Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy.



This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellowstone-aspens-and-elk">Yellowstone, aspens, and elk</h2>



In the 1920s, people <a href="https://www.yellowstone.org/wolf-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminated wolves in Yellowstone</a>. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right thing to do.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-wolves-to-dogs-did-domestication-begin-without-human-help/">Without wolves</a>, elk herds grew very large. Elk love to eat aspen shoots - the tender young growth is highly palatable to them.



For roughly 70 years, elk browsed aspen sprouts down to stub height, and the trees couldn't grow. 



If you had walked through Yellowstone in the 1980s, you would have seen many tiny aspen shoots covering the ground, but almost no young trees gaining height. 



The forest's regeneration was stalled. Old trees died, and no new ones replaced them.



In 1995 and 1996, park managers reintroduced wolves into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/">Yellowstone Park ecosystem</a>. Scientists hoped and wondered whether this would change anything for the trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aspen-matter-to-yellowstone">Why aspen matter to Yellowstone</h2>



Aspen groves provide habitat for many species. Birds nest in them. Beavers eat the bark and use the wood for dams. Butterflies and moths lay eggs on the leaves. 



Their canopy admits enough light for wildflowers and shrubs to grow beneath. When it rains, aspen groves hold water in the soil better than some other forest types.



In short, when aspen return, dozens of other species benefit. More trees support more insects, which in turn support more birds, enriching the ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-checking-the-trees-three-decades-later">Checking the trees three decades later</h2>



<a href="https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/users/luke-painter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke Painter</a>, an ecologist at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a>, sought clear answers. His team returned to 87 aspen stands across Yellowstone that scientists had previously surveyed. 



They measured thousands of young trees, looked for bite marks, and counted how many stems were tall enough that elk could no longer reach the tips.



About a third of these stands now have many tall young aspens pushing toward the canopy. 



"About 26 of the 87 aspen stands we examined had large numbers of tall saplings throughout, a remarkable change from the 1990s when surveys found none at all," Painter said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-wolves-matter-to-yellowstone-aspens">Why wolves matter to Yellowstone aspens</h2>



Breaking it all down, the conclusions of this study are pretty simple. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-move-pups-across-mountains-to-adapt-to-climate-pressure/">Wolves hunt elk</a>. When wolves came back, two things happened. First, elk numbers declined from unusually high levels. Second, elk changed their behavior. They spent less time in the same areas feeding.



With fewer elk and shorter feeding bouts, more aspen shoots survived long enough to exceed the browsing zone - about six to seven feet high. 



Once a sapling reaches that height, elk cannot easily reach the growing tip. The tree continues to grow.



"The reintroduction of large carnivores has initiated a recovery process that had been shut down for decades," Painter explained.



Scientists call this a <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/trophic-cascades-across-diverse-plant-ecosystems-80060347/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trophic cascade</a> - when adding or removing one species causes changes that ripple through the whole system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-places-recover-others-don-t">Some places recover, others don't</h2>



Unfortunately, not every aspen stand has recovered yet. Some valleys still have many short, heavily browsed shoots, because it's not only elk eating them anymore. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstones-iconic-bison-have-merged-into-a-single-herd/">Bison herds have grown</a>, and bison browse on aspen as well. They are strong enough to break young trees. 



"Increasing numbers of bison may be emerging as a new constraint to aspen in some areas," Painter confirmed.



Additionally, winter snow depth varies; droughts stress trees; bears and mountain lions also hunt elk; and hunting outside the park influences elk distribution. 



All of these factors interact, which is why some sites show strong recovery, others show moderate recovery, and a few have changed very little.



The key pattern is that places with many tall saplings experience little browsing, and aspen groves that remain popular eating grounds today stay short. 



This fact is the strongest indication that tree recovery is linked directly to wolf presence, not solely to weather or soil conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proof-in-the-measurements">Proof in the measurements</h2>



Painter's team did not rely on casual observation. They used the same methods as earlier researchers, measuring the same plots. 



They counted recruitment - when young trees surpass browsing height and begin progressing toward maturity. This measure is crucial. Sprouts are insufficient if they never grow; without recruitment, the forest cannot replace itself.



The results are robust. After being stalled for most of a century, Yellowstone's aspens are increasing in height. In recovering stands today, you will see saplings - six, eight, or ten feet tall - that were not present in the 1990s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-yellowstone-s-aspens">The future of Yellowstone's aspens</h2>



"This is a remarkable case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-may-be-near-the-root-of-all-life-on-earth/">ecological restoration</a>," Painter concluded. "Wolf reintroduction is yielding long-term ecological changes contributing to increased biodiversity and habitat diversity."



Trees grow slowly, so even with wolves restored, it will take decades for these young aspens to form a full-grown forest. 



Some areas might never fully recover if bison numbers continue to rise or if the climate becomes too hot and dry.



Thanks to the work of Painter and his team, scientists are now certain that restoring the Yellowstone predator has restarted aspen forest regeneration. Not everywhere and not perfectly, but enough to be measured, creating hope for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112725004499?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



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Yellowstone's aspen trees are growing again thanks to the reintroduction of wolves

Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy. This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns. Yellowstone, aspens, and elk In the 1920s, people eliminated wolves in Yellowstone. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right...

A,Close-up,Photograph,Of,A,Juvenile,St,Andrew's,Cross,Spider

Whether it’s the constant hum of traffic or the repetitive clamor of construction, the noises produced by modern society can obstruct the abilities of spiders and all other animals to send and receive signals that are crucial for their survival.



Studying how animals pick up information can be hard, but web-building spiders give scientists a special chance to look at how external tools (like spider webs) help filter out the noises they don't care about and receive the signals that are important for their survival.



Now, a team of biologists at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (<a href="https://www.unl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNL</a>) has published one of the first known studies demonstrating how one group of animals can react to human-made noise by adjusting its own method of sensing sounds. 



In an article published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.02.041" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>, researchers Brandi Pessman and Eileen Hebets show that funnel-weaving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiders-reveal-how-cave-creatures-lose-their-vision-over-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spiders</a> alter how their silk webs transmit vibrations in response to local noise. 



This finding suggests that the spiders might deliberately change web structure to cope with the auditory chaos surrounding them, ensuring they receive vital cues from potential mates, prey, or predators.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiders-noise-and-web-adjustments">Spiders, noise, and web adjustments</h2>



Drawing on lab experiments, the study uncovered a particularly unexpected insight: the way a spider’s web conveys vibrations varies depending on whether its architect was collected from a rural or urban area. 



This discrepancy hints at the idea that prior exposure to noise - possibly even inherited across generations - may influence a spider’s malleability when it comes to spinning webs.



“One of the most interesting things that we found is that urban and rural spiders are reacting differently when they're put into a noisy environment,” said Pessman, a postdoctoral researcher in biological sciences and the lead author of the paper. 



“This means that spiders with different experiences with noise - whether they themselves experienced it or their mothers passed it down to them across generations - respond differently.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spider-webs-as-sensory-extensions">Spider webs as sensory extensions</h2>



It has been well documented that animals such as birds and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-altering-the-calls-and-voices-of-frogs-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frogs</a> can change their calls or the timing of their vocalizations in the face of increased human noise. 



However, little was known about how animals manage to tweak the way they receive acoustic or vibratory signals.



The main challenge is the hidden nature of most animals’ sensory systems, which are located within their bodies. 



But web-building spiders are unique, as their webs function effectively like external sensory extensions that capture vibrations from the environment.



This distinction makes funnel-weaving spiders, also known as Agelenopsis pennsylvanica, an ideal test group. They rely predominantly on vibratory signals for vital information. 



Their webs connect to various surfaces - trees, rocks, or buildings - capable of transmitting the vibratory noise created by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-birds-get-road-rage-when-exposed-to-traffic-noise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">traffic</a>, industrial activities, and more. 



The research team hypothesized that funnel-weaving spiders might be able to reduce the volume of unwanted or irrelevant vibrations caused by human-related noise, which often shares the frequency range these spiders need for effective communication.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiders-in-urban-areas">Spiders in urban areas</h2>



Pessman started by collecting a total of 60 funnel-weaving spiders in and around Lincoln, Nebraska - some from city settings and others from out in the countryside. 



In the lab, the spiders were then placed in controlled environments that were either quiet or noisy as they spun webs over four nights.



Upon completion, the researchers introduced test vibrations into those webs, measuring how energy moved across the silk in different conditions.



They observed that spiders from urban areas tended to build webs that lost more energy in short-distance vibrations across a broader set of frequencies when placed under noisy conditions. 



Interpreted practically, these webs essentially “muffled” environmental noise. This may prevent sensory overload, giving the spiders a clearer signal from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-predator-prey-feast-ever-seen-in-the-ocean-enormous-quickly-altered-food-chain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prey</a> or other relevant vibrations in their immediate vicinity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiders-that-are-exposed-to-less-noise">Spiders that are exposed to less noise</h2>



Meanwhile, rural spiders assembled their webs in such a way that energy from biologically important long-distance vibrations was preserved. 



This indicates they might be amplifying or enhancing certain frequency ranges to pick out meaningful vibrations above the background noise.



“Rural spiders are not used to as much noise in their environment,” Pessman said. “When they suddenly get a lot of noise, they might try to 'turn up' the volume in their webs or amplify what's coming in to better hear certain signals above the noise.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Given the role of funnel webs as external sensory structures, these findings open a new window into how animals can adjust the way they receive signals, a research area that had remained largely unclear until now. 



The ability to alter web structure in response to different noise environments could prove vital as human-made noise continues to escalate across the planet.



In the future, the team plans to investigate precisely how the spiders are changing their webs - whether they adjust the tension of certain silk lines, vary anchor points, or adopt an entirely new shape to filter or boost specific frequencies. 



High-speed video of the web-building process, combined with digital tracking methods, will let them delve deeper into these construction nuances.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-noise-and-spider-webs">Human noise and spider webs</h2>



“This study really highlights the role of receivers in overcoming environmental noise,” said Hebets, who is a professor of biological sciences at UNL. 



“It opens up entirely new avenues of research. For example, are receivers placing themselves at certain locations in the environment where signals are going to receive less attenuation or overlap of noise?”



By revealing that some species can modify their “sensor” for hearing, the team hopes to inspire more research on how other animals cope with rising noise levels. 



The funnels built by these little invertebrates may seem inconsequential to an urban passerby, but as the study shows, each strand of silk can be precisely tuned to help the spider thrive in a clamorous world.



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Spiders build their webs differently when the noise in their neighborhood gets too loud

Whether it’s the constant hum of traffic or the repetitive...

A single bad food experience can be enough to change eating habits for a lifetime. Now, researchers have identified the precise brain region responsible for this powerful type of memory.



This fascinating study offering insights into how the brain links cause and effect when there's a delay between them - like getting sick hours after a meal.



This discovery may not only explain why certain foods suddenly become unpalatable but could also inform research into other lasting memory associations, including those involved in trauma and PTSD.



The new findings come from neuroscientists at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Princeton University</a> who set out to explore the brain mechanisms behind “one-shot learning,” where a single event creates a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-our-brain-form-long-term-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term memory</a>.&nbsp;



“I haven't had food poisoning in a while, but now whenever I talk to people at meetings, I hear all about their food poisoning experiences,” said lead author Christopher Zimmerman, a postdoctoral fellow at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute.&nbsp;



Inspired by such anecdotes, Zimmerman and his colleagues developed an experiment to understand how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-health-and-diet-nutrition-helps-lower-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> forms food aversions even when illness sets in long after eating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effects-of-food-poisoning-in-the-brain">Effects of food poisoning in the brain</h2>



Working in the lab of professor Ilana Witten, Zimmerman began by introducing mice to a new flavor - grape Kool-Aid. “It's a better model for how we actually learn,” he explained.&nbsp;



“Normally, scientists in the field will use sugar alone, but that's not a normal flavor that you would encounter in a meal. Kool-Aid, while it's still not typical, is a little bit closer since it has more dimensions to its flavor profile.”



Mice were trained to poke their noses into a port to receive a drop of the drink. Half an hour later, they were given an injection to induce temporary illness, mimicking food poisoning.&nbsp;



When offered a choice two days later between Kool-Aid and plain water, they strongly avoided the former - evidence that the unpleasant outcome had left a strong impression.&nbsp;



But what most intrigued the team was discovering which part of the brain was responsible for this aversive memory: the central amygdala.



“If you look across the entire brain, where novel versus familiar flavors are represented, the amygdala turns out to be a really interesting place because it's preferentially activated by novel flavors at every stage in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-learning-how-the-brain-stores-new-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learning</a>,” Zimmerman said.&nbsp;



“It’s active when the mouse is drinking, when the mouse is feeling sick later, and then when the mouse retrieves that negative memory days later.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memories-of-food-poisoning-in-the-brain">Memories of food poisoning in the brain</h2>



The central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lizard-brain-shapes-social-abilities-in-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amygdala</a> is a small structure located deep within the brain, known for processing emotional learning, particularly fear. 



The amygdala also receives a wide range of sensory information, including taste and smell, making it a logical - but previously unconfirmed - candidate for processing food-related memories.



Zimmerman recalled the thrill of the discovery: “I remember making the plot from the first animal and sharing it on Slack with Ilana. She was at my desk a minute later to talk about how exciting this is.”&nbsp;



That initial result was just the beginning. With more data, the researchers confirmed that the central amygdala plays a central role at every point in the learning process - when the flavor is first encountered, when sickness occurs, and when the memory is retrieved later.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-the-gut-to-the-brain">From the gut to the brain</h2>



To understand how the feeling of illness connects to memory, the team followed clues from earlier studies. They identified specialized cells in the hindbrain that produce a protein called CGRP. 



These cells send direct signals to the central amygdala, forming a neural bridge between the gut and the brain. 



When the researchers stimulated these cells 30 minutes after the mice had tasted Kool-Aid - without inducing actual illness - the mice still developed the same aversion.



Even more striking was the finding that sickness appeared to reactivate the same neurons that had responded to the Kool-Aid in the first place.&nbsp;



“It was as if the mice were thinking back and remembering the prior experience that caused them to later feel sick,” Witten said. “It was very cool to see this unfolding at the level of individual neurons.”



The researchers propose that novel flavors may “tag” neurons in the amygdala, priming them to remain sensitive to signals from the body for several hours after eating.&nbsp;



If the animal then experiences sickness during this window, the brain reactivates the tagged neurons and forges a lasting association between the flavor and the illness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-beyond-the-dinner-table">Implications beyond the dinner table</h2>



Although the study focused on food aversion, the findings point to a broader framework for how the brain learns to link events separated by time - a process that's not well understood.&nbsp;



“Often when we learn in the real world, there's a long delay between whatever choice we’ve made and the outcome. But that’s not typically studied in the lab, so we don't really understand the neural mechanisms that support this kind of long delay learning,” Zimmerman said.&nbsp;



“Our hope is that these findings will provide a framework for thinking about how the brain might leverage memory recall to solve this learning problem in other situations.”



In addition to shedding light on everyday behaviors - like swearing off oysters after one bad experience - this research could have implications for how we understand <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-trauma-can-cause-muscle-decline-adult-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trauma</a>. 



Much like food poisoning, traumatic events are often followed by symptoms only after a delay, and yet they still form vivid, persistent memories in the brain.



By identifying the precise brain pathways involved in one-shot memory formation, scientists are a step closer to understanding how such associations are wired - and possibly how they might be rewired in the future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08828-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>,



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Food poisoning triggers permanent changes in the brain

A single bad food experience can be enough to change...

Astronomers searching for habitable planets have recently turned their attention to stars known as M dwarfs. Though they are also considered "red dwarf" stars like the Sun, these stars have lower luminosities than the Sun, which makes planets passing in front of them more noticeable to our telescopes.



Because M dwarfs emit less light, they create stronger signals when a planet transits. This setup has boosted efforts to find worlds similar in size to our own.



Scientists have concentrated on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocky-planets-a-new-target-in-the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rocky planets around M dwarfs</a> because any habitable zone hugs the star more tightly than Earth hugs the Sun. 



Investigations with space missions such as TESS and K2 and ground-based ventures like HARPS and MEarth have fueled a wave of discoveries. 



One well-known highlight is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trappist-1-has-seven-earth-like-planets-that-may-support-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TRAPPIST-1</a>, situated about 12 light-years away - around 72 trillion miles - from us. Its seven planets, roughly the size of Earth, receive sunlight comparable to what our planet gets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gliese-12-b-has-potential">Gliese 12 b has potential</h2>



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-discovery-nasa-identifies-over-5500-distant-worlds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">continued pursuits</a> have uncovered a new object called Gliese 12 b, an exoplanet orbiting a star that is less active than TRAPPIST-1. Researchers think this calmer nature might preserve an atmosphere on the planet’s surface.



According to <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, Gliese 12 b is a “super Earth exoplanet” that is nearly the same size as Earth or slightly smaller.



Masayuki Kuzuhara, a project assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.nibb.ac.jp/en/sections/concurrent/abc1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astrobiology Center</a> in Tokyo, has drawn attention to the planet’s significance. 



“We’ve found the nearest, transiting, temperate, Earth-size world located to date,” Kuzuhara enthused. 



“Although we don’t yet know whether it possesses an atmosphere, we’ve been thinking of it as an exo-Venus, with similar size and energy received from its star as our planetary neighbor in the solar system.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-red-dwarf-star-gliese-12">Red dwarf star Gliese 12</h2>



NASA points out that a so-called cool red dwarf star like Gliese 12 is helpful for planet hunting because its planets lie well within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-expands-the-habitable-zone-where-we-may-find-alien-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitable zone</a>.



“A smaller star means greater dimming for each transit, and a lower mass means an orbiting planet can produce a greater wobble, known as ‘reflex motion,’ of the star,” the agency said. “These effects make smaller planets easier to detect.”



Gliese 12 itself measures about 27% of the Sun’s size and has surface temperatures at roughly 60% of the solar level. Astronomers also note that the planet completes one orbit in 12.8 days. 



Under the assumption that Gliese 12 b has no atmosphere, they estimate its surface temperature to be around 107 degrees Fahrenheit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-habitability-of-exoplanet-gliese-12-b">Habitability of exoplanet Gliese 12 b</h2>



The gap between Gliese 12 and Gliese 12 b is only about 7% of Earth’s distance from the Sun. This arrangement exposes the planet to 1.6 times more energy than our home world receives.



According to NASA, the reduced brightness of red dwarf stars lets astronomers pinpoint conditions that might allow liquid water to exist. 



This approach could reveal whether an atmosphere remains intact on a planet that sits so close to its star.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gliese-12b_habitable-exoplanet_earth-comparison_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gliese-12b_habitable-exoplanet_earth-comparison_NASA_1s.webp" alt="This artist’s concept compares Earth with different possible Gliese 12 b interpretations, from no atmosphere to a thick Venus-like one. Follow-up observations with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will help determine just how much atmosphere the planet retains as well as its composition. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC)" class="wp-image-1964367"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This artist’s concept compares Earth with different possible Gliese 12 b interpretations, from no atmosphere to a thick Venus-like one. Follow-up observations with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will help determine just how much atmosphere the planet retains as well as its composition. Click to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC)</figcaption></figure>



“Gliese 12 b represents one of the best targets to study whether Earth-size planets orbiting cool stars can retain their atmospheres - an important step toward understanding habitability across our galaxy,” said Shishir Dholakia, a doctoral student at the <a href="https://www.unisq.edu.au/research/institutes-centres/iaess/centre-for-astrophysics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre for Astrophysics</a> at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia.



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



Researchers see Gliese 12 b as a strong candidate for shedding light on features that other rocky worlds may share.



“We know of only a handful of temperate planets similar to Earth that are both close enough to us and meet other criteria needed for this kind of study, called transmission spectroscopy, using current facilities,” said Michael McElwain, a research astrophysicist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> in Greenbelt, Maryland. 



“To better understand the diversity of atmospheres and evolutionary outcomes for these planets, we need more examples like Gliese 12 b.”



Scientists plan to keep Gliese 12 b on their radar by gathering data that may indicate the presence or absence of any gases around it. They hope these observations will fill some missing pieces in models of how planetary systems grow.



Special instrumentation on ground-based observatories and data from orbiting platforms could confirm whether that thin blanket of molecules is escaping into space or staying put.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-red-dwarf-angle">The red dwarf angle</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/proxima-centauri-the-closest-star-to-earth-is-extremely-violent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red dwarfs</a> draw sustained attention because of their potential for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-third-of-our-galaxys-planets-could-be-habitable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">life-bearing environments</a>. As the smallest and coolest stars, they allow improved chances to detect transits and measure planetary signals with less interference.



These hunts have led to the identification of other neighboring systems, but Gliese 12 b offers a new laboratory to examine factors like temperature, size, and star-to-planet distance in real time.



Some red dwarf planets look scorched and barren, but others may have comfortable conditions. 



Gliese 12 b’s size, short orbital period, and relatively low stellar activity have stirred anticipation among those who track these quiet, cool stars and their companions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



The Gliese 12 b announcement highlights the persistence required to identify smaller worlds circling dimmer stars, especially <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/four-small-planets-discovered-orbiting-the-nearest-single-star-to-earth-barnards-star/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">M dwarfs</a>.



Specialists note that pinpointing Earth-like planets can be challenging, but focused attention on red dwarfs has paid off by producing a fresh batch of observations. 



Whether it reveals a robust protective layer of gases or a barren surface remains to be seen. 



What’s certain is that Gliese 12 b has become one of the most interesting places to watch, offering a potential example of how rocky neighbors might cling to any hint of an atmosphere so close to a red dwarf.



The full study was published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ad3642" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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NASA finds nearby Earth-like exoplanet that could support intelligent life

Astronomers searching for habitable planets have recently turned their attention...

An asteroid named 2024 YR4 stirred up concerns when it was found heading near Earth in December 2024. Early projections pushed scientists to keep a close watch, especially after the International Asteroid Warning Network issued a notification on January 29, 2025.



Those first calculations suggested an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-asteroid-2024-yr4-has-a-chance-of-hitting-earth-in-2032/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impact probability</a> of 1.3% on December 22, 2032. Postdoctoral researcher Zuri Gray from the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Helsinki</a> was among the early observers who noticed that this object measured somewhere between 40 and 90 meters in diameter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-track-the-asteroid-s-path">Scientists track the asteroid’s path</h2>



“We have been focusing on the asteroid’s precise position and motion, and to analyze its rotation, size and shape,” said Gray. A flurry of observations began in January 2025, and efforts continued through mid-February.



“Our recent observations continue to demonstrate the vital role that <a href="https://www.not.iac.es/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nordic Optical Telescope</a> (NOT) plays in planetary defense efforts on a global level,” added postdoctoral researcher Grigori Fedorets.



Astronomers used the 2.5-meter NOT on La Palma for a sharper view. This telescope has proven its worth in detecting objects traveling near <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-large-asteroids-will-pass-near-earth-this-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-asteroid-may-target-the-moon">Asteroid may target the Moon</h2>



Estimates briefly hit 3% probability of an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-would-happen-small-asteroid-hit-earth-nasa-ai-simulation-found-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth impact</a>, the highest ever recorded for an asteroid of this range. Observers encountered a snag with a bright full moon that briefly overwhelmed the asteroid’s glow.



Once new data became available, predictions shifted dramatically and the chance of an Earth impact decreased below 0.001%. The latest calculations, however, revealed a 4% possibility of the asteroid striking the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-learn-composition-of-moons-interior-core-its-not-green-cheese/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moon</a>, bringing new worries for future lunar missions.



“Should the asteroid impact the Moon, the Earth-Moon system could be clouded with particles detached from the Moon and the asteroid, which would potentially threaten the human space infrastructure and operations,” explained Professor Karri Muinonen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-determining-the-actual-size">Determining the actual size</h2>



On March 26, the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> offered detailed infrared observations. This step gave researchers a more precise handle on the asteroid’s diameter, since infrared measurements directly mirror an object’s size.



“The initial diameter estimate of the asteroid was limited to visible light measurements, which depend on both the size and reflectivity of the surface. However, thermal emission at infrared wavelengths is a direct indicator of the size,” noted postdoctoral researcher Eric MacLennan.



“Our first attempt to observe the thermal emission on March 8 was not successful, so it was a relief when the images were transmitted back from the telescope,” said MacLennan. The team's efforts led to a size prediction of between about 46 and 74 meters (150 and 240 feet), with a 95% level of confidence.



This update helps scientists evaluate potential outcomes if 2024 YR4 meets the lunar surface.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-telescopes-refine-asteroid-risk">Telescopes refine asteroid risk </h2>



The University of Helsinki’s fast response at the Nordic Optical Telescope in February stood out. The research offered critical measurements that narrowed the potential risks, compared to information obtained from other similar facilities.



“We were able to very quickly observe the asteroid and refine the estimates for it. The flexible, high-quality, medium-sized astronomical facilities like the NOT are crucial for rapid follow-up of these type of potentially hazardous asteroids,” said Professor Mikael Granvik.



Continuous tracking of the asteroid targeting the moon will last until about April or May 2025. After that, 2024 YR4 will slip beyond Earth-based sensors and remain undetected until its next close pass in 2028.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-broader-concerns">Preparing for broader concerns</h2>



Finland has positioned its <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/do-us-topos-and-national-map-have-a-layer-shows-public-land-survey-system-plss" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Land Survey</a> as the authority for assessing near-Earth object risks. A future <a href="https://aerospace.org/ssi-space-situational-awareness" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Space Situational Awareness Center</a> is also on the horizon to address threats from space debris, solar activity, and collisions.



“The comprehensive expertise of astronomers at the University of Helsinki in asteroid research is a critical part of the expertise needed at the governmental level to assess the possible impact risks caused by the near-Earth objects for Finland similar to other countries,” said academy research fellow Anne Virkki.



Any <a href="https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/stats/totals.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">object</a> measuring several dozen meters can cause serious regional damage if it collides with Earth’s surface. Though this asteroid’s impact chances have dropped for our planet, the Moon’s 4% possibility highlights a unique scenario.



Studies using the James Webb Space Telescope <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/adc6f0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirm</a> that 2024 YR4’s diameter is near 60 ± 7 meters (197 ± 23 feet) . Objects of this size range can produce noticeable disruptions if they collide with a celestial body.



From a policy standpoint, the research demonstrates why repeated observations, collaborative monitoring, and robust modeling are vital.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-asteroid-near-earth-tracked-into-2025">Asteroid near Earth tracked into 2025</h2>



Scientists remain ready to gather more information during the asteroid's final observable window in spring 2025. If its path indicates the asteroid will target the moon, efforts to predict any consequences will intensify.



Past events suggest that being able to fine-tune <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-could-be-pushed-into-a-collision-course-with-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">predictions</a> depends on timely data. If 2024 YR4 passes near enough in 2026 for the James Webb Space Telescope to lock on again, that could either calm or reignite concerns about any final trajectory shifts.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/adc6f0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RNAAS Research Notes of The AAS</a>.



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Asteroid that once threatened Earth may target the Moon

An asteroid named 2024 YR4 stirred up concerns when it...

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.2426" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1079404" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.ntu.edu.tw/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-spread-of-butterfly-disease-revealed-in-museum-collections/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-make-life-and-death-decisions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-boost-plant-evolution-in-surprising-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.psu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>Every spring, gardens and fields fill the air with rich, floral aromas. But it's more than just a pleasant smell; these plant-released scents play a vital role in the lives of butterflies and moths.



A new <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> study reveals how daily changes in plant aromas influence feeding behaviors among winged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-boost-plant-evolution-in-surprising-ways/">insects</a> that belong to the group known as Lepidoptera.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-scent-and-insect-diets">Plant scent and insect diets</h2>



The research, published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.2426" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>, unveils the Salient Aroma Hypothesis.



This new idea proposes that the chemical cues plants release - particularly during the daytime - are instrumental in shaping how specialized, or how flexible, a butterfly or moth becomes in its diet



“This idea provides a new perspective on why some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-spread-of-butterfly-disease-revealed-in-museum-collections/">butterflies</a> and moths are picky eaters while others are not,” said Po-An Lin, an assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.tw/english/">National Taiwan University</a>. “It also highlights the critical role of plant volatiles, or scents, in shaping insect-plant interactions and evolutionary adaptations.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-picky-eaters-and-their-plant-choice">Picky eaters and their plant choice</h2>



Scientists already knew that many Lepidopterans are surprisingly fussy with their dietary choices.



The insects feed only on specific plant groups that cater to the nutritional or chemical needs of their offspring. Others are the polar opposite, feeding on a broad range of vegetation.



The hypothesis explains these extremes by focusing on how butterflies and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-defense-against-the-invasive-spongy-moth-is-fading/">moths</a> use their antennae to detect plant scents. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-scent-and-insect-antennae-size">Plant scent and insect antennae size</h2>



Researchers measured insect antennae on 582 specimens from 94 species and linked size to diet and activity patterns. 



Notably, they found that day-active females in particular had noticeably larger antennae than their nocturnal relatives. This adaptation allows them to detect and process the richer daytime scents in the environment.



“The relationship between antennal size and host plant breadth was very strong,” Felton said. “Larger antennal sizes have been associated with a greater number of sensilla, the sensory structures involved in the sense of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-fruit-flies-smell-well-as-humans-with-much-less-nose-neurons/">smell</a>, thereby increasing the surface area for sensory receptors." 



"The enhanced capacity may be a key adaptation for how certain Lepidoptera have evolved to feed on a limited and specific range of plants."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-cues-and-evolution">Chemical cues and evolution</h2>



The scientists confirmed that most vegetation releases a more varied and abundant blend of volatile compounds during the day, in comparison with the night.



This disparity lines up with the greater complexity observed in the olfactory systems of day-active insects. Daytime feeders use abundant daytime chemical cues to find, identify, and eat the plants that best suit their needs.



“This finding demonstrates how the availability of chemical signals influences the evolution of sensory organs in insects,” Felton said. “It provides a fascinating example of how plants have played a direct role in shaping the evolution of the insects that rely on them.”



The study also traced the evolutionary lineages of butterflies and moths in the Lepidoptera family tree. Researchers mapped species’ daily activity and linked it to host plant preferences to reveal feeding behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scent-specialization-in-the-daylight">Scent specialization in the daylight</h2>



The outcome is a nuanced picture of insect-plant dynamics. Daytime pollinators, like monarch butterflies, use their large antennae to detect specific plant scents, and this guides them toward a narrow range of host plants. 



“Insect herbivores, such as butterflies and moths, must find the right plants to feed on and, in the case of females, to lay their eggs,” said Professor Lin. “This is a crucial decision because caterpillars depend entirely on the selected plant for survival. 



In contrast, unlike humans, who eat a variety of foods to stay healthy, many insect herbivores specialize in just a few plant species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-diets-in-the-nighttime-quiet">Broader diets in the nighttime quiet</h2>



Nocturnal moths like the Polyphemus, encounter fewer distinct plant aromas in the dark. Without rich scent cues to guide them, these insects are less likely to lock in on a single preferred food source. Their evolutionary solution? Broaden their diet to improve their odds of survival.



By revealing how something as subtle as the timing and volume of plant odors can direct dietary choices, this study expands our understanding of ecological networks.



The research highlights the delicate interplay between insect sensory capabilities and plant chemistry, laying the groundwork for future research into how these relationships shape biodiversity across ecosystems.



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Scents of survival: How plant aromas shape insect diets

Every spring, gardens and fields fill the air with rich,...

The universe is full of powerful forces, but few are as mysterious as the high-speed jets that blast out from supermassive black holes. 



These plasma jets, emerging from the centers of certain galaxies known as active galactic nuclei (AGN), shoot across space at nearly the speed of light. 



Scientists have long sought to understand how they form, why they accelerate, and what role magnetic fields play in shaping them.



A new study led by experts from the <a href="https://www.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/2169/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy</a> (MPIfR) in Germany and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) in Spain is shedding light on these questions.



Using detailed radio observations of 16 different AGN, the research team looked deeper than ever before - right up to the region near the black hole where these powerful jets originate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-network-of-radio-telescopes">Global network of radio telescopes</h2>



The team relied on data collected during the 2017 campaign of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), a global network of radio telescopes that together form a virtual Earth-sized observatory. 



Known for capturing the first-ever image of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermassive-black-hole-m87-captured-in-an-unexpected-spin-shift/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole in the galaxy M87</a>, the EHT offers unmatched resolution. It’s capable of resolving structures just outside the black hole's event horizon.



In this study, researchers compared the EHT’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/highest-resolution-eht-black-hole-images-ever-taken-usher-in-new-era/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ultra-high-resolution observations</a> with previous images taken by the Very Long Baseline Array and the Global Millimeter VLBI Array. These older observations captured the jets at much larger scales.



By combining data across different frequencies and resolutions, the scientists pieced together a more complete picture of how these jets evolve from their starting point near the black hole to the vast stretches of interstellar space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zooming-in-on-black-hole-jets">Zooming in on black hole jets</h2>



“Our findings challenge long-standing assumptions about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-jet-crashes-into-an-unidentified-object/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how jets behave</a>,” said Jan Röder, who led the research team.



“By analyzing a sample of sixteen active galactic nuclei, we were able to reduce the influence of individual peculiarities and obtain a broader picture of jet behavior.”



Traditionally, jets were thought to follow a simple pattern. The most common model describes them as cone-shaped, with plasma moving at a constant speed while the magnetic field and plasma density decrease with distance. 



Astronomers would expect to predict the appearance and behavior of jets based on this model, but the new findings indicate otherwise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-picture-of-jet-behavior">Broader picture of jet behavior </h2>



Röder noted that the basic model cannot be a perfect description for all jets - most likely, only for a small fraction. "The dynamics and sub-structure of jets are intricate, and observational results can suffer greatly from astrophysical degeneracies."



"For example, we know that many jets appear to accelerate. Either the plasma itself accelerates, or it can be an effect of geometry: if the jet bends, it may point at us more directly, giving the impression of faster movement,” said Röder.



Project co-leader Maciek Wielgus from IAA-CSIC explained that by using a sample of sixteen active galactic nuclei, the team was able to get a broader picture of the behavior of jets, compared to just looking at individual sources. "This way, the results are less prone to influence from their respective unique properties."



The experts also noticed something interesting about jet brightness. As the plasma moved farther from the black hole, its brightness typically increased. This suggests that the jet may be accelerating, or that some other energy-related process is taking place as it travels outward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-changes-in-black-hole-jets">Tracking changes in black hole jets</h2>



One key to understanding these jets lies in the “middle ground” - the space between what the EHT sees and what older arrays reveal. 



“The Global Millimeter VLBI Array operating at 3.5 mm wavelength provides the key information between the highest resolutions achieved by the EHT and the more general picture of jets provided by the Very Long Baseline Array," noted Eduardo Ros, the European Scheduler of the GMVA.



"This was evident in the case of M87, as presented by RuSen Lu and collaborators in April 2023."



These overlapping observations allow scientists to track how black hole jets change across distance and time. They also help identify where existing models fall short - especially when it comes to how jets accelerate or interact with their surroundings.



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



Even with this new data, some mysteries remain. The idea that brightness increases with distance contradicts older theories and opens the door for new ones. While this could be due to changes in jet structure, more research is needed.



“More studies are needed to fully understand the acceleration mechanism, the flow of energy, the role of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plasma-can-bend-magnetic-fields-into-unique-shapes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic fields</a> in jets of active galactic nuclei, and their geometries," said Röder. 



He noted that the expanding EHT array will play an important role in the future discoveries on these fascinating objects. Collaboration will continue to play a crucial role as well.



“These results are based on the ongoing work of the EHT and are confirmed by the Global Millimeter VLBI Array studies. They demonstrate the importance of global partnerships, cutting-edge technologies and persistent research for scientific progress,” said J. Anton Zensus, director at MPIfR and founding chair of the EHT collaboration.



“With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-telescopes-can-directly-detect-signs-of-alien-life-in-exoplanet-atmospheres/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new telescopes</a> and the next generation of networks, we will continue to deepen our understanding of these fascinating cosmic phenomena.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/03/aa52600-24/aa52600-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.



Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech



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Speed or illusion? The mystery of accelerating black hole jets

The universe is full of powerful forces, but few are...

Storm forecasting has traditionally relied on studying atmospheric conditions. However, new research shows that ground surface conditions, especially soil moisture, can also be crucial for predicting severe storms.



This research, led by meteorologist Dr. Emma Barton of the&nbsp;UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UKCEH</a>), reveals that differences in soil moisture over large areas can significantly influence storm patterns. 



The findings have the potential to improve early warning systems, particularly in tropical regions affected by climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-soil-moisture-on-storms">Impact of soil moisture on storms</h2>



The researchers found that soil moisture contrasts across hundreds of kilometers increase rainfall and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-storms-create-temporary-lakes-in-the-sahara-desert/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storm</a> size. This increase ranges from 10 to 30% based on the region and storm size.



These findings provide crucial insight into mesoscale convective systems, which cause flash floods and mudslides in regions with large populations, including Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia.



“Mesoscale convective systems are some of the most intense thunderstorms on the planet, and are increasing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/monster-storm-spawns-severe-weather-across-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">severity</a> due to climate change," noted Dr. Barton.



"Rising temperatures could increase the contrast between wet and dry areas of soils, further intensifying thunderstorms in already severely impacted regions."



Understanding how soil moisture interacts with storm activity is essential for improving both short-term storm forecasting and long-term projections. This knowledge will enable better warnings for communities, allowing them to prepare for approaching storms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-world-storm-examples">Real-world storm examples</h2>



The study’s findings are particularly relevant in regions where severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shorter-storms-bigger-impact-rising-flood-risks-in-a-warmer-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storms</a> have become more common due to climate change. 



Last year, Africa experienced its worst storm season in years. From June to September, West and Central Africa faced devastating flooding, resulting in over 1,000 deaths, the displacement of more than 500,000 people, and the destruction of 300,000 homes.



In Argentina, a severe storm in March 2025 claimed 13 lives and displaced over 1,000 people. It also caused significant damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Similarly, in Bengal, India, a thunderstorm in March 2024 left hundreds injured and caused widespread damage to homes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-soil-moisture-before-storms">Observing soil moisture before storms</h2>



This new study utilized two decades of satellite data, combined with soil moisture and storm <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rain-and-snow-are-difficult-to-forecast-at-near-freezing-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">activity</a> records, to understand storm patterns across several regions. 



The analysis showed that soil conditions influencing rainfall can be observed two to five days before storms. This would allow for advance warnings of flash flooding and give communities time to prepare.



Early warnings could help people move to safer areas or take preventive actions, such as clearing drains. These preparations are crucial for minimizing the damage caused by severe weather events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-focus-in-meteorology">Shifting focus in meteorology</h2>



"Meteorologists tend to focus on atmospheric conditions to predict weather patterns. But, as a growing amount of evidence shows, we should also consider what is happening on the land surface to improve forecasting,” noted Dr. Cornelia Klein, study co-author and meteorologist at UKCEH.



The researchers found that soil moisture differences can create contrasts in air temperatures, which in turn can cause stronger shifts in wind speed and direction at higher altitudes. This turbulence helps storms grow and produce more rainfall over larger areas. 



The study also observed similar soil moisture patterns in other regions such as China, Australia, and the US Great Plains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-to-improve-storm-forecasting">Tools to improve storm forecasting</h2>



In the next phase of the research, scientists will focus on understanding how soil moisture affects storms differently in various regions. This means they will study how soil moisture contrasts in different places and how it influences the behavior of storms in those specific areas.



The researchers will also use advanced climate models to predict how global warming might make storms stronger and more intense in the future. These models will help scientists better understand how changing temperatures affect storm patterns and rainfall.



UKCEH is working on creating new computer tools to improve short-term storm predictions. These tools will be able to forecast storms up to six hours ahead of time. This is crucial for giving communities more time to prepare for severe weather.



These new tools will help meteorological agencies provide more accurate and timely storm warnings, especially in regions like Africa. In these areas, satellite data is already used to monitor weather conditions, including soil moisture and atmospheric changes. By incorporating these new tools, meteorologists will be able to give more reliable warnings.



As a result, communities in tropical and other vulnerable regions will be better prepared to handle the growing risk of severe storms. This research and the technology being developed will help save lives, reduce damage, and improve overall storm preparedness.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01666-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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How soil moisture can predict severe storms

Storm forecasting has traditionally relied on studying atmospheric conditions. However,...

From playground coughs to forest blights, the young suffer more from disease than adults. This pattern stretches across ecosystems and species. Children in schools catch colds more frequently. Seedlings wilt under fungal attacks while <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-future-climate-conditions-will-transform-plant-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mature</a> plants stand strong. 



Scientists have long wondered why evolution hasn’t corrected this vulnerability. Shouldn’t early life be better protected, given how deadly infection can be at that stage?



A new study from University of Maryland (<a href="https://umd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UMD</a>) biologists brings some clarity to this age-old puzzle. Their work doesn’t focus on toddlers or baby animals, but on plants. Specifically, they looked at Silene latifolia, or white campion, a common wildflower in Europe and parts of North America. 



This plant is often infected by a fungal disease called anther-smut. It doesn’t kill the host but stops it from reproducing by destroying its pollen-producing parts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-costly-defense-in-youth">A costly defense in youth</h2>



The researchers found that young plants face a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-dont-all-plants-grow-everywhere-across-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">serious trade-off</a>. Those that resist disease early on do so at a steep cost. Their growth slows down, and their reproductive success later in life drops significantly.



“It’s a mystery why young organisms don’t evolve stronger disease resistance because getting sick early in life can be deadly,” said study co-author Emily Bruns, an assistant professor of biology at UMD. 



“Our findings suggest that a hidden trade-off is involved, stopping them from being able to completely fight off a disease."



To uncover these patterns, the team grew 45 genetically different lines of the white campion under controlled lab conditions. They tracked how each one responded to the anther-smut fungus as seedlings and later in life. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-immunity-drains-energy">Early immunity drains energy</h2>



The results showed that baby plants with stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-plants-cant-outrun-climate-change-on-their-own/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resistance</a> produced far fewer flowers and seeds as adults - even when grown in fields without any disease.



This surprised the researchers. Why should <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-build-their-cell-walls-is-seen-by-scientists-for-the-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defense</a> in early life cost so much? The answer lies in how plants allocate energy. 



Young plants, like young animals, operate with limited internal resources. What they spend on defense cannot go toward growing roots, leaves, or reproductive tissues later.



“We found that young plants paid a higher ‘cost’ for fighting the disease compared with adult plants,” Bruns said. 



“Trying to fight off the fungus was more difficult and resource-consuming for these baby plants. They only have so much energy to spend. If baby plants spend it on disease defense, they can’t put it toward future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predicting-how-climate-change-will-alter-plant-growth-cycles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">growth</a>.”



This concept is important. Adult plants with high resistance show no such penalty. They’ve already developed their roots and leaves and can afford to spend more on immune defenses. 



Seedlings, on the other hand, gamble with every drop of stored energy. Using it on immunity might leave them alive, but too weak to reproduce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-is-halted-in-young-plants">Evolution is halted in young plants</h2>



To test whether this cost could explain why strong juvenile resistance doesn’t evolve, the researchers created a mathematical model. It revealed that the energy price of resistance is high enough to halt the evolution of stronger defenses in young plants. 



If this cost didn’t exist, plants with better early resistance would outcompete others and wipe out the disease. But because resistance drains future reproductive potential, evolution holds back.



“Some young plants ‘pay the cost’ and survive into adulthood, but they make fewer flowers, meaning they’re less able to reproduce,” Bruns explained. “But most remain susceptible as babies, allowing the disease a toehold.”



Even more surprisingly, the negative effects didn’t appear immediately. Young plants that resisted the disease looked healthy during the first growing season. But when they reached their reproductive peak in the second year, the impact showed. These plants bloomed far less than expected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gender-shapes-the-impact">Gender shapes the impact</h2>



The researchers also found a striking difference between male and female plants. Males suffered much higher penalties when they invested in resistance. 



Bruns thinks this might be because male white campion plants produce more flowers than females. Their reproductive success depends on spreading as much pollen as possible, so losing energy to defense hits them harder.



“Male plants produce many more flowers than females to spread their pollen as widely as possible - making the cost of diverting resources to disease resistance especially steep for males,” she said.



This insight points to how evolution can apply pressure differently across sexes. In plants as in animals, reproductive strategy affects how disease shapes the body. The same infection might challenge one sex more than the other, depending on where they spend their biological resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-young-plants-weakness-matters">Why young plants’ weakness matters </h2>



While this research focuses on a wildflower, its implications stretch far. Many species - from humans to fish - show a similar pattern: greater vulnerability in youth. Bruns believes this study offers a new lens for thinking about why that happens.



Because juveniles carry the disease burden for many populations, understanding why they remain vulnerable could help us design better approaches in agriculture, conservation, and health.



“Nature is full of infectious diseases. Understanding the different checks and balances between hosts and pathogens helps us understand how evolution has shaped these relationships over millions of years,” Bruns said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-experiments-and-applications">Future experiments and applications</h2>



The team doesn’t plan to stop with this study. They now want to know if timing matters. What happens if the disease hits just a little later - after seedlings grow their first true leaves and rely less on stored energy? Could resistance become less costly then?



They also plan to explore another angle: the protective effect of adult plants. If resistant adult plants surround seedlings, would that lower the local disease pressure? Could the adults, in effect, guard the next generation by absorbing the fungal threat?



These questions could open new research paths - not just for ecologists, but also for people trying to reduce disease in crops or manage infections in wildlife. 



Evolution has no perfect solutions. But studies like this reveal the complex calculations that every organism, even a wildflower seedling, must make.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2419192122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.</a>



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Young plants pay a big price for fighting off disease

From playground coughs to forest blights, the young suffer more...

Offshore wind farms are picking up speed around the world. Their expansion is a big part of the push to reduce emissions and respond to the climate crisis. But as this clean energy source expands, so do the concerns about how offshore wind farms might affect marine life.



A new study suggests that the places most suitable for offshore wind energy are often the same places where seabirds and marine mammals go to feed.



The research was conducted by experts at the University of Alicante, in collaboration with the <a href="https://www.umh.es/?lang=EN" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miguel Hernández University of Elche</a>, the University of Murcia, and the Complutense University of Madrid.



The teams findings raise a red flag: without careful planning, wind farms could unintentionally harm some of the ocean’s most vulnerable species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-location-of-offshore-wind-farms">Location of offshore wind farms </h2>



Building <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wind-turbines-are-displacing-bats-from-their-forest-habitats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">turbines</a> at sea may seem less intrusive than building them on land. Some impacts are positive. For example, wind farms often restrict fishing activity, which can create a kind of unofficial sanctuary for marine life. 



However, the negatives can’t be ignored. Turbines introduce underwater noise, disrupt habitats, and increase the risk of collision for birds.



“From the planning stages through to operation, offshore wind turbines can affect wildlife in many ways.” explained Professor Juan Manuel Pérez-García, who has previously researched the impact of onshore wind farms on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-is-the-latest-threat-to-bird-populations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird populations</a>.



The study makes one thing clear: it’s not enough to pick windy spots. We need to understand which marine life might be put at risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-marine-hotspots">Predicting marine hotspots</h2>



One of the biggest hurdles in offshore development is knowing where wildlife is most active. 



“We can’t monitor every animal in the sea, so we need to estimate where they’re likely to be using mathematical models,” noted Professor Pérez-García.



The team created these estimates by looking at marine food webs. From tiny phytoplankton up to fish and top predators like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-most-endangered-seabirds-are-also-threatened-by-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seabirds</a> and marine mammals, the food chain offers clues about where feeding is most likely to occur.



Interestingly, the study found that biomass matters more than biodiversity. “It’s not fish diversity that matters most, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/without-strong-action-global-fish-stocks-could-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biomass</a>: having a large amount of available food is more important than having a variety of species,” said Professor Pérez-García.



Some animals eat plankton directly, while others eat the fish that rely on plankton. Either way, food-rich areas are magnets for hungry wildlife.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-farms-and-marine-life-hotspots">Wind farms and marine life hotspots</h2>



Using this information, the researchers built global risk maps by layering biodiversity hotspots over wind potential zones. The overlap was striking - especially in the Northern Hemisphere.



In contrast, there appeared to be less overlap in the Southern Hemisphere, though the team warns this could be due to limited data rather than lower risk.



“These risk maps are a key tool to foresee potential conflicts between conservation and energy development,” said Professor Pérez-García. “The goal isn’t to slow down the energy transition, but to make it compatible with biodiversity.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-marine-life">Protecting marine life</h2>



One troubling finding is that many of the high-risk zones identified in the study fall outside existing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-protected-areas-fall-short-on-2030-biodiversity-targets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine protected areas</a> (MPAs). This means that, as it stands, many wildlife-rich areas don’t have the legal protection needed to withstand large-scale development.



The researchers recommend expanding MPAs and making them stronger. They also urge governments to build “exclusion zones” where conservation takes priority. 



These decisions, they argue, should be guided by scientific data - not politics or convenience.



“We need to understand what species are doing, where they go, and where their resources are,” noted the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-tools-and-smarter-planning">Better tools and smarter planning</h2>



Technology can help. For example, attaching GPS trackers to seabirds allows scientists to see where they go, how they fly, and whether they’re avoiding or interacting with wind farms.



Some birds, it turns out, steer clear of the turbines. But scientists now need to dig deeper: are these birds also missing out on food? Could marine mammals be affected in similar ways?



Understanding these patterns will be key to balancing clean energy with ecosystem health.



This research serves as a reminder: renewable energy must also be responsible energy. With better tools and smarter planning, it’s possible to power the future without dimming the lives of the species that call the oceans home.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0301479724037940" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Environmental Management</a>.



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Offshore wind farms threaten marine life hotspots

Offshore wind farms are picking up speed around the world....

Regardless of how far apart we sit on branches of the evolutionary tree, human faces are very different from those of our ancestors. Modern humans can be recognized by their smaller facial structure when compared with Neanderthals and other hominin ancestors.



Anthropologists have long wondered why this difference exists and what kind of developmental changes in our facial bones led our species toward this slimmer appearance.



This difference is particularly noticeable when modern humans are lined up alongside the fossils of bigger-boned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tinshemet-cave-discovery-neanderthals-early-humans-sharing-and-complex-interactions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancestors</a> from distant eras.



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004724842500020X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> recently compared the evidence of facial bone growth in humans, Neanderthal remains, and chimpanzee skeletons.



One of the lead investigators, <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/human-origins/staff/alexandra-schuh/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexandra Schuh</a> from the Max Planck Institute for <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evolutionary Anthropology</a>, found that variations in the pace of bone growth may offer a core explanation for how our faces became more refined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-vs-neanderthal-faces">Human vs. Neanderthal faces</h2>



Studying different groups side by side helps scientists pinpoint which growth patterns set each group apart. 



By measuring bone sizes at various life stages, experts see how the developing face changes over time. 



This reveals important clues about broader evolutionary shifts that shaped our modern appearance and separated us from our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-fossils-reveal-signs-of-a-population-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extinct predecessors</a>.



This comparative approach also pulls in data from surviving primate relatives like chimpanzees, which share many features but do not have the same facial proportions as seen in humans.



By including such living primates, scientists build a clearer timeline of how certain traits might have deep roots that stretch back millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growth-pattern-of-human-faces">Growth pattern of human faces</h2>



One key discovery is that our faces stop expanding earlier than those of other large-faced primates and extinct hominin groups.



A shorter growth window makes a difference in the final adult profile, since less time for bone growth means a smaller overall structure. 



This sets modern humans apart from their hefty-boned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-evolution-was-more-complex-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relatives</a> that are seen in archaeological finds.



Scientists observed that Neanderthal faces, for instance, keep growing for longer, allowing for a robust jaw and broader midface to develop. 



This pattern contrasts with ours, where growth slows around adolescence and locks in a leaner form, perhaps hinting at an evolutionary tweak that conserves energy while still supporting vital functions like chewing.



“Our findings reveal that a change in development - particularly during late growth stages - led to smaller faces. Compared to Neanderthals and chimpanzees who continue growing longer, human facial growth stops earlier, around adolescence, resulting in a smaller adult face,” said Schuh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-face-structure">Inside the face structure</h2>



Shifts in bone activities, including when cells deposit new layers or break down older layers, appear to guide this reduced growth. 



If the process winds down sooner, the upper jaw - called the <a href="https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/the-maxilla" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maxilla</a> - does not project forward as much, leading to a face that is more compact and less imposing than that of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-analysis-reveals-most-recent-modern-human-to-interbreed-with-neanderthals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/neanderthal-skull_compared_human-skull_Philipp-Gunz_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/neanderthal-skull_compared_human-skull_Philipp-Gunz_1s.webp" alt="Left: computed tomographic (CT) scan of a Neanderthal fossil (La Ferrassie 1). Right: CT scan of a modern human. Credit: Philipp Gunz" class="wp-image-1964150"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Left: computed tomographic (CT) scan of a Neanderthal fossil (La Ferrassie 1). Right: CT scan of a modern human. Click to enlarge. Credit: Philipp Gunz</figcaption></figure>



In larger-faced species, these bone activities remain more intense for a longer period, boosting the formation of thicker and more protruding features. 



This ongoing bone growth helps explain why some ancient skulls are strikingly big, and it shows that timing has a powerful role in setting each group’s appearance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faces-grow-less-as-we-age">Faces grow less as we age</h2>



Even though certain facial traits appear early in life, a major distinction between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-behavior-provides-clues-about-their-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> emerges in those final developmental years before adulthood. 



“Identifying key developmental changes allows us to understand how species-specific traits emerged throughout human evolution,” said Schuh.



Researchers note that humans have a relatively extended childhood, yet our facial structures do not keep scaling up throughout that entire stage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-or-genetic-influences">Environmental or genetic influences</h2>



Some <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674046368" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experts</a> argue that better food processing and cooking might reduce strain on our jaw, but this alone seems insufficient to explain every detail. 



Others point to social or behavioral factors, suggesting that selective pressures may subtly shape how the face grows over time.



Biological data indicate that genetic mechanisms controlling bone growth may strongly steer the pace at which the face expands. 



Hormonal changes during adolescence could further speed up or slow down these processes, but researchers caution that the full story likely involves an interplay of genes, environment, and daily habits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connecting-human-and-neanderthal-faces">Connecting human and Neanderthal faces</h2>



Building on these findings, scientists plan to examine more fossils from different time periods to see if other ancient human groups followed a similar pattern. 



They hope to trace shifts in facial growth rates across regions, comparing how different populations balanced the demands of survival with changes in jaw development.



By mapping these variations, experts hope to gain insight into which traits are universal and which might be unique offshoots of specific environments. 



This sort of detective work across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/fossil-record" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil record</a> pulls together biology, culture, and history, giving us a broader grasp of what shaped our defining look.



Clues also emerge about social evolution, given that facial expression and recognition might factor into how communities function. 



A smaller face could offer advantages in communication or other areas, though pinning down a direct link calls for deeper investigation into prehistoric behavior and ecological pressures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-we-learn">What did we learn?</h2>



Scientists agree that the timeline of facial growth stands out as a key to understanding why we appear different from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/list/human-ancestors" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancestral humans</a>. 



Once that window shuts, the face remains smaller and less projected, a shift that may have opened doors to new adaptations while still meeting our species’ unique developmental needs.



These insights show that it is not only the shape of our face that changed, but also the time it took to get there. 



As research continues, discoveries about early growth may help us see that each subtle change in our bones has powerful consequences for our evolutionary course.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004724842500020X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Human Evolution</a>.



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Did early humans and Neanderthals know they were different species? Perhaps, here's how

Regardless of how far apart we sit on branches of...

Today, April 5th, brings with it a gentle, golden celebration - National Dandelion Day. At first glance, the dandelion might seem like just another weed. It pops up uninvited on lawns, fields, and roadsides. But beneath that familiar yellow bloom lies a rich story of endurance, healing, and quiet resilience.



"In our modern society, dandelions are considered a weed. The definition of a weed is a plant that is not valued where it is growing," notes the <a href="https://dandelionproject.org/pages/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dandelion Project</a>.



"The truth is dandelions have great value, but we've overlooked that in favor of perfectly manicured lawns. Perhaps we need to change our perception and recognize their worth."



This day is not just about admiring a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-as-food-how-ultrasound-makes-it-possible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flower</a>. It’s about recognizing how something small and often overlooked can travel across the world and take root in every corner. 



Dandelions tell a story of resilience, scattering hope with every seed they send into the wind. Their gentle drift reminds us that true strength is often found in life’s simplest forms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-national-dandelion-day-a-humble-flower">National Dandelion Day: A humble flower</h2>



Dandelions belong to a vast genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. Originally native to Eurasia, they didn’t stay confined for long. European travelers brought them to North America, where the plant took hold quickly. 



Today, dandelions grow in nearly every part of the world. You’ll find them in grassy fields, between cracks in sidewalks, along rivers, and in mountain meadows. They thrive where other plants struggle.



What sets dandelions apart isn’t just their spread, but how they adapt. They grow fast, survive droughts, and keep returning even when removed. 



With deep taproots and clever seed dispersal, dandelions have mastered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bee-friendly-gardening-why-flower-diversity-is-so-important/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survival</a>. They don’t demand attention - they simply exist and persist.



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



Dandelions are perennial, herbaceous plants with taproots that go deep into the soil. Their resilience begins underground. Once their yellow petals fall away, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-blooming-92-days-earlier-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flower</a> transforms. 



A spherical seed head forms, light and feathery. Each seed is equipped with a parachute-like structure. The wind does the rest. These seeds can travel across great distances and colonize new areas with ease.



This is nature’s way of giving the dandelion a wide reach. While most flowering plants rely on bees or birds, the dandelion trusts the wind. In doing so, it often ends up in unlikely places where it plants new roots and begins again.



The image of those seeds catching the breeze is both scenic and symbolic. They teach us about freedom, possibility, and quiet determination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rooted-in-history-and-healing">Rooted in history and healing</h2>



Scientists believe that dandelions have been around for 30 million years. Their origin traces back to the Eurasian region. 



Long before modern science acknowledged their value, ancient people knew their worth. Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used dandelions for their medicinal properties. So did the Chinese, who incorporated them into traditional medicine.



By 900 AD, Persians were already calling the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-tracks-changes-in-seasonal-flower-cycles-and-migration-patterns-from-the-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a> "tarashquq." A century later, the philosopher Ibn Sīnā wrote about dandelions in his medical texts. 



During the 16th century, English herbalists like John Gerard and John Parkinson began documenting its use in healing remedies. Across cultures and centuries, the plant served as food and medicine.



In America, settlers used every part of the plant. The leaves were eaten raw or cooked. The roots brewed into tea. Flowers turned into wine. The dandelion was never wasteful. It gave generously - nutrients, color, and comfort in equal measure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutrition-in-every-leaf-and-petal">Nutrition in every leaf and petal</h2>



Dandelion greens are full of health benefits. Raw leaves offer calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, and an array of vitamins. The flowers can be used to make natural dyes, adding color to fabrics or paper. The roots go deep into the earth and pull up nutrients, making them valuable in both human diets and soil health.



Though often called a weed, the dandelion plays an active role in ecosystems. Its flowers attract pollinators, especially early in spring when few other blossoms bloom. Bees, butterflies, and other insects rely on them. 



The plant can also improve soil structure. When planted carefully, dandelions enrich gardens by supporting other plants.



However, dandelions can grow aggressively. In farmlands or gardens, they may crowd out crops if unmanaged. They don’t ask permission before spreading, and that has earned them a mixed reputation. But their impact depends on how humans choose to interact with them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-journey-before-national-dandelion-day">The journey before National Dandelion Day </h2>



The story of the dandelion includes some notable moments. Around 30 million years ago, it began evolving in the wilds of Eurasia. 



By 900 AD, Persians had named it. By 1000 AD, scholars were writing about its healing powers. In the 16th century, it gained a foothold in European medicine.



Its journey didn’t stop there. With every gust of wind, dandelions moved farther, took root deeper, and grew stronger. 



This simple plant carries generations of knowledge within its stems and leaves. It tells a story of migration, medicine, and nature’s quiet intelligence.



Dandelions thrive in a wide range of environments, particularly in temperate zones with moist soil, which offer ideal growing conditions. They are commonly found across the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey. 



Dandelions are classified as herbs and are valued for their powerful medicinal properties, especially in treating infections and aiding digestion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-meets-the-eye">More than meets the eye</h2>



The word "dandelion" comes from the French dent de lion, meaning “lion’s tooth.” This refers to the jagged shape of its leaves. Some ancient cultures believed dandelions caused bed-wetting when touched. Others believed their roots could open psychic pathways.



Vineland, New Jersey, proudly calls itself the dandelion capital. And in case you were wondering - every part of the dandelion is edible. From root to flower, nothing goes to waste.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honoring-national-dandelion-day">Honoring National Dandelion Day </h2>



Dandelions are among the most widespread wildflowers in the world. They withstand harsh, unforgiving climates on every continent and continue to thrive - earning their place as one of our favorite flowers with a powerful story to tell.



This flower teaches survival. Not through might, but through endurance. Not by force, but by grace.



There’s a quiet awe in witnessing something both beautiful and functional spread swiftly and silently across the world. The dandelion, born from a single seed, perfectly captures this. Its status as one of the most widespread wildflowers reflects the subtle yet powerful reach of nature.



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National Dandelion Day: Celebrating a flower that travels the world

Today, April 5th, brings with it a gentle, golden celebration...

Among all of the moons in our solar system, Jupiter's Io, stands out for many reasons. Io is an incredibly active and extreme place, with glistening lava lakes and volcanic eruptions sending sulfur and magma shooting high above the surface. 



This tiny but powerful moon with the hellish landscape has drawn attention for good reason. Many see it as a window into the deeper processes that shaped the solar system’s largest planet. 



Studying data from the <a href="https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Juno Mission</a>, researchers are working to understand how these processes affect not only Io, but also Jupiter’s entire family of moons.



Scott Bolton, Juno’s principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute (<a href="https://www.swri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SWRI</a>) in San Antonio, is among the experts examining recent findings from Juno's most recent flyby of Io.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-io-s-volcanoes-and-lava-lakes">Io's volcanoes and lava lakes</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/juno-reveals-the-hidden-forces-behind-jupiters-fiery-moon-io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Io’s volcanic prowess</a> is, by far, the biggest in the solar system. Jupiter’s forceful gravity pulls at it, while neighboring moons add constant tension. 



That grinding generates intense heat below the surface, driving eruptions strong enough to fling volcanic material hundreds of miles away.



These eruptions contribute to Io’s bright coloring. Yellow, red, and white shades result from sulfur and volcanic flows. 



Though the scenery looks vivid, the environment remains extremely harsh, with a thin atmosphere and unrelenting radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hellish-landscape-captured-by-juno">Hellish landscape captured by Juno</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-eruption-on-jupiters-moon-io-covers-area-larger-than-lake-superior-juno-mission/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Constant volcanic eruptions</a> reshape Io so often that its surface rarely looks the same for long. Peaks of cooled lava can appear in one place, only to be obscured or replaced after another outburst.



Its swirling landscape of molten sulfur and rocky terrain has intrigued observers since the days of early flybys. But the moon’s environment is far too toxic and irradiated for any typical form of life.



NASA’s Juno spacecraft, launched in 2011, has been exploring Jupiter and its satellites for years. Two close flybys of Io provided the first close-up images of the moon’s northern regions. 



During these passes, Juno came within about 930 miles of Io’s surface.



Mission scientists turned these encounters into animations that <a href="https://youtu.be/Gajd3mcYnbA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feature a towering mountain</a> and a very smooth lake of cooling lava. Their findings suggest there is more variety in Io’s terrain than expected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glass-smooth-lava-lake-found-on-io">"Glass-smooth" lava lake found on Io</h2>



“Io is simply littered with volcanoes, and we caught a few of them in action,” Bolton enthused. “We also got some great close-ups and other data on a 200-kilometer-long (127-mile-long) lava lake called Loki Patera." 



There is amazing detail showing these lava lake islands embedded in the middle of a potential magma lake rimmed with hot lava. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://youtu.be/lg2Szj_OG_Q" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Io_lava-lake_jupiter-moon_juno-mission_NASA_1s.webp" alt="Artist’s concept of Loki Patera, a lava lake on Jupiter’s moon Io, made using data from the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft. With multiple islands in its interior, Loki is a depression filled with magma and rimmed with molten lava. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS" class="wp-image-1964293"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Artist’s concept of Loki Patera, a lava lake on Jupiter’s moon Io, made using data from the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft. With multiple islands in its interior, Loki is a depression filled with magma and rimmed with molten lava. Click for video. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS</figcaption></figure>



The specular reflection our instruments recorded of the lake suggests parts of Io’s surface are as smooth as glass, reminiscent of volcanically created obsidian glass on Earth.



Scientists also used Juno’s tools to compare the reflectivity of different areas. The lake’s sheen points to surfaces that cooled rapidly. 



Those island-like structures highlight the dynamic nature of Io’s volcanic basins, which can form striking contrasts against the glassy terrain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-look-at-io-s-south-pole">First look at Io's South Pole</h2>



Researchers employed the Microwave Radiometer (<a href="https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/instrument/Microwave+Radiometer?subselect=Mission:Juno:" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MWR</a>) to assess temperature levels. 



Maps revealed that Io’s poles run colder than its middle latitudes, supporting the idea that constant volcanism may be concentrated elsewhere. 



The data also suggest a surface smoother than those of other large Jovian moons.



This method of measuring heat below and above the surface adds depth to what cameras capture from orbit. 



The repeated flybys will refine the knowledge of Io’s temperatures, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brilliant-new-images-of-jupiters-moon-io-captured-by-juno-spacecraft/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offering fresh angles</a> on how eruptions shape local regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-polar-cyclones-on-jupiter">Polar cyclones on Jupiter</h2>



During Juno’s extended mission, the spacecraft positions itself closer to Jupiter’s north pole with each pass, letting the MWR instrument get better views of the planet’s swirling cyclones. They do not behave in a uniform way.



“Perhaps the most striking example of this disparity can be found with the central cyclone at Jupiter’s north pole,” explained Steve Levin, Juno’s project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>) in Southern California. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/io_jupiter-moon_south-pole-region_juno-mission_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/io_jupiter-moon_south-pole-region_juno-mission_NASA_1s.webp" alt="The JunoCam instrument on NASA’s Juno captured this view of Jupiter’s moon Io — with the first-ever image of its south polar region — during the spacecraft’s 60th flyby of Jupiter on April 9. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Image processing: Gerald Eichstädt/Thomas Thomopoulos" class="wp-image-1964291"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The JunoCam instrument on NASA’s Juno captured this view of Jupiter’s moon Io — with the first-ever image of its south polar region — during the spacecraft’s 60th flyby of Jupiter on April 9. Click to enlarge. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Image processing: Gerald Eichstädt/Thomas Thomopoulos</figcaption></figure>



“It is clearly visible in both infrared and visible light images, but its microwave signature is nowhere near as strong as other nearby storms. This tells us that its subsurface structure must be very different from these other cyclones."



The MWR team continues to collect more and better microwave data with every orbit, so we anticipate developing a more detailed 3D map of these intriguing polar storms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-for-jupiter-s-water">Hunting for Jupiter’s water</h2>



A main science goal for Juno is to clarify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-shapes-discovered-in-jupiters-atmosphere-near-great-red-spot/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter’s water content</a>. The team is not looking for liquid water but tracking oxygen and hydrogen in the planet’s atmosphere. 



Learning how much water Jupiter holds clarifies how the solar system formed.



In 1995, NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/galileo-jupiter-atmospheric-probe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Galileo probe</a> sampled the atmosphere for nearly an hour. Its data showed a region that seemed nearly devoid of water, contradicting earlier computer models. 



Juno’s approach seeks to determine if Galileo happened to land in a dry spot.



"The probe did amazing science," Bolton said, "but its data was so far afield from our models of Jupiter’s water abundance that we considered whether the location it sampled could be an outlier."



For years, scientists were left wondering if the spot where the Galileo probe entered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jupiters-storms-can-last-for-years-but-what-fuels-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter's atmosphere</a> had skewed the results. Without more data, there was no way to know for sure.



"But before Juno, we couldn’t confirm," Bolton explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microwave-radiometer-mwr">Microwave Radiometer (MWR)</h2>



That changed with the Juno mission. Using data from its Microwave Radiometer (MWR), researchers were finally able to get a clearer picture.



"Now, with recent results made with MWR data," Bolton said, "we have nailed down that the water abundance near Jupiter’s equator is roughly three to four times the solar abundance when compared to hydrogen."



In other words, the Galileo probe had entered a rare, unusually dry region of the planet - something Bolton described as "an anomalously dry, desert-like region."



These results support the belief that water-ice material could have supplied heavy elements during Jupiter’s early growth. 



Yet Juno’s findings on the gas giant’s core point to a low amount of water in that interior, posing a fresh challenge for scientists.



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



Data gathered through the rest of Juno’s extended mission will help experts compare water levels in Jupiter’s polar areas with those at the equator. 



It may also reveal new details about the planet’s diluted core and how it formed. 



The mission continues to deliver insights about the largest planet in our solar system - and about Io, the small but forceful moon that refuses to be overlooked.



More information about Juno is available at: <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/juno" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.nasa.gov/juno</a>



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NASA finds 'glass-smooth lake of cooling lava' on Jupiter's moon Io

Among all of the moons in our solar system, Jupiter's...

<figure class="wp-block-embed 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-astrobiology">Implications for astrobiology</h2>



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<figure class="wp-block-embed 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> 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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> 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



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> 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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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