For decades, researchers have questioned whether boys and girls are born with the same natural ability in math. In 2005, cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Spelke took a firm stand, stating that there are no differences in overall intrinsic aptitude for science and mathematics among women and men.



Now, the evidence is even stronger. In a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University</a> and several institutions across France examined math performance in more than 2.5 million French schoolchildren. 



The team found that at the very beginning of first grade, boys and girls start off nearly equal in math. But just four months into formal math instruction, a small gap appears - and it keeps growing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nationwide-study-tracks-the-math-gap">Nationwide study tracks the math gap</h2>



The research draws on a French government testing program that was launched in 2018. This nationwide effort tracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reminiscing-can-boost-language-development-in-preschoolers/">language</a> and math skills of young students from first through sixth grade. 



Over five years and across four student cohorts, the program gave researchers an unmatched view of early math development.



At school entry, French girls scored slightly better than boys in language. Math scores, though, were essentially the same. 



"The headline conclusion is that the gender gap emerges when systematic instruction in mathematics begins," Spelke explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-for-gender-differences">Looking for gender differences </h2>



Spelke had already spent decades studying how young children understand numbers and shapes. Back in 2005, she wrote a major review for American Psychologist. The piece challenged the notion that boys are biologically wired for better math performance than girls.



"My argument was, 'OK, if there really were biological differences, maybe we would see them in the infancy period,'" said Spelke. 



She and her team always tracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-children-learn-gender-stereotypes-from-storybooks/">gender</a> in their studies, but they never found infant boys outperforming girls in math, or vice versa. Still, Spelke admitted that something could be happening later in development.



"The fact that there are no differences in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conscious-awareness-when-does-our-sense-of-purpose-emerge/">infants</a> could be because the abilities that show gender effects actually emerge during preschool," she proposed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-math-instruction-for-boys-and-girls">Math instruction for boys and girls</h2>



In recent years, Spelke has turned her attention to how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-better-way-for-kids-to-learn-math/">children learn counting</a> and numbers in real classrooms. 



Spelke partnered with Nobel Prize-winning MIT economist Esther Duflo to advise the Delhi office of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). The team is helping four Indian states create and test math lessons for children in preschool through first grade.



In France, she works alongside her longtime collaborator, neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene. Together, they serve on the French Ministry of Education's Scientific Council, which helped develop the EvalAide testing program. 



The idea was simple: measure where every child stands in math and language and use that data to guide better teaching.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gender-gap-emerges-in-math">Gender gap emerges in math</h2>



For this study, the team analyzed data from four full cohorts of first-graders entering school between 2018 and 2021. 



What they found was consistent: no math gap at the time of school entry, a small but significant gap favoring boys after four months, and a steadily widening gap by second, fourth, and even sixth grade.



"It was even bigger in fourth grade," Spelke said. "And in sixth grade it was bigger still."



Interestingly, the gender gap in language shrank slightly after the first few months of school and stayed relatively stable in later years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ruling-out-old-explanations">Ruling out old explanations</h2>



So why does the math gap grow with time in school? The researchers ruled out several familiar theories.



"If there was really a pervasive social bias, and the parents were susceptible to it, we would expect boys to be more oriented toward spatial and numerical tasks when they first got to school," said Spelke.



But that didn’t happen. At school entry, there was no math gap. This points away from both biological and early social bias explanations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-experiment-during-the-pandemic">An experiment during the pandemic </h2>



The EvalAide dataset offered other insights. French first-graders can be nearly a year apart in age, depending on when their birthday falls. 



The team wondered if the older students were skewing results. They weren’t. The widening gender gap aligned more closely with time spent in school than with age.



Then came an unusual variable: COVID-19. The 2019 cohort missed the final 2.5 months of first grade due to lockdowns. That gap year created a natural experiment.



"With less time in school, the amount of the gender gap grew by less than it did in the other years where there wasn't a long school closure," said Spelke.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-confirming-the-math-gender-gap">Confirming the math gender gap</h2>



The cohort also began school just after a national education crisis. In early 2019, French students had scored <a href="https://www.polytechnique-insights.com/en/braincamps/society/how-to-improve-the-relationship-between-education-and-employment/maths-an-essential-subject-whose-level-is-falling-in-a-majority-of-countries/#:~:text=In%202003%2C%2015%25%20of%20French,European%20average%20of%20527%20points.">lowest</a> among 23 European countries in math, according to international rankings. 



In response, the French Education Ministry - guided by its Scientific Council - called for more math teaching in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-pandemic-setbacks-reduced-kindergarten-readiness/">kindergarten</a>.



Sure enough, a tiny math gender gap appeared in fall 2019 among new first-graders. That gap hadn’t shown up in 2018 but was still present in 2020 and 2021.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-problems-in-early-math-instruction">Problems in early math instruction </h2>



The study doesn't pinpoint a single cause, but its message is clear: differences in math achievement between boys and girls seem to grow as a result of what happens in early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/schools-are-in-a-battle-with-cell-phones-to-keep-students-engaged/">school</a> instruction.



"We still don't know what that is exactly," Spelke said. "But now we have a chance to find out by randomized evaluations of changes to the curriculum."



The findings put pressure on education systems to ask hard questions about how math is taught in the early years - and what needs to change to make it fair for everyone.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09126-4">Nature</a>.



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Early math instruction may unintentionally favor boys

For decades, researchers have questioned whether boys and girls are born with the same natural ability in math. In 2005, cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Spelke took a firm stand, stating that there are no differences in overall intrinsic aptitude for science and mathematics among women and men. Now, the evidence is even stronger. In a new study, researchers from Harvard University and several institutions across France examined math performance in more than 2.5 million French schoolchildren. The team found that at the very beginning of first grade, boys...

Early days of the COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pandemic-restrictions-had-a-lasting-effect-on-behavior-patterns/">pandemic</a> were a stressful time marked by fear, isolation, and uncertainty. But for birds, the reduction in noise and commotion created a wider range of habitat in cities.



A new study from the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> reports that many birds were just as likely to be found in highly developed urban areas as they were in less-developed green spaces during COVID-19 lockdowns in the Pacific Northwest.



“Our findings suggest that some birds may have been able to use more spaces in cities because our human footprint was a little lighter,” said Olivia Sanderfoot, who completed the study as a doctoral researcher and is now a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles.&nbsp;



“For about half of the species we observed, neither land use nor canopy cover had an effect on their site use. That’s very interesting, because we would expect that whether a habitat was mostly covered in concrete or vegetation would tell you something about what birds would be there,” said Sanderfoot.



In the spring of 2020, more than 900 community scientists were recruited to participate in the study. The volunteers chose their own monitoring sites such as backyards and parks, and recorded the birds they observed at least once a week. This allowed researchers to gather data despite the lockdowns and gave many volunteers a welcomed distraction from the stresses of the pandemic.



Among the 35 species that showed the strongest changes in behavior were some of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic, including chickadees, great blue herons, downy woodpeckers and Wilson’s warblers. The researchers focused on 46 bird species overall and completed more than 6,000 individual surveys.



To compare bird observations to human activity, the team used data from Google’s Community Mobility Reports, which track the relative amount that people moved around at various points during the pandemic.



As people returned to public spaces and human activity increased, volunteers recorded an increase in sightings of several bird species in green spaces. While the birds may have been elsewhere during lockdowns enjoying the absence of human disturbance, they returned to green spaces when activity picked up again.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This could tell us how important it is to build green spaces into our cities. That’s the biggest takeaway for me.” said Sanderfoot.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.



Image Credit: Holly Hauser



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

Birds expanded into quieter cities during Covid lockdowns

Early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were a stressful time...

Every year, trillions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pitcher-plants-harness-rain-energy-to-capture-insects/">insects</a> in Western Europe undertake seasonal migrations; usually they move southward towards the Mediterranean and North Africa at the end of the northern summer, and return northward during the spring or early summer. The same pathway is followed by many species of moths, butterflies and hoverflies; vast numbers of these insects cross the Alps in order to fly as directly as possible to their overwintering destinations.&nbsp;



Although these enormous migrations are understood on a population level, very little is known about how individual insects manage to navigate their way through the considerable obstacles, or what methods they use to locate their destinations. This gap in understanding is due, mostly, to the challenge of tracking these small animals as they fly, surprisingly rapidly and often at night.&nbsp;



A new study on migrating death’s-head hawkmoths (Acherontia atropos) has now used miniscule tracking devices and a light aircraft to track seven individual moths as they migrated across the Alps at night. The study, published by the <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a> (AAAS), reveals that these hawkmoths make use of complex migratory strategies to stay on track.&nbsp;



The death’s-head hawkmoth, known for the sinister skull-shaped marking on its thorax, is the largest lepidopteran in Europe, weighing in at up to 3.5g. It is a long-distance Afro-Palearctic migrant that arrives to breed in Europe, north of the Alps, in spring each year. The subsequent generation returns south the following autumn to winter-breeding regions in the Mediterranean Basin and sub-Saharan Africa, covering a distance of up to 4,000km.&nbsp;



The researchers fitted tiny, very high frequency radio transmitters to the backs of 14 hawkmoths and recorded their precise GPS locations from a light aircraft at regular intervals (every 5 to 15 min, when possible) throughout their migration. They obtained detailed tracks for seven of the moths. The moths all started their migratory flights shortly after sunset, and were followed by the researchers for between 1 and 3.7 hours. During this time, the moths flew a mean distance of 63.7km, with the longest distance being 89.6km. This represents the longest distance over which any insect has been continuously tracked in the field.



A team led by Dr. Myles Menz&nbsp;from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior discovered that the moths did not just fly in a direction with favorable tailwinds, as had been proposed by other scientists in the past. Instead, the moths flew in the most direct straight line to their destination, but were able to correct their specific flight headings constantly, as they came across disruptive winds and specific features of the terrain.&nbsp;



The hawkmoths traveled at a mean ground speed of 33.8km/hour, and they all travelled in straight lines along their entire flight paths, which lasted tens of kilometers. This direct line was maintained, despite the presence of winds of varying strengths and directions throughout their course.&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to the researchers, maintaining a consistently straight flight trajectory and flight speed throughout the night under variable wind conditions strongly suggests that the moths have an internal compass mechanism. This, along with the insect’s exceptional night vision, indicates that the hawkmoths likely use a combination of visual landmarks and Earth’s magnetic field to navigate considerable distances during migration.



Interestingly enough, the moths chose pathways through the mountains that had topographical features (such as high-altitude passes) which allowed them to avoid the very highest altitudes when crossing the Alps. One of these pathways involved using a wide valley running west-southwest that enabled the moths to circumvent the Alps altogether.



The research, published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>, sheds new light on the complex and sophisticated behavior of hawkmoths while on seasonal migrations. "To maintain such straight trajectories over long periods of time, as seen here, the moths must regularly update their positions relative to whichever navigational cues they rely on," wrote the study authors. The results show that complex migratory strategies are not the preserve of vertebrates alone, but can be found in these remarkable insects as well.&nbsp;



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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

How death’s-head hawkmoths navigate the Alps at night

Every year, trillions of insects in Western Europe undertake seasonal...

Boreal forests in the far north make up the largest forested region in the world. These ecosystems are extremely important for capturing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazons-carbon-emissions-jumped-40-percent-since-2019/">carbon</a>. Unfortunately, research shows that climate change is already impacting northern forests in both positive and negative ways.&nbsp;



Boreal forests are composed mainly of conifer species such as spruce, fir, and pine. There are also a few much less common broadleaf hardwood trees such as oak and maple. Experts have determined that global warming is likely causing a decrease in growth in the conifers, along with an increase in growth in the hardwoods.&nbsp;



These observational studies were recently confirmed and enhanced by a rare experimental study on the impact of climate change on northern forests.



Nine species of native boreal trees were planted and grown under different conditions. Some of the trees were left alone as controls. Others were grown with temperatures raised by two hypothetical amounts: 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.9 degrees Fahrenheit) and 3.1 C (5.6 F) above natural temperatures. Some of the trees were covered by tarps prior to storms to mimic a reduction in rainfall.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The results of the analysis showed that even a moderate change in climate is likely to have negative impacts on boreal forest composition.&nbsp;



Study lead author Paul Reich is the director of the Institute for Global Change Biology at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability and a forest ecologist at the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a>.



"Our results spell problems for the health and diversity of future regional forests," said Reich. "Present-day southern boreal forest may reach a tipping point with even modest climate warming, resulting in a major compositional shift with potential adverse impacts on the health and diversity of regional forests."



"Those impacts could reduce the capacity of our forests to produce timber, to host other plant, microbial and animal diversity, to dampen flooding, and - perhaps most important of all - to scrub carbon out of the air and hold it in wood and soil."&nbsp;



The researchers found that elevated temperatures increased the death rate of all nine of the tree species and the growth rate of seven of the trees. This suggests that there will be a shift in boreal forests in the future and the potential incursion of invasive species already in temperate forests.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05076-3">Nature</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Even moderate warming will transform northern forests

Boreal forests in the far north make up the largest...

Scientists have long known that, just like humans, many species of mammals and birds experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep – a type of deep sleep during which most dreaming occurs. However, until recently, not much attention has been given to the sleeping patterns of spiders.&nbsp;



Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.uni-konstanz.de/en">University of Konstanz</a> in Germany has recorded over 30 baby <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jumping-spiders-know-the-difference-between-animals-and-objects/">jumping spiders</a> (Evarcha arcuata) during their resting states, and found that they displayed periodical bouts of retinal movements coupled with limb twitching and leg curling, suggesting that they might experience REM sleep too.



While many species similar to spiders do not have movable eyes, which makes it difficult to investigate their sleep cycles, jumping spiders are fierce predators that move their retinal tubes around constantly to redirect their gaze when they hunt.&nbsp;



Moreover, baby jumping spiders have a see-through outer layer which gives scientists a clear window into their bodies. “Sometimes as a biologist, you just get really, really lucky,” said study co-author Paul Shamble, an evolutionary biologist at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a>.&nbsp;



By filming the baby spiders while they were resting, the researchers were surprised to find that they exhibited similar movements and behaviors as other species known to experience REM sleep.&nbsp;



“Here, we report evidence for an REM sleep-like state in a terrestrial invertebrate – periodic bouts of retinal movements coupled with limb twitching and stereotyped leg curling behaviors during nocturnal resting in a jumping spider,” the study authors reported.&nbsp;



“Observed retinal movement bouts were consistent, including regular durations and intervals, with both increasing over the course of the night.&nbsp;This report provides direct evidence for an REM sleep-like state in a terrestrial invertebrate – an arthropod – with clear parallels to REM sleep in terrestrial vertebrates.”



However, scientists are still not sure whether the spiders are technically asleep while they are in these resting states. Experts such as Jerry Siegel, a sleep researcher at the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA), remain skeptical that spiders are in fact capable of REM sleep. “There may be animals that have activity in quiet states. But are they REM sleep? It’s hard to imagine that they could be the same thing,” he said.



Further research is needed to better understand the sleeping patterns of spiders and other similar animals, and clarify how widespread REM sleep is in the animal kingdom, and what evolutionary purposes it might serve. “Comparisons across such long-diverged lineages likely hold important questions and answers about the visual brain, as well as the origin, evolution, and function of REM sleep,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2204754119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jumping spiders may experience REM sleep

Scientists have long known that, just like humans, many species...

A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university">University of Bonn</a> has examined the ways in which a harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-everywhere/">fungus</a> – Ustilago maydis – reproduces in the aerial parts of the corn plant and renders it defenseless. According to the experts, huge tumor-like tissue growth, known as galls, form at the site of the infection after being triggered by molecules released by the fungus - called effectors - which manipulate the plant’s metabolism and suppress its immune defenses. These effectors are also promoting cell growth and division in the corn by interfering with a plant signaling pathway regulated by the hormone auxin.



“The fungus uses this auxin signaling pathway for its own purposes,” said study senior author Armin Djamei, an expert in Plant Pathology at the University of Bonn. “This is because the huge growth of the tissue devours energy and resources that are then lacking for defense against&nbsp;Ustilago maydis. In addition, the fungus finds an ideal supply of nutrients in the growths and can multiply well there.”



“We therefore wanted to find out how the fungus promotes these proliferation processes. To do this, we searched for genetic material in the fungus that enables it to control the auxin signaling pathway of its host plant and thus its cell growth.”



The investigation revealed a cluster of five genes – called Tip1 to Tip5 – that the fungus uses to manipulate corn’s auxin signaling pathway. “The proteins encoded by the five Tip genes can bind to a protein in the corn plant known to experts as Topless,” explained lead author Janos Bindics, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imba/home">IMBA Institute of Molecular Biotechnology</a> in Vienna.



Topless is a central switch that suppresses various signaling pathways in the plant. The fungal effectors produced by the cluster of Tip genes override this suppression, specifically for signaling pathways that benefit the fungus, such as the auxin one. “Figuratively speaking, the fungus acts with surgical precision. It accomplishes exactly what it needs to accomplish to best infect the corn plant,” said Dr. Djamei.



Since there are various pathogens that interfere with the auxin signaling pathways of the host plants which they infect, further research is needed to better understand the infection process in different plant diseases. By using this study’s findings, “it will be possible for the first time to influence specific effects of the auxin signaling pathway in a very targeted manner and thus to elucidate the effect of these important plant hormones even more precisely,” as Dr. Djamei put it.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.18315">New Phytologist</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&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Fungus renders corn plants defenseless with surgical precision

A team of researchers led by the University of Bonn...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA) has found that female white-faced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-rated-genes-help-capuchin-monkeys-live-longer/">capuchin monkeys</a> living in the tropical forests of northwestern Costa Rico that are better integrated into social networks with other adult females tend to survive longer.



“As humans, we assume there is some benefit to social interactions, but it is really hard to measure the success of our behavioral strategies,” said study senior author Susan Perry, a field primatologist at UCLA. “Why do we invest so much in our relationships with others? Does it lead to a longer lifespan? Does it lead to more reproductive success? It requires a colossal effort to measure this in humans and other animals.”



Together with her research team, Professor Perry tracked the female capuchin monkeys’ social interactions with other females, males, and companions of any sex and age, based on 18 years of data. Interactions taken into account in the study included giving and receiving grooming, foraging nearby, and taking part in coalitionary conflicts, such as intervening to help one another in conflicts by fighting, chasing, or producing aggressive sounds and facial expressions.



While the analyses revealed no evidence that heterosexual relationships provided any survival-related benefits to females, they clearly shown that social integration into networks with other female adults significantly improved their chance of survival. 



“We found the strongest evidence that social integration into female networks predicts survival. Females who frequently engaged in grooming and foraged in close proximity with other females experienced improved survivorship,” the authors explained.



“We also found marginal support that females who frequently provided and received coalitionary support from other females possibly experienced survival-related benefits. The fact that female interactions with other females across all behavioral domains show at least some evidence of beneficial impact on survival suggests that females cultivate strong relationships with each other.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Further research is needed to better understand why relationships with other females have the greatest impact on the survival of female capuchin monkeys, and to investigate whether this phenomenon can be found in other species of monkeys.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article/33/4/807/6598784">Behavioral Ecology</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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Female monkeys with strong friendships survive longer

A new study led by the University of California, Los...

An international team of researchers from China, Singapore, and Australia has recently identified a new virus that was likely transmitted from animals to humans, in another potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/the-terrifying-biology-of-zoonotic-diseases/">zoonotic</a> spillover in China. The Langya virus was first detected in the northeastern provinces of Shandong and Henan in late 2018, but was only formally identified and described by scientists last week, in a study published in the<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2202705"> New England Journal of Medicine</a>.&nbsp;



Langya is a henipavirus causing symptoms such as fever, cough, decreased white blood cell count, fatigue, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and, in rare cases, impaired kidney and liver functions.



The first Langya virus sample was found in late 2018 in a farmer from the Shandong province in China, who sought medical treatment for a fever. Over the next two years, 34 other people were found to be infected in Shandong and the neighboring province Henan. Genetic sequencing of the samples showed that the pathogen is part of the henipavirus family, which has five other known viruses. Two of these – the Hendra and Nipah viruses - are extremely virulent, leading to high mortality rates. Fortunately, all of the known Langya patients survived.&nbsp;



By testing 25 small wild animal species for this virus, the scientists detected its genetic material predominantly in shrews – a species of small mammals that subsists on insects – which means that they could act as “natural reservoir” for the Langya virus. Disease surveillance indicated no sources of exposure common among the people infected, and no interaction between them, suggesting that human infection may have occurred in a “sporadic” fashion, through repeated spillovers from shrews. However, although scientists did not find any evidence yet that the Langya virus can be transmitted between people, this may be due to the very small sample size available.&nbsp;



According to Francois Balloux, a professor of Computational Systems Biology at the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>, even if the Langya virus does not “look like a repeat of Covid-19 at all” and “probably doesn’t transmit easily from human to human,” it should nevertheless be considered as “yet another reminder of the looming threat caused by the many pathogens circulating in populations of wild and domestic animals that have the potential to infect humans.”



Urgent research is needed to clarify the transmission pathways of this virus, in order to ensure that any potential human-to-human transmission is identified – and stopped - as early as possible, before a new epidemic could emerge.&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

New "Langya" virus infects dozens of people in China

An international team of researchers from China, Singapore, and Australia...

Sponges are ancient filter-feeding animals that rely on maintaining a flow of water through their bodies to obtain suspended food and dissolved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-may-have-come-from-ancient-rocks-of-early-earth/">oxygen</a>. They do not have a nervous, digestive or circulatory system, and remove waste products by releasing them into this same flow of water. However, a new study that analyzed videos of sponges over extended time periods has identified a special technique that they use to get rid of unwanted material from inside their bodies.&nbsp;



As one of the oldest multicellular organisms in existence, a sponge spends most of its life stuck to the substratum and cannot move away when conditions become unpleasant. Under these circumstances it may take in unwanted particles of sediment with its constant inflow of water. These waste particles would soon clog up a sponge’s filtration system and so they need to be removed. And the sponge does this by undergoing an extended contraction, referred to as a “sneeze.”



"Our data suggest that sneezing is an adaptation that sponges evolved to keep themselves clean,” said study senior author Jasper de Goeij, a marine biologist at the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en">University of Amsterdam</a>.



While biologists have known about the contraction behavior, the authors of this paper show that these sneezes get rid of materials the sponges cannot use. “Let’s be clear: sponges don’t sneeze like humans do. A sponge sneeze takes about half an hour to complete. But both sponge and human sneezes exist as a waste disposal mechanism,” says de Goeij.



The researchers used time-lapse videos of sponges to show that these organisms do not simply dispose of waste and unwanted particles with water that flows away through the outlet pores. They actively secrete mucus, often against the direction of water flow, onto their outer surfaces. They then expel unwanted particles through their pores and these become aggregated in the stringy clumps of mucus. Every now and then, the sponge goes through a contraction (sneeze) that loosens the strings of mucus and accumulated particulate matter, dispatching them into the water column.



What is a sponge’s waste is a fish’s windfall. Fish hang around the sponges waiting for these strings of mucus to be shed so that they may eat them.



“We also observed fish and other animals feeding off of the sponge mucus as food,” explained study first author Niklas Kornder. “Some organic matter exists in the water surrounding the coral reef, but most of it is not concentrated enough for other animals to eat. Sponges transform this material into eatable mucus."



The researchers noted this “sneezing” behavior in two species of sponges, the Caribbean tube sponge&nbsp;Aplysina archeri&nbsp;and another Indo-Pacific species of the genus&nbsp;Chelonaplysilla.&nbsp;



“We actually think that most, if not all, sponges sneeze. I’ve seen mucus accumulate on different sponges while diving and in pictures taken by other scientists for other purposes,” said Kornder. 



“Our findings highlight opportunities to better understand material cycling in some of the most ancient Metazoans,” wrote the study authors.



There are still many aspects about sponge “sneezes” that remain to be investigated. “In the videos, you can see that the mucus moves along defined paths on the surface of the sponge before accumulating. I have some hypotheses, but more analysis is needed to find out what is happening,” said Kornder.



“There are a lot of scientists that think sponges are very simple organisms, but more often than not we are amazed by the flexibility that they show to adapt to their environment,” said de Goeij.



The study is, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.017">Current Biology</a>.



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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

Sponges “sneeze” to get rid of unwanted waste

Sponges are ancient filter-feeding animals that rely on maintaining a...

Extreme climate events are occurring more and more frequently, and they are bound to overlap. Events happening simultaneously are causing disruptions in human systems such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/loneliness-is-an-underestimated-threat-to-heart-health/">health</a>, security, and overall well-being.&nbsp;



Concurrent climate events can significantly affect world economics. An example of a concurrent event is a heatwave, which is a combination of heat and drought. This combination caused the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires, which led to a GDP loss of more than five percent.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, concurrent climate events are not usually addressed in planning. However, a team of scientists led by Laura Niggli at the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a>, Switzerland, decided to study the impacts of recent heatwaves on socioeconomic systems.&nbsp;



The experts reviewed eight concurrent heat and drought events in Africa, Europe, and Australia over the past 20 years and investigated their impacts on human health, agriculture, food production, and transportation.&nbsp;



For example, rail transport can become disrupted when the tracks buckle due to intense heat. Not only can this affect human transportation, but it can also affect access to food and other goods.&nbsp;



"This study presents unprecedented quantitative information and qualitative understanding on the impacts of combined heat and drought events in major world regions over the past 20 years," said Niggli.



"It contributes new insights how these impacts cascade through critical systems (health, energy, food production, etc.) and emphasizes the importance to appropriately consider such impact cascades in adaptation efforts.”



The researchers found that agriculture, health, and energy suffer the greatest impacts of concurrent climate events. They believe future research should focus on building resilient systems and finding ways to mitigate these impacts.&nbsp;



"We identified an interconnected web of sectors that interact and cause additional losses and damages in several other sectors. This multilevel interconnectedness makes the risks of compound extreme events so complex and critical," said the study authors.&nbsp;



"More efforts should be concentrated on the analysis of such cascading risks and on strategies to interrupt such chains of impacts, rather than compartmentalizing risk assessment into single extreme events, impacts and sectors”.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000057">PLOS Climate</a>.



---



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

What are the risks of concurrent climate events?

Extreme climate events are occurring more and more frequently, and...

How did enormous dinosaurs like Brontosaurus carry so much weight on land? A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> has finally solved this mystery. Using 3D modeling, the experts digitally reconstructed the foot bones of various <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-sauropods-walked-more-like-hippos-than-elephants/">sauropods</a> to test their function. 



Dr. Andréas Jannel conducted the research during his PhD studies at UQ’s Dinosaur Lab. He said the team discovered that the hind feet of sauropods had a soft tissue pad beneath the "heel" that added cushioning to absorb their immense weight.



“We’ve finally confirmed a long-suspected idea and we provide, for the first time, biomechanical evidence that a soft tissue pad – particularly in their back feet – would have played a crucial role in reducing locomotor pressures and bone stresses,” said Dr. Jannel. “It is mind-blowing to imagine that these giant creatures could have been able to support their own weight on land.”



It was once assumed that sauropods were semi-aquatic and that water buoyancy took literal tons of weight off their relatively small legs. This theory was contradicted in the mid-twentieth century when scientists analyzed sauropod tracks that were found in deposits on land.



Sauropods were also once believed to have feet similar to a modern-day elephant, noted study co-author Dr. Olga Panagiotopoulou of Monash University.



“Popular culture - think Jurassic Park or Walking with Dinosaurs - often depicts these behemoths with almost-cylindrical, thick, elephant-like feet,” said Dr. Panagiotopoulou. “But when it comes to their skeletal structure, elephants are actually ‘tip-toed’ on all four feet, whereas sauropods have different foot configurations in their front and back feet."



“Sauropod’s front feet are more columnar-like, while they present more ‘wedge high heels’ at the back supported by a large soft tissue pad.”



This was because sauropods and elephants had different evolutionary origins, explained study co-author Professor Steve Salisbury.&nbsp;



“Elephants belong to an ancient order of mammals called proboscideans, which first appeared in Africa roughly 60 million years ago as small, nondescript herbivores. In contrast, sauropods – whose ancestors first appeared 230 million years ago – are more closely related to birds," said Professor Salisbury.



“They were agile, two-legged herbivores and it was only later in their evolution that they walked on all fours. Crucially, the transition to becoming the largest land animals to walk the earth seems to have involved the adaptation of a heel pad.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



---



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

Mystery solved: how massive dinosaurs carried their weight

How did enormous dinosaurs like Brontosaurus carry so much weight...

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) holds the record for being the driest, windiest and coldest place on Earth. It is also home to the thickest deposits of ice, measuring 4,800m (15,700ft) deep in places. Experts calculate that if the total volume of ice bound up in the Antarctic melted, this would release enough water to raise <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-rates-of-sea-level-rise-first-emerged-in-1863/">sea levels</a> globally by around 50m. And that is without the contributions of the ice sheets covering Greenland and West Antarctica.



Climate has been warming noticeably over the past several decades, and glaciers all over the world have been thinning, retreating and melting. According to experts, this has already resulted in a 10 to 20mm rise in ocean levels globally. The EAIS has always been seen as a stable ice sheet because of its enormous size, and climatologists have not been overly concerned that it would melt and contribute to sea level rise. However, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> has concluded that the EAIS is not as stable as previously thought and is likely to be vulnerable even to moderate levels of warming.



The study involved reviewing evidence of the EAIS’s responses to periods of increased carbon dioxide concentration and global warming in the past. For example, during the mid-Pliocene, around three million years ago, the carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded the current value of 417 parts per million. Temperatures were 2–4°C higher than present but global mean sea level eventually reached 10–25 meters higher. Evidence from sea-floor sediments around East Antarctica indicates that part of this great ice sheet collapsed at that time and contributed several meters to sea level rise.



Even as recently as 400,000 years ago, not that long ago on geological timescales, there is evidence that a part of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated 700 km inland in response to only 1–2°C of global warming. These past changes in climate occurred over much longer timescales than the rapid and extreme warming that have taken place over the past few decades, and are attributed to cyclical changes in the way the Earth orbits around the Sun. However, the responses of the EAIS indicate that this “sleeping giant” is not immune to the effects of a warming temperature.



“A key lesson from the past is that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is highly sensitive to even relatively modest warming scenarios. It isn’t as stable and protected as we once thought," said study co-author Professor Nerilie Abram from the Australian National University.



The research team, including scientists from the UK, Australia, France and the USA, also examined satellite images of Antarctica taken over the past few decades, to see whether they could identify any recent changes. They found that, while most of the EAIS appears to be stable, there are places where the ice has become thinner and ice cover has shrunk.&nbsp;



"We used to think East Antarctica was much less vulnerable to climate change, compared to the ice sheets in West Antarctica or Greenland, but we now know there are some areas of East Antarctica that are already showing signs of ice loss," explained study lead author Professor Chris Stokes of <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/homepage/">Durham University</a>. "Satellite observations have revealed evidence of thinning and retreating, especially where glaciers draining the main ice sheet come into contact with warm ocean currents,"&nbsp;



Professor Stokes emphasized that even if these changes occur in only a few areas of the ice EAIS, they are still of huge concern because the ice sheet is so enormous that, if it melted, these areas alone would contribute 3–4m to sea level rise globally.&nbsp;



In the last part of the study, the research team used computer models to simulate the predicted effects of different temperature scenarios on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet by the years 2100, 2300 and 2500. Their results, published in the journal Nature, showed that, alarmingly, the EAIS is likely to be very sensitive to the levels of carbon dioxide and global warming in the future.&nbsp;



If the emission of greenhouse gases is reduced and only a small temperature rise results, the EAIS might be expected to contribute around two centimeters to sea level rise by 2100 – much less than the ice loss expected from Greenland and West Antarctica. However, if the world continues on a pathway of high greenhouse gas emissions, it is possible that the EAIS could contribute nearly half a meter to sea levels by 2100.



The models also predicted that, if emissions remain high beyond 2100 then the EAIS could contribute around 1–3 meters to global sea levels by 2300, and 2–5 meters by 2500. This, when added to the contributions from ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica, would threaten millions of people who live in coastal areas, worldwide.&nbsp;



“A key conclusion from our analysis is that the fate of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet remains very much in our hands," said Professor Stokes. "Restricting global temperature increases to below the 2°C limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement should mean that we avoid the worst-case scenarios, or perhaps even halt the melting of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, and therefore limit its impact on global sea level rise.”



According to the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, published last year, global mean temperatures have already increased by about 1.1°C since pre-industrial times. However, if the target of the Paris Agreement of 2015 is met, and global warming is kept to well below 2°C, significant ice loss from East Antarctica could be reduced or even prevented, with the EAIS’s contribution to sea-level rise remaining below half a meter by 2500.



“We now have a very small window of opportunity to rapidly lower our greenhouse gas emissions, limit the rise in global temperatures and preserve the East Antarctic Ice Sheet,” said Professor Abram.



“Taking such action would not only protect the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, but also slow the melting of other major ice sheets such as Greenland and West Antarctica, which are more vulnerable and at higher risk. Therefore, it’s vitally important that countries achieve and strengthen their commitments to the Paris Agreement.”



---



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

Humans control the fate of the world's largest ice sheet

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) holds the record for...

Understanding the formation and ongoing evolution of the Earth’s continents is crucial, considering that these enormous landmasses host the vast majority of our planet’s biomass, all humans, and nearly all of the major mineral deposits on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-may-have-come-from-ancient-rocks-of-early-earth/">Earth</a>. 



Now, a research team led by <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> in Australia has found the strongest evidence yet that the Earth’s continents were formed by giant meteorite impacts which were particularly prevalent during the first billion years of our planet’s four-and-a-half billion years history. Although this hypothesis had been around for decades in the scientific community, there was little solid evidence to support it until now.



“By examining tiny crystals of the mineral zircon in rocks from the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia, which represents Earth’s best-preserved remnant of ancient crust, we found evidence of these giant meteorite impacts,” said study lead author Tim Johnson, an associate professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Curtin University.



“Studying the composition of oxygen isotopes in these zircon crystals revealed a ‘top-down’ process starting with the melting of rocks near the surface and progressing deeper, consistent with the geological effect of giant meteorite impacts. Our research provides the first solid evidence that the processes that ultimately formed the continents began with giant meteorite impacts, similar to those responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs, but which occurred billions of years earlier.”



The deposits of critical metals such as lithium, tin, and nickel are all commodities that are essential to the emerging green technologies needed to mitigate climate change. Better understanding the formation and development of these deposits could help scientists devise innovative ways of extracting and using them to safeguard our planet. 



“These mineral deposits are the end result of a process known as crustal differentiation, which began with the formation of the earliest landmasses, of which the Pilbara Craton is just one of many,” explained Professor Johnson.



Since the researchers based their study on materials collected in Western Australia, further research is needed to see whether their model could be generalized for other regions. 



“Data related to other areas of ancient continental crust on Earth appears to show patterns similar to those recognized in Western Australia. We would like to test our findings on these ancient rocks to see if, as we suspect, our model is more widely applicable,” Professor Johnson concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04956-y">Nature</a>.



---



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

Giant meteorite impacts formed the Earth’s continents

Understanding the formation and ongoing evolution of the Earth’s continents...

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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</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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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