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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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.



—



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...

During the past decades, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/southern-resident-killer-whales-are-undernourished/">Southern resident killer whale</a> populations in the Pacific Northwest have declined substantially, leading researchers to look for causes of this worrisome trend. Some of the threats that have been identified include fluctuations in salmon prey, exposure to toxic pollutants, and disturbance and noise from ships and other vessels.&nbsp;



Now, by combining modern genomics with decades of field observations, an international team of scientists has found that the small size and isolation of the endangered population of Southern residents in the Pacific Northwest have led to high levels of inbreeding. This phenomenon has significantly contributed to their decline.



“For a long time, we’ve struggled to understand why this population has consistently lower survival and birth rates than other killer whales in the region, and this research highlights a strong link between inbred individuals and increased risk of death,” said study co-author Eric Ward, a statistician at the <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/northwest-fisheries-science-center">Northwest Fisheries Science Center</a>. “It’s a view we’ve never had before, and it begins to fill a gap in our understanding.”



Killer whales reproduce for the first time at around ten years of age and reach their reproductive prime in their twenties. However, the researchers discovered that, compared to the least inbred whales, highly inbred ones had less than half the chance of surviving through those years to reach 40. While females with low levels of inbreeding usually live long enough to produce an average of 2.6 offspring during their lifespan, those with high levels of inbreeding produce an average of only 1.6 offspring during their significantly shorter lives – which is insufficient for animal populations to remain stable or increase.&nbsp;



Moreover, since inbreeding significantly limits the population’s growth and recovery, the whales become much more vulnerable to a variety of other threats, such as disease, limited prey, or exposure to contaminants and human disturbances.



“The whales are not necessarily dying of inbreeding itself, they are dying prematurely because inbreeding has set them up to be more vulnerable to diseases or other problems,” said co-author Bradley Hanson, a research scientist at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. “We need to minimize the potential for those factors to have an impact.”



“It would be a mistake to see this as inbreeding alone causing the decline. Over the last 50 years, this population has been impacted by multiple stressors, and the relative impact of various threats on the Southern resident population has fluctuated through time. These combined impacts, coupled with the mating system of killer whales—where only a few males are contributing to the gene pool—may have made inbreeding a more significant threat in recent years,” Ward concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-01995-0">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</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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Southern resident killer whales endangered by inbreeding

During the past decades, Southern resident killer whale populations in...

Pet technologies have reached new heights in sophistication and pet owners can now purchase gadgets that monitor their pet’s activities, food intake, calorie use, sleep hours and location. Some of the apps allow the owner to observe the pet, talk to it in order to comfort it in their absence, or even activate toys that entertain it through the day. However, these apps may have a hidden cost in terms of cybersecurity.



Computer scientists from <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> and Royal Holloway, University of London, have evaluated the privacy and security status of 40 popular Android apps for pets, companion animals and farm animals. The team presented the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3567445.3571102">results</a> at the&nbsp;2022 IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy Workshops conference, and published them in the Proceedings of this conference.



The researchers found that many of these apps, designed to put the minds of pet owners at ease, also put their privacy and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tighter-school-security-linked-to-lower-test-scores/">security</a> at risk in various ways by exposing their login or location details. The apps relate to the use of smart gadgets as diverse as cameras, water and food dispensers, GPS trackers, wearable devices that track pet activity, and toys that can be activated remotely. There are also apps and platforms that allow owners to track and manage their pets’ health records and connect with veterinary professionals.



Scott Harper is a PhD student at Newcastle University’s School of Computing and the lead author of the study. “Pet tech such as smart collars and GPS trackers for your cat or dog, is a rapidly growing industry and it brings with it new security, privacy, and safety risks to the pet owners," said Harper. "While owners might use these apps for peace of mind about the health of their dog or where their cat is, they may not be happy to find out about the risks the apps hold for their own cybersecurity.”



Password vulnerability&nbsp;was one of the areas exposed by the team. They identified three applications that had the user's login details visible in plain text within non-secure HTTP traffic.&nbsp;This means that anyone is able to observe the internet traffic of someone using one of these apps and will also be able to find out their login information. In addition to login information, two of the apps also showed user details, such as their location, which may enable someone to gain access to the devices and mount a cyber-attack.



Another area of concern identified in the study was the&nbsp;use of trackers.&nbsp;All but four of the applications were found to feature some form of tracking software.&nbsp;A tracker gathers information on the person using the application, on how they use it, or on the smartphone being used.



The scientists also warn that the apps perform very poorly in terms of notifying the user of their privacy policy. Their analysis shows that 21 of the apps are tracking the user in some way before the user even has a chance to consent to this, which violates current data protection regulations.



“We would urge anyone using these apps to take the time to ensure they are using a unique password, check the settings and ensure that they consider how much data they are sharing or willing to share,” said Harper.



“We are using modern technologies to improve several aspects of our lives. However, some of these (often) cheap technologies come at the price of our privacy, security, and safety," said study co-author Dr. Maryam Mehrnezhad. "Animal technologies can create complex risks and harms that are not easy to recognize and address. In this interdisciplinary project, we are working on solutions to mitigate such risks and allow the animal owners to use such technologies without risk or fear.”



In a second, related study, the research team surveyed almost 600 pet owners from the UK, USA and Germany. They asked questions about the technologies used, the incidents that have occurred or that participants believe may occur, and the methods used by participants to protect their online security and privacy and whether they apply these to their pet tech.



The results show that participants do believe they are vulnerable to a range of attacks that may target their pet tech. Despite this, they take few precautions to protect themselves or their pets from the possible risks and harms of these technologies.



“We would urge those developing these technologies to increase the security of these devices and applications to reduce risk of their personal information or location being shared," said study co-author Dr. Matt Leach.



The researchers also urge those who are using pet tech to ensure they are using a unique password, check the settings, and consider what data they are sharing. &nbsp;Users should be cautious about any new IoT (Internet of Things) devices they bring into their homes. They should download apps associated with animal tech from known app stores and constantly check the permissions of such apps and revoke any unnecessary permission from them. Guides such as&nbsp;<a href="https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/">Mozilla's `*Privacy Not Included' project</a>&nbsp;are available to help inform consumers of the potential security and privacy risks.



—



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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Are our pets leaking information about us?

Pet technologies have reached new heights in sophistication and pet...

The latest <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) report was released today, and the message is abundantly clear - climate action is urgently needed to keep our planet habitable. The message is also somewhat hopeful, as the experts say there are feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change that are available now.



Erin Coughlan de Perez, a lead author of one of the underlying analyses, says the IPCC report serves as a stark reminder that climate change is driving humanitarian crises and human suffering around the world.&nbsp;



"The window is closing, but the report also shows that it is not too late yet. It is time for the international community to take urgent action to reduce emissions to stay below the 1.5 degrees warming limit and work with communities to adapt and prepare for climate change impacts."



While the 1.5-degree target seemed like a major hurdle when the 2018 IPCC report was released, the challenge has become even greater over the last five years as heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions have only increased. The experts say that the pace and scale of what has been done are insufficient to tackle climate change.



Climate warming is causing brutal weather extremes such as deadly storms and heatwaves, and these extremes will become much worse with every small increase in the average global temperature. The risks of food and water insecurity are also rising alongside temperatures.



The authors emphasize that the impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed, and the most vulnerable people are often hit the hardest. They say that urgent action is needed for a sustainable, equitable world.



“Climate justice is crucial because those who have contributed least to climate change are being disproportionately affected,” said Aditi Mukherji, one of the 93 authors of this Synthesis Report. “Almost half of the world’s population lives in regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change. In the last decade, deaths from floods, droughts and storms were 15 times higher in highly vulnerable regions."



According to the report, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, emissions will need to be cut by almost half by 2030. The experts say that accelerated action to adapt to climate change is essential to close the gap between existing adaptation and what is needed.&nbsp;



"What is interesting about this report is that we usually talk about different parts of the climate crisis separately - reducing emissions, adapting to save lives, or responding to losses and damages," said Coughlan de Perez.



"This report acknowledges that we need to do everything at once, and it gives a roadmap for how we can achieve this. That roadmap is not a simple one, where we just make a few minor changes and keep going with the status quo. Instead, it is a call to transformation - fundamentally altering society to achieve climate-resilient development."



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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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IPCC: Climate action urgently needed to end human suffering

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was...

The link between obesity and severe Covid-19 infection may be explained by an underactive immune response, according to a study by scientists at the <a href="https://www.citiid.cam.ac.uk/">Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease</a> (CITIID) and Wellcome Sanger Institute. The researchers demonstrated that immune cells show a blunted inflammatory response in patients who are obese.&nbsp;



Nearly 6.9 million people have died from Covid-19, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-link-between-air-pollution-and-obesity/">obesity</a> is one of the major risk factors for severe infection. However, the underlying cause of the link between obesity and severe Covid has not been clear.&nbsp;



“During the pandemic, the majority of younger patients I saw on the COVID wards were obese. Given what we know about obesity, if you’d asked me why this was the case, I would have said that it was most likely due to excessive inflammation. What we found was the absolute opposite," explained Professor Menna Clatworthy.



The researchers analyzed blood and lung samples from 13 obese patients with severe cases of Covid that required mechanical ventilation. While studying the activity of cells in the samples, the experts discovered that the obese patients had underactive immune and inflammatory responses in their lungs.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This was really surprising and unexpected," said Professor Clatworthy. "Across every cell type we looked at, we found that the genes responsible for the classical antiviral response were less active. They were completely muted.”



According to the researchers, the findings could have important implications both for the treatment of COVID-19 and in the design of clinical trials to test new treatments.



“What we’ve shown is that not all patients are the same, so we might need to tailor treatments," said study co-author Dr. Conway Morris. "Obese subjects might need less anti-inflammatory treatments and potentially more help for their immune system.”



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202204-0751OC">American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine</a>.



---



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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Why does obesity increase the risk of severe Covid infection?

The link between obesity and severe Covid-19 infection may be...

On March 20, 2023, at 5:24 p.m. ET, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spring-finally-arrives-this-weekend/">spring</a> begins in the Northern Hemisphere, marked by the so-called spring, or vernal, equinox – which, along with the autumn equinox in September, is one of the two moments in the year when the sun is directly above the equator. With days becoming longer and the weather warmer, flowers and trees starting to bloom, and birds and butterflies migrating back northward along the path of the sun, this period is celebrated by many cultures as a time of renewal and rebirth.&nbsp;



The word “equinox” comes from Latin, through the juxtaposition of the terms aequus (equal) and nox (night), signifying that days and nights are equal in length. While for our ancestors, whose timekeeping was less precise than ours, days and nights did seem perfectly equal at this time of the year, today we know that in fact we actually get a bit more daylight than darkness at the equinox, particularly at higher latitudes, since it takes the sun longer to rise and set the closer we get to the poles.



According to the website&nbsp;<a href="https://earthsky.org/?p=106531#:~:text=The%20March%202021%20equinox%20happens,autumn%20in%20the%20Southern%20Hemisphere.">EarthSky</a>, for sky watchers equinoxes are a perfect time to orient themselves since they are the only two times a year the sun rises due east and sets due west everywhere on our planet. As they put it, the equinox is “a good day for finding east and west from your yard or other favorite site for watching the sky. Just go outside around sunset or sunrise and notice the location of the sun on the horizon with respect to familiar landmarks.” 



Moreover, in both hemispheres, the sun sets faster during the equinoxes, since it hits the horizon at the steepest possible angle from the Earth. By contrast, during the winter and summer solstices, the Earth’s tilt is the most extreme, and the sun sets more slowly.



Since thousands of years, people all over the world have celebrated the spring equinox. For instance, at the Mayan site&nbsp;Chichén Itzá in today’s Mexico, the massive pyramid El Castillo was aligned in such a way that a shadow outlining the form of a so-called “snake of light” (Kukulcán) descends the steps at the equinoxes, while in England, Druids and Wiccans used to gather at Stonehenge before dawn to welcome to return of spring.



Nowadays, many cultures around the world have special celebrations at the equinox, such as the Persian New Year - also known as Nauryz, Navruz, or Nowrouz (meaning “new day”) - when people honor new beginnings by welcoming the future and shedding away the past. While the Chinese are trying to stand an egg upright during the equinox – which, according to an old tradition, will bring them good luck - in Japan the Vernal Equinox Day is a public holiday, with people visiting family graves and holding family reunions, in celebration of both past and future.&nbsp;



—



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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Spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere

On March 20, 2023, at 5:24 p.m. ET, spring begins...

Recently, the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> in Australia has signed a contract with <a href="https://www.endurosat.com/">EnduroSat</a>, a major provider of micro-satellites and other space services, in order to explore the possibility of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-signals-identified-in-the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life/">extraterrestrial life</a>. The search will begin with our nearest neighbor star system, Alpha Centaury.&nbsp;



The mission is called TOLIMAN after the star’s ancient Arabic name and is funded by the&nbsp;<a href="https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/">Breakthrough Initiatives</a>, an organization in California searching for other habitable worlds in the universe. The experts will look for planets in the habitable zone around two Sun-like stars in the system (Alpha Centaury A and B), which are located only four light years away from Earth.



“That’s tantalizingly close to home. Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets outside our own solar system but most are thousands of light years away and beyond our reach,” said mission leader Peter Tuthill, an astrophysicist at Sydney who helped develop the technology behind the groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope. “Modern satellite technology will allow us to explore our celestial backyard and perhaps lay the groundwork for visionary future missions spanning the interstellar voids to the Centauri system.”



Since discovering exoplanets is a significant technological challenge, even for large telescopes, the experts are using state-of-the-art methods for developing a small space telescope capable of extremely fine measurements which needs to fit the telescope within a limited volume of 12 liters, while maintaining its mechanical and thermal stability with exquisite precision. To do this, they will use EnduroSat’s flight-proven MicroSat technology, which can download payload data at a speed of over 125 Mbps. If this mini-satellite will manage to discover any exoplanets in the Alpha Centaury, other instruments can be further employed to analyze their atmospheres and surface chemistry in order to search for signs of possible biospheres.



“We are exceptionally proud to partner in this mission. The challenges are enormous, and it will drive our engineering efforts to the extreme. The mission is a first-of-its-kind exploration science effort and will help open the doors for low-cost astronomy missions,” said Founder and CEO of EnduroSat Raycho Raychev.



“It’s very exciting to see this program come to life. With these partnerships, we can create a new kind of astronomical mission and make real progress on understanding the planetary systems right next door,” concluded Executive Director of Breakthrough Initiatives Pete Worden.



—



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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Scientists are searching for life in our neighbor star system

Recently, the University of Sydney in Australia has signed a...

In October 2021, South Korea experienced an unprecedented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-activities-are-fueling-more-extreme-heatwaves/">heatwave</a>, with average temperatures of 19.9 degrees Celsius – a 3.9C increase above the normal. This event – expected to arise only once in a millennium – was triggered by a delayed appearance of an anomalous high pressure that usually occurs only in the summer, which led to daily maximum temperatures of over 30C in the southern regions of the country, and resulted in major socioeconomic and agricultural losses. A similar event occurred once more in November 2022, increasing public awareness of the increase in frequency of fall heatwaves.



According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.postech.ac.kr/eng/">Pohang University of Science and Technology</a> in South Korea (POSTECH), the record temperatures from October 2021 would not have occurred without the influence of global warming.&nbsp;



By using large datasets from <a href="https://www.climateurope.eu/a-short-introduction-to-climate-models-cmip-cmip6/">CMIP6 global climate models</a> and the U.K. <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a>’s large ensemble simulations, the experts examined how anthropogenic global warming can increase the frequency of fall heatwaves. Moreover, they investigated how often such events may occur during future fall seasons under different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.



The analysis revealed that, without the major increases in emissions after the industrial revolution, such fall temperatures would have been extremely unlikely to occur. Moreover, the scientists estimated that, if emissions are not urgently curbed, such events may occur once every two years by 2060. However, if the Paris Agreement’s goal of maintaining average global temperatures under 2C above pre-industrial levels is reached, extreme fall heatwaves would happen only once every 30 or 40 years.



“As unprecedented high temperatures during fall are occurring more frequently, it is necessary to provide an accurate prediction of their near-term occurrences and also prepare corresponding adaptation measures to minimize associated damages in all socioeconomic fields,” concluded co-author Seung-Ki Min, a professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at POSTECH.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0124.1">Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</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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Global warming increases the frequency of fall heatwaves

In October 2021, South Korea experienced an unprecedented heatwave, with...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uef.fi/en">University of Eastern Finland</a> (UEF) has found that individuals with chronic low back pain may benefit from equine-facilitated therapy (EFT) – a range of treatments involving activities with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horses-with-a-trusted-owner-remain-calm-in-new-situations/">horses</a> and other equines. Following a three-month intervention, participants reported decreased levels of pain and significant improvements in daily functioning.



The scientists enrolled a cohort of 22 Finish participants in order to evaluate the impact of EFT on level of pain, pain acceptance, perceived physical performance, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. After 12 weeks of therapy, the patients reported statistically significant improvements in reaching and bending forward, standing for a prolonged period of time, and sleep. Moreover, by gradually increasing the exercise load, it was possible to reduce participants’ perceived pain levels, increase their participation in social activities, and improve their overall psychological wellbeing by decreasing their levels of anxiety and depression.



“Chronic back pain is a multidimensional experience involving not only physical pain but also learned thinking patterns and emotional reactions,” said study lead author Sanna Mattila-Rautiainen, a doctoral student in Biomedicine at UEF. “Traditionally, physical therapy has been recommended for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic pain, as physical exercise has been found to be the most effective way to treat spinal pain. Hippocrates already recommended using equine movement as a form of physical and psychological rehabilitation for people, but the exact reason behind the rehabilitative effect has remained unknown thus far.”



According to the researchers, individuals with chronic pain tend to avoid the sensation of pain initiated by moving the affected parts of their bodies. Since incorrect movement maintains a vicious circle of pain, it decreases people’s physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. However, when riding a horse, people will move to the gait of the animal, encouraging the right kind of lumbar movement, particularly for those experiencing low back pain.



Although in Finland EFT is a form of medical intervention that has already been subsidized by the country’s Social Insurance Institution in 2019, it is not yet a fully established method in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders. By highlighting its benefits for treating low back pain, this study – published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1085768">Frontiers in Veterinary Science</a> – is an important step forward in addressing a frequently debilitating condition and thus contributing to public health.



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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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Riding horses can reduce low back pain

A new study led by the University of Eastern Finland...

Several studies have indicated that drinking between three to five cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, most of this research has involved observational studies that cannot reliably establish causal effects due to other potentially influential factors, as well as the difficulty to disentangle any specific effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caffeine-boost-male-fertility/">caffeine</a> from the other components included in caffeinated drinks and foods.



Now, an international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institute</a> in Sweden has used Mendelian randomization – a technique employing genetic variants as proxies for a particular risk factor – to examine what effect higher blood caffeine levels have on body fat and the long-term risks of developing type 2 diabetes and various cardiovascular issues, including artery disease, atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), heart failure, and stroke.&nbsp;



The experts investigated the role of two common genetic variants of the CYP1A2 and AHR genes – which are associated with the speed of caffeine metabolism in the organism - in a cohort of 10,000 individuals of predominantly European ancestry who were involved in six long-term studies. They started with the assumption that people who carry genetic variants linked to slower caffeine metabolism usually drink less coffee but have higher levels of caffeine in their blood than those who metabolize it faster.



The analysis revealed that higher genetically predicted blood caffeine levels were associated with lower body weight and fat, as well as a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. By employing once more Mendelian randomization to further explore the extent to which caffeine effects on type 2 diabetes risk are driven by the concurrent weight loss, the researchers discovered that weight loss drove almost half (43 percent) of the effect of caffeine on diabetes risk. However, no significant associations between genetically predicted blood caffeine levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease emerged.



While these findings are limited by the use of only two genetic variants and the inclusion of only participants of European ancestry, they nevertheless suggest that caffeine plays a significant role in boosting metabolism, increasing fat burning, reducing appetite, and increasing energy expenditure, which could consequently lower the risk of developing obesity and thus type 2 diabetes.



“Our Mendelian randomization finding suggests that caffeine might, at least in part, explain the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess whether non-caloric caffeine containing beverages might play a role in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000335">BMJ Medicine</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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High caffeine levels reduce the risk of diabetes

Several studies have indicated that drinking between three to five...

Despite the fact that the term “birdbrain” is often used to denote a person who is silly or stupid, some birds actually have quite large brains. In fact, the brains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magnetic-field-disturbances-can-lead-migratory-birds-astray/">birds</a> are often as large as, or even larger than those of mammals of similar body size. However, there are distinct differences in the brain-to-body ratio found in altricial and precocial bird species, and this has led scientists to question whether brain size may be linked to the degree of development of chicks at the time of hatching.&nbsp;



Precocial birds, such as ostriches, ducks, chickens and gamebirds commonly produce large clutches of eggs that hatch into chicks covered in down and ready to walk about and forage immediately. Adults of these bird species have relatively small brains compared to the size of their bodies.&nbsp;



In contrast, altricial birds, such as songbirds, produce smaller clutches of eggs that hatch into naked, blind and helpless chicks. Parents of these chicks have to provision them with food as they develop feathers, mature and fledge from the nest. Even after fledging, the chicks need to be fed for several weeks until they are independent. But once they are adults, these birds have relatively large brains and are often considered to be more intelligent.



Brains are very important organs and one might think that the bigger the brain, the better. Large brains support numerous cognitive adaptations and enable individuals to solve problems and make decisions that are innovative. However, large brains come with costs. They are slow to mature and expensive in terms of energy. In fact, they require a large and constant supply of energy in order to develop and function at full potential.&nbsp;



Biologists are aware that the helpless altricial chicks of large-brained birds would certainly not be able to supply themselves with enough food while their underdeveloped brains matured. They would face an impossible hurdle - unless their parents helped them by supplying food. This led researchers to question whether having a large brain is linked to the provision of energy by parent birds to their offspring.&nbsp;



A team of scientists led by behavioral and evolutionary biologist Michael Griesser of the <a href="https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en/">University of Konstanz</a> has now compared the relative brain size in adults of 1,176 different bird species, with the extent of parental care. The researchers quantified how much energy parents invest in raising their offspring, including the egg size, clutch size and duration of post-hatching feeding and care. The results of the study have been published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121467120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS).



According to Griesser, precocial species of birds, such as ostriches, chickens, geese and ducks, have large clutches and large eggs. “But that’s already the end of the parental energy input.” Since these chicks leave the nest shortly after hatching, and can walk around and peck up their own food, they do not require much more input of energy from the parents.&nbsp;



“In contrast, altricial birds, such as sparrows, parrots and crows, hatch underdeveloped. Their growing brains have a different neuronal structure compared to those of precocial species: brains of altricial young only need to be capable of supporting body growth, while brains of precocial species have to fully function right after birth,” explained Griesser. Furthermore, young altricial birds need to be fed both in the nest and often after fledging, and thus it takes several weeks, at times even months, until they are nutritionally independent from their parents.



The researchers made use of published datasets in the literature in order to study the relationship between avian brain size and parental provision of energy to the offspring. They conclude that the critical factor for the size of the brain is how much energy the parents invest in the growth of their young, via egg size and active feeding of the young after hatching.&nbsp;



“Large brains, in particular, grow at the expense of the parents,” said Griesser. The chicks of birds considered to be clever, such as parrots, crows, owls and other raptors, require a lot of energy for their brain growth. Corvids (members of the crow family) have the largest brains relative to their body size. Without an input of energy from the parents, the chicks of these large-brained species would be unable to grow to maturity.



Previous research has shown that large-brained species of birds are better able to find food sources and remember them, even after some time has elapsed. They are also more successful at living in urbanized habitats or settling into novel environments.&nbsp;



The results of this study might also explain differences in brain size in other animals. The parental energy provided by fish, amphibians and reptiles is largely limited to producing the eggs. These animals have much smaller brain-to-body ratios than birds or mammals. Thus, long provisioning by parents seems to be a general prerequisite for the evolution of large brains, as is also evident in humans.&nbsp;



“There is ample evidence suggesting that parental provisioning and brain size evolved together and that only lineages with extended parental provisioning have the ability to evolve larger brains,” concludes Griesser.



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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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Bigger bird brains grow at the expense of the parents

Despite the fact that the term “birdbrain” is often used...

Large underwater waves affect the ocean’s ability to store carbon, according to new research led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>. The study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022AV000800">AGU Advances</a>, details the effect that interior ocean turbulence has in transporting heat and carbon. While the existence of these giant waves is well known, their effect on climate change has been unexplored until now.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-noise-can-be-fatal-to-marine-invertebrates/">Ocean</a> circulation patterns carry warm tropical water from the tropics to the cooler North Atlantic, where the water cools, sinks, and returns south via the deep ocean. This circulation stores carbon deep in the ocean for thousands of years. However, the ocean’s interior is a dynamic environment.



“If you were to take a picture of the ocean interior, you would see a lot of complex dynamics at work,” explained study first author Dr. Laura Cimoli. “Beneath the surface of the water, there are jets, currents, and waves – in the deep ocean, these waves can be up to 500 meters high, but they break just like a wave on a beach.”



Turbulence caused by these giant waves deep in the ocean impact heat and carbon transport by causing the different layers of the ocean to mix, and researchers say these effects should be included in climate models.



“Climate models do account for turbulence, but mostly in how it affects ocean circulation,” said Dr. Cimoli. “But we’ve found that turbulence is vital in its own right, and plays a key role in how much carbon and heat gets absorbed by the ocean, and where it gets stored.”



“Many climate models have an overly simplistic representation of the role of micro-scale turbulence, but we’ve shown it’s significant and should be treated with more care,” added study co-author Dr. Ali Mashayek. “For example, turbulence and its role in ocean circulation exerts a control over how much anthropogenic heat reaches the Antarctic Ice Sheet, and the timescale on which that happens.”



The researchers say this work calls for a more careful representation of turbulence-induced vertical mixing within the Atlantic Ocean in climate models. They are calling for the installation of turbulence sensors to help scientists make more accurate predictions.



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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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Deep ocean turbulence impacts carbon storage

Large underwater waves affect the ocean’s ability to store carbon,...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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"

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