Most people have heard that black holes slowly lose mass through cosmic decay, radiating tiny amounts of energy. This idea has circulated for decades and suggests that nothing is truly permanent.



Experts now propose that other extremely dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magnetar-flares-create-gold-platinum-uranium-in-seconds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">objects</a> might follow a related path. Their findings reveal a shorter timeline for everything, though not short on any human timescale.



Heino Falcke, a black hole researcher at <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Radboud University</a>, stands at the forefront of this investigation. He collaborated with quantum physicist Michael Wondrak and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom to figure out how quickly these processes might happen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-view-on-cosmic-decay">New view on cosmic decay</h2>



Scientists have long known about ideas related to black hole evaporation through a process first outlined by <a href="https://projecteuclid.org/journals/communications-in-mathematical-physics/volume-43/issue-3/Particle-creation-by-black-holes/cmp/1103899181.full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stephen Hawking</a>. The classic picture involves a black hole shedding mass over an incredibly long interval, eventually leaving no trace. 



Recent <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.14734" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> suggests that dense objects like neutron stars and white dwarfs might follow similar decay patterns, though at a snail’s pace.



Researchers wondered how these timelines compare to old predictions. They took the mathematics behind black hole evaporation and applied it to other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-cosmic-rays-from-supernova-sparked-rapid-earth-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">celestial bodies</a>. The ultimate result? Those bodies still vanish, just more rapidly than many figured before.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faster-fade-for-dense-objects">Faster fade for dense objects</h2>



“So the ultimate end of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monster-in-the-shadows-giant-black-hole-emerges-from-cosmic-dust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe</a> comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,” said Heino Falcke. 



That statement might sound contradictory at first, but it sums up the team’s surprising takeaway. Ultimately, for everyday life, these timescales are beyond huge.



There is even a calculation for the disappearance of the Moon. The process would drag on for around 10^90 years. The details rest on <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/physics/research/gravitational-physics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravitational physics</a> equations and the idea that curving spacetime might gradually convert mass into particles that eventually slip away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-neutron-stars-and-white-dwarfs-reveal">What neutron stars and white dwarfs reveal</h2>



Neutron stars have densities so immense that a teaspoon of their material on Earth would outweigh a mountain. Given their density, cosmic decay could affect these stellar remnants, causing them to evaporate too.



The group uncovered that neutron stars might take about the same time to fade as <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/universe/black-holes/types/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stellar black holes</a> in the same mass range.



These results highlight a fresh perspective on gravitational physics. They show that events at a star’s surface could mirror those at the fringes of a black hole’s boundary, with subtle differences in how each body might reabsorb part of its own radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-denser-objects-lose-mass-faster">Why denser objects lose mass faster</h2>



Dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blazar-cosmic-objects-defy-classification-can-rapidly-change-its-identity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">objects</a> lose mass through minute particle streams. More density means an object’s gravitational pull is stronger, which changes how energy flows away. 



Draining that stored energy requires creative math, plus insights from quantum mechanics and general relativity.



A white dwarf, much less dense than a neutron star, might hold out for around 1078 years. That timeline sounds wildly big, yet it is significantly shorter than earlier guesses in the range of 101100 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-decay-physics-and-math">Cosmic decay: Physics and math</h2>



“By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we unravel the mystery of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-radiation-may-actually-be-a-catalyst-for-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hawking radiation</a>,” said Walter van Suijlekom, professor of mathematics at Radboud University.



That blend of math, astrophysics, and quantum ideas drives this line of work.



Probing new models can spur lively debates. Some wonder if there are hidden factors that might stretch these rates. 



Others note that experimental tests in labs are tricky at best because these processes are far too slow to detect directly.



Any attempt to grasp cosmic timescales boggles the mind. Changes in star systems usually unfold in billions of years. 



These calculations push things far beyond that, highlighting a universe that still has an expiration, even if it is unimaginably distant.



Better knowledge of exotic decay can guide how we interpret ancient remnants. If these estimates hold, the universe’s inventory of black holes, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-two-neutron-stars-collide-kilonova-explosion-very-bad-things-happen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutron stars</a>, and other dense bodies eventually runs out far earlier than some old predictions claimed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revising-cosmic-timelines">Revising cosmic timelines</h2>



Revising cosmic timelines does not upend everyday astronomy, since these events are so far off. Yet it refines how scientists tally the lifetime of matter. 



Anyone who assumes that a star corpse lasts forever might have to rethink that stance now.



It also raises a question about the deep structure of spacetime. If space itself nudges these bodies toward decay, the nature of gravity might be more flexible than once supposed. 



Each object’s density appears to determine how quickly it joins the dust bin of cosmic history.



The study is published in the <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.14734" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics</a>.



-----



Like what you read?<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/"> Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Cosmic decay: The universe will end sooner than we thought

Most people have heard that black holes slowly lose mass through cosmic decay, radiating tiny amounts of energy. This idea has circulated for decades and suggests that nothing is truly permanent. Experts now propose that other extremely dense objects might follow a related path. Their findings reveal a shorter timeline for everything, though not short on any human timescale. Heino Falcke, a black hole researcher at Radboud University, stands at the forefront of this investigation. He collaborated with quantum physicist Michael Wondrak and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-consumption-lowers-the-risk-of-prostate-cancer/">Coffee</a> and green tea consumption has been linked to a lower risk of a fatal cardiovascular events, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a>. 

The experts report that drinking green tea or coffee can reduce multiple causes of death and prevent further cardiovascular events, while daily coffee consumption can also lower the risk of heart attacks or strokes in healthy individuals.

Previous studies have focused on the heart health benefits of green tea and coffee in people without a history of cardiovascular disease. For the current investigation, researchers set out to examine the effects of green tea and coffee consumption among heart attack and stroke survivors. 

"There is a strong need for scientific evidence on the lifestyles among survivors of stroke and heart attack considering the rapidly aging population and the need to improve life expectancy following these cardiovascular events," said study co-author Dr. Hiroyasu Iso.

The experts analyzed data on more than 46,000 participants from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC study), which was conducted in 45 communities across Japan. The individuals had shared information on their lifestyle, medical history, and diet. 

The participants were divided into three groups: history of stroke, history of myocardial infarction (MI), and no history of stroke or MI. Next, the researchers analyzed the amount and frequency of green tea and coffee consumption. 

According to the researchers, a typical cup of green tea contains about 3.4 ounces of liquid, while a typical cup of coffee contains about 5 ounces of liquid.

The study revealed that stroke survivors who consumed at least seven cups of green tea daily lowered their risk of all-cause mortality by approximately 62 percent compared to individuals who rarely drank green tea. 

Heart attack survivors who drank one cup of coffee per day reduced their overall risk of death by approximately 22 percent. In addition, people with no history of heart attack or stroke who consumed one or more cups of coffee per week had a 14 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who did not drink coffee. 

The findings indicate that green tea consumption prevents further cardiovascular events, while coffee can prevent such events in healthy individuals.

"An important distinction to make is that in Japanese culture, green tea is generally prepared with water and without sugar. Additionally, coffee is prepared with water and occasionally milk and sugar," said Dr. Iso. "The healthiest way to prepare these beverages is without an unnecessary amount of added sugars."

The study is published in <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/str">Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Green tea and coffee lower the risk of fatal cardiovascular events

Coffee and green tea consumption has been linked to a...

Understanding how birds species live in their natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-in-low-quality-habitats-are-more-susceptible-to-disease/">habitats</a> can help inform zoos on how to protect birds in captivity, according to research conducted by Dr. Paul Rose of the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. In addition, observations of captive birds can guide conservation strategies for birds living in the wild.

“Research into wild birds is extremely useful for furthering how birds are managed in zoos,” said Dr Rose. “For species of conservation concern, zoo professionals can be linked with field biologists to share information on how to best care for these species in captivity and how to develop and formulate conservation actions."

“We can use proxy species - those common in zoos - to develop practices for conservation that can be used for less familiar species that might be of concern and need help from information gathered through things such as captive breeding."

“Or we can promote the threats that these not-in-the-zoo species face by using the commoner species as an ambassador. We do this through my work at the Wildfowl &amp; Wetlands Trust, promoting the rarer species of flamingo that are in the wild using the commoner ones we keep in the living collection.”

The analysis was focused on the helmeted hornbill, which plays an important role in seed dispersal in pristine areas of southeastern Asian rainforests. These birds are critically endangered as a result of poaching.

While some species of large hornbill can be found in captivity, the helmeted hornbill cannot. By studying the ecological role of the helmeted hornbill in its natural habitat, zoos have been able to design enclosures that will increase chances of reproduction.

For example, experts identified the temperature and humidity range of hornbill nesting sites in the wild, where eggs are more likely to hatch. Zoos can now match these environmental conditions as closely as possible.

Zoos have also been able to guide conservation action for hornbills living in the wild by monitoring the behavior of these birds. Researchers discovered that using nest boxes enhances the quality of breeding habitats for hornbills. As a result, nest boxes have been built in areas of the helmeted hornbill’s range in Borneo.

“The effect of visitors on zoos can also help direct future research questions and increase understanding of birds under human care,” said Dr. Rose.

“Developing zoo bird exhibits to theme them around specific conservation messages can be used to promote wider understanding of the threats faced by wild birds specifically and hopefully encourage human behavior change that benefits ecosystem health.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/birds">Birds</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Observing birds in nature can help protect them in captivity

Understanding how birds species live in their natural habitats can...

The Arctic Ocean was filled with freshwater at least twice in the last 150,000 years, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/">Alfred Wegener Institute</a>. The experts report that the Arctic Ocean, as well as the Nordic Seas, did not contain salt during two separate glacial periods.

The researchers determined that these oceans were filled with large amounts of freshwater under shelf ice that was up to 900 meters thick. The water could be released into the North Atlantic in very short periods of time. 

The study has revealed that the floating parts of the northern ice sheets covered large parts of the Arctic Ocean in the past 150,000 years. During two time periods, freshwater accumulated under the ice, which transformed the Arctic Ocean for thousands of years.

"These results mean a real change to our understanding of the Arctic Ocean in glacial climates," said study first author Dr. Walter Geibert. "To our knowledge, this is the first time that a complete freshening of the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas has been considered - happening not just once, but twice."

According to Dr. Geibert, the decay of naturally occurring uranium always results in the production of the isotope thorium-230 when water is salty. "This substance accumulates at the sea floor, where it remains detectable for a very long time due to its half-life of 75,000 years."

"Here, its repeated and widespread absence is the giveaway that reveals to us what happened. According to our knowledge, the only reasonable explanation for this pattern is that the Arctic Ocean was filled with freshwater twice in its younger history - in frozen and liquid form,"explained Dr. Jutta Wollenburg.

A range of past climate fluctuations could be explained by the existence of enormous amounts of freshwater stored in the Arctic Ocean that were available for rapid release.

"The remains of coral reefs have pointed to a somewhat higher sea level in certain cold periods than reconstructions from Antarctic ice cores, or reconstructions from the calcareous shells of small marine organisms, would suggest," said Dr. Geibert. 

"If we now accept that freshwater may not only have been stored in solid form on land, but some of it also in liquid form in the ocean, the different sea level reconstructions agree better and we can reconcile the location of the coral reefs with calculations of the freshwater budget."

Freshwater release from the Arctic may also be responsible for certain climate change events during the last glacial period, when temperatures in Greenland would abruptly rise by 8-10 degree centigrade within a few years.

"We see an example here of a past Arctic climate tipping point of the Earth system," said Dr. Geibert. "Now we need to investigate in more detail how these processes were interconnected, and evaluate how this new concept of the Arctic Ocean helps in closing further gaps in our knowledge, in particular in view of the risks of manmade climate change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Arctic Ocean was filled with freshwater at least twice in history

The Arctic Ocean was filled with freshwater at least twice...

Climate change may have directly contributed to the emergence of SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>. The alarming research has revealed that climate-driven forest growth in Southern China now supports dozens of additional bat species, along with 100 more types of coronaviruses.

"The fact that climate change can accelerate the transmission of wildlife pathogens to humans should be an urgent wake-up call to reduce global emissions," said Professor Camilo Mora of <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">UH Manoa</a>, who initiated the project.

The findings represent the first evidence of a mechanism that links climate change to the pandemic. The experts report that large-scale changes in the vegetation across southern China have created the perfect environment for bats to thrive in. 

Rising levels of atmospheric CO2 and higher temperatures have transformed tropical shrubland into deciduous forest, which is the most suitable habitat for bats. 

In any given area, the number of coronaviruses present is closely linked to the number of bat species nearby. The experts discovered that an additional 40 bat species have moved into the southern Chinese Yunnan province in the past century, harboring around 100 more types of bat-borne coronaviruses. Genetic data suggests that SARS-CoV-2 originated in this global hotspot.

"Climate change over the last century has made the habitat in the southern Chinese Yunnan province suitable for more bat species," said study first author Dr. Robert Beyer. "Understanding how the global distribution of bat species has shifted as a result of climate change may be an important step in reconstructing the origin of the COVID-19 outbreak."

For their investigation, the researchers created a map of the world's vegetation as it was a century ago. Next, they analyzed the global distribution of bat species in the early 1900s. By comparing this to current distributions, the experts could derive how the number of bat species  changed across the globe over the last century due to climate change.

"As climate change altered habitats, species left some areas and moved into others - taking their viruses with them. This not only altered the regions where viruses are present, but most likely allowed for new interactions between animals and viruses, causing more harmful viruses to be transmitted or evolve," said Dr. Beyer.

Each bat species harbors an average of 2.7 coronaviruses, while the world's bat population carries around 3,000 different coronaviruses. A climate-driven increase in bat species in any region also increases the chances that a coronavirus could be introduced to humans in that area. 

While most coronaviruses carried by bats cannot jump into humans, there are now three such deadly viruses that have, including Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) CoV, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) CoV-1 and CoV-2.

The researchers found that climate change has also increased the number of bat species living in Central Africa, and in parts of Central and South America.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of the Total Environment</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Urgent wake-up call: climate change linked to COVID-19

Climate change may have directly contributed to the emergence of...

A gene that is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plays a critically important role in the memorization skills of songbirds. Researchers at <a href="https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/">UT Southwestern</a> found that deactivating this gene prevented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birdsong-frequency-is-influenced-by-sexual-selection/">birds</a> from being able to memorize their fathers' unique songs.

The findings are shedding new light on speech and language deficiencies that often accompany autism, and may ultimately lead to improved treatments.

Study lead author Dr. Todd Roberts explained that the vocalizations which are a central part of human communication are relatively unique among the animal world - not just for their complexity, but in the way they are passed down from caregivers to offspring. 

Among songbirds like zebra finches, songs are passed along from fathers to male offspring. Similar to humans, the birds have neural circuitry that is dedicated to this learning process in a region of the brain that is referred to as the high vocal center.(HVC).

Dr. Roberts said that because of the parallels between song learning in birds and language learning in humans, songbirds are often used as a scientific model for understanding speech development in people.

The researchers studied zebra finches to investigate the role of a gene called FoxP1, a gene that is closely related to ASD. Mutations of this gene cause a subtype of autism that is characterized by severe language impairment.

According to Dr. Roberts, learning vocalizations consists of two different stages: forming a memory of sounds and then practicing the sounds through imitation. Juvenile zebra finches practice their fathers' song thousands of times a day over three months. They rehearse the song tens of thousands of times until it is a close match. 

To investigate the role FoxP1 in this learning process, the researchers separated young zebra finches into two groups. Half the birds spent their early lives in contact with their singing fathers and lived together with them while they practiced their songs. The other half spent their early lives with their mothers and later joined their fathers during the practice phase. 

The experts used a technique called RNA interference to deactivate FoxP1 in the HVC of some of the birds. The experiment revealed that once the birds reached adulthood, only those with active FoxP1 during the song memorization phase were able to accurately reproduce their fathers' songs. If FoxP1 was deactivated before memorization, the birds sang songs that did not share any resemblance with the tunes sang by their fathers.

"Our results suggest that FoxP1 is key for forming the song memories in these birds that are critical for imitation later in life," said Dr. Roberts. "A similar deficit in humans could play a parallel role in speech development, blocking babies from forming memories of adult speech they hear around them and hindering their own communication as they grow."

If this finding is reinforced in future studies, it could lead to new types of therapy for children with autism, noted Dr. Roberts.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">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

&nbsp;

Songbirds rely on an autism gene for memorization

A gene that is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD)...

Rapidly changing ocean soundscapes are disrupting marine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/burrowing-animals-in-the-mojave-desert-escape-the-heat-of-climate-change/">animals</a> on a global scale, according to a new study led by Professor Carlos Duarte of King Abdullah University. The experts report that mitigating these impacts is key to achieving a healthier ocean.

"Sound is the sensory cue that travels farthest through the ocean and is used by marine animals, ranging from invertebrates to great whales, to interpret and explore the marine environment and to interact within and among species," wrote the researchers.

"Ocean soundscapes are rapidly changing because of massive declines in the abundance of sound-producing animals, increases in anthropogenic noise, and altered contributions of geophysical sources, such as sea ice and storms, owing to climate change." 

"As a result, the soundscape of the Anthropocene ocean is fundamentally different from that of preindustrial times, with anthropogenic noise negatively impacting marine life."

For more than a century, sounds from activities such as fishing, shipping, and development have increasingly contributed to underwater noise pollution. Based on the analysis of more than four decades of published research, the experts found that this noise adversely affects the behavior and physiology of marine animals. 

"We find evidence that anthropogenic noise negatively affects marine animals. Strong evidence for such impacts is available for marine mammals, and some studies also find impacts for fishes and invertebrates, marine birds, and reptiles," wrote the study authors. 

'Noise from vessels, active sonar, synthetic sounds, and acoustic deterrent devices are all found to affect marine animals, as are noise from energy and construction infrastructure and seismic surveys."

According to the researchers, noise is not the only consequence of human activities, as some areas of the ocean have also become quieter. For example, the hunting of large marine mammals, including highly vocal whales, has led to drastic declines in the abundance of sound-producing animals.

The study authors emphasize that, unlike many other anthropogenic stressors on marine ecosystems, the harmful effects of noise pollution could be addressed and mitigated with new regulations.

"Changing ocean soundscapes have become the neglected 'elephant in the room' of global ocean change," wrote the researchers. "In an era when societies increasingly look to the 'blue economy' as a source of resources and wealth, it is essential that ocean soundscapes be responsibly managed to ensure the sustainable use of the ocean."

"The evidence summarized here encourages national and international policies to become more ambitious in regulating and deploying existing technological solutions to mitigate marine noise and improve the human stewardship of ocean soundscapes to maintain a healthy ocean." 

The study is published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a> in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Changing ocean soundscapes impact animals worldwide

Rapidly changing ocean soundscapes are disrupting marine animals on a...

California's rainy season has shifted from November to December, prolonging the destructive wildfire season by nearly a month. This transition has taken place over the last six decades, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a>. 

The research does not definitively link the shifting rainy season to climate change. However, the results are consistent with climate models that predict warmer and drier autumn conditions in California.

Wildfires are the biggest hazard during California's dry season from May to October. The start of the rainy season in November alleviates the threat of wildfire by making the plants too moist to ignite.

In recent decades, the rainy season has been arriving progressively later. Furthermore, the rainy seasom is expected to become shorter as a result of global warming

For the current investigation, the researchers analyzed rainfall and weather data in California over the past six decades. They determined that the official onset of California's rainy season is 27 days later than it was in the 1960s. When the rain does finally arrive, the majority of it is limited to the months of January and February.

Study lead author Jelena Lukovi a climate scientist at the University of Belgrade in Serbia.

"What we've shown is that it will not happen in the future, it's happening already," said Lukovi. "The onset of the rainy season has been progressively delayed since the 1960s, and as a result the precipitation season has become shorter and sharper in California."

The findings suggest that California's wildfire season will last even longer in the years to come. The state's worst-ever wildfire season was in 2020. when nearly 10,000 fires burned more than 4.2 million acres of land.

A longer dry season will create more overlap between wildfire season and the inundation of Santa Ana winds that bring hot, dry weather to California in the fall. 

"It's not just a matter of making the vegetation drier and keeping all else equal," said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain. "You're also increasing the number of opportunities for extremely dry vegetation and extremely strong offshore winds to coincide."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California's rainy season has been pushed forward by a month

California's rainy season has shifted from November to December, prolonging...

Small burrowing animals are coping with environmental changes in the Mojave Desert much better than the local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babbler-birds-are-shifting-their-behavior-in-the-wrong-direction/">birds</a>, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a> and <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">UC Berkeley</a>.

The experts report that animals like the cactus mouse and the white-tailed antelope squirrel have experienced different exposures to climate warming compared to native birds, despite living in the same part of the Mojave Desert.

"Scientists tend to assume that most species in a region experience the same exposure to temperature or precipitation changes, and that they all respond in the same way. But we're finding now that animals have diverse strategies for reducing their exposure to hot and dry conditions that could kill them," said study senior author Professor Steven Beissinger. 

"You should see these differences most strongly in a harsh environment like the desert, where life is really on the edge."

Over the last 100 years, the Mojave Desert has become hotter and drier. During this time period, UC Berkeley scientists noted a collapse in native bird populations, which is likely due to the stress of higher temperatures. In 2018, the team reported that bird populations have declined rapidly, with 61 study sites losing an average of 43 percent of the species that were present a century ago.

In the new study, the same team has found that small mammal populations in the desert have remained relatively stable since the beginning of the 20th century.

"Mammals have shown this remarkable stability," said Professor Beissinger. "It's really quite interesting that, in the same region, with the same level of climate change, these two very similar taxa have responded very differently to the changes taking place."

Based on computer model simulations, the researchers determined that small mammals are more resilient to climate change because they can escape the hot sun by diving into underground burrows. Birds need extra water to maintain a healthy body temperature, and are more active during the day compared to burrowing animals

"It's becoming clear that animals across the planet are responding to climate change by shifting where they live and shifting when they breed, and we're starting to get really strong evidence of population declines in certain areas that may be associated with warming," said study lead author Professor Eric Riddell. 

"Some estimates now suggest that one in six species will be threatened by climate change over the next century. Figuring out which species those are, what kind of traits they have, will be critical."

"Desert species have been thought to be relatively invulnerable to climate warming, but many desert species are already at or near their temperature and aridity tolerance limits. Each species also has different degrees of resilience," said study co-author Lori Hargrove, an ecologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum. 

"Climate change may seem minor, only a few degrees, but it has already had, and is having, direct and significant impacts on many species, each of which, in turn, affects other species, with cascading effects yet to be realized."

According to the study authors, modeling approaches that combine physiology and behavior are needed to more accurately predict a species' persistence in the face of climate change.

"This study has made me realize just how complicated predicting the effects of climate change truly are," said Professor Riddell. "It isn't just about where the landscape is warming and where it isn't warming. It's a really complex process that involves many aspects of an organism's biology, including their physiology, their behavior, their evolution -- it's all coupled. You need to take a really integrative approach to understand it."

The study is published in the journal Science.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Burrowing animals in the Mojave Desert escape the heat of climate change

Small burrowing animals are coping with environmental changes in the...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have identified simple genetic mutations that cause zebrafish fins to transform into complex limb-like structures. While previous studies on the fin-to-limb transition have focused on the fossil record, the current study was based on advanced genetic screening. 

A team of experts led by M. Brent Hawkins set out to pinpoint mutations that affect the fin skeletons of zebrafish. Unlike tetrapod limbs with complicated skeletons, zebrafish pectoral fins have a simple endoskeleton that lacks joints.

The researchers were surprised to find mutants that modified their fins into a more limb-like pattern by adding new bones, including muscles and joints. This discovery means that the capacity to form limb-like structures was present in zebrafish in a dormant state, and that this ability can be activated by genetic changes.

"We look at some of the developmental aberrations and ask, can they inform us of the processes that were happening underlying some of these large shifts in evolution," said study senior author Professor Matthew P. Harris. "And when you see something that shouldn't be there, ever, I mean 400 million years type of never, it's a major finding."

Zebrafish are teleosts - a diverse lineage of about 30,000 species that includes goldfish, salmon, eels, flounder, clownfish, pufferfish, and catfish. Despite the remarkable diversity of teleost species, their pectoral fins are surprisingly simple and unchanged.

Study co-author Katrin Henke of Boston Children's Hospital performed forward genetic screens to randomly mutate DNA in zebrafish. The goal was to identify genes that control the formation of the fin skeleton. 

When a mutation caused interesting changes to the zebrafish skeleton, the experts traced the mutation back to see which genes were affected. They found that mutations in the waslb and vav2 genes cause the fin phenotype. Thia is the first time that these particular genes have been known to play roles in patterning the body.

"It was a big question as to how waslb and vav2 were changing fin patterning," said Hawkins. "These genes were not known to interact with any of the very well characterized pathways that guide limb development."

'However, we found that these mutations cause an increase in the expression of the gene hoxa11b. This gene is very exciting because the Hox genes are in part responsible for patterning the vertebral column as well as the regions of the limb. And the Hox11 genes in particular are required to make the forearm."

"Prior to this there aren't any examples where we have genes or mutations that actually elaborate the structure and make it even more complicated," said Hawkins. "Even in the case of limbs we only know how to make a limb smaller or less complex, but we didn't have any information on how add elements to a fin or a limb."

"That was very surprising as well," said Professor Harris. "We had no hard experimental examples where you take a gene, turn it up, make it work more and get a more complex mature structure at the end. In our findings we actually found some of the dials that can turn up the genetic pathways and get a more complicated structure in the end."

The study has revealed that fins and limbs use the same genetic mechanisms to specify the middle portion of the appendage. Going forward, Hawkins plans to investigate whether fins and limbs make other appendage regions in the same way.

"There's still the humerus in the limb and we don't know what the corresponding part in the fin is for that, in terms of the genetic requirements," said Hawkins. "We know there are proximal cues that determine where the humerus should go, but we don't know if the fish use these cues or not."

"We want to know in a developmental sense how those cues arose in limbs and if those cues are present in some form in the fish fin already. And hopefully we can fill out the correspondence between fins and limbs."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Simple genetic mutations can turn fins into limbs

Researchers at Harvard University have identified simple genetic mutations that...

Mammals with habitats that have been affected by deforestation have higher levels of stress, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a>. When researchers analyzed hormones in the fur of rodents and marsupials living in smaller patches of South America's Atlantic Forest, they found that these mammals are under more stress compared to animals living in more intact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-eating-mammals-fertilize-the-soil-in-tropical-forests/">forests</a>.

"We suspected that organisms in deforested areas would show higher levels of stress than animals in more pristine forests, and we found evidence that that's true," said study co-author Professor Noé de la Sancha.

"Small mammals, primarily rodents and little marsupials, tend to be more stressed out, or show more evidence that they have higher levels of stress hormones, in smaller forest patches than in larger forest patches."

"A lot of species, all over the world, but especially in the tropics, are understudied," said study lead author Professor Sarah Boyle of Rhodes College. "There is not a lot known about many of these animals in terms of even their baseline hormone levels."

The Atlantic Forest is the second largest forest in South America. Over the last 500 years, large areas of the forest have been cleared for agricultural and urban development. Today, less than one-third of the original forest remains.

Habitat destruction can drastically change the lives of animals as they must learn to cope with less land and food and possibly more contact with predators. The experts explain that in small doses, stress is not a bad thing for the animals. 

"A stress response is normally trying to bring your body back into balance," said study co-author Professor David Kabelik. "If something perturbs you and it can cause you to be injured or die, the stress response mobilizes energy to deal with that situation and bring things back into a normal state. It allows you to survive." 

For example, if an animal encounters a predator, stress hormones give them the adrenaline they need to run away. "But then these animals are placed into these small fragments of habitat where they're experiencing elevated stress over prolonged periods, and that can lead to disease and dysregulation of various physiological mechanisms in the body."

The study was focused on patches of forest in eastern Paraguay, which has been hit particularly hard by deforestation in the last century. The researchers captured 106 mammals in areas that ranged from two to 1,200 hectares and collected samples of animal fur, which contains hormones that accumulate over time. 

"Hormones change in the blood minute by minute, so that's not really an accurate reflection of whether these animals are under long-term stress or whether they just happened to run away from a predator a minute ago, and we were trying to get at something that's more of an indicator of longer term stress," explained Professor Kabelik.

"Since glucocorticoid stress hormones get deposited into the fur over time, if you analyze these samples you can look at a longer term measure of their stress."

In the lab, the fur was converted into a fine powder and the hormones were extracted. The experts analyzed hormone levels using enzyme immunoassay.

"You use antibodies that bind these hormones to figure out how many are there," said Professor Kabelik. "Then you divide that by the amount of fur that was in the sample, and it tells you the amount of hormones present per milligram."

The results showed that the animals from smaller patches of forest had higher levels of glucocorticoid stress hormones than animals from larger patches of forest. 

"Our findings that animals in the small forest patches had higher glucocorticoid levels was not surprising, given the extent to which some of these forested areas have been heavily impacted by forest loss and fragmentation," said Professor Boyle.

The study provides new insight into the effects of deforestation on animals, and may ultimately shed light on the circumstances in which animals can pass diseases to humans. 

"If you have lots of stressed out mammals, they can harbor viruses and other diseases, and there are more and more people living near these deforested patches that could potentially be in contact with these animals," said Professor de la Sancha. "By destroying natural habitats, we're potentially creating hotspots for zoonotic disease outbreaks."

"Big picture, this is really important because it could be applicable to forest remnants throughout the world. The tropics hold the highest diversity of organisms on the planet. Therefore, this has potential to impact the largest variety of living organisms on the planet, as more and more deforestation is happening. We're gonna see individuals and populations that tend to show higher levels of stress."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Animals affected by deforestation are stressed out

Mammals with habitats that have been affected by deforestation have...

A potentially toxic species of plankton algae may take over a critical role in the future of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-favors-some-arctic-insects-over-others/">Arctic</a> food chain, according to a new study from <a href="https://international.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a>. These algae survive through photosynthesis, but also by eating other algae and bacteria, which gives them a major advantage in the rapidly changing environment of the Arctic.

The plankton community that produces food for the entire Arctic food chain is being transformed by sea ice decline. The base of this food web is formed of tiny plankton algae, which use light and nutrients to produce food through photosynthesis.

As sea ice becomes thinner in the Arctic, plankton algae are exposed to more light. While it seems that this would boost algae numbers and provide more food for fish, the effects are much more complicated. 

The experts explain that more sunlight in the sea will only lead to a higher production of plankton algae if they also have enough nutrients, and this is often not the case. 

Freshwater that is entering the Arctic Ocean from melting glaciers is lacking in nutrients, and this water is now spreading out further across fjords and into the sea. The fresh water sits on top of the denser saltwater, preventing nutrients from the deeper layers from mixing up towards the surface where plankton algae are active. 

This is where the so-called mixotrophic plankton algae come in, because they do not rely entirely on sunlight and nutrients for their survival. The fact that these algae can also obtain energy by eating other algae and bacteria allows them to stay alive and grow without adequate light for photosynthesis. 

In northeast Greenland, a team of researchers measured the production of plankton algae under the sea ice in the high-Arctic fjord Young Sound.

"We showed that the plankton algae under the sea ice actually produced up to half of the total annual plankton production in the fjord," said study lead author Dorte H. Søgaard.

"Mixotrophic plankton algae have the advantage that they can sustain themselves by eating other algae and bacteria as a supplement to photosynthesis when there isn't enough light. This means that they are ready to perform photosynthesis even when very little light penetrates into the sea." 

"In addition, many mixotrophic algae can live in relatively fresh water and at very low concentrations of nutrients - conditions that often prevail in the water layers under the sea ice in the spring when the ice melts."

The researchers measured an algal bloom driven by mixotrophic algae in Young Sound for nine days. The algae belong to a group called haptophytes, many of which are toxic. The team found that these algae bloomed in quantities similar to those previously observed in the Skagerrak, where they killed large amounts of salmon in Norwegian fish farms.

"We know that haptophytes often appear in areas with low salinity - as seen in the Baltic Sea, for example. It is therefore very probable that these mixotrophic-driven algae blooms will appear more frequently in a more freshwater-influenced future Arctic Ocean and that this shift in dominant algae to a mixotrophic algae species might have a large ecological and socio-economic impact," said Søgaard.

According to the researchers, this is the first time that a bloom of mixotrophic algae has been recorded under the sea ice in the Arctic.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Nature: Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Toxic plankton algae could change the fate of the Arctic food web

A potentially toxic species of plankton algae may take over...

In recent years, dog food options has expanded far beyond dry kibble to include grain-free, fresh, and now even human-grade foods. When researchers at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> conducted a comparison study, they found that human-grade ingredients are not only appetizing, but are also extremely digestible. 

According to the study, human-grade dog foods are so easy to digest that they are associated with up to 66 percent less poop.

"Based on past research we've conducted I'm not surprised with the results when feeding human-grade compared to an extruded dry diet," said study co-author Kelly Swanson. "However, I did not expect to see how well the human-grade fresh food performed, even compared to a fresh commercial processed brand."

Over four weeks, the researchers fed beagles four commercially available diets: dry kibble; a fresh, refrigerated diet; and two fresh diets made using only USDA-certified human-grade ingredients. 

The fresh human-grade foods contained minimally processed ingredients such as beef, chicken, rice, carrots, and broccoli in small chunks or in a casserole. 

The study revealed that dogs fed the kibble diet had to eat more to maintain their body weight. These dogs produced 1.5 to 2.9 times as much poop compared to dogs that were fed any of the fresh diets.

"This is consistent with a 2019 National Institute of Health study in humans that found people eating a fresh whole food diet consumed on average 500 less calories per day, and reported being more satisfied, than people eating a more processed diet," said Swanson.

The researchers also found that the fresh diets uniquely influenced the gut microbiomes of the dogs. 

"Because a healthy gut means a healthy mutt, fecal microbial and metabolite profiles are important readouts of diet assessment," said Swanson. 

"As we have shown in previous studies, the fecal microbial communities of healthy dogs fed fresh diets were different than those fed kibble. These unique microbial profiles were likely due to differences in diet processing, ingredient source, and the concentration and type of dietary fibers, proteins, and fats that are known to influence what is digested by the dog and what reaches the colon for fermentation."

In a previous study on roosters, Swanson's team demonstrated that the same human-grade foods were up to 40 percent more digestible than kibble.

The research is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jas">Journal of Animal Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs poop up to 66 percent less when they eat human-grade foods

In recent years, dog food options has expanded far beyond...

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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&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.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&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.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

News coming your way