Researchers at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a> have recently reported that both public parks and private backyards play a vital role in supporting bird diversity in urban environments. 



"Greenspaces are increasingly valued for supporting biodiversity in urbanized landscapes. Previous research efforts have emphasized the importance of public land such as parks and nature preserves for biodiversity, yet private yards in residential neighborhoods also have great potential for species conservation," wrote the researchers. 



By studying two closely situated cities in Illinois with contrasting development histories and green space management, the experts discovered that these spaces are crucial for different bird species during varying seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-bird-populations">Urban bird populations</h2>



The researchers monitored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-populations-are-declining-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird populations</a> across 39 public parks and 41 private yards in Urbana and Champaign - cities with distinct urban characteristics and historical development. 



Urbana, with a history dating back to 1822, boasts extensive green spaces nurtured within an ancient hardwood forest. By contrast, Champaign was developed in the mid-1800s along a railway - with a focus on human recreation in its smaller parks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasonal-variations-in-urban-bird-diversity">Seasonal variations in urban bird diversity </h2>



The analysis revealed significant seasonal shifts in bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-bird-diversity-puzzling-geographical-differences-identified/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a> between the two cities. During summer, Urbana's richer vegetation and cooler green spaces attracted a broader variety of birds, including species like the belted kingfisher and scarlet tanager. 



Conversely, in winter, Urbana's parks and yards continued to support diverse communities, including the winter wren and yellow-bellied sapsucker.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-urban-management-on-bird-diversity">Impact of urban management on bird diversity</h2>



Pollock pointed out the significant effects of active management in urban green spaces. "In places where there’s been active management to try to increase plant diversity and get some native plant cover back, it has had a big impact on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/as-urban-heat-continues-to-rise-birds-are-moving-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird</a> communities," he explained. 



Urbana's parks, with their focus on conservation and habitat restoration, were especially beneficial for rare and specialist bird species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-actions-for-residents">Practical actions for residents</h2>



The study also suggests practical ways for residents to enhance bird diversity in their own backyards. Carena Van Riper, a collaborator on the project, encouraged simple yet effective actions. 



"Perhaps this will allow people to see that there are small but important behaviors that will influence birds and increase bird diversity," noted Van Riper. 



Among the recommendations were installing bird feeders (especially during winter), planting native vegetation, and setting up bird baths.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-greenery-a-blueprint-for-biodiversity">Urban greenery: A blueprint for biodiversity </h2>



This comprehensive study underscores the interconnectedness of urban management and biodiversity. It offers a fresh perspective on how both public and private green spaces play integral roles in supporting urban wildlife. 



As cities continue to grow, understanding and implementing strategies that facilitate coexistence with nature becomes even more crucial. 



The insights from Urbana and Champaign can serve as a guide for other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-shape-bird-characteristics-in-urban-areas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban areas</a> aiming to enhance biodiversity and sustainability within their confines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What influences urban bird diversity?</h2>



Urban bird diversity is influenced by a variety of factors, each playing a role in how well birds can adapt and thrive in city environments. Key factors include:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Green spaces</h3>



The presence and quality of green spaces such as parks, gardens, and green roofs are crucial. These areas provide essential resources like food, nesting sites, and safe havens from urban threats.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Water bodies</h3>



Rivers, lakes, and ponds in urban settings attract waterfowl and other species that rely on aquatic habitats for feeding and breeding.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Food availability</h3>



The accessibility of natural food sources, supplemented by bird feeders, significantly impacts which species are able to sustain populations in urban areas.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Building designs</h3>



The architecture of a city influences bird diversity. Features like reflective glass can cause bird collisions, whereas features like ledges and nooks might offer nesting spots.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pollution</h3>



Air and noise pollution can deter birds from settling in urban areas. Pollution can also affect the health of the habitats birds rely on.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Human interaction</h3>



The level and nature of human activity and disturbance - ranging from benign presence to active conservation efforts - play a big role. Quieter, less disturbed areas tend to support more diverse bird populations.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Climate</h3>



Urban microclimates, influenced by the heat island effect where cities are warmer than surrounding areas, can affect which species are likely to thrive or decline in urban settings.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204624000598?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Landscape and Urban Planning</a>.



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How urban spaces support bird diversity

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have recently reported that both public parks and private backyards play a vital role in supporting bird diversity in urban environments. "Greenspaces are increasingly valued for supporting biodiversity in urbanized landscapes. Previous research efforts have emphasized the importance of public land such as parks and nature preserves for biodiversity, yet private yards in residential neighborhoods also have great potential for species conservation," wrote the researchers. By studying two closely situated cities in Illinois with contrasting development histories and green space...

The correct timing of an exercise session may influence the extent of fat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/">metabolism</a> that takes place, as the body strives to keep glucose and energy levels in balance. This is what scientists have discovered in laboratory mice.&nbsp; A new study from researchers at the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a> in Sweden, and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, shows that mice that did exercise in an early active phase, which corresponds to morning exercise in humans, increased their metabolism more than mice that did exercise at a time in the day when they usually rest.&nbsp;



Physiological processes in the bodies of animals are affected by circadian rhythms, the natural 24-hour cycles that respond primarily to input of light and darkness. These changes are mediated by molecular clocks that switch specific genes on or off in cells. A variety of factors including hormones, temperature, food-intake, and exercise can act on tissue-specific molecular clocks to alter the expression of genes that influence metabolism, all in a way that relates to the time of day. This system helps to anticipate and adapt an organism’s physiology and behavior to the activities that take place during different phases of the day.&nbsp;



In order to find out whether the timing of exercise affects the metabolism of fat, the researchers studied the adipose tissue of mice after a session of high-intensity exercise performed at two different points of the daily cycle – when mice began to get active, and when they were in the early stages of resting. These times correspond to a late morning and a late evening exercise session, respectively, in humans. The researchers studied various markers of fat metabolism and analyzed which genes were active in adipose tissue after exercise.



The results, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2218510120">PNAS</a>, showed that certain fatty acids, which are the breakdown products of stored fats, were present at higher concentrations in the mice’s blood after early active phase exercise, but this was not the case after exercise during the early rest phase. This indicates that fat is metabolized as a source of energy more actively when exercise takes place during the early active phase, and that the metabolic response to exercise is dependent on the time of day that exercise takes place.&nbsp;



The researchers also found that physical activity at an early active phase increased the expression of genes involved in the breakdown of adipose tissue, in thermogenesis (heat production) and in the proliferation of mitochondria (where energy for the exercise is generated) in the adipose tissue, all of which indicate a higher metabolic rate. These effects were observed only in mice that exercised in the early active phase and were independent of their food intake.



”Our results suggest that late morning exercise could be more effective than late evening exercise in terms of boosting the metabolism and the burning of fat, and if this is the case, they could prove of value to people who are overweight,” said Professor Juleen Zierath from the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet.



Although experimental results derived from mice may not always be directly applicable to humans, the two species do share many basic physiological functions, and mice are a well-established model for human physiology and metabolism. However, there are also important differences, such as the fact that mice are nocturnal.



“The right timing seems to be important to the body’s energy balance and to improving the health benefits of exercise, but more studies are needed to draw any reliable conclusions about the relevance of our findings to humans,” said Professor Zierath.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Late morning exercise may burn more fat

The correct timing of an exercise session may influence the...

At a time when infectious diseases play a significant role in the media and popular culture – due to the Covid-19 pandemic and TV shows such as “The Last of Us,” in which a deadly, brain-infecting fungus is wiping out most of the human population – many scientists around the world are trying to better understand how viruses, bacteria, and fungi affect not only humans but also other animals.&nbsp;



A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.sfsu.edu/">San Francisco State University</a> (SFSU) has recently investigated the emerge and spread of a deadly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-fungus-has-become-more-deadly-thanks-to-jumping-genes/">fungus</a> (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis&nbsp;or&nbsp;Bd) among amphibians in Africa. Since it affects the skin of amphibians, which is much more important for their survival than it is for humans, this pathogen is highly detrimental for amphibians worldwide, currently contributing to a significant loss in biodiversity.



“When [amphibian] skin starts to change thickness, it basically creates a condition where they can’t maintain their internal processes and they die,” said study co-author Eliseo Parra, a biologist at SFSU. “If infecting a mammal, it might affect your fingernails or something you wouldn’t even notice, but amphibians (frogs, salamanders) use their skin to breathe. It’s a very critical part of their body.”



Since this fungus appears to be lethal for many amphibian populations but not others, the experts aimed to better understand this pathogen’s emergence, evolution, and prevalence, focusing on under-studied areas in Africa. Through a combination of methods including the testing of thousands of frog specimens, the examination of previous scientific studies of this disease, and the genotyping of Bd lineages, the researchers mapped how the fungus interacted with amphibians across the African continent over the past 165 years.



The analyses revealed that, until 2000, there was low prevalence and limited spread of the disease in Africa. Afterwards, prevalence spiked from 3.2 percent to 18.7 percent and Bd became more widespread geographically and increasingly deadly for a large number of amphibians. The scientists identified two main lineages of the fungus in Africa: a global, more dangerous lineage, and a local lineage which, although it was previously thought to be more benign, new evidence shows that it can also be quite destructive. By using this data, the researchers created a model estimating that eastern, central, and western Africa are the regions most vulnerable to Bd.



“We’re trying to extend our findings and make predictions about what could happen in the future. It’s the best way to make our study worth the work,” said senior author Vance Vredenburg, the Associate Chair of the Department of Biology at SFSU. “There are nearly 1,200 amphibian species in Africa. We wanted to say where are the riskiest places for outbreaks. Those will probably be the places where you have the most hosts in one place.”



“It’s very important to note that&nbsp;Bd&nbsp;didn’t spread worldwide without humans helping in one way or another. It’s not the first pathogen that affects hundreds of species worldwide and it’s not going to be the last,” concluded co-author Hasan Sulaeman, a biologist at the same university.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1069490">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Deadly fungus threatens African amphibians

At a time when infectious diseases play a significant role...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> in Canada has found that, during an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-increases-risk-of-infection/">infection</a>, it may be better to let a mild fever run its course instead of automatically reaching for medication. Although the research was conducted on fish, the experts suggest that such an approach to illness might prove beneficial for humans too.



In a laboratory setting, the scientists infected fish with bacteria and tracked and evaluated their behavior using machine learning algorithms. The investigation revealed that their outward symptoms – which were then matched to important immune mechanisms inside the animals - were strikingly similar to those of humans during infections, including immobility, malaise, and fatigue. 



Most importantly, moderate fever appeared to help to clear the fish of infection in about a week, which was half the time it took for those not allowed to exert fever. In addition, untreated moderate fever played a crucial role in controlling inflammation and repairing damaged tissue.



“We let nature do what nature does, and in this case it was very much a positive thing,” said study senior author Daniel Barreda, an immunologist at Alberta, suggesting that we should resist reaching for fever medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at the first signs of developing a mild fever. “They take away the discomfort felt with fever, but you’re also likely giving away some of the benefits of this natural response.”&nbsp;



While the health advantages of natural fever in humans are not yet confirmed, since the mechanisms driving and sustaining fever have been evolutionarily conserved across the animal kingdom for nearly 550 million years, it is reasonable to expect similar benefits in the case of humans too.&nbsp;



“Our goal is to determine how to best take advantage of our medical advances while continuing to harness the benefits from natural mechanisms of immunity,” Barreda concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83644">eLife</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Moderate fever can help clear infections faster

A new study led by the University of Alberta in...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deadly-disease-spread-by-tasmanian-devils-is-evolving/">Tasmanian devil</a> is Australia’s apex terrestrial predator. Since most of these animals are known to be “individual specialists,” feeding on the same food items consistently over time, human impacts on their environment could be influencing whether they have access to their favorite foods, according to a recent study led by the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> in Sydney (UNSW Sydney).



“We found Tasmanian devil populations had different levels of variation in their diet depending on their habitat,” said lead author Anna Lewis, a doctoral candidate at UNSW Sydney. “The more that habitat was impacted by humans, the more restrictive the diet became.”



The experts investigated the diets of Tasmanian devil populations across habitats with various levels of disturbance - ranging from undisturbed rainforests to clear pastures – by analyzing stable isotopes from whisker samples. They discovered that devils in human-impacted environments, such as cleared land or regenerated native forests, fed primarily on medium-sized mammals, while in undisturbed areas like rainforests, they ate a broader range of prey and incorporated smaller animals, such as birds, into their diets.



“We found devils in heavily altered areas like cleared land fed on a smaller range of prey compared to populations living in ancient undisturbed regions, who had much more variety in their diet,” Lewis reported. “They may be turning to human-derived sources of food, such as highway roadkill, which are more readily available.”



Interestingly, devils living in regenerated forests also ate a smaller variety of food items, suggesting that, despite appearances, regenerated land lack complex features such as tree hollows in large old trees, which support the diversity of small mammals and birds devils living in rainforests consume.



According to the scientists, devils with limited food opportunities run the risk of interacting more frequently with their conspecifics around carcasses, possibly leading to the proliferation of a highly contagious and lethal cancer, the Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD), which has already reduced local devil populations by 82 percent.



“The highest rate of cancer transmission other than during the mating season occurs when they’re feeding around these large carcasses. So, there could be an increased chance for the disease to spread amongst devils, and the devils themselves are also at risk of being hit while feeding,” Lewis explained.



These findings highlight the urgent need to protect what remains of untouched landscapes for the benefit of both Tasmanian devils and their prey. 



“It’s apparent there is much more diversity of species available in these old-growth forests, and the devils are shining a light on how vital these pristine areas are, and the urgent need to preserve what remains from the constant threat of clearing and mining,” concluded senior author Tracy Rogers, an ecologist at UNSW Sydney.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30490-6">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Humans have restricted the diets of Tasmanian devils

The Tasmanian devil is Australia’s apex terrestrial predator. Since most...

To cut carbon emissions, large shipping vessels could be retrofitted with sails so that they can be powered by wind.&nbsp;



A new initiative from the University of Southampton will investigate how modern vessels perform on the ocean when fitted with wing-sails. The experts seek to explore the potential of the technology to decarbonize the UK’s maritime sector.



Lead scientist Dr. Joseph Banks said that global shipping, a large source of emissions, needs to be decarbonized quickly.



“Ships powered by wind is obviously nothing new – but almost every large vessel operating today is powered by fossil fuels, leaving a lasting mark on the environment. While new wind-assist technologies are being developed, many are not ready for market and their predicted fuel savings have not been independently verified at sea, which is why UK-funded research projects like this are so important," said Dr. Banks.&nbsp;



The grants for the Winds of Change project were provided by the Department for Transport and Innovate UK, which is working to transform the UK into a world-leader for clean maritime equipment.



Scientists will test the impact of a retractable 20 meter-high FastRig wing-sail retrofitted on the commercial ship the Pacific Grebe – a 105 meter vessel.



“This is an innovative project because the technology can be retrofitted to pre-existing vessels to quickly reduce emissions from the existing ships and help create quieter, emission-free ships in the future that do no harm to ocean environments and improve air quality in ports towns and cities," said Dr. Banks.&nbsp;



“Our team of researchers will investigate the complex interactions between the wing-sails and the ship hydrodynamics enabling accurate predictions of vessel performance which will be compared to the demonstration vessel Pacific Grebe as part of the project."



Wind power is the fastest way for the sector to reduce emissions. The team hopes their new tool, which predicts the fuel savings delivered by the wing-sails, will drive further investment in marine technology and promote the exciting field of Maritime Engineering.&nbsp;



To learn more about this new research, visit <a href="http://www.southampton.ac.uk/smmi">www.southampton.ac.uk/smmi</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Wind could be used to power cargo ships

To cut carbon emissions, large shipping vessels could be retrofitted...

In Washington State, bald eagles and dairy farmers exist in a mutually beneficial relationship. This win-win connection is driven by the impact of climate change on eagles' traditional winter diet of salmon carcasses, and the increase in eagle abundance following decades of conservation efforts.



Typically, the narrative around birds and farmers is combative due to livestock predation. However, many farmers have grown to appreciate the services that eagles provide, which includes carcass removal and pest control.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> and Trinity Western University in Canada conducted interviews with farmers on dairy operations to better understand this unique relationship. The study was motivated by lead author Ethan Duvall’s research showing that eagles have been redistributing from rivers to farmland over the past 50 years.



"Climate change has altered the chum salmon spawning schedule, causing them to run earlier in the winter," said Duvall. "Now the salmon are spawning when annual Nooksack River flooding is at its peak. The fish who spawn and die are swept away by the high water instead of being deposited on shore where the eagles can easily access them."



Many rivers in the Pacific Northwest have experienced dramatic salmon population declines, eliminating winter resources for eagles. To adapt, eagles have turned to dairy farm by-products resulting from the births and deaths of cows and prey on waterfowl populations in agricultural areas.



"We know this positive interaction between farmers and bald eagles is not the norm in many other agricultural areas, especially near free-range poultry farms where the eagles snatch chickens," said Duvall.



"But this study gives me hope that, moving forward, farmers, wildlife managers, and conservationists can come together to think critically about how to maximize benefits for people and wildlife in the spaces they share."



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4456">Ecosphere</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Farmers and bald eagles can coexist peacefully

In Washington State, bald eagles and dairy farmers exist in...

During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors noticed that children were less affected by the virus than adults and seniors. Researchers with <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a>, the Universities of Bern (Switzerland), Oslo (Norway), and Linköping University (Sweden) have discovered that this phenomenon may be partially explained by children's exposure to the common cold, which produces memory T-cells that could help fight the COVID-19 virus.&nbsp;



To conduct their study, the scientists collected 48 blood samples from children between 2 and 6 years old and 94 samples from adults between 26 and 83 years old. They also included 59 samples from people who had recently recuperated from COVID-19.



Study co-author Annika Karlsson led the research at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. She explained why children have more immunity than adults and how their findings are important for future epidemiology research.



“These reactions are especially strong early in life and grow much weaker as we get older. Our findings show how the T-cell response develops and changes over time and can guide the future monitoring and development of vaccines," said Karlsson.



According to the analysis, children as young as two years old seemed to benefit from this immunity. Still, more research is needed to understand how our immune response changes as we get older.



“Next, we’d like to do analogous studies of younger and older children, teenagers and young adults to better track how the immune response to coronaviruses develops from childhood to adulthood,” said study co-first author Marion Humbert.



The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, Region Stockholm (CIMED), Karolinska Institutet, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the European Research Council.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2220320120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Common cold helped protect children from COVID-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors noticed that children were less...

A new study from the <a href="https://vet.tufts.edu/">Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine</a> has revealed that the deaths of hundreds of seals in New England were caused by bird flu. The research is the first to link a large scale mortality event in wild mammals to avian influenza.&nbsp;



In the summer of 2022, more than 330 New England harbor and gray seals died along the North Atlantic coast. The researchers have connected this shocking event to an outbreak of avian influenza (HPAI) in the region.



The Tufts Wildlife Clinic has been conducting avian influenza surveillance since January 2022, which is shortly after the H5N1 strain arrived from Europe. The testing has revealed that at least three strains of avian influenza have crossed the Atlantic, and there have been consistent waves of bird infections.



In collaboration with NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network, the team also tested seals for bird flu.&nbsp;



“We have a better resolution and greater depth of detail on this virus than before because we were able to sequence it and detect changes almost in real time,” said study co-first author Wendy Puryear. “And we have pairings of samples, sometimes literally from a bird and a seal on the same beach.”



“Because of the genetic data that we gathered, we were the first to see a strain of the virus that's unique to New England. The data set will allow us to more meaningfully address questions of which animals are passing the virus to which animals and how the virus is changing,” said co-first author Kaitlin Sawatzki.



Domestic poultry and seabirds are highly susceptible to the H5N1 strain of bird flu. This particular strain is responsible for about 60 million poultry deaths in the U.S. since October 2020.&nbsp;



The experts determined that at the time of the seal mortality event in New England, seagulls were getting hit hard by the H5N1 virus. There are lots of ways gulls and other birds may transmit the virus to seals, and not just through direct contact, noted the researchers.



The highly pathogenic H5N1 is associated with a death rate of nearly 100 percent among domestic and wild birds, and the Tufts research indicates that there is a similar fatality rate for wild mammals. According to the study authors, none of the stranded seals that tested positive for bird flu recovered.



“It's not surprising that you might have transmission between the seals, because it has happened with low pathogenic avian influenza,” said Puryear. “However, we can't say definitively whether or not there has been mammal-to-mammal transmission of HPAI.”



“To get strong evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission, you need two things: lots of infected animals and time,” explained Sawatzki. “Time for the virus to mutate, and time for the mutated virus to be transmitted to another seal."



"As the virus acquires mutations, we can see shared mutations in the sequences that are specific only to mammals and that haven’t been seen in a bird before. We had the numbers, but this outbreak didn't last long enough to provide evidence for seal-to-seal transmission.”



The team found evidence that the virus had mutated during the mortality event, but there has not been a case of bird flu in seals along the Atlantic coast since the end of summer 2022.



The CDC reports that the risk to the public remains low, with less than 10 human cases of H5N1. In these cases, the individuals had direct contact with infected poultry.



The ultimate public health threat associated with bird flu, however, is not yet known. According to the World Health Organization, 868 cases of human infection with H5N1 have been reported worldwide since 2003, and the fatality rate was over 50 percent.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2904.221538">Emerging Infectious Diseases</a>.



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



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Bird flu killed hundreds of seals in New England last year

A new study from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine...

In recent years, an increasing number of smartphone spyware apps have been developed. Between September 2020 and May 2021, the use of such apps increased by 63 percent in the U.S. and 93 percent in the UK, posing significant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wireless-security-cameras-have-unexpected-privacy-risks/">privacy risks</a>.&nbsp;



While publicly marketed as tools for monitoring underage children or employees, these apps – which are hard to notice or detect and will easily leak the sensitive personal information they collect - are also frequently used by people to covertly spy on a spouse, partner, or other individuals.&nbsp;



Spyware apps are rather cheap (with a monthly fee ranging between $30 and $100), require little to no technical expertise to install and use, only need temporary access to their victims’ devices, and can easily record these devices’ activities – such as text messages, emails, photos, or voice calls – and allow abusers to remotely review this information through a web portal.



Now, a team of scientists from the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California, San Diego</a> and <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) has performed an in-depth technical analysis of 14 leading spyware apps for Android phones, which – by contrast to iPhones - commonly allow such invasive apps to be downloaded from the internet.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that these apps use a wide range of techniques to surreptitiously gather data (such as invisible browsers), can record phone calls via the device’s microphone, can exploit accessibility features on smartphones allowing them to record keystrokes, and can masquerade as “Wi-Fi” or “Internet Service.”



Moreover, since spyware apps often use unencrypted communication channels to transmit the data they collect and store it in public URLs accessible to anyone with a link, their protection of sensitive user data is minimal.



According to the researchers, in order to counter spyware, a more creative, diverse, and comprehensive set of interventions from the industry, government, and the scientific community is urgently needed.&nbsp;



“Our recommendation is that Android should enforce stricter requirements on what apps can hide icons. Most apps that run on Android phones should be required to have an icon that would appear in the launch bar. We recommend that all actions to access sensitive data be added to the privacy dashboard and that users should be periodically notified of the existence of apps with an excessive number of permissions,” the authors wrote.



“While technical defenses can be part of the solution, the problem scope is much bigger. A broader range of measures should be considered, including payment interventions from companies such as Visa and Paypal, regular crackdowns from the government, and further law enforcement action may also be necessary to prevent surveillance from becoming a consumer commodity,” they concluded.



The study – which will be presented this summer at the <a href="https://petsymposium.org/">Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium</a> in Zurich, Switzerland - can be found <a href="https://www.sysnet.ucsd.edu/~voelker/pubs/spyware-pets23.pdf">here</a>.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Is your smartphone spying on you?

In recent years, an increasing number of smartphone spyware apps...

South Col - a windswept, snow-free rocky dip located five miles above sea level in the Himalayan Mountains between Mount Everest and its sister peak Lhotse – is the place where hundreds of adventurers camp each year before attempting to climb the world’s largest peak from the southeastern side.&nbsp;



According to a team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>, they are also leaving behind a frozen legacy of highly resistant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-can-deep-ocean-microbes-survive-without-sunlight/">microbes</a> that can survive harsh conditions at high elevations and lie dormant in the soil for decades or even centuries. While highlighting the invisible impact of tourism on the world’s highest mountains, these findings also provide a better understanding of the environmental limits to life on our planet, as well as in other places in the universe where life may exist.&nbsp;



The scientists collected soil samples from South Col and analyzed them in several labs at CU Boulder by using both traditional culturing techniques and next-generation gene sequencing methods, in order to determine the diversity of microorganisms found in the samples.&nbsp;



The analyses revealed that most of the microbial DNA sequences were similar to hardy, or “extremophilic” organisms previously detected in other high-elevation sites in the Antarctica or the Andes, with the most abundant organism being a fungus in the genus Naganishia, which is known to be able to withstand extremely high levels of cold and ultraviolet radiation.&nbsp;



Surprisingly though, the experts also found microbial DNA of some organisms heavily associated with humans such as Staphylococcus, one of the most widespread skin and nose bacteria, and&nbsp;Streptococcus, a type of microbe usually infecting the human mouth. While the researchers were not surprised that humans left behind microorganisms – since microbes are nearly everywhere and can easily move around through the air at significant distances from camps or trails – they were nevertheless impressed by the fact that certain microbes which have evolved to thrive in warm and wet environments such as our noses and mouths are resilient enough to survive in a dormant state in the extremely harsh conditions from South Col.&nbsp;



Although the impact of these microbes on the Himalayan environment is expected to be minimal, their presence there raises alarm for humans’ possible impact on extraterrestrial worlds that we may one day be able to travel to. “We might find life on other planets and cold moons. We’ll have to be careful to make sure we’re not contaminating them with our own,” concluded senior author Steven Schmid, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU Boulder.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2164999">Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Humans are leaving behind microbes on Mount Everest

South Col - a windswept, snow-free rocky dip located five...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-gut-microbiome-is-shaped-by-what-we-eat/">gut</a> is home to a vast array of microorganims that can influence both health and disease. While some of them are known to contribute to the development of inflammatory conditions, such as the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the precise sequence of events that lead from these microbes to immune cells to disease remains a mystery.&nbsp;



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://brighamandwomens.org/">Brigham and Women’s Hospital</a> (BWH) has explored what drives the generation of Th17 (Interleukin-17-producing T helper) cells – a type of cells which, on the one hand, play a crucial role by helping to build a protective barrier in the gut that, when encountering a bacterial or fungal infection, releases signals causing the body to produce more Th17 cells, but on the other hand, are also implicated in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and IBD. The scientists were surprised to discover that the purine metabolite xanthine, which is found in coffee, tea, and chocolate, may have a fundamental role in Th17 differentiation.



“One of the concepts in our field is that microbes are required for Th17 cell differentiation, but our study suggests that there may be exceptions,” said co-lead auhor Jinzhi Duan, an expert in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endoscopy at BWH. “We studied the underlying mechanisms of Th17 cell generation in the gut and found some surprising results that may help us to better understand how and why diseases like IBD may develop.”



“Sometimes in research, we make these serendipitous discoveries—it’s not necessarily something you sought out, but it’s an interesting finding that opens up further areas of inquiry,” added senior author Richard Blumberg, a gastroenterologist at the same institution. “It’s too soon to speculate on whether the amount of xanthine in a cup of coffee leads to helpful or harmful effects in a person’s gut, but it gives us interesting leads to follow up on as we pursue ways to generate a protective response and stronger barrier in the intestine.”



By using several mouse models to examine the molecular events which trigger the development of Th17 cells, the researchers were surprised to find that Th17 cells could proliferate even in germ-free mice, with endoplasmic reticulum stress in intestinal epithelial cells driving Th17 cell differentiation through purine metabolites like xanthine, even in animals which did not carry microbes. Moreover, these cells’ genetic signatures suggested they might have protective properties.



Since this study was limited to cells in the intestine, further research is needed to examine the relation between these cells and other organs, such as the skin or the lungs, which may have a critical influence on disease outcomes. More investigations are also necessary to determine what causes Th17 cells to sometimes become pathogenic.



“While we don’t yet know what’s causing pathogenesis, the tools we have developed here may take us a step closer to understanding what causes disease and what could help resolve or prevent it,” Blumberg concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.02.018">Immunity</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Coffee component may play a key role in gut health

The gut is home to a vast array of microorganims...

Much previous research has shown evidence linking childhood obesity to increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), particularly for children who are obese. U.S. data indicate that overweight children are 1.54 times as likely to have elevated blood pressure as children of average weight. For obese children, this prevalence ratio is 3.05 times.



However, the definition of what is normal weight for children is fairly broad. No information exists about the risks of hypertension for children whose body mass index (BMI) is on the high side of normal, but who are not defined as being overweight. Furthermore, there is no understanding of whether a child’s risk of hypertension changes if he or she gains extra weight (in addition to average expected increase) during childhood. A new study of over 800,000 youth between the ages of 3 and 17 has now addressed these gaps in knowledge.



The study looked retrospectively at the electronic health records of 801,019 young people who were members of <a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/">Kaiser Permanente</a> in Southern California between 2008 and 2015. The researchers considered the initial BMI and blood pressure of youths when they first joined the study, and monitored changes in these two variables during the 5-year follow-up period. They divided normal body weight into low (5th-39th percentiles), medium (40th-59th percentiles), and high (60th-84th percentiles) to provide insight into the risk of hypertension at a range of “normal” weights below the threshold for overweight.&nbsp;



The results of the analysis show that, in this cohort study of youths, high normal body weight (above the 60th percentile of BMI for age) was associated with increased risk of hypertension. In addition, extra weight gain was associated with further increases in hypertension risk. These findings are published in JAMA Network Open, and reveal the following:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Compared to youths in the medium range of average weight, the risk of developing hypertension within five years was 26 percent higher for youths at the high end of the average weight range.</li>



<li>Children gain weight over time. Every BMI unit gained per year increases their risk of hypertension by 4 percent.</li>



<li>The rate of hypertension was higher among boys than girls, and among youth on state-subsidized health plans in comparison to those not on state-subsidized health plans.</li>
</ul>



“Hypertension during youth tracks into adulthood and is associated with cardiac and vascular organ damage. Since the organ damage can be irreversible, preventing hypertension in our young people is critically important,” said study lead author Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kp-scalresearch.org/investigator/corinna-koebnick-phd-msc/">Corinna Koebnick</a> of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research &amp; Evaluation. “The findings of this study of hypertension among a diverse population of children in Southern California show us the detrimental effects of even a few extra pounds on our young people.”



“This study underscores the need for medical professionals to re-evaluate how we correlate and educate about health risks across the spectrum of weight in growing children,” said study senior author Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/southern-california/physicians/poornima-kunani-2148147">Poornima Kunani</a>, a pediatrician and researcher at the <a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/">Kaiser Permanente</a> Manhattan Beach Medical Office. “Obesity may be the most important risk factor for hypertension during childhood. Parents should talk to their pediatrician to see if their child might be at risk for hypertension and other preventable chronic medical conditions related to obesity. They can help you with strategies for developing habits to keep your child healthy through adulthood.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Just a few extra pounds increases hypertension risk in kids 

Much previous research has shown evidence linking childhood obesity to...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...