing animals shouldn’t happen, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animal-abuse-allegations-hollywood/">but it does</a>. When the abusers are caught, a scandal is sure to follow. After all, we bond to the animals that appear on our movie screens or in the shows we see live.

That’s the point – if we don’t feel a connection to performing animals, we’re not going to be emotionally invested in their performances.

That backfires on the culprits when abuse is uncovered – when we care about animals, we care if they’re being treated badly.

Working animals aren’t always mistreated, though. Some, in fact, enjoy their jobs. Trainers aren’t all villains, either.

Take <a href="http://circuscats.com/">The Acro-Cats</a>, for example. The cats perform amazing tricks for audiences around the U.S., but they’re felines on a mission. Their human staff use the act to raise awareness about two causes close to their hearts: pet adoption from shelters, and cat training.

If the circus cats aren’t in the mood to deal with performing for an audience, they don’t have to.

“Some days they perform, sometimes they don’t,” circus founder and cat trainer Samantha Martin said in the documentary “The Wonderful World of Cats.” “It’s free will. We open up the cage, and if they don’t come out, that means they don’t want to come out. We close the cage and move on to the next trick.”

Animals find fulfillment in other careers, too.

<a href="https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/">The Donkey Sanctuary</a> matches up donkeys and children for animal therapy. The work is good for the children, but it’s good for the donkeys, too. They get some affection and attention from each child they help, and the sanctuary works to help donkeys, putting their welfare first.

Dogs around the world are employed in dozens of different jobs, and while some are mistreated – in the case of fighting dogs, horribly – many are thrilled for the chance to work with people.

Even circuses can be successful without exploiting animals.

<a href="https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/">Cirque du Soleil</a> is the obvious example. The Montreal-based circus has performed to sold-out shows around the world and is a permanent attraction in New York, Las Vegas, and other cities.

<a href="http://circusvargas.com/">Circus Vargas</a> once featured animal acts, but successfully retired them in 2010. They’ve made ending abuse a big part of their business model. Not just animal abuse, either – they also support the anti-child abuse organization Childhelp.

These groups show that it’s entirely possible to train working animals without abusing them and to have successful circuses without animals at all.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Circus closure prompts us to look at the history of performing animals

Performing animals were at the center of the success of...

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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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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