Wildlife crime scenes rarely feature fingerprints or cameras. Instead, investigators are turning to bits of tissue, feathers, and soil-stained knives that hide genetic clues linking poachers, poisoned bait, and endangered animals.



A study from the <a href="https://en.huji.ac.il/">Hebrew University of Jerusalem</a> detailed a toolkit that pulls those clues together and makes them stick in court.



Dr. Gila Kahila Bar-Gal of the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine is leading the work, and her team’s methods are already changing how rangers collect evidence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-crimes-are-often-overlooked">Wildlife crimes are often overlooked</h2>



Wildlife trafficking ranks among the five largest illicit trades worldwide, generating up to $23 billion each year. Its profits rival narcotics and arms, yet detection rates remain low.



Biodiversity loss accelerates when poachers target endangered species already stressed by habitat loss or climate change. The endangered mountain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urgent-call-to-save-mongolian-gazelles-from-habitat-loss/">gazelle</a>, for example, has fallen to roughly 5,000 animals in its last habitat in Israel.



Poisons add a second, silent threat. Forty-five percent of griffon vulture injuries or deaths documented in Israel from 2010 to 2021 were linked to carbamate or organophosphate toxins. 



Population surveys now count only about 230 wild birds, down from several hundred just two decades ago. 



Because a single carcass can kill a flock of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scavengers-clean-up-wetlands-and-boost-their-health/">scavengers</a>, every unsolved poisoning undermines years of conservation work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-clues-at-the-crime-scene">Genetic clues at the crime scene</h2>



Traditional autopsies stop at cause of death. Wildlife forensics asks a tougher question: Who is responsible? The first layer uses mitochondrial DNA markers to name the endangered species even when the sample is degraded or mixed. 



Kahila Bar-Gal’s team relies on two short gene fragments, 16S and CytB, to cross-check results and avoid false matches.



After species comes identity. The lab amplifies Short Tandem Repeats, tiny, highly variable stretches of nuclear DNA, to build an individual genetic profile. 



A five-dye, 22-STR panel has shown it can spot just 10 percent of a target species in a mixed sample.



“Our protocols are designed to be accurate and practical, because saving a species often comes down to solving forensic cases,” said Kahila Bar-Gal. 



Researchers run each profile against a local DNA library built from both wild and domestic animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-poachers-caught-through-dna">Wildlife poachers caught through DNA</h2>



Case records released with the study read like a detective novel. Rangers once raided a desert camp after spotting fresh ibex horns. 



Twenty-one blood-stained knives and shirts all pointed to Nubian ibex, not goats, ending the hunters’ main defense.



A second file describes gazelle poachers who let trained dogs do the killing. Swabs from each dog’s muzzle carried mountain-gazelle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-chapter-in-human-evolution-revealed-through-genetics/">DNA</a>, while dog hairs in the suspect’s pickup matched the animals seized onsite. 



That chain of evidence supported criminal charges even though the carcass itself was never recovered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solving-a-vulture-poisoning-mystery">Solving a vulture poisoning mystery</h2>



The most dramatic case involved seven griffon vultures that collapsed after feeding on a goat laced with pesticide. STR analysis proved the meat in a vulture’s crop came from the same goat carcass found nearby.



Although the herd owner escaped indictment - since the goat’s profile differed from his animals - the link let prosecutors treat the poisoning as an intentional wildlife crime rather than an accidental spill.



“When a vulture is found poisoned or a gazelle is killed out of season, you’re not just looking for a suspect, you’re often dealing with mixed evidence that may include multiple species, some protected, some not,” explained Kahila Bar-Gal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-local-dna-libraries-matter">Why local DNA libraries matter</h2>



Global databases such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/">GenBank</a> hold millions of sequences, but many lack precise location data or quality control. Using the wrong reference, researchers can mistake a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vanishing-vultures-may-threaten-public-health/">vulture</a> feather from Galilee for one from Spain



Israel’s wildlife lab avoids that pitfall by curating voucher specimens from every region and by adding common livestock breeds. 



The approach means rangers can tell a wild Nubian ibex from a feral hybrid and can rule out claims that confiscated meat came from someone’s goat.



Other countries have begun to copy the model, especially in Africa’s bushmeat hotspots and in Southeast Asian ports where reptile skins move through freezers by the ton.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-endangered-species-with-science">Saving endangered species with science</h2>



Kahila Bar-Gal wants faster turnarounds. Portable sequencers that read long DNA fragments in the field could shave weeks off an investigation and let rangers link samples before suspects disappear.



Policy work matters too. INTERPOL estimates that wildlife crime funds organized networks that also traffic weapons and people. Convictions backed by genetic proof raise the risks for traffickers and can shift the cost-benefit calculus.



The study recommends expansion of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/livestock-grazing-is-changing-soil-plants-and-insect-populations/">livestock</a> genetic surveys in poisoning hotspots, tighter controls on agricultural pesticides, and forensic training for customs agents. 



Those steps will not restore every lost vulture, but they can keep future carcasses from becoming lethal bait.



Wildlife crimes once hinged on eyewitnesses willing to testify. Today, molecules tell the story. Each cell recovered from a knife blade or scavenged bone now speaks for endangered species that cannot.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1525957/full">Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Wildlife crime cases can be solved with genetic forensics

Wildlife crime scenes rarely feature fingerprints or cameras. Instead, investigators are turning to bits of tissue, feathers, and soil-stained knives that hide genetic clues linking poachers, poisoned bait, and endangered animals. A study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem detailed a toolkit that pulls those clues together and makes them stick in court. Dr. Gila Kahila Bar-Gal of the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine is leading the work, and her team’s methods are already changing how rangers collect evidence. Wildlife crimes are often overlooked Wildlife trafficking ranks...

By use of extremely powerful telescopes, scientists had previously seen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-are-some-sea-stars-more-susceptible-to-disease/">stars</a> orbiting around something invisible, compact, and very massive at the center of our galaxy. This object - known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) – appears to be a huge black hole located 27,000 light-years away from Earth. Now, for the fist time, astrophysicists have managed to capture an image of this supermassive black hole – which is four million times more massive than our sun - at the heart of the Milky Way.



Although the black hole itself is invisible, glowing gas around it reveals a tell-tale signature: a dark central region - called a “shadow”- surrounded by a bright ring-like structure, which is the light bent by the enormous gravity of the black hole.



“For decades, astronomers have wondered what lies at the heart of our galaxy, pulling stars into tight orbits through its immense gravity,” said Michael Johnson, an astrophysicist at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a>.&nbsp;“With the image [captured by <a href="https://eventhorizontelescope.org/">Event Horizon Telescope</a> or EHT], we have zoomed in a thousand times closer than these orbits, where the gravity grows a million times stronger. At this close range, the black hole accelerates matter to close to the speed of light and bends the paths of photons in the warped (space-time).”



“We were stunned by how well the size of the ring agreed with predictions from Einstein’s theory of general relativity,” added EHT Project Scientist Geoffrey Bower. “These unprecedented observations have greatly improved our understanding of what happens at the very center of our galaxy and offer new insights on how these giant black holes interact with their surroundings.”



To image the black hole, scientists used the powerful EHT, which linked together eight radio observatories across the planet to form a single, “Earth-sized” virtual telescope. By employing this groundbreaking technology to observe Sgr A* on multiple nights and collect data for long periods of time, the researchers created a library of millions of images which then needed to be interpreted theoretically to assess what type of astronomical objects they had in fact detected.



“To understand how the EHT has produced an image of Sgr A* one can think of producing a picture of a mountain peak based on a time-lapse video,” explained Luciano Rezzolla, a theoretical astrophysicist at <a href="https://www.goethe-university-frankfurt.de/">Goethe University Frankfurt</a>. “While most of the time the peak will be visible in the time-lapse video, there are times when it is not because it is obscured by clouds. On average, however, the peak is clearly there. Something similar is true also for Sgr A*, whose observations lead to thousands of images which have been collected in four classes and then averaged according to their properties. The end result is a clear first image of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way.”&nbsp;



This breakthrough discovery follows EHT’s 2019 release of the first image of a black hole, called M87*, located at the center of the more distant Messier 87 galaxy. Even though our galaxy’s black hole is over a thousand times smaller than M87*, the two astronomical objects look amazingly similar. Now, the scientists can compare the two to shed more light on how gas behaves around supermassive black holes.&nbsp;



“Now we can study the differences between these two supermassive black holes to gain valuable new clues about how this important process works,” said EHT scientist Keiichi Asada. “We have images for two black holes — one at the large end and one at the small end of supermassive black holes in the Universe — so we can go a lot further in testing how gravity behaves in these extreme environments than ever before.”



A detailed description of Sgr A* is published in the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ac6674">Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



Image Credit: Younsi, Fromm, Mizuno &amp; Rezzolla (University College London, Goethe University Frankfurt



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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

Supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy revealed

By use of extremely powerful telescopes, scientists had previously seen...

On Sunday, May 15, 2022, two rare moon events will take place at the same time. A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tonights-super-moon-coincides-with-a-total-lunar-eclipse/">total lunar eclipse</a> will make the Earth’s natural satellite appear like a glowing red disk in the sky (hence the name “blood moon”), at the same time when the moon will be near to its closest orbit to Earth (or perigee), making it appear larger than usual. This Super Blood Moon will be visible in its totality phase from parts of the Americas, Europe, Africa, Antarctica, and the east Pacific.



The moon will start taking on a light tea-colored hue at around 22:00 ET on Sunday, and will be fully eclipsed by 23:29 ET. This phase will last until 00:54 ET, making it the fifth longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century. The entire phase of totality will be visible in all of South America and most of North America, as well as in some parts of Europe and Africa. In some areas of the Pacific Northwest, the already-eclipsed moon will rise immediately before the sun sets, brightening as it climbs into the night sky.



The red coloring of the eclipsed moon occurs because sunlight hitting the moon is filtered through the Earth’s atmosphere, scattering the blue light and letting the red one pass through. It is a similar phenomenon with the yellow sun turning red during sunsets. “During a total lunar eclipse, the moon usually turns a deep, dark red because it is illuminated by light that has passed through the Earth's atmosphere and has been bent back towards the moon by refraction,” experts from the <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory">Royal Observatory</a> in Greenwich explained.



Unlike solar eclipses which require special equipment to observe safely, a lunar eclipse can be enjoyed without using any protective gear. While a pair of binoculars would allow stargazers to see an impressive amount of detail on the moon, a total lunar eclipse can be a spectacular view also for the naked eye, from any part of the world where the eclipse is visible.&nbsp;



During the totality phase, the sky surrounding the moon will appear much darker, revealing nearby bright stars, such as the orange-colored star Antares. Sky-watchers in areas away from light pollution may even manage to spot the glow of the Milky Way during this amazing eclipse.



People who live in parts of the world where the eclipse will not be visible can still enjoy it on a variety of live online streams. Some of the links which will be broadcasting this celestial event are available <a href="https://www.space.com/blood-moon-lunar-eclipse-may-2022-guide">here</a>.&nbsp;



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

Spectacular Super Blood Moon will appear tonight

On Sunday, May 15, 2022, two rare moon events will...

Our planet’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-oceans-are-on-track-for-a-catastrophic-extinction-event/">oceans</a> are home to some of the most diverse and complex ecosystems. However, warming temperatures are causing increasingly more marine organisms, including corals, to die out. A new study led by <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> (OSU) has advocated the use of mesoscale sanctuaries – areas that can stretch for thousands of miles, often across national boundaries – to protect the over 6,000 coral species populating the oceans.



“Coral reefs are an essential ecosystem on our planet,” said study co-author Andrea Grottoli, a professor of Earth Sciences at OSU. Although they occupy less than 0.1 percent of the surface area in the Earth’s oceans, over 30 percent of all aquatic creatures depend on them.&nbsp;



Reef ecosystems are really important for humans too, explained Grottolli, “in that they provide protection to coastlines from erosion and storms, and they’re essential for certain services like tourism and other parts of the economy.”&nbsp;



Due to rising sea temperatures, reefs all over the world are experiencing higher rates of bleaching – a phenomenon during which corals’ skeletons become visible, turning them into a faded, ghostly white. Although bleached corals are not yet dead, mass bleaching events are an indicator of an ecosystem’s declining health, and often lead to mass mortality across marine species.



Yet, even if the global population of coral dwindles, the genetic diversity of coral species helps ensure that at least some of them may be able to adapt and recover.&nbsp;



While longer-term measures to mitigate climate change include curbing greenhouse gas emissions, the study suggests that, in the meanwhile, broad transdisciplinary approaches to creating both local and large-scale ocean sanctuaries that trespass national boundaries are urgently needed.&nbsp;



“Global warming is the No. 1 threat to coral reefs right now,“ Professor Grottoli warned. “So when we think about coral reef conservation, we can't limit ourselves to arbitrary geographic boundaries.”



Moreover, education is a highly important tool in the efforts to protect coral reefs. “People who understand coral reefs, and who understand the value of coral reefs, are much more likely to do something to help protect them,” Professor Grottoli concluded. “If you don’t know anything about coral, and you’ve never seen one, how can you have any empathy or feel any connection to that ecosystem?”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.16192">Global Change Biology</a>. In addition, a list of individual actions individuals can take to protect these endangered ecosystems can be found <a href="http://coralreefs.org/pledge-4-reefs/">here</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

Large-scale ocean sanctuaries needed to protect corals

Our planet’s oceans are home to some of the most...

There are 16 species of beaked whales in the genus Mesoplodon, making this the largest cetacean genus. The habits of most of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-species-are-transforming-coastal-estuaries/">species</a> are largely unknown because the whales are shy, slow-moving and difficult to observe. In fact, some types of beaked whales are only known from dead specimens that have washed ashore.&nbsp;



Mesoplodont whales represent one of the least studied mammalian groups, as evidenced by the fact that three new species have been identified in the past 30 years. The most recent of those species, Ramari’s beaked whale (M. eueu), was described to science just last year.&nbsp;



The beaked whales all tend to have spindle-shaped bodies and small dorsal fins, making the species difficult to tell apart in the field. Also, since they often occur in the same areas and forage at similar depths, they are thought to compete with one another for the same prey items – deep sea squid and small fish. Closely related species usually show different foraging strategies, reflecting the evolutionary drive to optimize foraging performance and minimize interspecific competition. However, this does not seem to be the case amongst this group of closely related beaked whales.&nbsp;



Individuals from some species have been fitted with biologgers, attached to their backs with suction-cups, and the data recorded by these devices has given a glimpse into the underwater lives of these whales. Typically, beaked whales have a low-energy lifestyle. They swim slowly and perform extreme deep dives using an energy-conserving swim-style. They hunt for prey in the ocean depths and can remain underwater for up to an hour.&nbsp;



Sowerby’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens), described in 1804, was the first of these small cetacean species to be identified. But because the species is retiring, seldom observed and lives in open ocean areas, little is known about its behavior. Until recently, individuals from this species had not been fitted with biologgers. However, after years of effort, scientists have now been able to attach the tracking devices to two of these whales and the data has revealed some surprises.&nbsp;



The international team of biologists, led by Fleur Visser of the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en">University of Amsterdam</a> (UvA) and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), received data from the biologging tags that revealed the diving, movement and echolocation strategies of these whales. The results, published recently in the&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/225/9/jeb243728/275372/Sowerby-s-beaked-whale-biosonar-and-movement">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>, showed that Sowerby’s beaked whales actually move around and hunt much faster than other, related species.&nbsp;



When the researchers compared the biologger data for the two Sowerby’s beaked whales with that from the closely related Blainville’s beaked whale, they found that the Sowerby’s whales consistently swam faster, performed shorter deep dives, and echolocated at a faster rate, with higher frequency clicks. Although they hunt at a similar depth (between 800 and 1300 meters), the Sowerby’s whales clearly employ a different hunting strategy from the other beaked whales.&nbsp;



This first record of a ‘fast’ beaked whale suggests that Mesoplodont whales exploit a broader diversity of deep-sea niches than previously thought. The deep-sea is a rich and diverse hunting ground for marine mammal predators, that have clearly developed a wider range of specialized strategies to be able to exploit it than was previously known.&nbsp;



The marked deviation of Sowerby’s beaked whales from the typically slower behavior of other beaked whales also has potential implications for their response to man-made sounds, which appear to be strongly behaviorally-driven in other species.



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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

Some beaked whales live a "faster" lifestyle than expected

There are 16 species of beaked whales in the genus...

A research team led by the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html">University of Bern</a> has recently identified how the brain triages emotions during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strange-dreams-help-us-organize-our-experiences/">dreaming</a> in order to consolidate the storage of positive emotions while dampening the consolidation of negative ones. This study highlights the importance of sleep for mental health and opens new therapeutic pathways for a wide range of psychological disturbances.



REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is a mysterious sleep stage during which most of the dreams occur, together with intense emotional contents. Scientists have long puzzled how and why these emotions are activated during REM sleep. While the prefrontal cortex plays a fundamental role in integrating emotions during wakefulness, it remains surprisingly quiescent during REM sleep. “Our goal was to understand the underlying mechanism and the functions of such a surprising phenomenon,” said study senior author Antoine Adamantidis, a neuroscientist at the University of Bern.



Professor Adamantidis and his colleagues had first conditioned mice to recognize auditory stimuli associated with safety and others associated with danger, and afterwards recorded the mice’s brain activity during sleep-wake cycles. Neurons are composed of a cell body (soma) which integrates information coming from dendrites and sends signals to other neurons via their axons. The researchers found &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; that, during REM sleep, cell somas are kept silent while their dendrites are activated.



“This means a decoupling of the two cellular compartments, in other words soma wide asleep and dendrites wide awake,” explained Professor Adamantidis. Such a decoupling is important because the strong activity of dendrites allows the encoding of both safety and danger emotions, while the inhibition of the soma blocks any output during REM sleep. Thus, the brain seems to favor the discrimination of safety versus danger in the dendrites, but blocks any over-reactions to danger.



According to the scientists, the coexistence of both mechanisms is crucial for the stability and survival of the organism. “This bi-directional mechanism is essential to optimize the discrimination between dangerous and safe signals,” said study lead author Mattia Aime, a neuroscientist at the University of Bern. In cases when such discrimination mechanisms are missing, excessive fear reactions are often generated, leading to anxiety disorders. In post-traumatic stress disorder, for instance, traumatic experiences are over-consolidated in the prefrontal cortex during sleep.&nbsp;



Other mental health issues involving this somatodendritic decoupling include acute and chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and anhedonia. Better understanding how the brain helps to reinforce positive emotions and weaken negative or traumatic ones during REM sleep may open new therapeutic pathways for a wide range of mental illnesses.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk2734">Science</a>.&nbsp;



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

Deep sleep helps us process our emotions

A research team led by the University of Bern has...

Megalodon, or Otodus megalodon, is a famously gigantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-face-an-uncertain-future-due-to-ship-strikes/">shark</a> that became extinct by the end of the Pliocene around 2.6 million years ago. Common are images of someone holding the jaws of the feared great white shark and being dwarfed within reconstructed O. megalodon jaws.&nbsp;



Now, researchers from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences have found something odd. Megalodon teeth are large enough that one can cover the palm of an adult’s hand. The scientists have found one of these giant teeth oddly deformed and they wondered what caused this.&nbsp;



The tooth appeared split. The paleontologists wondered if genetics, a disease or damage to the tooth bud might have caused the tooth to grow in this strange split fashion and so they decided to investigate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“We don’t have a lot of data on double tooth pathologies in ancient shark species,” said Harrison Miller, a former NC State undergraduate student. “So this was an opportunity to fill in those gaps - and perhaps learn more about the sharks in the process.”



The researchers compared the pathological megalodon tooth with two teeth from a modern bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) with the same problem. The teeth were CT scanned so that the internal anatomy could be examined.&nbsp;



The experts determined that the teeth were either incompletely split from or joined to each other during development, but no cause could be identified.



“Sharks have cartilaginous skeletons, not boney skeletons, so preservation of their jaws is rare in the fossil record, and usually, we only find the individual isolated teeth. Additionally, sharks have different mechanisms for tooth development – they have continuous tooth replacement, so you can’t look at what is happening in the rest of the jaw to rule out fusion or gemination," explained study co-author Haviv Avrahami.



It is possible that this particular shark took a bite of a stingray or other painfully sharp prey and damaged its tooth.&nbsp;



“With O. megalodon in particular, the current understanding is that they fed mostly on whales,” Avrahami said. “But we know that tooth deformities in modern sharks can be caused by something sharp piercing the conveyor belt of developing teeth inside the mouth. Based on what we see in modern sharks, the injury was most likely caused by chomping down on a spiny fish or taking a nasty stab from a stingray barb.”



There are, in fact, stingrays that lived in the same area at the same time that the scientists think could have caused a shark a bad toothache.



“When we think of predator-prey encounters, we tend to reserve our sympathy for the prey, but the life of a predator, even a gigantic megatooth shark, was no cakewalk either," said Lindsay Zanno, head of paleontology at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</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

What caused a giant megalodon tooth to split?

Megalodon, or Otodus megalodon, is a famously gigantic shark that...

Forest,Trail,Scene.,Woodland,Path

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-still-have-much-to-learn-about-tree-growth/">Tree</a> planting is often an environmental solution to offset emissions that contribute to climate change. However, if the trees burn in a forest fire, all of the carbon they store could be thrown back into the atmosphere. When trees die, they also stop scrubbing carbon dioxide from the air due to drought or insect damage.



According to new research from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a>, the likelihood of these threats is increasing worldwide. Relying on forests to absorb carbon emissions could be riskier than previously thought.



“U.S. forests could look dramatically different by the end of the century,” said study lead author William Anderegg. “More severe and frequent fires and disturbances have huge impacts on our landscapes. We are likely to lose forests from some areas in the Western U.S. due to these disturbances, but much of this depends on how quickly we tackle climate change.”



The researchers modeled the risk of tree death from fire, climate stress, such as heat or drought, and insect damage for forests throughout the United States, projecting how those risks could increase overtime.&nbsp;



The models found that by 2099, United States forest fire risks may increase between four and 14 times, depending on different carbon emissions scenarios. The risks of climate stress-related tree death and insect mortality could double over the same time.



“Climate change is going to supercharge these three big disturbances in the U.S.,” said Anderegg. “We’ve seen devastating fire seasons with increasing severity in the past several years. Generally, we expect the western U.S. to be hit hardest by all three of these. And they’re somewhat interconnected too. Really hot and dry years, driven by climate change, tend to drive lots of fires, climate-driven tree mortality and insect outbreaks.”



In each model, actions to tackle climate change mattered significantly. Reducing the severity of climate change dramatically reduced the likelihood of fire, drought and insect-driven forest die-off. This signals an opportunity - taking action to address climate change now can help maintain healthy forests, and the offsetting of emissions trees provide.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, David and Lucille Packard Foundation and Microsoft’s AI for Earth.



Click <a href="https://carbonplan.org/research/forest-risks">here</a> to see the findings in an interactive map.



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

Climate change will "supercharge" forest disturbances

Tree planting is often an environmental solution to offset emissions...

On a mild summer evening, grasshoppers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mating-crickets-lower-their-standards-when-exposed-to-traffic-noise/">crickets</a> share an impressive concert to anyone walking by with their chirping. The sounds are usually males trying to attract females to mate with them. But some can be the sound of a rivalry when two males get too close to each other.



In Germany, there are more than 80 Orthoptera species. The feeding habits of grasshoppers are a scientifically exciting topic. Most recently, scientists have been looking to understand how food webs can remain stable under a changing climate.&nbsp;



A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a> has investigated how grasshoppers interact with plants. The researchers investigated orthoptera-plant communities in different regions to complete an analysis along a climatic gradient, at altitudes ranging from 250 to 2,100 meters.



"Grasshoppers are very important for many open grassland ecosystems," said zoologist Sebastian König from the <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/university/">University of Würzburg</a> in Bavaria, Germany. "The insects are an important food source for birds. And as herbivores, they remove up to 30 percent of the plant biomass in a meadow, thus promoting the co-occurrence of many plant species."



During the summers of 2019, 2020 and 2021, the team determined which grasshopper species fed on which plants on 41 grassland sites. They observed more than 3,000 individuals of 54 species and collected the fecal pellets of the animals to analyze the plant remains they contained.



The ecologists tested a hypothesis that it should be advantageous for insects at higher altitudes to feed on a broader range of plant species, because in high alpine environments, the choice of food plants is limited. Therefore, and because of environmental variability, it is advisable not to be too choosy there.



The study partially confirms the theory, as grasshoppers were found to eat a relatively wide range of plants in cold regions. The experts also found that this applies to warm habitats.&nbsp;



However, in temperate habitats the number of plant species is large and grasshoppers are more specialized, feeding on plants that are closely related. Resource composition also plays an important role for the herbivores. For example, grasshoppers with a preference for grasses dominate in meadows with a high proportion of grasses.



"Our results suggest that climate and plant community composition influence the dietary specialization of herbivores. If herbivores devour many different species, this could be an adaptation and a prerequisite for being able to survive in climatically extreme habitats," the researchers concluded.&nbsp;



The scientists now want to gather information about the food niche breadth of herbivorous insects. Next, they will analyze the microorganisms that live in the guts of the grasshoppers. This could reveal potential relationships between the diet and the diversity and composition of the microorganisms.



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

New clues about the feeding habits of grasshoppers

On a mild summer evening, grasshoppers and crickets share an...

At least half a dozen studies in the past have found that children gain weight at a faster rate during the summer holiday months than during the months they attend school. This phenomenon has been attributed to changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restaurant-menus-could-guide-more-climate-friendly-diets/">diet</a> and activity patterns during summer months when children are at home and tend to spend more time in front of screens and consume more unhealthy snacks and sugary beverages.&nbsp;



But a new study that followed changes in mass and height in 3,588 primary school children for five years has now come up with an unexpected result. The US scientists who conducted the study found that children grow faster over the school year than over the summer. And because of the way that weight is usually calculated during these studies, using the body mass index (BMI), the seasonal variation in rate of growth influences the apparent mass of the children.&nbsp;



BMI is calculated using the ratio of body weight in kg to height in meters squared. In the current study, children’s weight and height were measured by nurses twice a year between the time that they entered kindergarten and the time they completed grade 4, a period of five years. The data were used to calculate changes in BMI over the school months and over the summer months.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers found that vertical growth showed a seasonal pattern: children's height increased faster over the school year than over the summer, by an average rate difference of .055 cm/month. In contrast, they found that the rate of weight gain did not differ between seasons, a result that differed from those of previous studies. But with the combination of these two patterns children’s standardized BMI (BMIz) values showed a trend of being higher in summer. In other words, the faster vertical growth during the school months influences the results of BMIz calculations for children during the summer months.&nbsp;



BMIz is individual BMI scaled to the population-specific average BMI, so that a BMIz of one is equal to a BMI one standard deviation above average. Typically, a BMIz of 1.04 is considered overweight, and a BMIz of 1.64 represents an obese individual.



“Despite the pattern of height gain showing greater increase in height during the school year, children's height gain influenced BMIz more strongly during the summer holiday months than during the school year, with weight gain showing a constant increase during the school year,” explained co-author Dr Debbe Thompson, a USDA/ARS research nutritionist and professor at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine. “This differential seasonal impact of height and weight on BMIz lead to a healthier BMIz status during the school year."



The researchers statistically reanalyzed the results from their 2013&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23782089/">study</a>, where they followed 3,588 children who entered kindergarten in September 2005, at any of 41 schools in the Fort Bend Independent School District around the city of Sugar Land in Texas. They followed these children, who were five to six years old at the start, until the fall that followed completion of the fourth grade of primary school, five years later. Nurses measured each child's height and weight twice a year, in mid-September and mid-April. The present reanalysis is more powerful than in 2013, say the authors of the study, which is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.793999/full">Frontiers in Physiology</a>.



“Here we show seasonality in standardized body mass index (BMIz), with children gaining height at a greater rate during the school year compared to the summer,” said study first author Dr Jennette P. Moreno, an assistant professor at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.



“The children's rate of weight gain was more consistent than their rate of gain in height across the year, except among children who started to transition to an unhealthy weight status in the summer after completion of the second grade,” said Dr. Moreno.



It is currently not known what causes the seasonal differences in growth rates. “It's possible that the demands of the school year alter children's exposure to the daily light-dark cycle, which may cause the seasonal pattern in height. Additional studies on children who receive year-round schooling might help to answer this question,” said co-author Dr. Craig A Johnston, an associate professor at the Department of Health and Human Performance of the University of Houston.



“What is clear is that children at the greatest risk of becoming overweight and obese have a less pronounced seasonal impact of height gain on BMIz, indicating they would benefit from obesity prevention efforts throughout the year,” concluded Professor Johnston.



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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

Children grow faster during school year, slower in summer

At least half a dozen studies in the past have...

Time spent in front of a screen is part of the modern child’s everyday life. Children aged 8 to 12, for example, spend an average of 4 to 6&nbsp;hours each day watching videos, gaming and socializing using the screens of their digital <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/screen-time-does-not-inhibit-social-skills-among-kids/">devices</a>. Although digital media brings a variety of new experiences to children, it is not known what the effects of these experiences are on the developing minds and cognitive abilities of young people. Although much research has been done, this topic remains hotly debated.&nbsp;



A recent study by researchers from the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a> in Sweden has focused specifically on the impact of screen time on children’s intelligence, in particular their ability to learn effectively, think rationally, understand complex ideas, and adapt to new situations. The researchers used a sample of just over 9,000 US boys and girls, aged 9 to 10, to investigate how screen habits correlate with the development of cognitive abilities over time.



The team identified three different types of screen time usage: time spent watching&nbsp;TV and online videos;&nbsp;time spent socializing&nbsp;via social media, text, and video chat; and time spent&nbsp;gaming. They estimated the effect of each type of activity on intelligence after accounting for the critical confounding influences of genetic and socioeconomic backgrounds.



At the age of nine or ten, the children performed a battery of psychological tests to gauge their general cognitive abilities (intelligence). The children and their parents were also asked about how much time the children spent watching TV and videos, playing video games and engaging with social media. Then, two years later, just over 5,000 of the children repeated the cognitive tests. This allowed the researchers to study how the children’s performance on the tests varied from the one testing session to the other, and to control for individual differences in the first test.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The results, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-11341-2">Scientific Reports</a>, showed that the children spent an average of 2.5 hours a day watching TV, half an hour on social media and one hour playing video games. They also showed that gaming positively impacted the amount of change in intelligence between the two sets of tests, so that children who played more video games at 9 to 10&nbsp;years showed the greatest gains in intelligence two years later. Children who played more games than average showed an increase in their intelligence scores of approximately 2.5 IQ points more than the average increase.&nbsp;



This result was the same for boys and for girls. Surprisingly, watching TV also showed a positive effect on the change in intelligence but, less shockingly, socializing had no effect on cognitive change. No significant effect was observed, positive or negative, for TV-watching or for social media use.



“We didn’t examine the effects of screen behavior on physical activity, sleep, wellbeing or school performance, so we can’t say anything about that,” said Torkel Klingberg, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet. “But our results support the claim that screen time generally doesn’t impair children’s cognitive abilities, and that playing video games can actually help boost intelligence. This is consistent with several experimental studies of video-game playing.”



A fascinating finding of the study is that intelligence is not a constant but can vary during a person’s lifetime. This is in line with other recent research showing that intelligence is not fixed, but is influenced by environmental factors. More profoundly, the positive cognitive impacts of watching videos and playing video games could partially explain the worldwide gradual increase in intelligence scores over the decades, known as the Flynn effect.&nbsp;The authors state that it is probably not a coincidence that the introduction of video games and computer technologies in the 1970s and 1980s coincides with a slight but discernible increase in the measured rate of increase in IQ scores.&nbsp;



“We’ll now be studying the effects of other environmental factors and how the cognitive effects relate to childhood brain development,” said Professor Klingberg.



One limitation of the study is that it only covered US children and did not differentiate between different types of video games, which makes the results difficult to transfer to children in other countries with other gaming habits. There was also a risk of reporting error since screen time and habits were self-rated.



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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

Video games can help boost children’s intelligence

Time spent in front of a screen is part of...

Dragonflies, one of the most ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-found-a-terrifying-decline-in-flying-insects/">insect</a> species, are highly skilled flyers, exhibiting a repertoire of complicated flight maneuvers. For instance, they have evolved sophisticated reflexes that enable them to right themselves when falling or after being flipped upside-down during flight. 



According to a new study led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>, dragonflies’ nimble righting reflexes are complex processes involving signals from their visual system and dynamic muscular control of wing pitch. 



“Insects have evolved sophisticated reflexes to right themselves in mid-air. Their recovery mechanisms involve complex interactions among the physical senses, muscles, body, and wings, and they must obey the laws of flight. We sought to understand the key mechanisms involved in dragonfly righting reflexes and to develop physics-based models for understanding the control strategies of flight maneuvers,” explained the study authors.



By using a series of kinematic analyses, physical modeling, and three-dimensional flight simulations, the scientists discovered that dragonflies use wing pitch asymmetry between the left and the right wings to drive upright recovery in less than 200 milliseconds. 



In a second step, the experts aimed to determine through behavioral experiments whether these wing movements are elicited by upstream sensory signals. They blocked the insects’ visual systems while observing their ability to perform the complex movements required to flip over. This revealed that the loss of visual sensory information impaired the dragonflies’ ability to perform mid-air righting, implying a clear connection between visual signals and the insects’ motor reflexes. 



“These results suggest a pathway from the dragonfly’s visual system to the muscles regulating wing pitch that underly the recovery,” said the study authors.



“The methods developed here offer quantitative tools for inferring insects’ internal actions from their acrobatics, and are applicable to a broad class of natural and robotic flying systems,” they concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abg0946">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

How do dragonflies right themselves in mid-air?

Dragonflies, one of the most ancient insect species, are highly...

Scientists have long recognized the importance of sleeping and dreaming on cognitive processes such as learning or memory. During sleep, we often experience two alternating phases – non-REM sleep (NREM), when the brain mostly “replays” the sensory stimuli experienced when awake, and REM sleep, when spontaneous bursts of intense brain activity produce vivid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dreams-keep-the-brain-from-becoming-too-familiar-with-everyday-life/">dreams</a>. A research team led by the <a href="https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/">Human Brain Project</a> (HBP) has now used complex simulations of the brain cortex to model how different sleep phases affect learning.



In order to introduce an element of unusualness in the artificial dreams, the scientists took inspiration from a machine learning technique called Generative Adversarial Models (GANs), where two neural networks compete with each other to generate new data from a simple dataset. In this case, a series of simple pictures of objects and animals were combined to produce new artificial images that can look superficially realistic to a human observer.



The researchers simulated the cortex during three distinct states – wakefulness, NREM sleep, and REM sleep. During wakefulness, the model is exposed to pictures of dogs, cars, boats, and other animals and objects. During NREM sleep, the model replays these sensory inputs with some occlusions. In REM sleep, the model creates new sensory inputs through the GANs, generating twisted yet realistic versions and combinations of the inputs. 



To test the performance of the object, the scientists used a simple classifier to evaluate how easily the identity of an object could be read from cortical representations.



“Non-REM and REM dreams become more realistic as our model learns,” said study senior author Jakob Jordan, an expert in Computational Neuroscience at the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html">University of Bern</a>. “While non-REM dreams resemble waking experiences quite closely, REM dreams tend to creatively combine these experiences.”



Interestingly, when the REM phase was suppressed in the model, or when the dreams were made less creative, the accuracy of the classifier decreased. When the NREM phase was removed, the representations tended to become more sensitive to sensory perturbations.



These findings suggest that wakefulness, NREM, and REM sleep have complementary functions for learning: experiencing the stimuli, solidifying those experiences, and discovering semantic concepts.&nbsp;



“We think these findings suggest a simple evolutionary role for dreams, without interpreting their exact meaning,” said study lead author Nicolas Deperrois, a doctoral student in Computational Neuroscience at Bern. “It shouldn't be surprising that dreams are bizarre: this bizarreness serves a purpose. The next time you’re having crazy dreams, maybe don't try to find a deeper meaning - your brain may be simply organizing your experiences,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/76384.pdf">eLife</a>.&nbsp;



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

Strange dreams help us organize our experiences

Scientists have long recognized the importance of sleeping and dreaming...

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

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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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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

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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



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

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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

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