Can farms produce enough food to feed us while still leaving space for wildlife? A new proposal says they can.



By setting aside one-fifth of farmland for nature, and tweaking everyday practices on the rest, we can help wildlife recover without sacrificing the food on our tables.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-with-wildlife-in-mind">Farming with wildlife in mind</h2>



The plan comes from ecologists at the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a> and the University of Alcalá in Spain. Study co-author Professor James Bullock elaborated on the importance of the research.



“Reversing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-global-change-to-stop-biodiversity-loss/">biodiversity loss</a> and degradation of ecosystems is essential both for nature as well as long-term global food security. But there is no single silver bullet for nature recovery and so far it has been unclear how to integrate rewilding into agricultural landscapes," said Professor Bullock. 



“Our proposed approach moves beyond land sparing versus land sharing. We believe rewilding can be interwoven into agricultural landscapes and could be key to maintaining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/increasing-plant-based-food-production-would-have-extremely-positive-impact/">food production</a> in a way that is sustainable in the long term for people and the planet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dedicating-land-to-nature-recovery">Dedicating land to nature recovery</h2>



According to the study, fostering rewilding approaches alongside farming could create agroecological landscapes that accommodate biodiversity while remaining resilient and functionally connected. Certain incentives would encourage farmers to adopt this approach.



“While setting aside land for nature recovery could potentially be made a legal requirement for farmers and landowners, there is more likely to be acceptance and success of rewilding if there are incentives in the form of payments for ecosystem services and tax deductions,” noted Professor José María Rey Benayas, lead author on the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-farming-needs-wildlife">Why farming needs wildlife</h2>



Modern farming has greatly increased food production since the 1940s. But this has often come at the expense of nature. 



Clearing land, using heavy fertilizers and pesticides, and removing natural features like hedgerows have pushed many plant and animal species to the edge.



This loss doesn’t just affect wildlife - it disrupts vital services that farms depend on, such as healthy soil, natural pest control, and water retention. As these services decline, the long-term productivity and resilience of farming systems are put at risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cost-of-declining-wildlife">The cost of declining wildlife</h2>



Across Europe and beyond, once-common species are disappearing from farmland. For example, the U.K. has lost over 40 million birds since 1970, and wild bee populations have declined in more than half of European countries, according to multiple long-term surveys.



These animals aren’t just part of the scenery - they’re key to food production. Birds eat crop pests. Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers that develop into fruits and vegetables. Their loss means greater reliance on artificial fertilisers, pesticides, and expensive manual labour.



Bringing wildlife back isn’t just a conservation goal - it’s a practical step toward more affordable and reliable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-cover-crops-may-be-the-future-of-sustainable-farming/">farming</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steps-to-farming-alongside-wildlife">Steps to farming alongside wildlife </h2>



The researchers suggest a four-part plan that links nature conservation with everyday farming. 



First, they recommend reserving at least 20% of farmland for nature. This space would include large patches of woodland, wetlands, and species-rich grassland to form strong core habitats. 



Second, these patches should be connected by green corridors - such as hedgerows, ponds, and strips of scrubland - that allow wildlife to move, feed, and reproduce.



Third, they propose protecting small hotspots within working fields. This would involve setting aside about 10% of cropped land for flower strips, beetle banks, and bird perches, bringing the total to the 30% global restoration goal. 



Finally, they call for small changes in daily farming practices, like reducing chemical use, planting flowers for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/">pollinators</a>, and letting livestock graze more freely to help spread seeds and support healthy soil.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewilding-has-benefits-for-farmers">Rewilding has benefits for farmers</h2>



Many European regions cannot host bears or bison. However, smaller species such as lynx, wildcat, or European hare can still boost ecosystem health. Choosing the right mix depends on local conditions.



Helping wildlife can pay off in more ways than one. When farms support natural habitats, they often see practical benefits in return. 



Better soil retains more water and nutrients, which supports stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farmers-can-help-make-crops-more-resilient/">crops</a>. Pollinators and natural predators of pests can help increase yields in nearby fields. 



Farmers may also spend less on fertilizers and pesticides, lowering overall input costs. In some places, governments might provide payments or tax breaks to reward efforts that support biodiversity and ecosystem services.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-room-for-wildlife">Making room for wildlife</h2>



Reaching the 20% target may be challenging for small farms, but collective action can make it achievable. At the same time, each region will need to adapt the plan to fit its local conditions. 



Areas with heavily degraded farmland have the most to gain, while places with traditional, low-impact farming may require fewer changes. 



The researchers emphasize that this is just a starting point - but the message is clear: making room for wildlife alongside farming can help secure both indigenous species and food for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.2860">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.



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Farming for wildlife: How traditional practices can protect nature

Can farms produce enough food to feed us while still leaving space for wildlife? A new proposal says they can. By setting aside one-fifth of farmland for nature, and tweaking everyday practices on the rest, we can help wildlife recover without sacrificing the food on our tables. Farming with wildlife in mind The plan comes from ecologists at the UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology and the University of Alcalá in Spain. Study co-author Professor James Bullock elaborated on the importance of the research. “Reversing biodiversity loss...

On this year’s <a href="https://www.worldwaterday.org/">World Water Day</a> – an annual celebration highlighting the importance of freshwater resources initiated by the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> (UN) in 1993 – <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en">UNESCO</a> in collaboration with <a href="https://www.unwater.org/">UN-Water</a> (a mechanism coordinating the efforts of UN entities and various international organizations working on water and sanitation issues) published a report warning of an imminent risk of a global water crisis.&nbsp;



According to the experts, currently two billion people (26 percent of the global population) do not have safe drinking water, and 3.6 billion (46 percent) lack access to safely managed sanitation – a dire situation expected to worsen in the coming decades, particularly in urban areas, posing severe risks to the livelihoods of people all over the globe.



Scientists estimate that the global urban population facing water scarcity will likely double from 930 million in 2016 to between 1.7 and 2.4 billion by mid-century. Moreover, the increasing frequency of extreme, prolonged droughts will increase the stress on ecosystems worldwide, severely endangering a variety of plant and animal species.



“There is an urgent need to establish strong international mechanisms to prevent the global water crisis from spiraling out of control. Water is our common future and it is essential to act together to share it equitably and manage it sustainably,” said UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay.



The authors of the report argue that international collaboration is the main key to provide water access to people worldwide. While almost every water-related intervention involves some kind of cooperation – ranging from shared irrigation systems among farmers and communal management of water supply and sanitation infrastructure in cities to collaboration between urban and rural communities in order to maintain food security and uphold farmer incomes – when it comes to managing rivers and aquifers crossing national borders, larger collaborative networks are urgently needed to prevent a global water crisis.



In addition, data sharing and co-financing opportunities are crucial to address the current water problems and make sure they will not intensify in the following decades. For instance, financing schemes bringing together downstream users – such as cities, businesses, and utilities – to invest together in upstream environmental protection and agricultural land management will play a major role in improving water quantity and quality. Such ‘water funds’ have already proven successful in Mexico and Sub-Saharan Africa, and will likely benefit other parts of the world too.



Finally, inclusive shareholder participation is essential in planning and implementing water systems which match the needs and available resources of disadvantaged communities, while increasing public acceptance and ownership.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“There is much to do and time is not on our side.&nbsp;This report shows our ambition and we must now come together and accelerate action. This is our moment to make a difference,” concluded Gilbert F. Houngbo, the Chair of UN-Water.



More information about this year’s UN World Water Development Report can be found <a href="https://www.unesco.org/reports/wwdr/2023/en">here</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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Global water crisis could spiral out of control

On this year’s World Water Day – an annual celebration...

An unusual parasite strain that has killed at least four sea otters may pose a threat to marine animals and humans, according to a study from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>. The experts report that the animals died from an unusually severe form of toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii.



The researchers noted that toxoplasmosis is common in sea otters, but the new Toxoplasma strain appears to be more lethal and capable of rapidly killing healthy adult otters.



The scientists warn that this rare form of toxoplasma infection, which has never been seen on the California coast before, could threaten both wildlife and humans if it contaminates the environment and the marine food chain.



“Because this parasite can infect humans and other animals, we want others to be aware of our findings, quickly recognize cases if they encounter them and take precautions to prevent infection,” said study co-author Melissa Miller. “We encourage others to take extra precautions if they observe inflamed systemic fat deposits in sea otters or other marine wildlife.”



Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite that infects most species of warm-blooded animals and causes toxoplasmosis. The sea otters that were found stranded with the new strain of Toxoplasma had severe inflammation of their body fat - a condition called steatitis. According to the researchers, this is a very unusual finding in sea otters with toxoplasmosis.



“The appearance of this lethal type of Toxoplasma in coastal California is concerning for two main reasons: First, because of potential population health impacts on a threatened species, and second, because this parasite could also affect the health of other animals that are susceptible to Toxoplasma infection,” said study co-author Devinn Sinnott of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.



Through microscopic examination, the experts found that the deceased otters had high numbers of Toxoplasma parasites in their tissues. However, the parasites were not present in the brain, which is usually affected in sea otters with fatal toxoplasmosis.



DNA tests revealed that the animals had been infected with a rare strain of Toxoplasma called COUG, which was first identified in 1995 in Canadian mountain lions.



“This was a complete surprise,” said study senior author Karen Shapiro of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “The COUG genotype has never before been described in sea otters, nor anywhere in the California coastal environment or in any other aquatic mammal or bird.”



“I have studied Toxoplasma infections in sea otters for 25 years, and I have never seen such severe lesions or high parasite numbers,” said Miller. “We are reporting our preliminary findings to alert others about this concerning condition. Since Toxoplasma can infect any warm-blooded animal, it could also potentially cause disease in animals and humans that share the same environment or food resources, including mussels, clams, oysters, and crabs that are consumed raw or undercooked.”



According to Sinnott, larger-scale studies are needed to understand the potential impact of infection by the COUG Toxoplasma strain on sea otter populations, how geographically dispersed it is, how it is being introduced into the ocean, and what other animals might be affected.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1116899">Frontiers in Marine Science</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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Sea otters killed by lethal strain of Toxoplasma 

An unusual parasite strain that has killed at least four...

During the past three years, the origins of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-origins-of-covid-19-will-most-likely-remain-a-mystery/">Covid-19</a> pandemic have been intensely debated. While some scientists argued that the virus initially emerged in wild animals traded at the Huanan market in Wuhan and then spilled over to humans, others claimed that the virus may have leaked from the <a href="http://english.whiov.cas.cn/">Wuhan Institute of Virology</a>. 



Although it is likely that the origins of the pandemic will remain a mystery, new genetic evidence that emerged this week points to the possibility that racoon dogs - small, heavy-set, fox-like canids native to East Asia - might have started the pandemic.



Initially, swabs collected from stalls at the Huanan market in the first months of 2020 were found to contain only SARS-CoV-2 and human DNA. However, at the beginning of this week Florence Débarre, an evolutionary biologist at the <a href="https://www.cnrs.fr/en/cnrs">French National Center for Scientific Research</a> (CNRS), discovered a series of genetic sequences in several coronavirus-positive samples posted on the virology database <a href="https://gisaid.org/">GISAID</a> that contained significant amounts of DNA from racoon dogs, as well as traces of animal DNA from civets and other mammals known to be highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.



Following her discovery, Débarre shared the data with an international team of world-famous scientists currently investigating the origins of the pandemic, as well as with the <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>.&nbsp;



“We were able to figure out relatively quickly that at least in one of these samples, there was a lot of raccoon dog nucleic acid, along with virus nucleic acid,” said Stephen Goldstein, a virologist at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a>. Nevertheless, he stressed that the jumbling together of genetic materials from the virus and the animal does not conclusively prove that a racoon dog was initially infected and then passed the virus to humans; in fact, it is possible that the opposite scenario might have happened, with various animals catching the virus from humans.



However, according to Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>, this finding is “just one more brick on this massive wall of evidence that all fits together. If it weren’t so politicized, it’s one of the clearest sets of evidence for how a pandemic emerged that we’ve ever had.”



“Top line is that there were animals at the market and they are in the exact location where the virus was,” added Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the <a href="https://www.usask.ca/">University of Saskatchewan</a>. “We can’t say for sure that they were infected, but this is very strong evidence supporting that the pandemic’s origin was due to the live animals at Huanan market.”



After analyzing the genetic sequences, the experts reached out to the Chinese scientists that originally posted the data on GISAID for a possible collaboration but, soon after that, the data disappeared from the database, highlighting once more the intensely politicized dimensions of the pandemic, and China’s refusal to admit the massive illegal wildlife trade occurring in its markets.&nbsp;



This led WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to renew his call for China to share scientific data on the origin of the pandemic on Friday. “We continue to call on China to be transparent in sharing data, and to conduct the necessary investigations and share the results. Understanding how the pandemic began remains both a moral and scientific imperative.”&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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New evidence that Covid-19 spilled over from animals

During the past three years, the origins of the Covid-19...

In a new study led by the <a href="http://www.sf.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research</a>, experts set out to investigate how the brain develops a preference for unhealthy foods.&nbsp;



The researchers found that foods with high fat and sugar content actually rewire our brain. By regularly eating these foods, even in small amounts, the brain unconsciously learns to prefer high-fat snacks.



"Our tendency to eat high-fat and high-sugar foods, the so-called Western diet, could be innate or develop as a result of being overweight. But we think that the brain learns this preference," explained study lead author Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah.



In collaboration with experts at Yale University, the researchers designed an experiment with two study groups who were instructed to eat pudding once per day for eight weeks in addition to their normal diet.&nbsp;



One group of participants was given a small pudding containing a lot of fat and sugar, while the other group received a pudding that contained the same number of calories but less fat. The researchers measured the brain activity of the volunteers before and during the eight weeks.



The study revealed that among the group that ate the high-sugar and high-fat pudding, the brain's response to this type of food had greatly increased after eight weeks. In particular, the brain responded by activating dopaminergic pathways that are associated with reward and motivation.



"Our measurements of brain activity showed that the brain rewires itself through the consumption of chips and co. It subconsciously learns to prefer rewarding food," said Marc Tittgemeyer, who led the study. "Through these changes in the brain, we will unconsciously always prefer the foods that contain a lot of fat and sugar."



The researchers assume that the preference for sugary foods will continue after the end of the study. "New connections are made in the brain, and they don't dissolve so quickly," said Tittgemeyer. "After all, the whole point of learning is that once you learn something, you don't forget it so quickly."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</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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Sweet snacks rewire the brain to prefer unhealthy food

In a new study led by the Max Planck Institute...

Since the flavor of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/growing-environment-impacts-the-aroma-of-beer-and-hops/">beer</a> begins to change as soon as it is packaged, scientists have long wondered if this type of beverage stays fresher in bottles or in cans. Now, a team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> (CSU) has found that the answer to this question depends on the type of beer. For instance, while an amber ale remained fresher in bottles, container choice made much less difference to the stability of Indian Pale Ale (IPA).



Besides water and ethanol, beer contains thousands of flavor compounds produced by yeast, hop, and other ingredients. Since during storage, chemical reactions break down some of these components while forming others, the content of some tasty flavors is reduced, contributing to the aging, or staling, of beer. Although researchers have already studied beer aging in order to help brewers prolong shelf life, they focused mainly on light lagers and a limited group of chemicals. Now, the CSU team extended the analysis to amber ale and IPA, while comparing the stability of beer packaged in glass bottles versus aluminum cans.



To mimic typical storage conditions, the scientists chilled cans and bottles of amber ale and IPA for a month and then kept them at room temperature for an additional five months, while analyzing every two weeks the metabolites in newly opened containers. During this period, the concentration of metabolites in amber ale, such as several amino acids and esters, was significantly different depending on the type of packaging. By contrast, IPA appeared less sensitive to packaging type, most likely due to its higher concentration of polyphenols from hops, which prevent oxidation and help retain amino acids in the beer for longer.



The analyses also revealed that, while the metabolic profile of both kinds of beer changed over time, regardless of the type of packaging, amber ale in cans showed the greatest variation during aging. Further research is needed to clarify how such changes affect flavor in order to help brewers make more informed decisions on what kind of packaging to use for the particular types of beers they produce.



“Taken together, the results of this study do not support the conclusion of a general best package for all beer styles but rather indicate that the effects of package type are dependent on beer style. Continued work to define the mechanisms driving the effects of package type on beer stability is warranted and would require integration with sensory outcomes. Ultimately, research on beer stability and packaging should provide relevant knowledge, so brewers may make scientifically backed packaging decisions and shelf-life determinations,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.2c00351">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</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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Is beer more stable in cans or bottles?

Since the flavor of beer begins to change as soon...

After massive collisions, such as asteroid impacts, some materials from impacted planets may be ejected into space and travel vast distances for extremely long periods of time. According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a>, this material could contain direct or indirect signs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-searching-for-life-in-our-neighbor-star-system/">life</a> from the planet of origin, such as fossils of microorganisms, that could potentially be detected by astronomers in search of extraterrestrial life.&nbsp;



Although space dust can be an annoyance to some astronomers since it may hinder their observations of distant objects, it could also be a useful tool for learning about something distant without needing to leave the safety of our own planet.



“I propose we study well-preserved grains ejected from other worlds for potential signs of life,” said study author Tomonori Totani, a professor of Astrophysics at Tokyo. “The search for life outside our solar system typically means a search for signs of communication, which would indicate intelligent life but precludes any pre-technological life. Or the search is for atmospheric signatures that might hint at life, but without direct confirmation there could always be an explanation that does not require life. However, if there are signs of life in dust grains, not only could we be certain, but we could also find out soon.”



According to Professor Totani, after large asteroid collisions eject ground material into space, recently deceased or fossilized microorganisms may be contained in some of this material. While some larger pieces might fall back down or enter permanent orbits around local planets or stars, and some pieces may be too small to contain any traces of life, dust grains with a dimension of roughly one micrometer (one-thousandth of a millimeter) might not only host single-celled organisms, but they could also escape their solar system and - under the right circumstances - even reach ours.



In fact, such grains may have already reached the Earth in plentiful amounts and lie hidden in Antarctic ice or under the seafloor. While these materials could be retrieved relatively easy, analyzing them for signs of life remains a complex matter, requiring interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists. However, if this investigation is extended into space, there are already missions which capture dust in the vacuum by using ultralight materials known as aerogels.



“My paper explores this idea using available data on the different aspects of this scenario. The distances and times involved can be vast, and both reduce the chance any ejecta containing life signs from another world could even reach us. Add to that the number of phenomena in space that can destroy small objects due to heat or radiation, and the chances get even lower,” Totani said.&nbsp;



“Despite that, I calculate around 100,000 such grains could be landing on Earth every year. Given there are many unknowns involved, this estimate could be too high or too low, but the means to explore it already exist so it seems like a worthwhile pursuit. I hope that researchers in different fields are interested in this idea and start to examine the feasibility of this new search for extrasolar life in more detail,” he concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2210.07084">International Journal of Astrobiology</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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Space dust may contain signs of extraterrestrial life

After massive collisions, such as asteroid impacts, some materials from...

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mam.12311">Mammal Review</a> has found that in South America,&nbsp; pinnipeds such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seals-can-perceive-rhythm-early-in-life/">seals</a>, sea lions, and fur seals are currently at significant risk from interactions with local fisheries and aquaculture. These animals often become entangled in nets or cages and, as a result, many of them drown.&nbsp;



By analyzing studies conducted over the past 25 years on operational and biological interactions between these marine mammals and South American fisheries and aquaculture activities, the researchers discovered that two species – the South American sea lion&nbsp;(Otaria flavescens)&nbsp;and the South American fur seal&nbsp;(Arctocephalus australis) – are involved frequently in such interactions. However, since the economic losses to fisheries and aquaculture related to sea lion depredation are rather low, no major actions to solve this problem have been undertaken. Moreover, while incidental capture and mortality of seals has been reported widely, the precise magnitude of this issue remains largely unknown.



According to the scientists, not much progress has been made to incorporate protective measures to mitigate such interactions, due to a variety of factors, including a poor understanding of ecosystem complexity, the costs of modifying fishing gear, and the scarcity of official fishing controls.&nbsp;



“Limited progress and inconsistency exist among the different countries of South America regarding conservation priorities and actions to reduce marine mammal bycatch and to manage pinniped-related damage and predation,” the authors wrote.



“The causes of the limited progress in the adoption of mitigation measures in South America are multiple, including ecological aspects that are unknown or that cannot be overcome with current technology; the high costs of modifying nests or incorporating acoustic deterrent devices; and the scarcity of fishing controls, particularly in the large artisanal fleets.”



In order to solve this problem and help with the conservation of these species, long-term education programs should be established among the fishing communities, teaching them about the critical roles these marine mammals play in their ecosystems and the negative impacts of their removal.



“This study provides a deep analysis on the interactions between pinnipeds and fisheries and aquaculture in South American waters, highlighting the need to improve policy and management relating to marine mammal interactions,” concluded corresponding author Maritza Sepúlveda, an expert in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://uv.cl/">University of Valparaíso</a> in Chile.



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Fisheries endanger South American seals

A new study published in the journal Mammal Review has...

Human activities are placing major strain on coastal areas across the globe, according to a study led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>. The researchers mapped the presence and extent of major coastline stressors, and discovered that 97 percent of coastal areas are significantly impacted.



Study lead author Hannah Allan said the research outlined the spatial extent and magnitude of 10 major land-based stressors and 10 major marine stressors that occur across coastlines globally.



“The threats human activity pose to coastal ecosystems and biodiversity come from both the land and sea, sometimes arriving far from human activity,” said Allan. “Therefore, coastal conservation must incorporate land-sea connections. Human population size, tourism, and roads were some of the biggest contributors to the terrestrial component of Australia’s coastal human footprint."



“As for marine stressors, increasing sea surface temperatures, nutrient pollution, and shipping were found to be major drivers of human pressure on Australian coastlines.”



Professor Noam Levin noted that a map of this kind, which assembles both terrestrial and marine stressors and presents the coastal human footprint globally, has rarely been attempted.



“This research offers valuable insights that could help decision-makers and managers identify where to mitigate particular impacts,” said Professor Levin. “For example, the database underlying the human footprint can show specific areas with high oil and gas operations, such as in Western Australia."



“This can help develop preparedness procedures for the very realistic chance of environmental disasters that impact coastal areas, such as oil spills."



“An added benefit of our new global map is that it helps prioritise these decisions based on how widespread the potential pressures of our human footprint in certain areas of the world might be."



"Coastal areas, where 90 percent of Australians live, were not immune to these stressors. For Australia, the highest human footprint was found in the coastal cities, in the order of Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane."



Professor Levin said the team mapped 160 areas on the planet with the most pristine coastal areas, including several in Australia. “Of those, nearly 40 percent were totally unprotected - opening an opportunity to identify coastal areas for further conservation actions."



“A key finding was that light pollution is increasing, with more white LEDs being used, placing great strain on areas of high importance for biodiversity, disrupting the natural patterns of wildlife."



Professor Salit Kark said the team was surprised at the sheer extent and far-reaching impact revealed by the footprint map.



“There is hardly anywhere on the planet, outside of the polar and arctic regions, that does not show some form of human pressure on their coastline,” said Professor Kark. “In essence, we have influenced the majority of coastal areas globally. We therefore should aim to map and understand our impacts, and also leave some untouched coastlines.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106476">Ocean and Coastal Management</a>.



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Human activity impacts 97 percent of the world's coastline

Human activities are placing major strain on coastal areas across...

Forests and green spaces reduce human health risks on a global scale, according to a new report from the <a href="https://www.iufro.org/">International Union of Forest Research Organizations</a> (IUFRO). The assessment is the most comprehensive of its kind.&nbsp;



For the investigation, 44 scientists from around the world&nbsp; teamed up to review scientific evidence of the human health benefits associated with forests, trees and green spaces.&nbsp;



The experts say that in order to address health challenges, it is important to recognize the close links between human health and the health of other species, of ecosystems, and of the planet as a whole.



Existing evidence shows that forests and green spaces have positive effects on cognitive aging and longevity and protective effects against diabetes, cancer, depression, and stress-related disorders. According to the study authors, the significant effects on neurodevelopment in children are particularly important, not least because of repercussions in later life.



The experts report that 24 percent of global deaths are due to air pollution, extreme weather events, and other negative environmental factors. Premature deaths and disease can be prevented through the healthier environments that are provided by forests.



In addition, green spaces help reduce the negative health impacts of climate change. For example, as heatwaves become more frequent and intense, green spaces provide a cooling effect.&nbsp;



"The report underpins a One Health perspective, which recognizes that the health of humans, animals, plants, and the wider environment are closely linked and interdependent. It suggests that decision-makers in forest, health and related domains should also adopt more integrative perspectives for addressing forest-human health relations," said Cecil Konijnendijk of the University of British Columbia.



"By linking forest and human health policies and strategies, new and innovative solutions for health and forest challenges can be identified."&nbsp;



The study authors say the relationship between forests, trees, green spaces, and human health is complex. "Forests and trees provide multiple goods and services that contribute to human health, including medicines, nutritious food and non-wood forest products."



'They also support climate change mitigation and adaptation, moderate microcli-mate, filter air pollutants and offer areas for recreation, all of which can contribute to better physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being."



"At the same time, poor practices in the conservation and management of forests and trees have contributed to adverse effects on human health and wellbeing, with the emergence of zoonotic diseases and forest fires."



Regardless, the team found that most of the human health effects of forests and green spaces are positive. The experts note that decision-makers should promote positive forest and tree health outcomes while minimizing and managing potential negative impacts, especially on vulnerable populations.



The full report from the Global Forest Expert Panel (GFEP) on Forests and Human Health is available <a href="https://www.iufro.org/news/article/2023/03/21/forests-and-trees-for-human-health-pathways-impacts-challenges-and-response-options-1/">online</a>.&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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International Day of Forests: Green spaces reduce health risks

Forests and green spaces reduce human health risks on a...

Experts at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University in St. Louis</a> are describing how hummingbirds use torpor, a hibernation-like state of inactivity, to survive harsh <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-dna-can-help-monitor-pollinators/">environments</a>. According to the study, hummingbirds use torpor in different ways depending on their physical state and the environmental conditions they are facing.&nbsp;



In collaboration with biologists in Colombia, the researchers caught 249 hummingbirds (29 different species) living in the middle to high altitudes of the Andes Mountains. The experts wanted to measure torpor under various semi-natural conditions.&nbsp;



“Torpor is somewhere between a power nap and hibernation,” said study first author Justin Baldwin. “Earlier research had suggested that torpor was a way of completely shutting metabolism down to minimal levels."



"Our findings join a growing body of evidence to suggest that when animals enter torpor, they have diverse options to calibrate aspects of torpor to their environment.”



The study revealed that hummingbirds can enter into deep or shallow torpor, and they can remain in this state for just a few hours or for the entire night. In addition, the birds can begin to emerge from torpor hours or just minutes before sunrise.&nbsp;



"Small birds were more likely to use torpor than large birds, but only at low ambient temperatures, where torpor was prolonged. We also found effects of proxy variables for body condition and energy expenditure on the use of torpor, its characteristics, and impacts," wrote the researchers.



Study co-author Gustavo Londoño is a professor at the Universidad Icesi in Cali, Colombia. He explained that torpor can be the difference between surviving through cold night-time temperatures encountered at high elevations, or dying trying to regulate their body temperature using fuel from their internal reserves.



“One of the new things we learned with this study is that hummingbirds start exiting torpor more or less one hour before sunrise,” said Professor Londoño. “Being out of torpor and ready to fly with the first sunlight is key to ensuring that their first meal will be from flowers that are full of nectar. The flowers then get depleted through the morning.”



By studying many hummingbird species at once, the researchers were able to analyze how torpor may have contributed to their evolution and colonization of harsh environments.



“Species that more readily deployed torpor at our study sites also occurred at higher elevations across the entire Andean region,” said Baldwin. “This is exciting, because it suggests that a characteristic of bird physiology can tell us something about their distribution across the entire continent."



“Even though we don’t know which came first - an increase in readiness to use torpor or the ability to persist at high elevations - we think that hummingbirds’ readiness to use torpor is likely tied to their evolutionary conquest of mountain habitats.”



&nbsp;The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.2099">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</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



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.

Hummingbirds have evolved to survive harsh environments 

Experts at Washington University in St. Louis are describing how...

Over 85 percent of the Earth’s mammal, bird, and amphibian species live in mountain forests. Unfortunately, these forests are disappearing at an alarming rate.



According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> in the UK and the <a href="https://www.sustech.edu.cn/en/">Southern University of Science and Technology</a> in China, 78.1 million hectares (7.1 percent) of mountain forests have been lost since the beginning of the new millennium. This is an area larger than the size of Texas. Most of this loss has occurred in tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protected-areas-are-failing-to-safeguard-biodiversity/">biodiversity</a> hotspots, thus significantly threatening a variety of already endangered animal species.&nbsp;



Forested mountain areas were previously protected from deforestation by their rugged location. But as lowland regions became depleted or subject to protection at the beginning of the 21st centuries, mountain forests became increasingly exploited. 



To clarify the current situation, the experts tracked changes in mountain forests on an annual basis from 2001 to 2018, measuring both losses and gains in tree cover, estimating the rate at which change was occurring, comparing different elevations and types of forests (such as boreal, tropical, or temperate), and exploring the impacts of forest loss on biodiversity.



“Knowledge of the dynamics of forest loss along elevation gradients worldwide is crucial for understanding how and where the amount of forested area available for forest species will change as they shift in response to warming,” the authors explained.



The investigation revealed that logging was the main driver of forest loss (42 percent), followed by wildfires (29 percent), shifting or “slash-and-burn” cultivation (15 percent), and permanent or semi-permanent agricultural practices (10 percent). However, the importance of these factors was found to differ from region to region. The most significant losses occurred in Asia, South America, Africa, Europe, and Australia, with North America and Oceania appearing to fare slightly better.



Unfortunately, the rate of mountain forest loss appears to be accelerating, with the annual rate of loss rising by 50 percent from the 21st century’s first to second decade (which witnessed about 5.2 million hectares annual losses). This acceleration is likely driven by the rapid agricultural expansion into highland regions in mainland Southeast Asia, as well as by increased logging due to either depletion or protection of lowland forests.



Although tropical forests experienced the greatest loss (42 percent of the global total), they also had a faster rate of regrowth compared to temperate and boreal mountain forests. While protected areas experienced less forest loss than unprotected ones, this may not be sufficient to protect endangered species.



“Regarding sensitive species in biodiversity hotspots, the critical issue extends beyond simply preventing forest loss. We must also maintain the integrity of forests in large enough zones to allow natural movements and sufficient space for ranging species,” the authors wrote.



The researchers concluded by highlighting the importance of reaching a balance between the protection of forests and human livelihoods. “Any new measures to protect mountain forests should be adapted to local conditions and contexts and need to reconcile the need for enhanced forest protection with ensuring food production and human wellbeing.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.02.005">One Earth</a>.&nbsp;&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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Loss of mountain forests accelerating worldwide

Over 85 percent of the Earth’s mammal, bird, and amphibian...

Besides warmer weather and blooming flowers, spring also brings the unfortunate re-emergence of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spotted-lanternflies-damage-young-maple-trees/">spotted lanternfly</a>, a prolific invasive insect originating from Asia that wreaks havoc on both forests and croplands. Since their initial detection in Pennsylvania in 2014, these insects have spread to over 100 counties across 14 states. 



Now, a study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25989-3">Nature Scientific Reports</a> has found that the spread of spotted lanternflies is largely due to human-mediated dispersal via transportation by cars, trucks, and trains.



“Spotted lanternflies can spread quickly into suitable habitat and have the potential to cause significant economic damage to crops and hardwood trees,” said study co-author Tara Trammell, an associated professor of Urban Forestry at the <a href="https://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>. “Studying potential dispersal mechanisms, such as human transportation, can help us develop management approaches to reduce further spread.”



To simulate spotted lanternfly spread dynamics, the experts used agent-based models incorporating information on life history, habitat suitability, movement, and natural dispersal behaviors. The analysis revealed an overwhelming effect of human-mediated dispersal that supports current observational data and could finally explain the mysterious long-distance jumps across states this insect has made. 



Human-mediated dispersal most likely occurs during the period between June and September, when both juvenile and adult lanternflies are present. This is also when mating and egg laying take place.&nbsp;



“The primary mode of human-mediated dispersal is still to be determined. For example, it could be egg masses laid on vehicles or gravid females hitchhiking on vehicles,” said study lead author Zach Ladin, a supervisory wildlife biologist at the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a>.



“That would be a great follow-up experiment. Future studies could mark and track egg masses on train cars and measure egg mass survival, or mark and track hitchhiking nymphs and adults on tractor trailers.”&nbsp;



While proving the critical role of human behavior in the wide dispersal of this invasive species is a crucial first step, slowing their spread requires further public education and outreach. If measures to modify human behavior are not urgently taken, the spotted lanternflies will spread quickly to every suitable habitat across North America, with unpredictable economic and ecological impacts.



“The number one suggestion is to follow state recommended guidelines for monitoring vehicles. We suggest people in areas with established spotted lanternfly populations be vigilant when traveling across state lines and follow suggested protocols for monitoring their vehicles when going on long-distance trips,”&nbsp;Ladin advised.



Other measures could include the use of insecticides and traps in late spring, summer, and early fall, and scraping egg masses to prevent the next generation of lanternflies from hatching in winter and early spring.



“Additionally, management and removal of the suite of host trees that spotted lanternflies use to reproduce will help diminish the number of individuals on the landscape, which can lower the likelihood of spotted lanternfly hitchhikers and the establishment in previously unoccupied habitat,” Ladin concluded.



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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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Spotted lanternflies are hitching rides to invade new places

Besides warmer weather and blooming flowers, spring also brings the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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

[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...

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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