Plants turn air into leaves, roots, and fruit, yet every molecule of the carbon they store has to squeeze through microscopic pores first. These pores, called stomata, dot the surface of nearly every leaf and set the pace for both growth and water loss.



The latest study from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> shows that each new stoma is the product of a lively conversation among neighboring cells and a hard look in the mirror. 



Dominique Bergmann and her team traced those talks in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/35048692" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arabidopsis</a> (Arabidopsis thaliana), the small mustard plant whose genome was first decoded in 2000.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plants-form-and-adjust-pores">How plants form and adjust pores</h2>



Stomata behave like adjustable valves, opening when light and water are plentiful and closing when drought or darkness loom. Their numbers are not fixed; plants can make more or fewer during development, tweaking their gas exchange to match the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-future-climate-conditions-will-transform-plant-growth/">environment</a>.



For that plasticity to work, precursor cells must decide whether to divide again or settle down as part of the pavement around a stoma. 



The new research focuses on these larger daughters, called stomatal lineage ground cells, which had been thought to be passive passengers in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-use-sugar-in-ways-we-never-imagined/">leaf</a> development.



The Stanford team captured day‑long movies of living leaves and tracked every fate choice. They discovered that the future of each cell depends on its own size and on the crowd of neighbors encircling it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-use-nearby-cells-to-control-pores">Plants use nearby cells to control pores</h2>



Signals drift through the leaf in the form of tiny peptides such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20010603/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epidermal patterning factor 1</a> (EPF1) and its sibling EPF2, which tell nearby cells to slow down or stop forming new stomata. 



Because these messages travel only a short distance, the number of stomatal precursors touching a cell sets the strength of the “slow down” order.



Cells bordered by two or more precursors received a louder signal and dismantled an internal protein called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982218302392" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPEECHLESS</a> before it could trigger another split. Those with just one signaling neighbor heard only a whisper and often went on to divide again.



The researchers measured how fast SPEECHLESS disappeared and found that the rate jumped with every extra neighbor. By evening, many well‑connected cells had emptied their nuclei of the division‑promoting factor and settled into a quiet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-finally-learn-what-makes-plants-roots-grow-faster-and-stronger-autophagy/">life</a> as pavement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-cell-size">The role of cell size </h2>



Size turned out to be the second half of the script. When two sister cells emerged from a split, one was noticeably larger and carried a larger nucleus.



Bigger nuclei diluted the amount of SPEECHLESS even before degradation kicked in, pushing the concentration below the threshold needed to spark another round of division. Smaller sisters packed the protein more tightly and were free to keep the lineage going.



To confirm the link, the team boosted SPEECHLESS levels across the board. Large cells that normally would have retired instead re‑entered the cell cycle, proving that concentration, not mere presence, calls the shots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-use-internal-guides-to-shape-pores">Plants use internal guides to shape pores</h2>



“Compasses have dual roles,” said Bergmann. The study builds on earlier work showing that internal “compasses” guide each split so that one daughter remains small and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-roots-could-be-key-to-fighting-climate-change/">stem</a>‑like while the other grows large.&nbsp;



Bergmann explained that the same molecular north arrow orients the division plane and then reorganizes the contents of the newborn cells to cement their different futures. 



Computational models confirmed that size, neighbor count, and SPEECHLESS levels together predict a cell’s fate better than any factor alone.



Warm nights add another twist: higher temperatures activate a photoreceptor called PIF4 that limits SPEECHLESS production, cutting back the formation of new stomata. 



The Stanford data suggest that heat might tilt the balance further by shrinking protein levels just enough to keep big cells out of the cell cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-crops-and-farming">Improving crops and farming</h2>



Why should anyone without a microscope care how many times a leaf cell divides? Because every stoma trades water for carbon, the final stomatal count shapes a crop’s thirst and yield.



Breeders are already lowering <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37923396/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stomatal density</a> in wheat, barley, and rice to save water without hurting photosynthesis. Knowing that cell size and neighbor signals tune those numbers could make such tweaks more precise and less likely to backfire.



The work also hints at strategies for future‑proofing plants against heat waves. If larger precursor cells naturally avoid dividing under high temperature, selecting varieties with slightly bigger epidermal cells could be a subtle way to reduce water loss.



There is an evolutionary angle as well. Fossil leaves show that ancient plants reduced their stomatal density when atmospheric CO₂ climbed, mirroring the choices Bergmann’s cells make on a microscopic scale.



Understanding the cell‑level logic may help scientists read the rock record more accurately and model how modern forests will respond to rising greenhouse gases. It could even inform designs for synthetic leaves or bio‑inspired materials that need self‑regulating pores.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-research-on-plants-and-their-pores">Research on plants and their pores</h2>



The Bergmann lab now wants to trace the still‑mysterious signals that link cell size to peptide output. They suspect a size‑sensing pathway unrelated to SPEECHLESS that may give big cells an extra nudge toward differentiation.



If that circuit can be mapped, it might be possible to rewire it, allowing crops to adjust their stomata on demand without penalties in growth. Such control would be a powerful tool in regions where water scarcity and heat routinely threaten harvests.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57730-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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How plants decide where to put their breathing pores

Plants turn air into leaves, roots, and fruit, yet every molecule of the carbon they store has to squeeze through microscopic pores first. These pores, called stomata, dot the surface of nearly every leaf and set the pace for both growth and water loss. The latest study from Stanford University shows that each new stoma is the product of a lively conversation among neighboring cells and a hard look in the mirror. Dominique Bergmann and her team traced those talks in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the small mustard...

The health benefits of eating a balanced, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-diets-reduce-the-risk-of-severe-covid-19/">plant-based diet</a> are being discussed more and more frequently in scientific literature, as the number of people embracing meat-free diets increases. In addition, plant protein is now used to create alternatives to meat that resemble anything from fried chicken strips to burger patties. The production of these substitutes does not harm any animals and gives rise to less greenhouse gases, which makes it more environmentally friendly. However, it is not known whether human cells absorb plant- and animal-derived proteins equally well.



In a study published by the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>, a team led by Osvaldo Campanella from The Ohio State University and Da Chen from the University of Idaho tested whether human cells can absorb similar amounts of digested proteins from a model meat alternative as they can from a piece of chicken. Previous research has shown that plant-based substitutes do not break down into their constituent molecules as easily as animal meats do during digestion, but the researchers aimed to test the extent of protein absorption as well.



Plant-based meat substitutes are manufactured to look and feel like animal meat. To achieve this, the plants are dehydrated and ground into powder form. They are mixed with spices, heated and moistened, before being pressed through an extruder to achieve the desired texture and appearance. They are usually considered to be healthier than animal meats because they contain less saturated fats but have a comparable level of protein.



The researchers made a model meat alternative out of soy and wheat gluten, using this extrusion process. Both these plant seeds are considered to be sources of quality proteins and when they are pressed out of an extruder they take on a texture that is very similar to that of chicken. When cut open, the material has long fibrous pieces inside, just like chicken.&nbsp;



Cooked pieces of chicken meat, and of the substitute plant-based product were then ground up in the lab and mixed with an enzyme that humans use to digest proteins. Proteins are very long molecules and enzyme action during digestion breaks them down into smaller fragments known as peptides.&nbsp;



The tests showed that meat-substitute peptides were less water-soluble than those from chicken, and they were also not absorbed as well by the human cells. This means that, despite the fact that plant foods may contain sufficient protein to start with, the proteins may not be broken down and absorbed adequately in the human digestive system.&nbsp;



The researchers say the next step is to identify other ingredients that could help facilitate the peptide uptake from plant-based meat substitutes, in the same way that vitamin C has been shown to boost iron uptake.&nbsp;



The research was funded by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. The study is published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/jafcau">Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a>.



---



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

Human cells absorb less protein from plant-based "meat"

The health benefits of eating a balanced, plant-based diet are...

Sunlit,Foggy,Forest,With,Black,Locust,Tree,On,Clearing

Clearing lands for agriculture can have negative implications for climate change. The removal of trees reduces the amount of carbon stored as biomass in the trees, as well as decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis. This means that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increase when forests are cleared to make way for pastures. This is particularly severe when the forests are burned as part of the change in land use.&nbsp;



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.unh.edu/">University of New Hampshire</a> have now conducted a study to test whether leaving some trees behind when temperate forests are cleared in the northeastern United States can reduce some of the negative climate consequences. In the practice of silvopasture, trees are intentionally left behind in pastures where livestock graze. In addition, the stumps of trees that have been removed may also be left standing, increasing the amount of carbon remaining in the fields.&nbsp;



“We talked to a lot of farmers in the Northeast who are interested in the silvopasture approach but there aren’t a lot of data to help guide them through implementation, and responsible and strategic management,” said Alexandra Contosta, research assistant professor at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Center. “We wanted to see if silvopastures made a difference and found that there are benefits to this approach that could help both the farmer and the planet.”



The researchers set up experimental land plots in two locations, in New Hampshire and New York. In both locations, forests have regenerated following a period of forest clearing, intensive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/agricultural-management">agricultural management</a>, and subsequent farm abandonment, such that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/secondary-forests">secondary forests</a>&nbsp;currently comprise 60–80 percent of the land base. In both experiments, they hypothesized that, compared to managed cool-season pasture, forest conversion to silvopasture would moderate changes in surface temperature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/greenhouse-soils">soil greenhouse</a>&nbsp;gas emissions, as well as in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/soil-carbon">soil carbon</a>&nbsp;and nutrient losses.



At both locations, land was divided into three plots (also called treatments); one plot was covered with secondary forest, one plot was cleared of forest and open pasture was planted, and in the third plot, silvopasture was established. In this last experimental treatment, trees were thinned by 50 to 60 percent and tree stumps were left in place. Orchard grass, white clover and other forage species were planted, after which either dairy or beef cows were introduced.&nbsp;



The researchers set up meteorological stations in each of the experimental areas, and monitored emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. They also measured soil temperature and moisture, as well as the carbon and nitrogen contents of the soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The results, published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/agriculture-ecosystems-and-environment">Agriculture, Ecosystems &amp; Environment</a>, revealed that near-surface air and soil temperatures were highest in the converted pasture plots, lowest in secondary forest areas, and intermediate in the converted silvopasture treatment.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/soil-respiration">Soil carbon dioxide levels showed a similar trend, with elevated soil </a>CO2 in open pastures and lower levels in secondary forests and converted silvopasture treatments. They did not find any differences in carbon storage in the soil between different land use treatments.&nbsp;



Compared to a completely cleared, tree-less, open pasture, the integrated silvopasture treatment released lower levels of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, thus offering a possible alternative for farmers who are concerned about the climate consequences of land use change.&nbsp;



According to the researchers their findings suggest that silvopasture may offer a biogeochemical “middle ground” between intact secondary forests and managed open fields, retaining the climate benefits of forests while enabling expansion of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/arable-land">agricultural land</a>&nbsp;base.



They feel it is important to understand the climate impacts of forest conversion to open pasture or silvopasture in order to anticipate the climate consequences of potential future land use practices, both across the northeastern US and in other temperate forest regions globally.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“New England has a lot of trees which can reduce our options for agriculture and our ability to produce our own food,” said Contosta. “So, what is exciting about this study is that it shows silvopasture could be a viable alternative that is also more climate conscious.”



---



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

Leaving trees standing could reduce climate consequences

Clearing lands for agriculture can have negative implications for climate...

Spring,Growing,Flowers,And,Nature,That,Comes,Alive

A team of biologists led by Dr. Sven Gould has been looking at the colonization of land by plants some 500 million years ago. The results of this overview study were published by lead author Dr. Mona Schreiber in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/home">Trends in Plant Science</a>.



Although the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-is-not-likely-to-reverse-any-time-soon/">Earth</a> is roughly 4.5 billion years old, the first few hundred million years of its existence the planet was a molten ball too hot to be amiable to much life. Eventually oceans and land masses formed when the earth cooled, allowing the basis of our modern planet.  



It was not only the heat that kept the planet sterile though. Weaker magnetic fields allowed radiation to pour in from space and a thin atmosphere allowed bombardment of UV light.  



About 500 million years ago, a revolution took place and plants invaded dry land. With plants spreading from the oceans to terra firma, the atmosphere was radically improved with the fixing of carbon from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen into the same atmosphere.&nbsp;



One of the first plants to make its way from water to land was a streptophyte alga, first creating a green space where animals could possibly make a home. Eventually, these early plants were supplanted in time with more modern flowering plants. Indeed, today flowering plants make up 90% of all terrestrial plant species.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Human beings, which have but a brief history compared to plants, are indeed responsible in their own right for significant changes to the planet and its climate," said Dr. Gould. 



"The extreme rapidity of those changes poses a major problem, as nature has little insufficient time to adapt. The pace of human-caused change accelerated when man developed agriculture and animal husbandry, which led to steady population growth and the clearing of ever more land for farming.”



The researchers are studying the genetics of plants that first made their way to land in an effort to understand plant mechanisms for making hostile environments hospitable - something that is becoming increasingly relevant. The research may help with crop development, which is increasingly threatened by climate change.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

When was land first colonized by plants?

A team of biologists led by Dr. Sven Gould has...

Coastal ecosystems such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-mangrove-forests-have-higher-carbon-storage-capacity/">mangrove forests</a> and coral reefs act as natural barriers to storm surges and massive waves, significantly reducing flood damage to people and properties. However, in many regions of the world, the degradation of coastal wetlands and reefs has reduced their ability to protect coastlines from flooding and erosion. Although strategies for restoring these important ecosystems exist, funding for such restoration projects is often hard to find.&nbsp;



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California, Santa Cruz</a> has found that restoration of mangroves and coral reefs can be a cost-effective solution for coastal flood reduction in over 20 countries across the Caribbean. By using methods drawn from the risk and insurance industry, the experts provided a rigorous valuation of these natural defenses, showing that the benefits from reduced flood damage could exceed the costs of restoration. These findings suggest new opportunities to support restoration project with funding from sources that support hazard mitigation, disaster recovery, and climate adaptation, including the <a href="https://www.fema.gov/">U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency</a> (FEMA).&nbsp;



“We identify a number of funding sources that have traditionally supported artificial ‘gray infrastructure,’ such as concrete sea walls, and that could be applied to nature-based solutions,” said study lead author Michael Beck, an expert in coastal resilience at UC Santa Cruz. “Funding for artificial infrastructure such as seawalls can be redirected to natural defenses, which provide multiple benefits beyond coastal protection.”



According to Professor Beck and his colleagues, global spending on disaster recovery is currently over 100 times larger than the spending on conservation. “Recovery funding will grow as climate change increases the impacts from storms, and environmental funding will likely shrink as national budgets are strained by natural disasters,” he said.



“There are opportunities to align conservation, flood risk reduction, and climate adaptation to reduce storm risks. There are many places across the Caribbean where habitat restoration for risk reduction could be cost-effective, and these values open significant opportunities to pay for their needed restoration,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2022.101440">Ecosystem Services</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;

Mangrove restoration efficiently reduces flood damage

Coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests and coral reefs act...

A new botanical survey of southwest Ohio conducted by the <a href="https://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati</a> (UC) has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/managing-invasive-species-can-improve-climate-resilience/">invasive species</a> introduced in the United States over the past century are gradually crowding out many native plants, threatening a large variety of ecosystems that depend upon them. These non-native species include plants such as the Amur honeysuckle, the porcelain berry, the winged euonymus, the European buckthorn, or the Oriental bittersweet.



By focusing on undeveloped parts of cemeteries, banks of the Mill Creek, and public parks that have remained protected from development during the past two centuries, the scientists found that many species that were initially introduced as ornamental plants have now spread and are flourishing in the wild.&nbsp;



One of the most invasive species is the Amur honeysuckle, a woody shrub originating from Asia, which has delicate white flowers in the spring and red berries in the fall. According to a survey from 1961, this plant started to grow in some parts of Hamilton County, but had not yet spread in the wild in other places in Ohio. Now, it is found everywhere in the state, crowding out virtually all other low-lying vegetation.&nbsp;



“Amur honeysuckle is now the most abundant woody plant in Hamilton County. It has escaped into the wild and is propagating on its own,” said study lead author Denis Conover, a professor of Biology at UC. “One bush can produce thousands of seeds that get dispersed by birds and mammals.”



According to Professor Conover, in places where these introduced plants are found, there is often less biodiversity to support wildlife and the native food chains. Once they take hold, eradicating them is labor-intensive, time consuming, and expensive.



“Native plants just don’t have a chance. Everything that depends on the native plants — insects, birds — can be lost,” he said. “When they introduce nonnative plants to the United States, they can also import fungal diseases that can wipe out native trees, which is what happened with the American chestnut.”



Besides the Amur honeysuckle, the researchers found dozens of other examples of foreign species that have taken root in southwest Ohio’s forests, including the tree of heaven, the common privet, the lesser periwinkle, the Norway maple, the Amur cork tree, and the white poplar, as well as various herbaceous species such as the lesser celandine, the garlic mustard, and the Japanese knotweed.



“The spread of nonnative invasive species into wooded natural areas in southwestern Ohio threatens the continued survival of native flora and fauna. Efforts by park managers and volunteers to control invasive plant species has become a major part of their duties. This effort will be required in perpetuity and will be at great expense both monetarily and timewise due to collateral damage to native plants, wildlife, and humans caused by the extensive use of herbicides, chainsaws, and other mechanical equipment,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3368/er.40.2.94">Ecological Restoration</a>.&nbsp;



---



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;

Invasive plants are taking over Ohio’s forests

A new botanical survey of southwest Ohio conducted by the...

Analysis of a charred <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wooden-shipwrecks-have-become-diverse-microbial-habitats/">wood</a> assemblage from an archaeological site at Tel Tsaf in the Jordan Valley, Israel, has revealed the presence of burned wood from 16 different species of trees, including olive (Olea europea) and fig (Ficus carica) trees. The researchers have proposed that since the olive did not grow naturally in the Jordan Valley, the inhabitants must have planted the trees intentionally about 7,000 years ago. This would represent the earliest example of olive domestication in the Mediterranean and in the world.



The groundbreaking study was led by Dr. Dafna Langgut of the&nbsp;Jacob M. Alkow Department of Archaeology &amp; Ancient Near Eastern Cultures and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a>. The charcoal remnants were found in the archaeological excavation directed by Prof. Yosef Garfinkel of the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University. The findings were published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.&nbsp;



Tel Tsaf is located in the Central Jordan Valley, 32.5&nbsp;km south of the Sea of Galilee, on the edge of the Jordan River’s west bank. Its chronology indicates that occupation began in the last quarter of the 8th millennium BP and ended the first quarter of the 7th millennium BP. The remains of the stone settlements include courtyards, dwellings and large silos that would have been able to store 20–30 tons of produce. The large capacity of these silos would have exceeded the needs of the inhabitants, and indicate successful agriculture and a complex economic system of surplus and wealth accumulation.



The seeds found at the site include those from crop plants such as barley, wheat, lentil and pea. However, the researchers were particularly interested in the presence of charred wood assemblages from various locations around the site. In total, 662 samples of charred wood were analyzed, most of which turned out to be from Quercus ithaburensis&nbsp;(Mt. Tabor oak, 39.8 percent) and from Tamarix&nbsp;spp. (22.3 percent). The researchers identified the species using microscopic investigation of the anatomical features of the wood (e.g., vessels and their arrangements, size and arrangement of rays, and the patterns of parenchyma and fibers).&nbsp;



The wood of olive trees (6.4 percent) and fig trees (6.5 percent) was also present in the assemblages. “It is well-accepted, based on archaeobotanical research, that the existence of wood and/or its charcoal remains from fruit trees at a site point to their horticulture in its vicinity," noted the study authors.&nbsp;



A few specimens of olive pips have also been collected at Tel Tsaf, giving evidence that there were olive orchards nearby the site. Interestingly, the Central Jordan Valley is located outside the natural distribution area of wild olives, and this appears to have been true in the 7th millennium BP as well. The olives must, therefore, have been planted there by the local inhabitants.&nbsp;



“Trees, even when burned down to charcoal, can be identified by their anatomic structure. Wood was the ‘plastic’ of the ancient world. It was used for construction, for making tools and furniture, and as a source of energy. That's why identifying tree remnants found at archaeological sites, such as charcoal from hearths, is a key to understanding what kinds of trees grew in the natural environment at the time, and when humans began to cultivate fruit trees,” explained Dr. Langgut.



The samples of charred fig tree involved specifically the young branches, a part that is not usually used for construction or fuel. The branches were carbon dated to between 6960 and 6860 years before present. The researchers propose that the presence of these young branches was due to the fact that they had been pruned off larger trees in order to promote fruit production. This would also be evidence of horticultural practices involving fig orchards. Both figs and olives can be preserved and transported, and would have been useful commodities for trade.



According to Dr. Langgut, olive trees grow in the wild in the land of Israel, but they do not grow in the Jordan Valley. "This means that someone brought them there intentionally – took the knowledge and the plant itself to a place that is outside its natural habitat. In archaeobotany, this is considered indisputable proof of domestication, which means that we have here the earliest evidence of the olive's domestication anywhere in the world.”&nbsp;



“I also identified many remnants of young fig branches. The fig tree did grow naturally in the Jordan Valley, but its branches had little value as either firewood or raw materials for tools or furniture, so people had no reason to gather large quantities and bring them to the village. Apparently, these fig branches resulted from pruning, a method still used today to increase the yield of fruit trees.”



The evidence of fruit tree cultivation, along with large silos and dwellings at Tel Tsaf, indicate that the inhabitants were wealthy and had considerable material means. The presence of other, exotic items such as obsidian, rare-mineral beads, complex pottery, and a copper awl, all support the interpretation that the society was wealthy and probably engaged in trade.&nbsp;



“Storage capacities [at Tel Tsaf] were up to 20 times greater than any single family's calorie consumption, so clearly these were caches for storing great wealth," said Professor Yosef Garfinkel, who headed the archaeological dig. "The wealth of the village was manifested in the production of elaborate pottery, painted with remarkable skill. In addition, we found articles brought from afar: pottery of the Ubaid culture from Mesopotamia, obsidian from Anatolia, a copper awl from the Caucasus, and more.”



Dr. Langgut and Professor Garfinkel were not surprised to discover that the inhabitants of Tel Tsaf were the first in the world to intentionally grow olive and fig groves, since growing fruit trees is evidence of luxury, and this site is known to have been exceptionally wealthy.&nbsp;



“The domestication of fruit trees is a process that takes many years, and therefore befits a society of plenty, rather than one that struggles to survive," said Dr. Langgut. "Trees give fruit only 3–4 years after being planted. Since groves of fruit trees require a substantial initial investment, and then live on for a long time, they have great economic and social significance in terms of owning land and bequeathing it to future generations – procedures suggesting the beginnings of a complex society.”



“Moreover, it's quite possible that the residents of Tel Tsaf traded in products derived from the fruit trees, such as olives, olive oil, and dried figs, which have a long shelf life. Such products may have enabled long-distance trade that led to the accumulation of material wealth, and possibly even taxation – initial steps in turning the locals into a society with a socio-economic hierarchy supported by an administrative system."



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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

Olives were first cultivated 7,000 years ago

Analysis of a charred wood assemblage from an archaeological site...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/digging-sea-otters-promote-eelgrass-genetic-diversity/">Eelgrass</a> is a coastal species of seagrass that is vital as a habitat for a diversity of fish and other aquatic creatures. Moreover, it provides shoreline protection and carbon sequestration. By combining ecological field methods and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), a research team from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> has detected eelgrass wasting disease – caused by a pathogen called Labyrinthula zosterae – at nearly three dozen sites along a 1,700-mile area of the West Coast, from San Diego to southern Alaska. According to the experts, eelgrass wasting is linked to warmer-than-normal water temperatures, especially in early summer.



The researchers developed an AI system called Eelgrass Lesion Image Segmentation Application (EeLISA) which, when properly trained, can quickly analyze thousands of pictures of eelgrass leaves and reliably distinguish between diseased and healthy tissue. This computer program works 5,000 times faster than human experts, with comparable accuracy. As the application is fed more data, it gets increasingly “smarter” and can produce more consistent results.



“That’s really a key component,” said study co-lead author Brendan Rappazzo, a doctoral student in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at Cornell. “If you give the same eelgrass scan to four different people to label, they’ll all give variable measurements of disease. You have all this variation, but with EeLISA, it’s not only faster but it’s consistently labeled.”



“In traditional machine learning, you need large amounts of labeled data up front,” added study co-senior author Carla Gomes, a professor of Computing and Information Science at the same university. “But with EeLISA, we’re getting feedback from the scientists providing the images, and the system improves very rapidly. So, in the end, it doesn’t require that many labeled examples.”



The study involved a network of 32 sites along the Pacific coast, allowing scientists to investigate eelgrass wasting disease in different climates and environments. The findings suggest that warm-water anomalies were the key drivers of the disease, regardless of what normal temperatures were for each particular location. This proves that studying the complex connection between disease and climate change is necessary for all conditions, instead of only for eelgrass meadows located in warm regions.



“We have invested a decade developing the disease recognition tools to monitor these outbreaks at a large spatial scale because our early studies suggested eelgrass could be sensitive to warming-induced outbreaks,” said study co-senior author Drew Harvell, a professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. “Eelgrass is an essential marine habitat, and a critical link in the chain of survival for fishes such as salmon and herring.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lno.12152">Limnology and Oceanography</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

Warming water is driving eelgrass wasting disease

Eelgrass is a coastal species of seagrass that is vital...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-remove-plastic-debris-from-the-ocean/">Seagrass meadows</a> are often used as a fishing habitat across the Indo-Pacific region, sustaining millions of households. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096456912200223X?via%3Dihub#!">Ocean &amp; Coastal Management</a> has found that seagrass fisheries provide a reliable safety-net for the poor since they are characterized by a high abundance of fish and other animals and provide large catches for fishermen.&nbsp;



The scientists conducted interviews with people relying on fishing from 147 villages across Cambodia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, and were surprised to find that the majority of the persons they spoke to preferred seagrass meadows as fishing habitats.&nbsp;



“Seagrass was the most common habitat used for fishing. Nearly half of all households we talked to preferred fishing in seagrass over other habitats such as coral, mangroves, open ocean, mud and rock for example,” said study lead author Benjamin Jones, a doctoral student at the <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">University of Stockholm</a> and director of <a href="http://www.projectseagrass.org/">Project Seagrass</a>, a nonprofit organization focused on the conservation of seagrass ecosystems.&nbsp;



“This was surprising because most people think of reef fisheries as the key tropical small-scale fishery, but we show that its actually engagement in seagrass fisheries that are much more characteristic of households.”



When asked why they preferred seagrass, most fishermen expressed a general feeling of reliability: due to the major ecological role seagrass meadows play by providing valuable nursery habitats with many places for fish to hide and grow, there is always an abundance of fish present there. However, reliance on seagrass appeared to be also influenced by household income.



“Household income had two different effects. On one hand, poorer households were less likely to own&nbsp;motorboats. These were reliant on seagrass as they were unable to fish elsewhere, seagrass is close to shore and easy to access without a motor. On the other hand, wealthier households were more likely to own certain types of fishing gear that incentivized them to use seagrass due to high rewards and low effort requirements. These were static fishing fences that don’t require a fisherman to be present,” explained Jones.



“Our results highlight the need for empirical household scale data for management of seagrass meadows,” added study senior author Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, the Director of Research and Resources at Project Seagrass. “People use and value seagrass for many different reasons so safeguarding seagrass is vital to ensure that all people, all of the time, have equitable and equal access to the resources seagrass provides,” she concluded.



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

Seagrass meadows are very reliable fishing grounds

Seagrass meadows are often used as a fishing habitat across...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.18262">New Phytologist</a>, Lantana strigocamara&nbsp;– a highly invasive horticultural herb or shrub native to Central and South America - is the second-ever documented case of a plant creating blue-colored fruits with layered fat molecules, using a trick of light called “structural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/true-color-ancient-insects/">color</a>.”



Structural color is very common among animals. It is what gives many butterflies their bright blue coloring, or the peacock’s otherwise brown feathers their brilliant greens. This optical illusion of sorts is produced by microscopically structured surfaces fine enough to interfere with light, and is very rare in the plant world. Until now, only six species of plants have been found to produce their fruits’ hues using structural color.



What makes L. strigocamara special is that it creates this structural color in the skin of its berries by using layers of lipid molecules, or fats – a phenomenon previously documented in only one other plant species, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/science/blue-fruits-viburnum.html">Viburnum tinus</a>. To create their unique colors, L. strigocamara’s blue fruits use microscopic structures in their skin to manipulate light and reflect the wavelengths human eyes perceive as blue, giving them a distinctive metallic finish.&nbsp;



Thus, structurally-colored berries have no color within themselves: when they are peeled and held up to the light, for instance, they look completely translucent. However, when placed against a dark background, they look blue again, due to nanostructures on their surface that are responsible for reflecting the color.



The scientists argue that, in evolutionary terms, structural coloring may help with seed dispersal, which could explain the fact that the handful of plants known to use this strategy are highly invasive and spread all over the world. By providing a strong contrast with the surrounding foliage, the mechanic, shiny nature of their fruit perhaps attracts animals to eat them and spread their seeds. Moreover, this theory could also fit with the fact that humans are highly interested in using these plants in horticulture.&nbsp;



“The fact that they made their way into horticulture suggests that we are susceptible to the same things are that other animals find attractive about them,” explained study co-author Stacey Smith, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado, Boulder</a>. “We're like, oh, look at that sparkly, cute thing. I should put that in my garden.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, another evolutionary explanation could be that the thick, fatty layer that creates the color is a protective mechanism for the plant, providing defenses against pathogens or improving the structural integrity of the fruit.



Scientists hope that, as more structurally colored fruits are discovered, they will manage to learn more about the evolutionary prompts for this fascinating mechanism. According to study lead author Miranda Sinnott-Armstrong, a postdoctoral fellow at UC Boulder, so few of such plants have been found until now simply because people were not actively looking for them. “They're out there. We just haven’t seen them all yet,” she concluded.



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

Blue berries found to manipulate light using structural color

According to a new study published in the journal New...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> has found that the common Zophobas morio&nbsp;“superworm” is able to eat through polystyrene – a versatile, solid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-a-planetary-emergency/">plastic</a> used to make a large variety of consumer products - due to a bacterial enzyme in their gut. This discovery could help scientists engineer enzymes to degrade plastic waste in recycling plants through mechanical shredding followed by enzymatic biodegradation.&nbsp;



The researchers fed superworms different diets over a period of three weeks, with some of them given polystyrene foam, some bran, and others forced to fast.&nbsp;



“We found the superworms fed a diet of just polystyrene not only survived, but even had marginal weight gains,” said study senior author Christian Rinke, an expert in the genomics, ecology, and phylogeny of uncultured microbes. “This suggests the worms can derive energy from the polystyrene, most likely with the help of their gut microbes.”



Dr. Rinke and his team used a technique called metagenomics to identify several encoded enzymes that were able to degrade plastics such as polystyrene and styrene.&nbsp;



“Superworms are like mini recycling plants, shredding the polystyrene with their mouths and then feeding it to the bacteria in their gut. The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value compounds such as bioplastics,” Dr. Rinke explained.



In future research, the scientists aim to grow these gut bacteria in the laboratory and further test their ability to degrade various types of plastic waste.&nbsp;



“We can then look into how we can upscale this process to a level required for an entire recycling plant,” said study co-author Jiarun Sun, a doctoral student at the University of Queensland. If these initiatives turn out to be successful, plastic recycling on a mass scale could finally be a viable option for reducing plastic pollution.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.000842">Microbiology 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

Superworms capable of eating through plastic waste

A new study led by the University of Queensland has...

Certain species become emblems for nature organizations and conservation projects because they attract the attention of people and help them connect to the natural world. Charismatic species, such as plants with beautiful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-colors-in-sunflowers-dont-only-attract-bees/">flowers</a> or large, impressive mammals are often used to capture the imagination of the public and raise funds for protecting endangered species and threatened ecosystems.&nbsp;



Wild cherry trees and their iconic blossoms have featured in the culture of Japanese people since ancient times. They are represented in ancient writings, plays, arts and festivals, and therefore have a unique significance in connecting people in Japan to the world of nature. For this reason, the Sakuragawa city government chose wild cherries as a symbol for the promotion of local development. The city has long been renowned for the beautiful scenery of its wild cherry species,&nbsp;Cerasus jamasakura and&nbsp;Cerasus leveilleana, so it was logical to choose this symbol to support the city’s projects in Satoyama forest management and environmental education.&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, wild cherries symbolize different things to different people and so it was important to understand the diverse value perceptions of wild cherries and the ecosystem services they provide. In a new study by researchers from the University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, the perceptions of three social groups towards wild cherry trees and their value were investigated. The survey focused particularly on people’s understanding of Satoyama ecosystems, which is where forests (that include wild cherry trees) are managed for the use of people and nature in harmony. Satoyama forests are common around Sakuragawa city and they are the focus of the city’s forest management projects.&nbsp;



“Understanding how people perceive the value of symbolic species’ ecosystem services is crucial because these perceptions often affect how land is managed,” said study co-author Professor Ikuyo Saeki. “These perspectives are also key to sustaining links between people and nature, and must be examined if we are to successfully transition to more sustainable societies.”



The researchers used questionnaires to survey 321 participants who were in three categories – adult residents, visiting tourists and high school pupils. Apart from answering questions about themselves and their understanding of Satoyama forests, the participants were asked which of the following eight values of ecosystem services provided by wild cherries they perceive to be important: history, recreation, economy, aesthetic in spring, aesthetic in fall, biodiversity, education, and culture. Their knowledge of the differences between wild cherries and common cultivars was also assessed.&nbsp;



The results, published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26395916.2022.2065359">Ecosystems and People</a>, revealed interesting differences between the groups. First, local residents and tourists favored wild cherries more than they did the common cultivar, and the majority of them had basic knowledge of wild cherries and Satoyama. In contrast, many of the high school students did not seem to recognize the difference between wild cherries and the cultivar, and could not describe the characteristics of Satoyama. These results indicate that high school students have limited knowledge of and experience with wild cherries.&nbsp;



In addition, the residents and tourists placed most value on the ecosystem service termed ‘aesthetic in spring’, when evaluating the role of wild cherry trees, although they also highlighted the historical value of these trees. The high school students, in contrast, ranked multiple values equally, such that no one ecosystem value stood out as more important than the others. The sites renowned for their wild cherry scenery were highly valued by local residents and tourists, but not by students, who placed more value on urbanized areas.



According to the study authors, the results suggest most of the students were not able to discriminate among the values due to limited knowledge of wild cherries. "A majority of students commuted from outside of the city and expressed little interest in outdoor recreation. Thus, they likely had fewer opportunities to learn about and visit wild cherry sites in Sakuragawa city compared to residents and tourists.”



The researchers draw two important conclusions from their findings. For successful conservation of Satoyama forests in future, it will be important to share the diverse values, which are appreciated by local residents and knowledgeable visitors, with younger generations. This could be done through education and taking high school pupils on outings to the forests, instead of focusing on places of historical and cultural significance in the urban environment.&nbsp;



In addition, the wild cherry and its blossoms could be a successful symbol of local conservation projects as this tree is highly visible in the Satoyama forests and is a key species in the ecosystem. The maintenance of Satoyama landscapes is challenging because it requires a large labor force and cooperation from land owners and local communities, and the use of wild cherries as a symbol would serve to attract people’s attention and encourage their consistent support of conservation work.&nbsp;



“While symbolic species enhance the way people value nature, filling gaps in knowledge and ensuring that a variety of values are shared within local communities is key to the promotion of community-based management of wild cherry landscapes,” said Professor Saeki.



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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

Cherry blossom emblems could unite people to save forests

Certain species become emblems for nature organizations and conservation projects...

A research team led by the <a href="https://ki.se/">Karolinska Institute</a> in Sweden has developed a tiny sensor which can detect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-develop-new-tool-to-design-safer-pesticides/">pesticides</a> on fruits very quickly, in just a few minutes. This innovative technique uses flame-sprayed nanoparticles made from silver to increase the signals from chemicals. Although these nano-sensors are still at a relatively early stage of development, the scientists hope that they could be soon used by consumers worldwide to quickly detect food pesticides.&nbsp;



“Reports show that up to half of all fruits sold in the EU contain pesticide residues that in larger quantities have been linked to human health problems,” said study senior author Georgios Sotiriou, an expert in Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at the Karolinska Institute.&nbsp;



“However, current techniques for detecting pesticides on single products before consumption are restricted in practice by the high cost and cumbersome manufacturing of its sensors. To overcome this, we developed inexpensive and reproducible nano-sensors that could be used to monitor traces of fruit pesticides at, for example, the store.”



In designing these sensors, Professor Sotiriou and his team employed a 1970s discovery known as surface-enhancing Ramon scattering (SERS) – a powerful sensing technique which can increase the diagnostic signals of biomolecules on metal surfaces by over one million times – and used flame spray to deliver small droplets of silver nanoparticles onto a glass surface.&nbsp;



“The flame spray can be used to quickly produce uniform SERS films across large areas, removing one of the key barriers to scalability,” explained study lead author Haipeng Li, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Sotiriou’s lab. The scientists then fine-tuned the distance between the individual silver nanoparticles to enhance their sensitivity. Repeated tests showed that the sensors reliably and uniformly detected molecular signals for at least 2.5 months, a feature underscoring their shelf life potential and feasibility for large-scale production.



To test whether the sensors can reliably detect pesticides, the researchers placed low concentrations of parathion-ethyl (a toxic agricultural insecticide banned in many countries) on part of an apple.&nbsp;



“Our sensors can detect pesticide residues on apple surfaces in a short time of five minutes without destroying the fruit,” Dr. Li reported. “While they need to be validated in larger studies, we offer a proof-of-concept practical application for food safety testing at scale before consumption.”&nbsp;



In future research, the scientists aim to explore whether these nano-sensors can be applied to other areas, such as discovering biomarkers for specific diseases in resource-limited settings.



The sensors are described as a proof-of-concept in an article published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202201133">Advanced Science</a>.



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

Nano-sensors can quickly detect pesticides on fruits

A research team led by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

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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



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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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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



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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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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