The origin of reptiles on Earth has been pushed back by an astonishing 40 million years. Fossilized tracks unearthed in Australia provide compelling evidence that reptile-like animals existed far earlier than previously thought. 



This finding challenges long-held assumptions about the evolution of tetrapods, the group that includes amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.



A team led by John Long, a professor at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a>, discovered fossilized tracks of an amniote with clawed feet, dating to approximately 350 million years ago.



The tracks, found in the Mansfield district of northern Victoria, indicate that amniotes – a group that includes reptiles – were present in the Carboniferous period, much earlier than established <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-modern-fossils-will-be-the-most-surprising-to-future-explorers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">records</a> in the Northern Hemisphere.



“Once we identified this, we realised this is the oldest evidence in the world of reptile-like animals walking around on land – and it pushes their evolution back by 35-to-40 million years older than the previous records in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Professor Long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-clawed-reptile-tracks-in-gondwana">First clawed reptile tracks in Gondwana</h2>



The track-bearing slab, discovered in Taungurung Country, belonged to the Snowy Plains Formation. 



The animal that left these tracks likely resembled a small, stumpy Goanna-like creature. With its clawed feet, this primitive sauropsid walked across what was once part of the ancient southern supercontinent, Gondwana.



“The implications of this discovery for the early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-shifts-the-origin-of-lizards-back-35-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolution</a> of tetrapods are profound,” noted Professor Long. The finding suggests that stem-tetrapod and stem-amniote lineages began evolving in the Devonian period, much earlier than previously thought.



The rapid evolution of tetrapods during this period, combined with an incomplete fossil record, has obscured the true timeline of their emergence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reptile-evolution-timeline-shifts-nbsp">Reptile evolution timeline shifts&nbsp;</h2>



The fossil <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plesiosaur-fossil-contains-soft-tissue-preserved-for-183-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">record</a> of crown-group amniotes, which includes modern reptiles, birds, and mammals, was previously thought to begin in the Late Carboniferous, around 318 million years ago. 



Earlier estimates placed the emergence of crown-group tetrapods at 334 million years ago, with the oldest trackways dating back 353 million years.



However, the newly discovered Australian tracks, securely dated to the early Tournaisian, push the origin of crown-group amniotes back by 35 to 40 million years. This revised timeline suggests that tetrapod evolution proceeded faster and earlier than previously thought.



“We now present new trackway data from Australia that falsify this widely accepted timeline,” said Professor Long. The implications extend beyond the Australian site, challenging assumptions about the broader evolutionary history of tetrapods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-slab-holds-oldest-reptile-tracks">Fossil slab holds oldest reptile tracks</h2>



The sandstone slab, measuring about 50 cm across, carries the oldest known clawed footprints. The slab was discovered by two amateur palaeontologists, Craig Eury and John Eason, who initially thought the tracks belonged to early amphibians.



“When I saw this specimen for the first time, I was very surprised. After just a few seconds, I noticed that there were clearly preserved claw marks,” said Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki of <a href="https://www.uu.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uppsala University</a>, co-author of the study.



According to Niedźwiedzki, claws are a distinct feature of early amniotes, almost never seen in other tetrapod groups. This characteristic suggests the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-ever-marine-reptile-ichthyotitan-severnensis-discovered-by-11-year-old-girl/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal</a> that left these tracks was a primitive reptile, marking the earliest known evidence of clawed feet among tetrapods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reptile-tracks-in-australia-and-poland">Reptile tracks in Australia and Poland</h2>



In addition to the Australian tracks, similar trackways have been identified in Silesia, Poland. These tracks, dated to the mid-Serpukhovian to early Bashkirian, are slightly younger than the Australian finds but also display claw impressions.



The Polish tracks extend the known range of Notalacerta into the early Carboniferous. This suggests that amniotes were present across both Gondwana and Euramerica much earlier than previously thought.



The Snowy Plains Formation likely dates to the early Tournaisian, approximately 358.9 to 354 million years ago. This pushes the origin of crown-group amniotes back significantly, indicating that tetrapods evolved more rapidly than previously estimated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-reveal-faster-reptile-evolution">Fossils reveal faster reptile evolution</h2>



To refine the evolutionary timeline, researchers combined fossil evidence with DNA analysis. Molecular data provide valuable insights into the relative timing of evolutionary events, particularly when the fossil record is incomplete.



“It’s all about the relative length of different branches in the tree,” said Per Ahlberg of Uppsala University. “This method helps us pinpoint evolutionary phases with a poor fossil record.”



By overlaying DNA branch lengths onto known fossil dates, the team estimated the age of the tetrapod crown-group node to be in the Devonian, contemporaneous with transitional 'fishapods' like Tiktaalik. This finding suggests that tetrapods diversified earlier and faster than previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenging-previous-theories">Challenging previous theories</h2>



The Snowy Plains Formation trackway slab is more than just a piece of stone. It represents a pivotal moment in the history of life on Earth, a moment when reptiles first set clawed feet on land.



“A single track-bearing slab, which one person can lift, calls into question everything we thought we knew about when modern tetrapods evolved,” said Per Ahlberg. The slab, found in Taungurung Country, is now housed in Museums Victoria.



The tracks show a consistent foot morphology, with five slender digits splayed out in a fan shape. Claws are present on four digits, with the fifth digit carrying a shorter claw. 



The trackmaker’s hip-to-shoulder distance suggests a body length of approximately 80 cm, similar to that of a modern water monitor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-search-for-evidence-in-gondwana">Search for evidence in Gondwana</h2>



Mansfield, Victoria, has long been a hotspot for fossil discoveries. Since 1980, researchers have uncovered fossilized fish and sharks in the area, but finding terrestrial vertebrate tracks had remained elusive.



“The Mansfield area has produced many famous fossils, beginning with spectacular fossil fishes found 120 years ago, and ancient sharks. But the holy grail that we were always looking for was evidence of land animals,” explained Professor Long.



The Snowy Plains Formation trackways provide crucial evidence that reptiles and other amniotes were already present in Gondwana during the early Carboniferous. This challenges previous theories that placed the origin of amniotes solely in the Northern Hemisphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reptile-evolution-a-broader-timeline">Reptile evolution: A broader timeline</h2>



The discovery of clawed tracks from the early Carboniferous has profound implications for the timeline of tetrapod evolution. It suggests that the tetrapod crown-group node must be located deep within the Devonian, not the Carboniferous as previously thought.



The findings also reveal that tetrapod evolution was a more rapid and complex process than previously recognized. The appearance of clawed amniotes in both Gondwana and Euramerica indicates that these groups may have evolved in parallel across different regions.



“This discovery rewrites this part of evolutionary history,” said Dr. Jillian Garvey of La Trobe University. “It indicates there is so much that has happened in Australia and Gondwana that we are still yet to uncover.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-fossil-research">The future of fossil research </h2>



While the Australian tracks provide valuable insights, they also raise new questions about the evolutionary history of reptiles. The fossil record in Gondwana remains incomplete, and future discoveries may further alter our understanding of when and where reptiles first emerged.



“The most interesting discoveries are yet to come and that there is still much to be found in the field,” said Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki. “These footprints from Australia are just one example of this.”



The Snowy Plains Formation slab stands as a powerful reminder that even a single piece of rock can reshape our understanding of the past. 



As researchers continue to search the Devonian and Carboniferous formations of Gondwana, the story of reptile evolution may undergo even more dramatic revisions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08884-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image Credit: Marcin Ambrozik.



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Fossil discovery pushes back reptile evolution by 40 million years

The origin of reptiles on Earth has been pushed back by an astonishing 40 million years. Fossilized tracks unearthed in Australia provide compelling evidence that reptile-like animals existed far earlier than previously thought. This finding challenges long-held assumptions about the evolution of tetrapods, the group that includes amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. A team led by John Long, a professor at Flinders University, discovered fossilized tracks of an amniote with clawed feet, dating to approximately 350 million years ago. The tracks, found in the Mansfield district of...

The Hammerschmiede fossil site in Germany has revealed a captivating story about the panda's diet about 11.5 million years ago. Unearthing the secrets buried deep within this site has rewritten part of evolutionary history. 



But could you imagine that the only species of bear found in this site was related to our beloved, bamboo-chomping giant panda? And, it didn't much care for bamboo.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-ancient-predators">Studying ancient predators</h2>



The study was conducted by an international group of experts led by Professor Madelaine Böhme from the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the <a href="https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tübingen</a>.



The team analyzed the dietary and lifestyle habits of 28 predator species from the Hammerschmiede that no longer roam our planet.



The findings have been detailed in two publications in the journals Papers in Palaeontology and Geobios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-excavations-at-hammerschmiede">Excavations at Hammerschmiede</h2>



In 2019, Hammerschmiede had the world buzzing with the discovery of the earliest great ape, Danuvius guggenmosi, which moved around on two legs approximately 11.5 million years ago.



The most recent excavations led by Professor Böhme have turned up an impressive variety of 166 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coelacanth-ngamugawi-wirngarri-new-species-living-fossil-fish-survived-over-400-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossilized species</a>.



"Such a flourishing ecosystem offers a wealth of ecological niches for the species that live in it," said Böhme.



These animals had versatile lifestyles - some lived in the water and some lived on land. Others were adept tree climbers, which allowed them to adapt well to the forested river landscape of the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-of-an-ancient-panda">Diet of an ancient panda </h2>



The only bear species native to Hammerschmiede - known as Kretzoiarctos beatrix - shares an ancient lineage with the modern giant panda.



Intriguingly, the teeth of Kretzoiarctos beatrix bear similarities to those seen in pandas. However, unlike modern pandas with their bamboo-exclusive diet, Kretzoiarctos beatrix had a varied diet similar to today's brown bears.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-herbivorous-diet-of-modern-pandas">Herbivorous diet of modern pandas</h2>



Dr. Nikolaos Kargopoulos from the University of Tübingen and <a href="https://www.uct.ac.za" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cape Town</a> is the lead author of the new studies.



"Today's giant pandas are part of the group of carnivores in the zoological taxonomy, but in fact, they live exclusively on plants. They've specialized in a hard vegetable diet, specifically of bamboo," noted Dr. Kargopoulos.



This adaptation to such a dedicated herbivorous diet by pandas, who were originally carnivores, is of significant scientific interest, said Dr. Kargopoulos.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dental-clues-about-panda-ancestors">Dental clues about panda ancestors </h2>



The first study by the research team decoded the diet of Kretzoiarctos using the macro- and micromorphology of fossilized teeth. These dental clues allow scientists to learn about an animal's dietary habits just before its death.



Most intriguingly, the investigation confirmed that the diet of Kretzoiarctos beatrix was not restricted to hard plants like modern pandas nor purely carnivorous like polar bears. Its diet mirrored that of a modern brown bear - a mix of plant and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protemnodon-kangaroo-fossils-may-explain-their-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal elements</a>.



"It turns out that Kretzoiarctos beatrix, the oldest of the pandas was a generalist. Specialization in the panda's diet only came about late in its evolution," said Böhme.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diverse-species-found-at-hammerschmiede">Diverse species found at Hammerschmiede</h2>



In addition to the panda, 27 predator species were identified at the Hammerschmiede site. These animals ranged from tiny, weasel-like beings weighing less than a kilogram, to hefty hyenas and saber-toothed tigers weighing over 100 kilograms.



"Their respective primary sources of food were very varied: There were pure carnivores such as the saber-tooth tiger, fish-eaters like the otters, and bone-eaters such as the hyena," said Dr. Kargopoulos.



"A few other species like the panda and the marten fed opportunistically on plants and animals of various sizes."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-thriving-ecosystem">A thriving ecosystem </h2>



The discovery of such varied predators in the Hammerschmiede is not just rare in fossils; it is also uncommon in any modern habitat. 



The findings suggest that Hammerschmiede's ecosystem was extremely productive. Existing harmoniously, even while occupying similar niches, these different species indicate the richness of the environment.



As the research at Hammerschmiede continues, each excavation brings us a little closer to understanding the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-life-and-environment-co-evolved-over-500-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mysteries of the past</a>. 



The remarkable findings at this site have added captivating chapters to the tale of evolution, particularly regarding the panda and its diet, opening new avenues for scientists worldwide.



The study is published in the journals <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spp2.1588" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Papers in Palaeontology</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016699524000445?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geobios</a>.



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Ancestors of giant pandas had a completely different diet

The Hammerschmiede fossil site in Germany has revealed a captivating...

New archaeological research has shed light on the long-debated ancestry of Australian dingoes, revealing insights that transform our understanding of this native species from Asia.



The remarkable findings establish a clear link between ancient dingo fossils and dogs from East Asia and New Guinea. 



The research offers a fresh perspective that challenges previous assumptions and reshapes the narrative of dingo evolution and migration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-of-australian-dingoes">Origins of Australian dingoes</h2>



The study was conducted by a team from the University of Sydney, University of New England, and University of Liverpool. 



The findings suggest that dingoes arrived in Australia via Melanesia, contrasting earlier claims of their descent from South Asian pariah dogs.



For many years, traditional morphometric analysis (using calipers to measure the size and shape of bone) suggested that dingoes originated in South Asia. While this method provided valuable insights, it did not fully capture the evolutionary story of these fascinating animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-east-asian-ancestors">East Asian ancestors</h2>



The latest study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, is changing the narrative. The researchers used cutting-edge 3D scanning technology and geometric morphometrics on ancient dingo fossils, leading to some remarkable discoveries that shed new light on their history.



The results reveal that dingoes do not resemble the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/uncovering-the-truth-the-reality-behind-canine-dna-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canines</a>&nbsp;of South Asia as much as they resemble Japanese dogs, the "singing dogs" of New Guinea, and the highland wild dogs of Irian Jaya.



Dr. Loukas Koungoulos is a research associate in the Discipline of Archaeology at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a>.



“The origins of this controversial Australian native animal have been heavily debated for more than a century," said Dr. Koungoulos.



"Our research has found the elusive first links between fossil material that suggest dingoes have evolved locally from an East Asian dog-like ancestor."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oldest-evidence-of-australian-dingoes">Oldest evidence of Australian dingoes </h2>



The archaeological sites at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay, both in western New South Wales, hold some of the oldest evidence of dingoes in Australia.&nbsp;



“It is incredible to see how these remarkable animals have evolved over thousands of years and gives us a greater understanding of this uniquely Australian species,” noted Dr. Koungoulos.



Professor Melanie Fillios from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.une.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of New England</a> and Dr. Ardern Hulme-Beaman from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Liverpool</a> were also key contributors to the study.&nbsp;Their analysis of ancient remains confirms the deep antiquity of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dingoes-and-modern-dogs-share-very-little-dna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dingo lineage</a>. 



"Our research emphasizes the antiquity of dingoes, pointing to a common ancestor between dingoes and the more recent canines in Southeast Asia," said Professor Fillios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-australian-dingoes">Evolution of Australian dingoes </h2>



Working in close collaboration with the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area Traditional Owners, the experts used&nbsp;radiocarbon dating&nbsp;techniques to uncover the age of the dingo remains. 



The analysis revealed that some of the remains are more than 3,000 years old.&nbsp;This discovery offers a fascinating look into the dingo's ancient roots. 



What's even more interesting is that today's dingoes have changed a lot in their appearance over time. They have evolved to become larger and leaner, with an average height of 54 cm, compared to the 40-47 cm stature of their ancient ancestors.&nbsp;



This growth brings the modern dingo much closer in size to their contemporary canine relatives in Southeast Asia and Melanesia, suggesting an adaptive evolution in response to environmental changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dingoes-and-their-ecological-role">Dingoes and their ecological role</h2>



The discovery of dingoes’ ancestral ties to East Asia and New Guinea not only reshapes their evolutionary story but also prompts new questions about their ecological role in Australia.&nbsp;



Researchers are now exploring how dingoes have adapted to the Australian landscape over thousands of years, with further studies planned to examine the behavioral and environmental influences that have shaped the modern dingo.



As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coyotes-move-into-towns-to-avoid-predators-only-to-be-killed-by-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">apex predators</a>, dingoes play a crucial role in controlling populations of invasive species such as feral cats and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extinct-fox-may-have-once-been-mans-best-friend/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">foxes</a>, helping to maintain balance in Australia’s ecosystems.&nbsp;



Learning about where dingoes come from and how they have evolved helps us see why they're important to the environment. This knowledge will inform future efforts to protect dingoes and the diverse life in their habitats.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-65729-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Australian dingoes evolved from dogs in East Asia

New archaeological research has shed light on the long-debated ancestry...

As the mercury rises, a surprising yet simple dog cooling tactic could be the saving grace in protecting our furry friends from heat-related illnesses.



A recent study featured in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) uncovers an intriguing method to cool down dogs promptly after some romping around. Get ready for this - teaching dogs to willingly plunge their heads in water.



This innovative research was conducted at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center at the University of Pennsylvania. 



The experts compared various cooling techniques, and wouldn't you know it? Voluntary head dunking took the lead, cooling dogs faster and saving them from perilous post-exercise temperature peaks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-perspective-on-dog-cooling">Revolutionary perspective on dog cooling</h2>



"This study alters our comprehension of canine cooling methods," said Dr. Cynthia M. Otto, executive director of the <a href="https://www.vet.upenn.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn Vet</a> Working Dog Center.



"During heat stress, blood flow to the head, nose, tongue and ears is increased. Cooling the tissues of the head allows for rapid cooling of the whole body with limited amounts of water."



"Furthermore, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warning-dogs-drinking-from-public-water-sources-is-dangerous/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">training the dog</a> to participate in the cooling process can enhance not only its safety, but the human animal bond," said Dr. Otto.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simple-trick-for-maximum-dog-cooling">Simple trick for maximum dog cooling</h2>



Heat-related illness is a serious threat to dogs, especially during the sweltering summer months. Dogs can quickly overheat during outdoor activities, leaving them exposed to risks like heatstroke.



The research highlights the life-saving rule of "cool first, transport second," urging owners to act fast and start cooling dogs displaying signs of heat stress, even before knocking on the vet's door.



Voluntary head dunking is a simple trick for maximum cooling. The research describes how positive reinforcement is used to train <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medium-sized-dogs-have-a-greater-risk-of-developing-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dogs</a> to dunk their heads in a bucket of water, going after a toy or treat.



This simple, yet effective method helps dogs flush their noses and eyes from dust and debris while providing instant relief from overheating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-easy-solution-for-heat-stress">Easy solution for heat stress</h2>



The research provides actionable insights for pet owners everywhere. Whether it's for canine athletes, working dogs, or your beloved pet enjoying a day out in the park, the head dunking method offers an easy solution to handle heat stress.



Integrating the head dunking technique into your regular routine is straightforward and can yield substantial dividends for your dog's well-being. Start by selecting a suitable container or bucket that your pooch finds non-threatening. 



Next, use positive reinforcement techniques - such as treats or toys - to encourage voluntary head submersion.



Gradually, dogs will associate this action with fun and reward, making it easier for them to adopt this cooling mechanism naturally. Developing this habit at home ensures your pet is prepared, even in unpredictable heatwave conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-optimizing-dog-cooling-strategies">Optimizing dog cooling strategies</h2>



The discoveries outlined in this study open avenues for further research, particularly in optimizing dog cooling strategies across diverse environmental conditions. 



For search and rescue teams, police dogs, and service animals often required to work in high temperatures, these insights could significantly enhance both performance and safety. 



Moreover, veterinary practitioners might explore adapting these findings to develop standardized cooling protocols, potentially reducing the incidence of heat-related illnesses across various canine populations. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tips-for-pet-owners">Tips for pet owners</h2>



When the temperature is sweltering for you, it's probably even hotter for your pet. It is vital that pet owners recognize the signs of heat stress or stroke in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-imitate-human-actions-from-2d-videos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">furry buddies</a>.



Signs of heat stress include anxiousness, an elongated tongue, abnormal gum and tongue color (dark red), and unstable movements.



To prevent heat-related issues, pet owners should ensure their pets have constant access to water and shade.



On extremely hot days, it's best to keep pets indoors or limit their outdoor time to early morning or evening hours when temperatures are cooler. And remember, never leave pets alone in vehicles, even for a short while, as temperatures can rapidly rise to dangerous levels.



By taking these precautions and being aware of their pet's unique needs, owners can ensure their dogs stay safe and content during warm weather.



The study is published in the <a href="https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/aop/javma.24.06.0368/javma.24.06.0368.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association</a>. 



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This simple technique instantly reduces heat stress in dogs

As the mercury rises, a surprising yet simple dog cooling...

In our shared world of humans and apes, there is a bridge that extends far beyond our physical similarities. This connection lies in the realm of communication and gestures, a domain we've long believed to be a unique aspect of our humanhood. 



But could it be that our primate cousins understand the nuances of communicative intention as we do?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ape-communication-using-gestures">Ape communication using gestures</h2>



The communication skills of great apes - like gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees - are fascinating and complex.



In the 1960s, renowned primatologist Jane Goodall observed apes using gestures to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-group-cohesion-common-enemy-effect-do-not-kill-inside-their-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">communicate</a>. This marked the beginning of an ongoing discussion about primate communication.



A recent study has added a fresh layer to this dialogue. Researchers from the University of Warwick propose that apes understand the communicative goals behind each other’s actions - an ability which was thought to be unique to humans. 



The findings mark a significant milestone in our understanding of ape communication.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-silent-chatter">Understanding the silent chatter</h2>



Just as we humans use body language along with words to communicate, apes too <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-rapid-gestures-in-conversations-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">utilize body language to convey their intentions</a>. 



For instance, a baby chimp, reaching out its arms towards its mother’s back, communicates its desire to be carried. After all, the mother understands that her back is used for carrying.



But what's the science behind this silent chatter? The researchers call it the "Recruitment View." This term might sound complex, but its essence is simple: apes know what different parts of their bodies do and recruit these body parts to use as gestures for communication.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-debate-over-ape-gestures">The debate over ape gestures</h2>



Over the years, two major perspectives have shaped our understanding of ape gestures. The "Leipzig View" proposes that apes learn gestures through repeated interactions, leading to differences in gestures between groups. 



The "St Andrews View," on the other hand, posits that these gestures are universal across all great apes, and thus they don't need to be learned.



Now, enter the "Recruitment View." This recent proposal suggests that apes use different parts of their bodies or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-bird-uses-wing-gestures-to-politely-say-after-you/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">familiar actions to convey messages</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ape-gestures-are-not-random">Ape gestures are not random</h2>



"These gestures aren't random - they're using what they already know about their bodies to get a message across," explained Dr. Richard Moore, associate professor at <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Warwick</a>.



Unlike us humans, apes heavily rely on clear physical cues to understand intentions. They use body movements or gestures to interpret the intentions of others. For example, apes may show a shoulder to be groomed or beckon another to move closer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-human-language">Evolution of human language </h2>



The capabilities of apes go beyond simple gestural communication; they also shed light on the evolution of human language. 



"We see a link between the gestures apes use and the early forms of communication that may have eventually developed into human language," said Dr. Moore.



However, there are differences too. Humans, unlike apes, can express complex ideas without needing such obvious physical cues.



The exploration of ape communication transcends mere academic curiosity; it opens doors to understanding cognitive processes in non-human species. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-and-primate-cognitive-development">Human and primate cognitive development </h2>



By recognizing how apes use gestures with deliberate intention, researchers can draw parallels between human and primate cognitive development. 



This comparative analysis offers insights into the neurological underpinnings of communication, suggesting that the cognitive abilities required for such interactions may be more widespread across species than previously acknowledged. 



The findings compel us to reconsider the boundaries of cognitive science, prompting new questions about the evolutionary pathways that have shaped the minds of primates and humans alike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-studying-primate-communication">Challenges in studying primate communication </h2>



Despite these advancements, studying primate communication is fraught with challenges that necessitate careful scientific scrutiny. 



Variations in research methodologies, environmental conditions, and even researchers' interpretations can impact findings. 



Future research must aim for greater consistency and rigorous cross-species comparisons to validate existing models of communication. 



Additionally, exploring the communicative capacities of a broader range of primate species could further illuminate the evolutionary trajectory of language. 



By embracing technological advancements, such as brain imaging and AI analysis, scientists can deepen their understanding of primate cognition, paving the way for breakthroughs in unraveling the enigmatic origins of human language.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gestures-shared-across-ape-species">Gestures shared across ape species</h2>



One question that scientists have grappled with for years is why apes across different species and groups use similar gestures? 



The researchers propose that the answer lies in shared actions and body parts. Since all apes have similar bodies and engage in similar activities, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-unlock-the-mysteries-of-orangutan-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gestures</a> are easily understood across species.



In the end, it all boils down to this: the world of apes seems eerily similar to our own - at least in terms of communication.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.13136" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biological Reviews</a>.



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Apes use gestures similar to human body language

In our shared world of humans and apes, there is...

You might think that flying is a no-brainer for birds. It seems like a natural, instinctive behavior. And for the most part, it is. But intriguingly, researchers have discovered that young golden eagles need to learn how to utilize certain aspects to their advantage as they fly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flying-skills-of-eagles">Flying skills of eagles</h2>



At the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, researchers set out to investigate how juvenile golden eagles hone their flying skills as they grow. 



The researchers teamed up with experts at the <a href="https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swiss Ornithological Institute</a> and the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a> for a fascinating journey into the heart of the European Alps.



The study's findings, published in the journal eLife, unwrap a whole <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blackbirds-reveal-the-true-energy-costs-of-migrating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new dynamic of avian development</a>. 



The research sheds light on the progressive flight skills of golden eagles, and how these skills expand their explorative frontiers in the Alps. This goes against our standard notion of instinctive behaviors being inbuilt and unchangeable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-of-soaring">The science of soaring</h2>



Golden eagles are not just any birds, they are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-amur-falcons-fuel-their-2000-mile-flights/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soaring specialists</a>. They have a unique method of travel - riding on upward-moving air currents, known in layman's terms as uplifts.



These uplifts help them conserve energy while flying large distances, an essential survival strategy in the expansive Alps.



Learning to identify these invisible uplifts, and positioning their bodies efficiently within these currents, is a skill that's honed over time. 



"The eagles literally need to learn to fly, at least when it comes to using uplifts," noted Elham Nourani, lead author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-golden-eagles">Tracking golden eagles</h2>



Using GPS tracking technology, the scientists monitored 55 juvenile golden eagles that had nested in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, and Austria.



The experts followed the birds for up to three years after they left their parents' territories and began their individual journey across the central European Alps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-young-golden-eagles-at-flight-school">Young golden eagles at flight school</h2>



This journey was essentially the golden eagles' flight school. Initially, the young eagles preferred to fly close to mountain ridges, where the upward winds are predictable and reliable. 



Over time, however, they began exploring more open areas where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-flight-is-powered-by-an-extraordinary-structure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">uplifts</a> are less predictable.



This shift in strategy was a clear indication of their growing confidence and improved ability to locate and use the unpredictable air currents more competently over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experience-expands-the-eagles-territory">Experience expands the eagles' territory</h2>



Kamran Safi, a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute in Konstanz, elaborated on these behaviors.



"Flying is an eagle's defining behavioral trait and you would think that when they fledged they should take to it like fish to water. But apparently, they need experience and learning to extract energy from the atmospheric flows, shaping and changing how they move and where they go," noted Safi.



The areas where the eagles could safely and effectively cover for food, shelter, and breeding multiplied exponentially as they aged.



After three years, the flyable area expanded more than 2,000-fold, demonstrating the impact of their learned skills on their habitat use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-the-avian-environment">Challenges in the avian environment </h2>



Despite their innate potential as apex aerial hunters, juvenile golden eagles face numerous hurdles in mastering their flight skills. Environmental factors play a significant role in this learning process. 



The Alps, with their unpredictable weather patterns and dynamic air currents, pose complex challenges for these birds. 



Eagles must adapt to ever-changing conditions, which requires not only instinct but also critical thinking and adaptability. 



This adaptation extends beyond merely finding uplifts. The birds must learn to fly in harsh winds, heavy rains, and varying thermal patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-of-golden-eagles">Conservation of golden eagles </h2>



The insights from this study have implications for avian conservation strategies. Understanding the learning curve and the developmental needs of golden eagles allows for more informed conservation plans.



By identifying critical habitats and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-vultures-fly-faster-in-thin-air-at-high-altitudes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flight training areas</a> essential for eagle maturation, conservationists can focus efforts on preserving these regions.



Additionally, the data collected aids in predicting how these majestic birds might respond to climate change, which could alter the distribution of reliable air currents across mountainous terrains. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



As Elham Nourani noted, understanding the dynamic relationship between the aging eagles and their changing use of the landscape is crucial.



"Our study suggests that such maps should be viewed as dynamic, changing across various factors, including age," said Nourani.



Such insights can lead to more accurate predictions of potential overlaps between human activities and eagle behavior, particularly their landscape use at different stages of development.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/reviewed-preprints/98818v2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eLife</a>.



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Golden eagles go to 'flight school' to master soaring skills

You might think that flying is a no-brainer for birds....

Ecologists have long sought to understand the dietary habits of different animal species. In a recent study, researchers have explored the puzzling question of how competing herbivores in Yellowstone National Park, which feed on grasses, wildflowers, and trees, manage to find enough food to survive the winter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-strategies-of-yellowstone-s-herbivores-nbsp">Hunting strategies of Yellowstone’s herbivores&nbsp;</h2>



Over a two-year period, using advanced molecular biology tools and GPS tracking data, the research team was able to identify not only what herbivores in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-tourism-generates-over-1-megaton-carbon-annually/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yellowstone</a> consume, but also the strategies they use to find food throughout the year.



“In Yellowstone, we know vegetation changes across seasons, but until now, we didn’t know how these seasonal changes influenced what animals eat or how they sustained themselves when options were limited,” said lead author Bethan Littleford-Colquhoun, a postdoctoral research associate at <a href="https://www.brown.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brown University</a>.&nbsp;



“It turns out that while species eat similar categories of food, their diets differ from one another in cryptic and nuanced ways. And an animal’s body size plays an important role in how this is achieved.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fluctuating-food-supplies">Fluctuating food supplies</h2>



For years, ecologists have debated how wildlife should cope with fluctuations in their food supplies, explained co-author Tyler Kartzinel, an associate professor of ecology, evolution, and organismal biology at Brown.



Some experts propose that animals should diversify their diets to cater to their preferences when they have more choices in summer, Kartzinel said.&nbsp;



Others suggest that animals are more likely to diversify what they eat during challenging periods, like winter, when competition for food is fierce, and they might have to settle for less desirable options.



“These opposing predictions couldn’t both be true, so it wasn’t at all clear how Yellowstone's assemblage of herbivore species - with such a diversity of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-foraging-behavior-changing-climate-warming-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">foraging behaviors</a> - could succeed in finding enough food throughout the year,” Kartzinel said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-the-behavior-of-competing-animals">Tracking the behavior of competing animals</h2>



To investigate, the researchers used two years of GPS tracking and dietary DNA data to explore how dietary variation changes during times of resource scarcity and abundance for five of Yellowstone’s most iconic species: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-influences-the-movement-of-plains-bison/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bison</a>, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope.



Staff at Yellowstone tracked the animals, while researchers at Brown, including many undergraduate students supervised by Littleford-Colquhoun, analyzed fecal samples using a sophisticated molecular technique called metabarcoding. This method helped determine what foods the animals had eaten.



The study revealed that all species took advantage of the seasonal abundance of wildflowers in summer. However, in winter, each species focused its foraging efforts on the specific plant types it was best suited to compete for.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feeding-behaviors-are-linked-to-animal-size-nbsp">Feeding behaviors are linked to animal size&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers also found that feeding behaviors were linked to the animal's body size. Smaller species, like deer and sheep, spread out across summer meadows, significantly broadening their diets before gathering in sheltered valleys to survive the winter on leftover vegetation.&nbsp;



In contrast, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-biodiversity-benefits-from-large-herbivores-like-elephants-and-moose/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">larger animals</a>, such as bison, displayed the opposite behavior: in winter, their size allowed them to avoid competing for dwindling resources, so they ventured into deep snow to access food reserves that were out of reach for smaller species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-competing-animals-are-surprisingly-adaptable">Competing animals are surprisingly adaptable</h2>



“The study showed that these species can feed far more adaptably than anyone had previously assumed,” Littleford-Colquhoun said.&nbsp;



“All species switch the ways they search for food, but the opportunities an individual bison has to fuel its migration or survive a hard winter might only work for it because it’s big. Meanwhile, other species might need to group together for protection in winter because they’re small.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



So, should animals diversify their diets in summer or winter? According to Kartzinel, the answer depends on the species.



“Because of the variety of ways animals behaved in our study, we learned that both hypotheses about how animals fuel their migrations were right, but in different ways and at different times,” Kartzinel said.&nbsp;



“So the question that biologists should have been bickering about for the past generation shouldn't have been, ‘Which foraging strategy is right?’ but rather, ‘When does each strategy work best for a given group of animals?’”



Kartzinel hopes that these more refined insights into foraging behaviors will encourage scientists to adopt a more tailored approach to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildlife-conservation-can-help-stabilize-the-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife conservation</a>.



“If we want to help wildlife populations thrive, we should be maintaining a diversity of habitats and plant resources across their migratory corridors so that many animals, each with their own preferences, personalities and needs, can find what's best to fuel their journey,” Kartzinel concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240136" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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How do competing animals manage to find enough food?

Ecologists have long sought to understand the dietary habits of...

Captive tigers in the U.S. now outnumber those living in the wild. According to estimates from the World Wildlife Federation, about 5,000 of these big cats reside in the U.S., mostly owned by private citizens.&nbsp;



Despite their large numbers, the health and genetic diversity of this captive population remain a mystery, posing significant questions for conservationists.&nbsp;



Could these privately owned tigers help stabilize or restore wild tiger populations, or are they too genetically compromised to be of value? Are they purebred or inbred, or do they exhibit characteristics favored in the illegal trade?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-captive-tigers-nbsp">Protecting captive tigers&nbsp;</h2>



In a recent study, experts at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> set out to address these questions. The findings provide a new tool that both conservationists and law enforcement can use to protect captive tigers and prosecute those responsible for their mistreatment.



“We're trying to leverage genomic technology to be useful in a conservation context - there are so few tigers. We won't get a second chance if they go extinct,” said lead author Ellie Armstrong, a PhD student at Stanford.



Armstrong conducted this research as part of her doctoral studies in biology at Stanford, working with co-advisors and co-authors Elizabeth Hadly and Dmitri Petrov. 



The team initially became interested in captive tigers after studying the genetic impact of isolation on wild tiger populations.



“We were conducting a large study on wild tiger populations and leveraged these data to address the issue of captive tigers in the United States,” Armstrong said. “It was a bit unbelievable, at first, that you could have a tiger living right next door and not know it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enormous-number-of-captive-tigers-nbsp">Enormous number of captive tigers&nbsp;</h2>



Through a partnership with <a href="https://tigersinamerica.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tigers in America</a>, Armstrong and her team discovered that an enormous number of tigers live outside accredited facilities.&nbsp;



Many of these tigers were bred for animal encounters, performed in circuses, or were trafficked as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exotic-pets-threaten-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exotic pets</a>. However, the team had no idea of their genetic makeup or origin.



The lack of official data on these so-called “generic” tigers (due to their unknown origin) presented a major hurdle. Although documentaries like Tiger King and The Tiger Next Door increased public awareness, accessing these animals for scientific study remained a challenge.



“There was so much hearsay associated with this captive population, and a lot of it contradicts itself,” noted Armstrong. 



“People said, 'All of the cats are really inbred,' or 'All of the cats are genetically diverse.' We had no idea what to expect and thought that genomic technology could help us answer some of these questions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetics-of-generic-tigers-nbsp">Genetics of generic tigers&nbsp;</h2>



Through relationships with sanctuaries that had rescued generic tigers, Armstrong and her team were able to gather samples and collect data on the animals, including their rescue locations.&nbsp;



The researchers collected samples from 154 generic tigers and compared them with 100 wild tiger samples from the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Center for Biotechnology Information</a> (NCBI) database.



With this data, they developed a reference panel to distinguish individual tigers and identify their genetic ancestry, similar to popular genetic ancestry tests for humans.&nbsp;



“When we do 23andMe, we're not sequencing the whole genome - we're sequencing a portion of it that informs us about your health and ancestry,” Armstrong explained. “That's what we want to be able to do, but for tigers.”



The genetic database developed by the researchers has uses beyond conservation efforts. It can also assist law enforcement in prosecuting crimes related to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-are-using-forensic-science-to-fight-wildlife-trafficking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife trafficking</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prosecuting-wildlife-crimes">Prosecuting wildlife crimes</h2>



The <a href="https://www.fws.gov/what-you-need-know-about-big-cat-public-safety-act" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Cat Public Safety Act</a>, which went into effect on December 20, 2022, ended private ownership of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-cat-brain-research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">big cats</a> as pets and placed restrictions on breeding, commerce, and possession of certain species, including tigers.&nbsp;



However, the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a> still has storerooms full of confiscated tiger pelts, bones, teeth, and other materials that are difficult to identify without a clear way to trace their origins.



Armstrong’s team has already received requests from the agency to apply their research in identifying confiscated materials.&nbsp;



“We'll be working with law enforcement to try to apply this in a forensic context to prosecute wildlife crimes like those seen in Tiger King, monitor the populations in the U.S., and track the illegal trade,” Armstrong said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-applications-of-the-research-nbsp">Urgent applications of the research&nbsp;</h2>



Using only a small portion of a genome, this reference panel can allow wildlife agencies to determine the ancestry of confiscated samples with limited DNA.&nbsp;



“That's been the most rewarding part of this research - we know that this work mattered and has immediate future applications.”



The research also sheds light on the genetic makeup of captive tigers in the U.S. Contrary to widespread rumors, these tigers do not show signs of extensive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/inbreeding-can-actually-be-beneficial-for-some-species-in-the-long-run/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inbreeding</a> relative to wild tiger populations.&nbsp;



However, they also do not maintain pure subspecies ancestry, as is the case with zoo-bred tigers or wild tigers. Instead, these generic tigers are a mix of different tiger subspecies.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-diversity-in-captive-tigers-nbsp">Genetic diversity in captive tigers&nbsp;</h2>



Armstrong and her team also found that the non-zoo captive tiger population does not possess more genetic diversity than their wild counterparts.



“This absence of unique genetic diversity in captive tigers means that there will be no 'genetic rescue' of wild tigers with individuals now in captivity,” said Elizabeth Hadly, one of the study’s co-authors. 



“In other words, the genetic diversity of wild tigers is all that evolution has to work with going into the future.”



Since DNA is the only way to distinguish between tiger subspecies, Armstrong believes the reference panel could be used to identify individual tigers with pure subspecies ancestry if tiger management and conservation efforts ever included releasing captive animals into the wild.



“This technology is usually a 'for fun' thing for humans, to find out more about your genetic ancestry, but we can use genomics in a very serious way to help our wildlife populations thrive in the wild and keep them from being exploited,” Armstrong concluded.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2402924121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Could captive tigers help restore wild populations?

Captive tigers in the U.S. now outnumber those living in...

Often referred to as resident orcas, killer whales are no ordinary predators of the sea. With their intelligence and strong matriarchal social structures, killer whales have learned complex foraging strategies that vary with regional prey resources, shaping their diet accordingly.



Researchers at the University of Washington set out to investigate whether social learning affects the dietary preferences of different killer whale populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-diet-of-a-killer-whale">The diet of a killer whale</h2>



Amy Van Cise is a UW professor of aquatic and fishery sciences, who began this study as a postdoctoral researcher with NOAA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/northwest-fisheries-science-center" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwest Fisheries Science Center</a>.



"Killer whales are incredibly intelligent, and learn foraging strategies from their matriarchs, who know where to find the richest prey resources in their regions,” said&nbsp;Professor Van Cise.



“So we wanted to know: Does all of that social learning affect diet preferences in different populations of resident killer whales, or in pods within populations?”



In their research paper, the team describes the dietary intricacies of two resident <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/killer-whales-seen-hunting-sharks-new-population/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">killer whale populations</a>, the Alaska residents and the southern residents.



What they found was a broad preference for salmon - more specifically Chinook, chum, and coho - among both populations. However, the timing of diet switchovers and the other supplementary fish species in their diets varied between the two populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-killer-whale-diet-and-survival">Killer whale diet and survival</h2>



Southern resident <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/killer-whales-use-clever-hunting-strategies-to-outsmart-prey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">killer whales</a> are critically endangered, unlike other growing populations. The core purpose of this study was to compare the dietary patterns of the threatened whales with thriving populations to inform conservation efforts.



”We know that lack of food is one of the main threats facing the endangered southern resident killer whales,” said Professor Van Cise.



“We figured that if we could compare their diet to the dietary habits of a healthy and growing population, it might help us better understand how we can steward and protect this vulnerable population.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-human-activities">Impact of human activities</h2>



Unfortunately, human activity has significantly disrupted the usual food supply for resident <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sign-of-the-times-solitary-orcas-are-hunting-great-whites/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">killer whales</a>, particularly in Southern areas. 



Pollution, construction of dams, and the historical capture of these whales for amusement parks have left the southern resident killer whale population plateaued at around 75 individuals.



Over the past decade, the research team collected fecal samples from both southern resident and Alaska resident killer whales. Their analysis revealed surprising differences. 



The Alaska residents had more chum and coho salmon in their summer diet compared to the southern resident killer whale's Chinook-heavy diet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vital-role-of-dietary-diversity">The vital role of dietary diversity</h2>



In addition, recent sample collections outside of the summer months unveiled an unexpectedly diverse diet for the killer whales. 



Species such as sablefish, arrowtooth flounder, lingcod, Pacific halibut, and big skate were all featured in the diets of these whales.



This dietary diversity and flexibility seem to be essential for the thriving killer whale populations, hinting at possible strategies for supporting the endangered southern resident killer whales.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prey-availability-across-regions">Prey availability across regions</h2>



The researchers also explored the influence of seasonality and regional prey availability on killer whale diets. It was discovered that seasonal shifts in fish populations could mold the feeding habits of resident killer whales, urging them to adapt their foraging techniques.



For instance, during the fall when Chinook salmon runs dwindle, southern residents have been observed turning to alternative prey sources, albeit not always in ample supply. 



This seasonal adaptability emphasizes not only the resilience of these marine mammals but also the exquisite complexities of their relationship with the marine ecosystem.



The implications are profound, indicating that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-a-warming-climate-will-change-the-humpback-whales-diet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation efforts</a> should consider seasonal prey patterns to bolster the sustenance of southern resident populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-ecosystem-health">Broader ecosystem health</h2>



Addressing the food scarcity faced by southern resident killer whales goes beyond safeguarding a single species; it involves understanding and nurturing the interconnected marine ecosystems. 



Efforts to protect these whales must extend to maintaining and improving the health of salmon populations, removing or modifying physical barriers such as dams, and mitigating pollution and climate impacts that disrupt these systems. 



The study highlights the need for a holistic ecosystem approach to conservation, which could foster a sustainable environment for various marine species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-insights-on-killer-whale-diets">Key insights on killer whale diets</h2>



A deeper understanding of killer whale diets is key to aiding the recovery and conservation of these majestic creatures.



“While protecting key populations of Chinook salmon will always be vital to supporting the recovery of the endangered southern resident killer whale population, this study has taught us that we might need to think more holistically about how we can conserve the whole ecosystem of fishes that together make up the annual diet of predator populations like this one,” said Van Cise.



The research is a powerful reminder that the fate of these extraordinary creatures is intertwined with their ecosystem, and our actions play a crucial role in the balance.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.240445" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Flexible diets are key to killer whale survival

Often referred to as resident orcas, killer whales are no...

Have you ever wondered if the adage "birds of a feather flock together" is actually true? A recent study confirms this idea, showing that a bold pair of parenting geese produce a bounty of offspring.



The research, which zeroes in on a group of captive greylag geese, was conducted by a team of bird behavior experts led by Flinders University.



The researchers Investigated the parental benefits of "made in heaven" matches between well-paired geese couples.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bold-personalities-and-parenting-success">Bold personalities and parenting success</h2>



Study lead author Lauren Common is now based in the Konrad Lorenz Research Centre for Behavior and Cognition at the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a> in Austria.



"Like in humans, the personality of both parents and their similarity in personality traits can influence their success as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mothers-care-linked-to-the-evolution-of-longer-lifespans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parents</a>," said Common.



"Successful pair bonds where partners were similar in their boldness, mainly by responding to risky situations in the same way, can have higher hatching success." 



According to Common, this bold parenting style can lead to consistency and responsiveness, which can result in successful reproductive output and survival of young and fledgling success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geese-parenting-and-behavioral-compatibility">Geese parenting and behavioral compatibility</h2>



For their investigation, the researchers observed a flock of more than 100 habituated greylag geese over three peculiarly intense breeding seasons. They meticulously measured reproductive and fledgling success.



The team included Sonia Kleindorfer, a professor at the University of Vienna and founder of the BirdLab in the College of Science and Engineering at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a>.



Professor Kleindorfer emphasized the critical role both geese parents play - especially during incubation when thermal stability and protection from predators is crucial.



"In species with biparental care and monogamy, reproductive output and success may be influenced not only by the personality of each individual but also the behavioral compatibility of the pair," said Kleindorfer.



"This kind of pairing in greylag geese is linked to their well-developed cognitive capacity and&nbsp;social awareness&nbsp;and individuals consistently differ in personality traits such as boldness, aggressiveness, sociability and other behavioral traits."



Thus, the love story of greylag geese is more than just about affection - it's about survival too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geese-parenting-traits">Geese parenting traits</h2>



"Animal personality was once considered a figment of human imagination and, worse, anthropomorphism," said Professor Kleindorfer.



She noted that the study adds to a growing body of work showing that animals such as greylag geese have consistent individual differences in behavior, also called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-play-a-crucial-role-in-the-evolution-of-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">personality</a>.



"But more than that, personality traits in animals can be linked to successful love matches and reproductive success. Therefore, these traits may be targets of natural and sexual selection," explained Professor Kleindorfer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-and-species-management">Conservation and species management</h2>



Understanding the intricate dynamics of personality-driven pairing and parenting success in greylag geese provides valuable insights for conservation efforts and species management. 



Conservationists can harness this knowledge to create environments that promote behavioral compatibility. 



By ensuring that captive breeding programs focus on matching individuals with complementary personality traits, the reproductive success rate can be enhanced, ultimately contributing to the stability and growth of population numbers. 



In turn, these practices may serve as a model for conserving other avian species facing similar ecological challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



While the current study sheds light on the relationship between personality traits and reproductive success in greylag geese, it opens up numerous avenues for future research beyond parenting. 



Further exploration into the genetic basis of personality traits could reveal the heritability of behaviors that lead to successful pair bonding and parenting. 



Additionally, expanding the research to include other species with biparental care systems would help determine the universality of these findings across avian species. 



With increasing environmental pressures and habitat loss, it is crucial that we continue to deepen our understanding of the role personality plays in animal behavior, ensuring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-adversity-reduces-life-expectancy-of-most-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effective strategies</a> for species preservation and biodiversity conservation.



The profound insights from this study break down the barrier between us and our feathery friends. The next time you spot a pair of birds, remember, there might be a deep love story and an inspiring tale of successful parenting hidden in their flight towards the horizon.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347224002252?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Animal Behaviour</a>.



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Bold personality traits improve parenting success in geese

Have you ever wondered if the adage "birds of a...

SECORE International has developed a coral seeding method that utilizes assisted reproduction - breeding corals to help restore reefs. This approach has been implemented across the Caribbean through a network of training and partners.&nbsp;



A recent study confirms that the coral seeding method is making a significant impact: during the severe 2023 heatwave in the Caribbean, young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-corals-and-reefs-are-showing-surprising-resilience-as-global-waters-warm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corals</a> that were bred through SECORE's efforts remained healthy, while many wild corals bleached and died.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-seeding-in-the-caribbean-nbsp">Coral seeding in the Caribbean&nbsp;</h2>



The summer of 2023 brought devastation to many coral reefs in the Caribbean Basin. An unprecedented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-escalate-coral-bleaching-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwave</a>, both in intensity and duration, hit the region, leading to widespread coral bleaching. 



With high seawater temperatures persisting, many corals were unable to recover and perished.&nbsp;



However, during this time of crisis, a hopeful discovery was made by SECORE’s Restoration Coordinator in Mexico, Sandra Mendoza Quiroz.&nbsp;



While conducting a routine dive to monitor their outplanted corals, she found that the young corals they had bred were healthy, standing out among the bleached and dying reefs.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assisted-reproduction-and-coral-survival">Assisted reproduction and coral survival</h2>



Similar findings were reported by SECORE’s team in Curaçao, where another species of bred coral had withstood the heat.



“We were excited to observe this pattern showing another benefit of using assisted coral recruits in restoration,” said Margaret Miller, research director of <a href="https://www.secore.org/site/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SECORE</a>.



The team in Curaçao and Mexico, working with Coralium Lab at the <a href="https://www.unam.mx/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México</a>, collected data on the health of various species and groups of outplanted corals. 



The experts reached out to partners across their Caribbean Restoration Network, including the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies, the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/caribbean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean</a>, and Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire. 



Together, the researchers confirmed that young corals bred for restoration were significantly more resistant to bleaching compared to their wild counterparts across six coral species at 15 reef sites in five different Caribbean nations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-seeding-builds-resilience-nbsp">Coral seeding builds resilience&nbsp;</h2>



This study marks the first scientific evidence that corals restored using natural reproduction methods demonstrate greater resistance to extreme sea temperatures than wild or fragmented corals.



Miller, who has been breeding corals in the Caribbean for over 30 years, expressed optimism about the findings.&nbsp;



“These results provide a lot of encouragement and confirmation that restoration using assisted coral recruits can play an important role in orchestrating coral persistence into our warmer future,” said Miller.&nbsp;



“Nonetheless, truly securing the future of coral reefs is absolutely dependent on humankind’s success in controlling global warming.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-producing-millions-of-coral-embryos-nbsp">Producing millions of coral embryos&nbsp;</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reef-sounds-the-melodic-key-to-coral-restoration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coral restoration</a> methods have evolved significantly in the past decade. Traditionally, corals were propagated by breaking fragments off source colonies and growing them in nurseries before manually transplanting them onto the reef. 



Today, SECORE’s coral seeding approach, which breeds corals specifically for restoration, is widely implemented throughout the Caribbean.&nbsp;



This method involves collecting coral spawn from wild corals, fertilizing the eggs and sperm in a controlled environment (either on a boat or beach), and producing millions of coral embryos.&nbsp;



The coral larvae are grown in ocean enclosures and settled on special substrates before being outplanted onto the reef.



Each generation of corals that reproduces naturally receives a new combination of genes, enhancing their ability to adapt.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-the-new-breeding-efforts">Importance of the new breeding efforts</h2>



The study revealed that the young corals produced through breeding showed greater resistance to bleaching than adult coral colonies and fragments.&nbsp;



However, due to the recruitment failure of many reef-building species in the Caribbean, natural offspring are rare, which further underscores the importance of SECORE’s breeding efforts.



Dirk Petersen, the founder of&nbsp; SECORE, is thrilled with the study’s positive results.&nbsp;



“Our coral seeding approach is an important contribution to help coral reefs deal with climate change,” said Petersen. “Our investment over the past five years to build a large network for coral restoration in the Caribbean has paid off.”&nbsp;



“This network not only produces and outplants tens of thousands of corals every year but could also immediately assess how these corals responded to this unprecedented heatwave. Our priority is now to further scale efforts to the ecosystem level.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-chance-for-coral-reefs-to-survive">A chance for coral reefs to survive</h2>



Coral restoration, however, is not a solo endeavor. It requires collaboration across various disciplines, from science and engineering to on-the-ground implementation.&nbsp;



The process involves logistics, effectiveness, and thorough training, and must be grounded in strong management strategies that engage local communities.&nbsp;



While coral restoration is crucial, it alone cannot solve the broader challenges posed by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-study-provides-answers-to-how-coral-reefs-can-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>. Still, it provides vital time to help coral populations survive in the face of environmental pressures.



“Our Caribbean Training and Capacity Building Program has turned out to be a successful model, which we urgently need to take to other regions across the world,” Petersen said.&nbsp;



In his view, as extreme weather events continue to increase in frequency and severity, regions beyond the Caribbean will also be affected.&nbsp;



“Restoration measures are best implemented at an early stage to strengthen the reefs. Once degradation has reached a critical level, restoration becomes much more challenging,” said Petersen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-coral-restoration-efforts">Expanding coral restoration efforts</h2>



SECORE is now expanding its efforts globally. In 2023, the organization hosted its first training session for participants from U.S. jurisdictions in the Western Pacific and plans to establish a team in Mauritius by the end of the year.&nbsp;



This new base will serve as a hub for restoration training in the Indian Ocean. “Restoration truly is a cooperative effort - let’s all work together to give these valuable ecosystems a future!” Peterson concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309719" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLoS ONE</a>.



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‘Coral seeding’ increases resistance to extreme heatwaves

SECORE International has developed a coral seeding method that utilizes...

Krill may be small, but their role in carbon storage is monumental. Beneath Antarctica's icy waters, these tiny crustaceans are emerging as unexpected heroes in the fight against atmospheric carbon.



While the significance of blue carbon habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes is well-known, recent research highlights the vital contribution of Antarctic krill and their impressive carbon storage capacity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-unsung-heroes-of-carbon-capture">The unsung heroes of carbon capture</h2>



When we think of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sinks</a> - the vital natural systems that absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere - we might not consider the role of small crustaceans.



The new findings reveal that Antarctic krill store amounts of carbon that are comparable to critical blue carbon habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes.



Despite <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/antarctic-krill_store-huge-amounts-carbon_credit-Imperial-College_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">their minute size</a>, these krill contribute significantly to carbon cycling, thanks to their enormous combined populations.



"A key player in the biological carbon pump is the Antarctic krill,&nbsp;Euphausia superba, whose faecal pellets, moults and carcasses can completely dominate Southern Ocean carbon fluxes to the ocean’s interior in the Austral growth season," wrote the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-krill-in-carbon-cycling">The role of krill in carbon cycling</h2>



Krill are often viewed as merely being food for larger animals. Whales, seals, and penguins relish these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-deep-sea-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-bahamas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crustaceans</a>, and humans also fish them for bait, aquaculture, and dietary supplements. 



However, the value of krill extends far beyond the food chain.



“For the past decade we have been piecing together the role krill have in carbon cycling, finally resulting in this amazing finding that krill, and their poo, store similar amounts of carbon as some coastal marine plants," explained Dr. Emma Cavan, one of the lead authors from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a>.



Protection for these vital creatures is an urgent matter. 



"I hope this means we can now work towards conserving krill and their valuable Southern Ocean ecosystem with the same gumption as we are seagrasses and mangroves," Cavan continued.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-storage-in-ocean-systems">Carbon storage in ocean systems</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-impacting-marine-life-more-than-we-realized/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine life</a> plays a pivotal role in locking carbon away from the atmosphere in ocean systems. The term "blue carbon" was coined over a decade ago to describe the crucial role <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-aquatic-plants-could-help-clean-coastal-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal marine plants</a> play in this process. 



Yet, the ocean has other storage methods far from the coast through animals like krill. These creatures feed on phytoplankton - microscopic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-news-plants-are-absorbing-more-human-produced-co2-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants that absorb carbon</a> during photosynthesis.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/antarctic-krill_store-huge-amounts-carbon_illustration_credit-Imperial-College_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/antarctic-krill_store-huge-amounts-carbon_illustration_credit-Imperial-College_1s.webp" alt="Illustration of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Credit: Glynn Gorick/Imperial College" class="wp-image-1945051"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Illustration of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Credit: Glynn Gorick/Imperial College</figcaption></figure>



When krill excrete or shed their exoskeletons, the carbon they've consumed sinks to the ocean depths, where it remains for a long time. 



This process could lock away at least 20 million tons of carbon annually, which is the equivalent of up to $46 billion worth of carbon storage.



“Antarctic krill are well known for being at the center of the unique Southern Ocean ecosystem and supporting an important fishery. But this study paints another picture of krill -- on their key role in storing carbon," noted study co-author Professor Angus Atkinson from <a href="https://pml.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plymouth Marine Laboratory</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-krill-swarms">The power of krill swarms</h2>



The massive populations of krill make them effective carbon storers. Swarms can contain up to 30 trillion individuals, producing a deluge of carbon-rich waste products.



“One of the amazing things about krill is that they form massive swarms, which can be over a kilometer in length," said Dr. Anna Belcher, a co-author from the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a>. 



"This drives a huge 'rain' of krill poo after feeding, making krill globally important for locking carbon away from the atmosphere."



The study also reveals that the depth needed to secure carbon storage effectively is surprisingly shallow, with an average of 381 meters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-krill-for-carbon-storage">Protecting krill for carbon storage </h2>



Antarctic krill are under increasing threat from rapid polar climate change, which is drastically altering their habitat. These krill are also targeted by an expanding fishery that further depletes their populations.



The combined pressures make the carbon storage capacity of krill an urgent and vital area for protection. 



Preserving this crucial carbon sink is essential for maintaining the delicate balance of the Southern Ocean ecosystem, and for meeting global climate goals.



The research highlights the need to integrate carbon considerations into broader conservation policies.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52135-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Tiny Antarctic krill store enormous amounts of carbon

Krill may be small, but their role in carbon storage...

Every year, millions of birds migrate in search of warmer climates to escape the harsh winter. However, this seasonal journey does not necessarily help birds conserve energy as previously thought, according to a recent study from the <a href="https://www.ab.mpg.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior</a> (MPI-AB). 



By implanting miniaturized loggers into wild <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-blackbirds-get-sick-it-takes-weeks-for-them-to-recover/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blackbirds</a>, scientists were able to record detailed measurements of the birds' heart rates and body temperatures every 30 minutes, from fall until the following spring. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-overall-energy-advantage-nbsp">No overall energy advantage&nbsp;</h2>



The study offers an unprecedented look into the true energetic costs of both migrating and staying in place. The data also uncovered an unexpected energy-saving mechanism used by blackbirds before migration begins.



“We never expected to discover that birds gain no overall energy advantage by escaping cold winters,” said Nils Linek, a first author of the study and researcher at MPI-AB.&nbsp;



“It was a longstanding textbook assumption that animals spend less energy by migrating to warmer places, but our findings have shown that these savings don’t add up. Rather, the energetics of migration is far more complex and interesting than theory predicted.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-energy-expenditure-of-blackbirds-nbsp">Measuring energy expenditure of blackbirds&nbsp;</h2>



Migration is a spectacular example of how animals adapt to changing seasons, but the fundamental question of why animals migrate has long puzzled scientists.&nbsp;



Part of the challenge has been the difficulty of studying the physiology of free-living animals over extended periods.&nbsp;



In this study, researchers from MPI-AB and <a href="https://www.yale.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale University</a> made a significant breakthrough by using sensors that measured the energy expenditure of blackbirds over the course of a full year, including their migration. 



They then paired this physiological data with energy modeling to calculate the predicted energetic costs of regulating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/koalas-can-predict-hot-days-and-adjust-their-body-temperature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">body temperature</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blackbirds-save-up-energy-for-their-journey">Blackbirds save up energy for their journey</h2>



The data showed that migrating blackbirds conserved substantial amounts of energy in preparation for migration by lowering their metabolism three weeks before departing. This adjustment may offset the energy costs of the migratory flights.&nbsp;



“They are essentially turning down their internal thermostat, allowing them to save energy for the journey ahead,” explained Linek.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicted-energy-surplus-nbsp">Predicted energy surplus&nbsp;</h2>



Yet, once the birds reached their warmer wintering areas, they did not seem to reduce their overall daily energy expenditure as expected.



“This was not what we anticipated,” said co-first author Scott Yanco, a scientist at the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change.&nbsp;



“The energy modeling we did in the study predicted that migration should definitely create an energy surplus because of the substantially reduced cost of keeping warm in milder climates.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-costs-in-overwintering-sites-nbsp">Hidden costs in overwintering sites&nbsp;</h2>



The mystery remains: where did this predicted energy surplus go? “We can only speculate at this point, but we suggest that there may be other physiological adaptations or hidden costs that migrant blackbirds face in their milder overwintering sites,” said Linek. 



“These might include factors such as the need to maintain vigilance in new environments, immune functions, or unknown stressors that offset the thermal advantage they should have experienced.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-partially-migratory-blackbirds">“Partially migratory” blackbirds</h2>



The researchers conducted their study in southern Germany, where blackbird populations are “partially migratory.” This means that while some blackbirds migrate south to regions like Spain and France, others remain in Germany throughout the year.&nbsp;



To track both migrant and resident birds, the researchers implanted heart rate and body temperature loggers into 120 wild blackbirds. These devices recorded data continuously from September until May.&nbsp;



Additionally, the team used radio transmitters to monitor the departure and return of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-migratory-birds-navigate-with-such-accuracy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migratory birds</a>. Over one million data points were analyzed to compare the physiological differences between the two groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-blackbirds-in-remarkable-detail-nbsp">Tracking blackbirds in remarkable detail&nbsp;</h2>



“Using physiological data, we were able to see in remarkable detail how birds undertake and experience migration,” said co-author Tamara Volkmer, a doctoral student at MPI-AB.&nbsp;



“We could observe everything from the migratory flight itself to how they recovered afterward and what they did over the winter. By recording long-term, detailed energy measurements, we could glimpse the hidden costs of their impressive round trip.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-drivers-of-migration-nbsp">Evolutionary drivers of migration&nbsp;</h2>



The findings suggest that migration, despite its risks and challenges, does not result in energy savings in warmer climates. This raises new questions about the evolutionary drivers of migration.&nbsp;



“This could have implications for our understanding of migration and its underlying mechanisms across different bird species,” Linek explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study-nbsp">Broader implications of the study&nbsp;</h2>



The study also has broader implications for predicting how species will respond to future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-birds-are-struggling-to-adapt-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate changes</a>.



Study senior author Jesko Partecke is a group leader at MPI-AB who has been studying blackbird migration for two decades.



“Understanding the physiological underpinnings of migration means that we can better forecast which species may adapt, which may alter their migratory patterns, and which may face greater risks as the world continues to warm,” said Partecke.&nbsp;



As climate change progresses, this research could prove essential in understanding how migratory species will cope with shifting environmental conditions, potentially altering migration strategies or even leading to the disappearance of certain migratory behaviors.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02545-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>, 



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Blackbirds reveal the true energy costs of migrating

Every year, millions of birds migrate in search of warmer...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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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



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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



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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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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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



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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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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

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