At first glance, the Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades appear to be separate star groups, scattered across different parts of the night sky. Their distinct locations and appearances make it easy to assume they have no connection to one another.



However, new research suggests that these well-known star clusters might be more than neighbors - they might be snapshots of the same system, seen at different stages in life.



This surprising connection comes from scientists at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) in Iran and the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bonn</a> in Germany. 



The study shows that the Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades likely formed from the same original star system. The findings are changing how we think about star formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-at-different-life-stages">Star clusters at different life stages</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-stars-shape-planetary-systems-like-ours-with-ultraviolet-radiation/">Orion Nebula</a> Cluster (ONC) is the youngest of the trio - just 2.5 million years old. It’s also the most active, filled with thousands of young stars and surrounded by the gas cloud that birthed them. 



You can spot it in Orion’s Sword, although it looks like just one bright “star” to the naked eye.



Then there’s the Pleiades - visible as a tight knot of stars nearby in the sky. At 100 million years old, its stars are more spread out, having had time to drift away from each other.



Finally, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hyades-star-cluster-may-contain-the-closest-black-holes-to-earth/">Hyades</a> is around 700 million years old. Its stars are far more scattered and fewer in number.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snapshots-of-an-evolving-star-system">Snapshots of an evolving star system</h2>



Despite their different ages and distances, scientists believe these three clusters are linked. 



“Our highly precise stellar dynamics calculations have now shown that all three star clusters originated from the same predecessor,” said study co-author Dr. Pavel Kroupa.



“The Orion Nebula, Pleiades and Hyades are like three different photos of the same person. These three photos show this entity at different ages: as a baby, adolescent and elderly.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-follow-a-growth-pattern">Star clusters follow a growth pattern</h2>



This discovery isn’t just poetic - it’s pointing to something deeper about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">how stars form</a>. According to the researchers, open star clusters might follow a consistent pattern in their development, regardless of the specific molecular cloud that births them.



“It is a bit like if the same person was being born over and over again,” said Dr. Kroupa. “From this we can learn that open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-star-clusters-captured-in-the-extreme-outskirts-of-the-milky-way/">star</a> clusters seem to have a preferred mode of star formation.”



“It appears that there is a preferred physical environment in which stars form when they evolve within these clouds.”



To test this idea, Dr. Ghasem Safaei and his team at the <a href="https://iasbs.ac.ir/">IASBS</a> used powerful computer simulations.



The experts modeled how a dense, young cluster like Orion could naturally transform into the more spread-out Pleiades, and then into the elderly Hyades, over hundreds of millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millions-of-years-of-star-life">Millions of years of star life</h2>



The simulations were based on careful calculations of how the stars interact with each other and with their environment. Over time, a cluster loses stars and gas due to gravitational forces, both internal and external.



“This research shows that it is entirely plausible that star clusters such as the Orion Nebula Cluster follow a development path that transforms them into systems like Pleiades and later on Hyades,” said study co-author Professor Hosein Haghi.



The models ran for 800 million years and started with the latest real-world data - high star density, compact shapes, and a high number of double stars. 



“The results show that clusters such as the Orion Nebula Cluster can lose up to 85 percent of their stars but nevertheless retain a coherent structure similar to Hyades, after they have passed through an intermediate stage similar to Pleiades,” said Dr. Safaei.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-with-a-common-origin">Star clusters with a common origin</h2>



What makes this even more intriguing is the fact that all three clusters sit in roughly the same region of the night sky. For decades, astronomers have wondered if this is just a coincidence or something more.



The team believes this alignment supports the idea that they share a common origin. It could reflect how these clusters form and evolve in the same part of our galaxy, influenced by similar conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-stellar-story-in-motion">A stellar story in motion</h2>



Understanding these connections also helps astronomers grasp how internal and external forces shape a star cluster’s fate.



“This research gives us a deeper understanding of how star clusters form and develop and illustrates the delicate balance between internal dynamics and external forces such as the gravitational pull of the Milky Way,” said study co-author Professor Akram Hasani Zonoozi.



The research doesn’t just reveal how one star cluster ages. It shows how theory and observation can work hand-in-hand to reconstruct a cosmic story billions of years in the making. 



As researchers refine these models, they may unlock similar patterns in other parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cozmic-simulations-of-milky-way-use-strange-physics-laws-to-study-alternate-universes-cozmic/">Milky Way</a> - and perhaps even beyond.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/541/2/1753/8202867" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>.



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Trio of star clusters may be the same system at different ages

At first glance, the Orion Nebula Cluster, the Pleiades, and the Hyades appear to be separate star groups, scattered across different parts of the night sky. Their distinct locations and appearances make it easy to assume they have no connection to one another. However, new research suggests that these well-known star clusters might be more than neighbors - they might be snapshots of the same system, seen at different stages in life. This surprising connection comes from scientists at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences...

Strong friendships between males aren’t very common in the animal kingdom. Instead, males typically compete among themselves for access to females. In some special circumstances though, male friendships can help with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-molecule-makes-animals-switch-from-eating-to-mating/">mating</a> success. In fact, some manakins depend on males working together to attract females with elaborate cooperative mating displays.&nbsp;



Among other animals, such as baboons, male friends can help each other rise in social status or defend females from another male, which promotes mating success.&nbsp;



Now, researchers from the <a href="https://www.dpz.eu/en/home.html">German Primate Center (DPZ) Leibniz Institute for Primate Research</a> looked into the benefits of male friendships among wild Guinea baboons in Senegal. These baboons are known for strong male social bonds but lack of a clear male hierarchy.



Among these baboons, the core social groups are made of one male with one to six females and their offspring, with the male typically fathering all of the offspring. The females choose a male freely and stay with him for a few weeks to several years. There are also bachelor males who are not usually sexually active. Several of these core groups along with bachelor males make up a “gang” of baboons.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The scientists wanted to know if male baboons with more friends attracted more females due to the possibility of greater levels of protection for the females and their offspring. Contrary to the hypothesis, males with more friends were not more attractive.&nbsp;



The study revealed that males also spent less time with their male friends once they started spending time with a female and especially when they fathered offspring. Males still maintained some friendships, but just adjusted the amount of time they spent with those friends.&nbsp;



To carry out the research, Federica Dal Pesco and her colleagues collected four years of field data. The experts observed the behavior of 30 males and determined paternity of 50 young.&nbsp;



"Contrary to our predictions, we found no evidence that male-male sociality was linked to higher reproductive success. Instead, we observed a strong negative relationship between bond strength and male reproductive success (i.e. number of associated females and paternities)," explained the study authors. "Guinea baboon males that were associated with a higher number of females spent less time affiliating with other males.&nbsp;



"While a number of now classic studies reported a positive relationship between sociality and reproductive success in both males and females across several mammalian and bird species, our results indicate that male-male sociality need not directly translate into increased short-term reproductive success. Instead, males that invest time and energy in relationships with females, at the expense of relationships with males, have the highest reproductive success."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Male baboons invest more time in relationships with females

Strong friendships between males aren’t very common in the animal...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/">Cardiff University</a> has shed more light on how the tilting and wobbling of the Earth as it orbits around the Sun has influenced the melting of ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere over the past two million years. This phenomenon drives the succession of global ice age cycles.&nbsp;



Scientists have long known that the waxing and waning of the massive ice sheets from the Northern Hemisphere results from changes in the geometry of Earth’s orbit around the Sun.&nbsp;



According to the experts, there are two main aspects of Earth’s geometry that can lead to the melting of ice sheets: obliquity – the angle of the Earth’s tilt as it orbits around the Sun, and precession – the way in which the Earth wobbles as it rotates, like a slightly off-center spinning top. Due to the angle of this wobble, sometimes the Northern Hemisphere and other times the Southern one is closer to the Sun. Thus, about every 10,000 years or so, one hemisphere will have warmer summers compared to the other.



Over the past million years, the combined effects of obliquity and precession on the waxing and waning of Northern ice sheets have resulted, through complex interactions within the climate system, in ice age cycles lasting approximately 100 thousand years. However, scientists have previously argued that, before one million years ago - during a period known as the early Pleistocene - the duration of ice ages (about 41,000 years) was controlled solely by obliquity.&nbsp;



Yet, according to the Cardiff researchers, precession played a significant role during the early Pleistocene too. While warmer summers driven by precession have always caused Northern Hemisphere ice sheets to melt, before one million years ago, these events were less severe and did not lead to a complete collapse of ice sheets.



“Early Pleistocene ice sheets in the northern hemisphere were smaller than their more recent counterparts, and limited to higher latitudes where the effects of obliquity dominate over precession,” explained study lead author Stephen Barker, a professor of Earth Science at Cardiff University. “This probably explains why it has taken so long for us to find evidence of precession forcing during early Pleistocene.”



“Improving our understanding of Earth’s climate dynamics, even in the remote past, is crucial if we hope to predict changes over the next century and beyond. Ongoing changes may be manmade, but there’s only one climate system and we need to understand it,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm4033">Science</a>.



----



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

How Earth’s orbit drives global ice age cycles

A new study led by Cardiff University has shed more...

An international team of researchers set out to determine who should be held accountable for the world's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-plastic-recycling-dropped-under-six-percent-in-2021/">plastic</a> packaging waste. According to the paper published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jiec.13282">Journal of Industrial Ecology</a>, only 14 percent of plastic waste is recycled.



Study co-author Sandy Dall’erba is a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) and director of the Center for Climate, Regional, Environmental and Trade Economics (CREATE) at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a>.&nbsp;



"We wanted to follow the plastic packaging waste embedded in the global supply chain. This work allows us to conclude the problem is a responsibility shared between economic agents, from the producers and their intermediaries to the retail stores and the consumers,” said Dall’erba.



The researchers found that the top producers of plastic package waste are also some of the world's wealthiest countries and biggest consumers, including the United States (19%), Brazil (13%), and China (12%). The experts also found that animal agriculture, the most significant contributor to global climate change, produces a lot of plastic waste.



"High-protein food such as meat, fish, and dairy is a trademark in the Americas and those generate a lot of plastic packaging waste," explained Dall’erba. "For instance, every 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) of fish consumed will lead to an average of about 1.6 kg (2.5 lbs.) waste. This includes plastic bags, trays, and cellophane used to wrap and cover the fish during transportation, storage, and sales.”



Global trade is also a significant contributing factor. The study authors state that 25 percent of plastic packaging waste results from international exports. The researchers acknowledge that plastic is not going anywhere anytime soon. But, we can make changes to produce less waste.&nbsp;



"We need to further develop technologies that make plastics more biodegradable, such as products based on algae," said Dall'ebra, who emphasized that we also need stricter regulations to discourage plastic packaging production and use.



“All agents along the supply chain and final consumers need incentives to reduce plastic use. Some examples are taxes on waste management or refunds for returning plastic bottles,” explained study lead author Xiang Gao, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.



“Other steps include banning of single-use plastic straws, or imposing fees for grocery store plastic bags. Consuming locally grown, seasonal food would help, and so would better transparency about the true recyclability associated with the resin identification code stamped on plastic packaging.”



The researchers concluded that producers and consumers must share responsibility and costs of tackling the increasing burden of plastic packaging waste.



---



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

Who is responsible for the burden of plastic packaging waste?

An international team of researchers set out to determine who...

A new report from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> emphasizes the need for people to be "the heart of climate action." Given that all <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/our-warming-climate-is-changing-how-animals-hibernate/">climate</a> solutions will involve people in one way or another, the social sciences will have a vital role to play, explained the researchers.&nbsp;



"Achieving the urgent and necessary transformations laid out in the recently published IPCC report will require placing people at the heart of climate action," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Tackling climate change cannot be achieved solely through technological breakthroughs or new climate models. We must build on the strong social science knowledge base and develop a more visible, responsive and interdisciplinary-oriented social science that engages with people and is valued in its diversity by decision-makers from government, industry, civil society and law."



The experts say social science can help to engage people and societies, and to establish a green transition that is both effective and promotes other climate action goals such as equity and fairness. The report is the first paper published by the new Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science (ACCESS) program.



"To meet our climate goals, we need both profound societal change and continued technical improvements," said ACCESS team leader Professor Patrick Devine-Wright. "This dual approach can improve people’s quality of life, reduce emissions and ensure thriving economies and ecosystems."



"If people are at the heart of climate action, then understanding and tackling climate change cannot be done by engineers or natural scientists alone. All disciplines need to work together - not least a range of social sciences including political science, sociology, geography and psychology - to find solutions in ways that achieve wider societal goals."



Professor Devine-Wright said this progress should now continue, with the aim of developing more visible, responsive and interdisciplinary social science that engages with people and is valued in its diversity by decision-makers from government, industry, civil society and law.



The report is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/">PLOS Climate</a>.



---



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

People must be placed at the heart of climate action

A new report from the University of Exeter emphasizes the...

A newly discovered network of “lost” ancient cities in the Amazon could provide new insight into how ancient civilizations constructed vast urban landscapes while living harmoniously with nature.&nbsp;An international team of researchers uncovered intricate settlements that have been hiding under tree canopies for centuries in the Llanos de Mojos savanna-forest, Bolivia.&nbsp;



The cities, built by the Casarabe communities between 500-1400 AD, feature elaborate and intricate structures unlike any previously discovered in the region. This challenges the view of Amazonia as a historically “pristine” landscape. Instead, Amazonia was home to an early urbanism created and managed by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indigenous-people-harvested-oysters-sustainably-for-thousands-of-years/">Indigenous</a> populations for thousands of years.&nbsp;



The cities were built and maintained alongside nature, using sustainable strategies that promoted conservationism and preserved the rich biodiversity of the surrounding landscape.&nbsp;



“We long suspected that the most complex pre-Columbian societies in the whole basin developed in this part of the Bolivian Amazon, but evidence is concealed under the forest canopy and is hard to visit in person," said Professor José Iriarte of the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.



"Our lidar system has revealed built terraces, straight causeways, enclosures with checkpoints, and water reservoirs. There are monumental structures that are just a mile apart connected by 600 miles of canals, long raised causeways connecting sites, reservoirs and lakes."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Lidar technology combined with extensive archaeological research reveals that Indigenous people not only managed forested landscapes but also created urban landscapes, which can significantly contribute to perspectives on the conservation of the Amazon."&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This region was one of the earliest occupied by humans in Amazonia, where people started to domesticate crops of global importance such as manioc and rice. But little is known about daily life and the early cities built during this period.”&nbsp;



The team used lidar technology to peer through the forest canopy and examine the sites. This revealed the sheer magnitude and magnificence of the civic-ceremonial centres found buried in the forest. The research team suggests that the scale of labor and planning to construct the settlements is comparable only with the Archaic states of the central Andes.&nbsp;



The discovery provides new insight into how ancient urbanism was carried out sustainably and embracing conservationism. For example, seasonally flooded savannas were transitioned into productive agricultural and aquacultural landscapes.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study shows that the Indigenous people managed forested landscapes and created urban landscapes in tandem. This is evidence of successful, sustainable strategies but also a previously undiscovered cultural-ecological heritage.&nbsp;



“These ancient cities were primary centres of a regional settlement network connected by still visible, straight causeways that radiate from these sites into the landscape for several kilometres. Access to the sites may have been restricted and controlled," said study co-author Dr. Mark Robinson.



“Our results put to rest arguments that western Amazonia was sparsely populated in pre-Hispanic times. The architectural layout of Casarabe culture large settlement sites indicates that the inhabitants of this region created a new social and public landscape."



"The scale, monumentality and labour involved in the construction of the civic-ceremonial architecture, water management infrastructure, and spatial extent of settlement dispersal, compare favourably to Andean cultures and are to a scale far beyond the sophisticated, interconnected settlements of Southern Amazonia.”&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.



---



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

Lost cities in the Amazon were built in harmony with nature

A newly discovered network of “lost” ancient cities in the...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-cannot-maintain-an-energetic-lifestyle-at-high-altitudes/">Birds</a> that hunt their prey during the night need special adaptations in order to allow them to see in low light conditions and to judge the distance to obstacles in their flight path as well as the distance to their prey. Although these adaptations have been relatively well studied in nocturnal birds such as owls and nightjars, they have not been investigated in the world’s only nocturnal hawk, the letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus).



Although some species of hawks (Accipitriformes) and falcons (Falconiformes) can hunt at dusk, the letter-winged kite is the only species that is primarily active at dusk and at night. It inhabits the arid central regions of Australia, avoiding settled areas and towns. This habitat preference, along with the species’ nocturnal activity pattern and nomadic movements, makes&nbsp;E. scriptus&nbsp;rather difficult to observe in the wild.



In the past, there has been speculation that the species is more like an owl than a hawk because it appears to have unusually large eyes that face forwards. Some have suggested that the soft tissues of the eyes resemble those of nocturnal birds more than diurnal species, including the other Australian Elanus species, the black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris).&nbsp;



Birds that hunt their prey during the night often show specialized adaptations to their visual systems and skeletons. These anatomical changes include large orbits to accommodate eyes with large retinas that contain many photoreceptors. The eye of a nocturnal raptor also usually has a relatively small optic foramen, the hole in the skull through which the optic nerve travels to the brain. Certain areas of the brain of a nocturnal raptor may also be enlarged to facilitate detailed processing and interpretation of the images received by the eyes.



An international study led by <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> has now tested the speculation about the letter-winged kite’s adaptations using computed tomography (CT) scanning techniques to obtain high-resolution images from three specimens, along with 27 other raptor skulls. The skulls, all of which were sourced from museums within Australia, came from 16 raptor species in total, 12 of which belong to the Accipitriformes (hawks, eagles and kites) and the remaining three to the Falconiformes (falcons). The images were used to measure and compare eye socket characteristics, such as the orbit diameter and the optic foramen diameter.&nbsp;



“Letter-winged kites hunt at night and must be able to navigate obstacles in the dark while tracking down their favorite prey, the long-tailed rat,” said Professor Vera Weisbecker. “It has therefore long been speculated that their visual system shows adaptations for seeing in the dark, and particularly that they are similar to owls in having larger eyes than other hawks, and larger image processing centers in the brain.”



Dr. Karine Mardon is an experts in The National Imaging Facility at the University of Queensland Centre for Advanced Imaging. Dr. Mardon scanned the skulls of the birds of prey included in the study, and the researchers then compared 3D reconstructions of the letter-winged kite skulls and brains with those of the other birds of prey.



The results of the analysis revealed that things are not as clear as night and day. There was no difference in the relationship between the orbit and optic foramen diameters for the nocturnal&nbsp;letter-winged kite and its diurnal congeners, the black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) and the black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris). Elanine kites, as a whole, seem to have relatively large orbit diameters, but relatively small optic foramina compared to other species.



“Contrary to many anecdotal reports, the dimensions of the eye of letter-winged kites were no different to two closely related kites from the same genus – the black-shouldered and the black-winged kites,” said study lead author Aubrey Keirnan, a PhD student in Dr. Weisbecker's lab.



“But there was a twist in the story: we realized that all three kite species had larger orbits relative to their optic foramen, the hole in the back of orbit that the optic nerve passes through. This is often seen in nocturnal birds, where a small number of nerves relay a lot of input from the eye into a high-contrast, low-resolution image.”



“This suggests all&nbsp;Elanus&nbsp;kites may be pretty good at seeing in the dark and not too good at seeing in daylight – but for some reason, only the letter-winged kite has made the move into a nocturnal lifestyle."



According to Dr Weisbecker, this might also explain many reports that the letter-winged kite is particularly active during moonlit nights: “It might not actually be very good at flying in the total dark, unlike many owls.”



The study was co-led by Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk from the University of Lethbridge in Canada. He noted that the use of anatomical observations to infer the species’ behavior was an innovative approach to understanding a bird that is notoriously difficult to observe in the wild.



“The species lives in remote, arid Australia, avoids human settlements and is highly elusive. Population estimates vary between 670 and 6,700 individuals according to the IUCN, and it is currently listed as near-threatened. To conserve the species, it is critical that we understand its behavioral needs and capabilities, but they are extremely difficult to observe," said Dr. Iwaniuk.



“We are extremely lucky to have Australia’s amazing museum collections at our disposal to help us understand this bird without the need to find and disturb the species. For example, the letter-winged kite, and its relatives, might be impacted differently by artificial light sources than other hawks."



Dr. Jeroen Smaers of Stony Brook University said the research perfectly exemplifies how studying variation across many species enlightens our understanding of individual species - an approach that is starting to show its contributions to animal conservation.



“Our work on the letter-winged kite is really just the beginning," said Keirnan. "Our measurements showed that many other birds of prey are quite unique in one aspect or other of their visual system. I am excited to spend my PhD on delving further into how measurement of the visual system can help in the understanding and management of other birds.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220135">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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

The world’s only nocturnal hawk may not see well in the dark

Birds that hunt their prey during the night need special...

Tidal flats fringe the edges of coastal areas and are important ecosystems for plant and animal communities, as well as for people. They include beaches and coastal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wetlands-are-caught-in-a-battle-between-co2-and-rising-seas/">wetlands</a>, both of which are used extensively for human activities, such as fishing and bathing.&nbsp;



These areas, where the tide rises and falls each day, act as buffer zones between the land and the ocean, and can protect coastal communities from the most severe effects of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tsunamis and floods. However, urban expansion and ever-increasing pressure from human activity threaten the functionality of these tidal ecosystems, and even their very existence, as people seek new places to occupy and build infrastructure.&nbsp;



About 29 percent&nbsp;of the United States’ population lives in coastline counties – more than 41 million live in Atlantic counties alone. This high population density poses a critical threat to coastal areas because it brings with it intense human activity, some of which is focused on the tidal flat areas. Although several recent studies have found that tidal areas are shrinking due to direct and indirect human activity, there is as yet no unified method for assessing or quantifying the interactions between urban areas and tidal flats on a large scale. At best, research is focused on local areas only and uses different methodological approaches.



Researchers from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fau.edu/">Florida Atlantic University</a>&nbsp;have now developed a novel approach that quantifies patterns of change in tidal flats from a spatiotemporal perspective, using data that has been collected over time. For their study, they analyzed the annual dynamics of three highly urbanized coastal counties in the southeastern U.S., namely Charleston in South Carolina, Chatham in Georgia, and Duval in Florida.&nbsp;



The area under investigation contains several unique environmental settings, including a tidal flat system of more than 3,168 square kilometers that is characterized by numerous sounds, estuaries and wetlands. The researchers identified and quantified the tidal flat losses in these three counties, between 1985 and 2015, that were directly or indirectly associated with urban expansion. Their study is one of the first to investigate correlations between tidal flats and urban areas using this technique.



The data used in this study came from the 30 m annual map collection of urban extent in the U.S., which was derived from Landsat images taken between 1985 and 2015. The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) archives the land cover maps in different time periods throughout the U.S., which provides worthwhile references for urban mapping before 2011. In addition, a set of nighttime light images given by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite was used for analysis of urban extent after 2011. Using a similar approach, data from 30 m annual maps of tidal flat areas in the southeastern U.S. between 1984 and 2020 were also used.&nbsp;



The findings showed that currently, Charleston, SC, has the largest tidal flats (544.87 km2&nbsp;on annual average), followed by Chatham, GA (343.46 km2&nbsp;on annual average), and Duval, FL (89.49 km2&nbsp;on annual average).&nbsp;However, the tidal flats in all three of these counties showed significant shrinkage in area between 2005 and 2015.



The results also showed that the tidal flats are under pressure from urban expansion from both the eastern and western sides. In particular, the western side has been rapidly urbanized during the three decades, giving Duval County the largest new urban areas within two kilometers of the coast. Duval County has experienced more erosion and urban growth than the other two counties and also has much smaller tidal flats than the other two counties. It has the largest newly urbanized area toward the seashore. Compared with the two other counties, Duval County also has a less stable environment of tidal flats, which calls for a higher level of public awareness and concern.



Meanwhile, some suburbs in the two other counties have also been rapidly urbanized, including the eastern and western wings of the city of Charleston and southwestern side of the city of Savannah. These urbanizations would have affected the surrounding tidal flats, with the closest areas experiencing higher environmental pressures.&nbsp;



The researchers found that, in locations where new urban areas overlap with tidal flats, the constant shrinkage of the tidal flats is hysteretic to (lags behind) the accelerated process of urbanization in the coastal area. This hysteresis effect also exists in the restoration and management of ecosystems, and severe damages could result in irreversible changes.



“It takes time to observe the follow-up ecological effects of urban expansion in recent years. Based on our research, the tidal flats in these three counties urgently need a sustainable plan of management in response to the rapid expansion of urban areas,” said study senior author Dr. Weibo Liu.



These results highlight the conflicts between intensified human activities and tidal flat environments. The study authors said that, in order to deal with this environmental crisis, the conflict between human beings and the coastal environment urgently calls for public awareness, as well as effective collaborations between lawmakers, scientists, and local authorities.



“Urban expansion is regarded as one of the major anthropogenic threats to the environment of tidal flats,” said study first author Chao Xu. “While it is challenging to stop the inundation process driven by sea level rise, a more practical solution would be to limit urbanization near the shoreline. This way, tidal flats would be more flexible to migrate toward the inland area.”



The researchers propose that their method could be modified and then usefully applied to assess changes in tidal flat areas around the entire coast of the U.S., and even in other areas of the world.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/earth">Earth</a>.



Image Credit: Florida Atlantic University



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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

Tidal flats are under pressure from urban expansion

Tidal flats fringe the edges of coastal areas and are...

Tree hyraxes are non-descript, mid-sized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-change-their-schedules-to-adapt-to-city-life/">mammals</a> that wake after dark in the canopies of Tropical African forests. Because they’re a shy nocturnal mammal living high in trees, little has been discovered about their behavior.&nbsp;



Now, experts at the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a> are using new techniques to try and understand tree hyrax behavior in the Taita Hills of Kenya.&nbsp;



"Many aspects of tree hyrax ecology remain very poorly known. They are known to mainly feed on leaves of woody plants," wrote the study authors.&nbsp; "Tree hyraxes thus depend on trees for food, but they also utilize den trees for shelter, and dense canopy also allows easy movement between trees."&nbsp;



"Tree hyraxes are thought to be mainly solitary animals that maintain social relationships by calling and scent-marking signals. They are highly vocal and calling seems to be their primary means of communication."



Using thermal imaging cameras, the researchers were able to observe hyrax social behavior - something never before seen. The study also revealed what plants they especially enjoyed eating and where they hid for shelter.



In addition to thermal imaging cameras, automated acoustic recorders captured hyrax vocalizations. Besides being able to record data on interactions between the animals, these recordings allowed scientists to estimate a population for the first time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“In small forest patches, the calls of tree hyraxes were rarely heard, and only in the early hours of the morning. These few surviving animals are making every effort to avoid detection and the attention of potential poachers,” said Hanna Rosti, who has long studied tree hyraxes.



Armed with their new data, the scientists estimate that there are only 2,000 to 4,000 hyraxes in the Taita Hills area where they conducted their research. This information is important for conservation of the hyrax. The scientists hope that the study will also have positive implications for tree hyraxes throughout Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The results acquired through this research will move tree hyrax conservation significantly forward, not only in Taita Hills but also in other parts of Africa," said Professor Jouko Rikkinen.



"The methods used can also be applied to other nocturnal animals that are difficult to get close to."



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



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

New clues about the secretive lives of tree hyraxes

Tree hyraxes are non-descript, mid-sized mammals that wake after dark...

While millions of years ago, all mammals lived on land, at one point, some species such as seals and whales left land and evolved to live in the sea. Since underwater, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-device-identifies-mosquitoes-using-only-sound/">sound</a> is a more reliable sensory cue than vision, it is not surprising that aquatic species have developed auditory organs that are more efficient in processing underwater sounds than the hearing apparatuses of terrestrial mammals, including humans.&nbsp;Surprisingly though, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en">University of Southern Denmark</a> has found that, in some cases, humans can hear as well as seals underwater.&nbsp;



Since the 1950s, scientists have made various attempts to measure human hearing underwater. The U.S. Military, for instance, had an interest in understanding how divers are affected by underwater explosions, so they directed a significant amount of funding to clarify this issue. However, subjects were generally tested with diving equipment on, including neoprene caps or air-filled diving masks, which can affect their hearing.&nbsp;



“Common to all these scientific studies is that they all find hearing thresholds [the sound levels below which the auditory system is unable to detect any sound] that are higher than the thresholds we have found in our new study,” said study co-author Jakob Christensen-Dalsgaard, an expert in animal hearing at SDU.



By measuring the underwater hearing thresholds of seven participants, the experts found that the average threshold was 71 dB at a frequency of 500 Hz.&nbsp;



“It is 26 dB lower than hypothesized in previous studies, so we must conclude that humans hear significantly better underwater than previously reported by science. In fact, the threshold at 500 Hz is in line with how well animals such as cormorants and seals hear underwater,” said&nbsp; Dr. Christensen-Dalsgaard.



While previous studies hypothesized that human hearing underwater is mediated by bone conduction, with sound waves causing vibrations in the skull, this new study argues that resonance in the enclosed air in the middle ear actually amplifies the sound and makes the ear more sensitive – a phenomenon common to cormorants, turtles, and frogs too.



However, the sense of hearing is not only about being able to pick up sounds, but also about determining the direction of the sound – which, for humans, remains very difficult underwater.&nbsp;



“In air we can determine the sound direction within a few degrees, but in water there is an up to 90 degrees error margin. This is not so strange, because we are trained to react to the small time differences between the ears, which are due to the speed of sound in air. In water, the speed of sound is four times greater, and the time differences are much smaller,” explained Dr. Christensen-Dalsgaard.&nbsp;



“The results tell us that humans have a reduced ability to determine the direction of sounds underwater, thus confirming that human hearing is not adapted to work well underwater,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heares.2022.108484">Hearing Research</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Can humans hear as well as seals underwater?

While millions of years ago, all mammals lived on land,...

The effects of global warming can be seen across a multitude of measures, usually as gradual, incremental changes, such as more frequent extreme weather events, heatwaves, wildfires, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-world-is-at-a-crossroads-in-managing-severe-droughts/">droughts</a>. However, the cumulative impact of such changes can lead to the emergence of “tipping points,” or thresholds where tiny changes can push an entire system into a radically new state.&nbsp;



At this year’s <a href="https://lps22.esa.int/frontend/index.php">Living Planet Symposium</a> – an international event organized by the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA) in Bonn, Germany – researchers from a variety of institutions gathered to present the latest scientific evidence for climate tipping points. The experts also set out to identify the opportunities and challenges of using remote sensing data provided by state-of-the-art satellites to understand these phenomena.



“Successive IPCC Assessment Reports have revised upwards the risks posed by climate tipping points,” said Tim Lenton, a professor of Climate Change and Earth System Science at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.



“Tipping points have already informed climate mitigation targets, including the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit warming to well below two degrees Celsius. If the risk of tipping is still underestimated, it would provide a reason to strengthen such pledges and action to meet them. That’s why it’s so important to understand the proximity of tipping points and their impact on society.”



As <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/">IPCC’s sixth climate Assessment Report</a> warns, the risk of high impact climate tipping points at regional scales has already increased substantially and is set to rise even more in the near future. For instance, human activities such as deforestation - together with rising temperatures - are making more likely that the Amazon rainforest will tip into a savannah state before the end of the century.



“Researchers have been making progress on resilience indicators in conceptual models as well as models of Arctic sea ice, ice sheets, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, and other potential Tipping Elements,” explained keynote speaker Sebastian Bathiany, a climate expert at the <a href="https://www.tum.de/">Technical University of Munich</a>. However, such models are insufficient to identify how and when abrupt changes can occur. “In order to understand what is going on in the real world, we need to work toward a meaningful interpretation of resilience indicators in Earth observation records. This is why discussions across scientific communities and disciplines are so important.”



Thus, to better understand climate dynamics and make more reliable predictions of any potential rapid changes, conceptual and computational models should be coupled to Earth observation datasets provided by satellites, and further interpreted by interdisciplinary teams of experts. Methodological and disciplinary diversity are absolutely necessary to advance our climate knowledge and build a more sustainable future.



Image Credit: European Space Agency 



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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

Satellite data needed to identify climate tipping points

The effects of global warming can be seen across a...

According to Charles Darwin, evolution is the process by which natural selection promotes genetic changes in various traits that favor the survival and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-boat-noise-boosts-reproduction-among-reef-fish/">reproduction</a> of individual organisms. How fast this process happens depends on the abundance of its “fuel:” how much genetic difference there is in the capacity to survive and reproduce.&nbsp;



While Darwin believed that evolution is a very slow process, visible only over geological time, an international team of scientists has now discovered that the raw material for evolution is much more abundant in wild animals than previously thought, thus often leading to cases of rapid evolution in response to dramatic environmental changes. For instance, scientists were surprised to find that British populations of the peppered moth changed their coloring in just a few decades as a result of evolution by natural selection favoring different color morphs depending on the level of air pollution.&nbsp;



By combining 2.6 million hours of field data collection and genetic analyses over decades from 19 populations of 15 species from around the globe, the researchers found that many other populations of birds and mammals can evolve surprisingly fast, their “fuel of evolution” being two to four times higher than previously thought.



This new study revealed not only higher “fuel of evolution” than expected, but also noticeable differences between species. For instance, spotted hyenas from Tanzania turned out to have the most “fuel” of all the 15 species the scientists focused on.&nbsp;



“Spotted hyenas can live in all kinds of habitats and are the most widespread large carnivore in Africa. This suggests that they can adapt well to new environments, but we didn’t expect them to be among the best-equipped of all species studied”, said study co-author Oliver Höner, a senior scientist at the <a href="https://www.izw-berlin.de/en/home.html">Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research</a>.



These findings have major implications for predicting various species’ adaptability to environmental change. “This research has shown us that evolution cannot be discounted as a process which allows species to survive in response to rapid environmental change,” said study lead author Timothée Bonnet, an evolutionary biologist at the <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/">Australian National University</a>.&nbsp;



“With the habitat of many species changing at an increasing rate, there is no guarantee at all that these populations will be able to keep up. But what we can say is that evolution is a much more significant driver than previously thought in the adaptability of populations to the environmental changes we are currently seeing,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0853">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

Wild animals can evolve faster than previously thought

According to Charles Darwin, evolution is the process by which...

There are thousands of Pleistocene sites across Australia where the fragments of giant egg shells have been found. These shells often have characteristic burn marks, indicating that they have been cooked, rather than scorched in bush <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-will-release-massive-amounts-of-carbon-by-mid-century/">fires</a>. They date to around 50,000 years ago and are thought to represent a source of food for the first Australians. However, scientists have not yet been able to identify the species of bird to which the eggs belonged because the shells have spent thousands of years out in the Australian heat and the DNA has degraded beyond recognition.



There were always two contenders for the bird species responsible. The first, and most likely, was Genyornis, an extinct flightless bird that&nbsp;stood over two meters tall, weighed 220–240 kg, and laid melon-sized eggs of around 1.5 kg in mass. But some scientists argued that, because of the shell shape, size and thickness, the eggs may have been laid by the giant malleefowl, Progura, instead. This extinct bird was far smaller, being similar in size to a large turkey and only weighing in at around 5–7 kg.



The distinction is important because Genyornis is thought to have become extinct only a few thousand years after the arrival of the first Australians, some 65,000 years ago. Although there is no fossil evidence of kill sites where the birds were butchered, the thousands of sites where eggs have been cooked (and presumably eaten) lend support to the idea that humans were involved in the demise of this mega-faunal species.&nbsp;



If, on the other hand, the eggs belonged to Progura, which is a flying bird that laid its eggs in mounds on the ground, then humans would in no way be implicated in the extinction of the giant Genyornis. In fact, there would be no direct proof of human–Genyornis&nbsp;interaction at all, and it may even be possible that this species had already gone extinct by the time humans arrived in Australia.&nbsp;



An international team led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> has now undertaken a multipronged analysis in order to identify the mystery egg-layer. The experts have used the very fragmented ancient DNA, but have also extracted ancient proteins from the powdered eggshells and compared the protein sequences to those of living bird species using a vast new database of biological material, known as the Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) project.&nbsp;



The results indicate that the eggs were indeed laid by the extinct giant bird, Genyornis. Also known as mihirung – or “Thunder Bird,” this huge bird with tiny wings and massive legs roamed prehistoric Australia, possibly in flocks.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“There is no evidence of&nbsp;Genyornis&nbsp;butchery in the archaeological record. However, eggshell fragments with unique burn patterns consistent with human activity have been found at different places across the continent,” said senior co-author Professor Gifford Miller from the University of Colorado.



“This implies that the first humans did not necessarily hunt these enormous birds, but did routinely raid nests and steal their giant eggs for food. Overexploitation of the eggs by humans may well have contributed to&nbsp;Genyornis&nbsp;extinction.”



The analysis and comparison of protein sequences enabled the researchers to conclude definitively that the eggshells did not belong to a species of the Magapodiidae, such as Progura. The researchers were also able to draw up an evolutionary tree using the protein sequences of other extinct and extant birds in closely related groups, and identify the position of the egg-layer in relation to other bird taxa.&nbsp;



“The&nbsp;Progura&nbsp;was related to today’s megapodes, a group of birds in the galliform lineage, which also contains ground-feeders such as chickens and turkeys,” said study first author Professor Beatrice Demarchi from the University of Turin.



“We found that the bird responsible for the mystery eggs emerged prior to the galliform lineage, enabling us to rule out the&nbsp;Progura&nbsp;hypothesis. This supports the implication that the eggs eaten by early Australians were laid by&nbsp;Genyornis.”



The study confirms that using the sequences of ancient proteins is a powerful tool for reconstructing the evolutionary history of ancient organisms and clarifying their phylogenetic positions. Proteins from the ancient eggshells provided a reliable source of information in a situation where DNA analysis gave inconclusive results.&nbsp;



“Time, temperature and the chemistry of a fossil all dictate how much information we can glean,” said study co-author Professor Matthew Collins from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology.&nbsp;“Eggshells are made of mineral crystals that can tightly trap some proteins, preserving this biological data in the harshest of environments - potentially for millions of years.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers point out that the&nbsp;Genyornis&nbsp;egg exploitation behavior of the first Australians likely mirrors that of early humans with ostrich eggs, the shells of which have been unearthed at archaeological sites across Africa dating back at least 100,000 years.&nbsp;



“While ostriches and humans have co-existed throughout prehistory, the levels of exploitation of&nbsp;Genyornis&nbsp;eggs by early Australians may have ultimately proved more than the reproductive strategies of these extraordinary birds could bear," said Professor Collins. &nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



Image Credit: Peter Trusler



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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

Eggs eaten by early Australians were from huge flightless birds

There are thousands of Pleistocene sites across Australia where the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

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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;



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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.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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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



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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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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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;



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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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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



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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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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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;



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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 the immune system responds to injury

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

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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



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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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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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