<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some children read facial expressions when making food choices.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-people-s-reactions-influence-children-s-eating-habits">Other people's reactions influence children's eating habits</h2>



Many children are finicky eaters, but research explains how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-learned-why-so-many-kids-dislike-vegetables/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watching others eat and social modeling</a> influence the eating habits of children.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Study Methodology Demonstrates Social Learning Impact</h2>



Researchers at <a href="https://www.aston.ac.uk/hls/school-of-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aston University School of Psychology</a> have published findings in Frontiers in Psychology that illuminate the neurobiological foundations of food preference development through observational learning. The investigation employed controlled video stimuli featuring adults consuming raw broccoli while displaying systematically varied facial expressions to measure participant responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asymmetrical Response Patterns Identified</h2>



The research, conducted with 204 female participants, revealed a pronounced asymmetry in social modeling effects. Negative facial expressions during vegetable consumption significantly diminished observer food preference ratings, while positive expressions failed to produce corresponding increases in vegetable appeal. This finding challenges conventional assumptions about the bidirectional nature of social influence in dietary behavior formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evolutionary Psychology Framework Applied</h2>



Dr. Katie Edwards and her research team propose that these results reflect adaptive mechanisms developed through evolutionary processes. The heightened sensitivity to disgust expressions likely functions as a protective system, enabling individuals to identify potentially harmful foods through social cues without direct risk exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clinical and Educational Implications</h2>



These findings carry substantial implications for pediatric nutrition interventions and family meal dynamics. The research suggests that parental expressions of distaste during vegetable consumption may inadvertently reinforce children's existing food aversions through unconscious social transmission pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Future Research Directions</h2>



The study establishes a foundation for expanded investigation into real-time social modeling effects and cross-demographic applicability. Researchers emphasize the necessity for longitudinal studies examining actual consumption behaviors rather than preference ratings alone, particularly within family contexts where social learning occurs most frequently.



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Social modeling affects our food choices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc Some children read facial expressions when making food choices. Other people's reactions influence children's eating habits Many children are finicky eaters, but research explains how watching others eat and social modeling influence the eating habits of children. Study Methodology Demonstrates Social Learning Impact Researchers at Aston University School of Psychology have published findings in Frontiers in Psychology that illuminate the neurobiological foundations of food preference development through observational learning. The investigation employed controlled video stimuli featuring adults consuming raw broccoli while displaying systematically varied facial expressions...

Beneath the stable crust of North America, scientists have discovered something extraordinary: the deep roots of the continent are slowly dripping away in blobs of rock.&nbsp;



This unusual geologic process appears to be driven by the remnants of an ancient tectonic plate, revealing a rare opportunity to observe “cratonic thinning” as it happens in real time.&nbsp;



The phenomenon was identified by researchers at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas at Austin</a>. Study lead author Junlin Hua conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow at UT’s Jackson School of Geosciences.



“We made the observation that there could be something beneath the craton,” said Hua. “Luckily, we also got the new idea about what drives this thinning.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-and-why-is-north-america-dripping">How and why is North America dripping?</h2>



Cratons are ancient, stable rock formations that form the deep cores of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-only-has-six-continents-not-seven-tectonic-plates-under-iceland-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">continents</a>. Some have remained relatively unchanged for billions of years.&nbsp;



However, these formations are not immune to change. In rare cases, they lose parts of their structure, particularly their deepest root layers - a process known as cratonic thinning.



This thinning has been observed before in places like the North China Craton, which lost a substantial portion of its root millions of years ago.&nbsp;



But what sets the new discovery apart is that the process is happening now, under the Midwestern United States, providing scientists with a live glimpse of how continents can subtly reshape from within.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mantle-dynamics-and-tectonic-plates">Mantle dynamics and tectonic plates</h2>



Despite the striking nature of the discovery, researchers stress that there is no immediate threat to the surface landscape. The dripping occurs in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-earths-mantle-shapes-surface-topography/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s mantle</a> at a glacial pace, and over time it is expected to taper off.&nbsp;



The process is driven by mantle dynamics, which influence how tectonic plates evolve but do so on a timescale of millions of years.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/north-america-continent_dripping-into-mantle_credit-UTexas_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/north-america-continent_dripping-into-mantle_credit-UTexas_1s.webp" alt="A figure from the study showing rock dripping from the craton. The researchers hypothesize that the dripping is caused by the remnants of the subducting Farallon slab below the craton. Click to enlarge. Credit: Hua et al., Nature Geoscience" class="wp-image-1964272"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A figure from the study showing rock dripping from the craton. The researchers hypothesize that the dripping is caused by the remnants of the subducting Farallon slab below the craton. Click to enlarge. Credit: Hua et al., Nature Geoscience</figcaption></figure>



Eventually, the effect will fade as the driving force behind the thinning - an ancient tectonic plate - sinks deeper into the Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-legacy-of-the-farallon-plate">Hidden legacy of the Farallon Plate</h2>



The research team attributes this geologic activity to the lingering presence of the Farallon Plate, a former oceanic plate that began subducting beneath North America roughly 200 million years ago.&nbsp;



Although the remnants of the plate are now about 600 kilometers below the surface, the study suggests it still plays an active role in reshaping the continent above it.



Thorsten Becker is a co-author of the study and professor at the Jackson School’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Institute for Geophysics.&nbsp;



“This sort of thing is important if we want to understand how a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-hidden-pattern-in-planet-orbits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet</a> has evolved over a long time,” said Becker. “It helps us understand how do you make continents, how do you break them, and how do you recycle them [into the Earth.]”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detailed-insights-into-earth-s-interior-nbsp">Detailed insights into Earth's interior&nbsp;</h2>



The research stems from a broader seismic modeling project led by Hua, now a professor at the <a href="https://en.ustc.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Science and Technology</a> of China. 



The model uses a technique called full-waveform seismic tomography, which offers detailed insights into the Earth's interior by analyzing how seismic waves travel through different materials.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/north-america-continent_dripping-into-mantle_seismic-map_credit-UTexas_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/north-america-continent_dripping-into-mantle_seismic-map_credit-UTexas_1s.webp" alt="Seismic waves pass through different geological features at different speeds. This map shows seismic speed in the Earth’s crust at 200 kilometers depth across the continental United States and portions of Central America and Canada. The North American craton (outlined in black dashes) has a high seismic velocity compared to its surroundings. Click to enlarge. Credit: Hua et al., Nature Geoscience" class="wp-image-1964274"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Seismic waves pass through different geological features at different speeds. This map shows seismic speed in the Earth’s crust at 200 kilometers depth across the continental United States and portions of Central America and Canada. The North American craton (outlined in black dashes) has a high seismic velocity compared to its surroundings. Click to enlarge. Credit: Hua et al., Nature Geoscience</figcaption></figure>



Developed with support from co-author Stephen Grand and his team, the model was built using seismic data from the <a href="https://www.earthscope.org/about/earthscope/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthScope project</a>.



“Because of the use of this full-waveform method, we have a better representation of that important zone between the deep mantle and the shallower lithosphere where we would expect to get clues on what’s happening with the lithosphere,” Becker said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visualizing-the-dripping-of-north-america-nbsp">Visualizing the dripping of North America&nbsp;</h2>



The high-resolution model allowed scientists to visualize the dripping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-complete-record-of-snowball-earth-found-in-rock-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rock formations</a> for the first time and to trace their connection to the Farallon Plate.&nbsp;



The experts believe the plate influences the flow of mantle material in a way that scrapes and weakens the underside of the North American craton. It may also release volatile substances that further degrade the craton’s stability.



Interestingly, although the dripping appears most concentrated in a specific area beneath the Midwest, the entire craton - which spans most of the United States and Canada - shows signs of thinning. 



“A very broad range is experiencing some thinning,” Hua said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modeling-the-earth-drip">Modeling the Earth drip</h2>



To test the mechanics of the process, the researchers built a dynamic computer simulation. When the Farallon Plate was included in the model, the craton’s base began to drip. 



When the plate was removed, the dripping stopped - strong evidence linking the two phenomena.



Becker emphasized that while no model is perfect, the resemblance between the simulation and observed data suggests the researchers are on the right track.&nbsp;



“You look at a model and say, ‘Is it real, are we overinterpreting the data or is it telling us something new about the Earth? But it does look like in many places that these blobs come and go, that it’s (showing us) a real thing.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



This discovery adds a new layer to scientists’ understanding of how continents evolve over geological time. 



It demonstrates that even the most ancient and seemingly immutable structures beneath our feet are still subject to deep and hidden forces.&nbsp;



As researchers continue to refine seismic imaging technologies and develop more detailed models of Earth’s interior, they may uncover even more about the dynamic processes shaping our planet from below.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01671-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Scientists discover that North America is 'dripping' underneath, down into Earth's mantle

Beneath the stable crust of North America, scientists have discovered...

Cities do not sleep. Streetlights glow, billboards shimmer, and skies rarely turn fully dark. For humans, this makes late-night activity easier. For wildlife, especially birds, this shift in natural light can change the rhythm of life itself.



A new study shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-bird-populations-are-rapidly-shrinking-and-now-scientists-know-why/">birds</a> are singing later into the night in areas where artificial light brightens the sky.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-pollution-and-bird-activity">Light pollution and bird activity</h2>



Brent Pease, assistant professor in Southern Illinois University’s <a href="https://sfh.siu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Forestry and Horticulture</a>, and Neil Gilbert, assistant professor of biology at Oklahoma State University, gathered global data on more than 180 million bird vocalizations.



The researchers compared these calls with satellite imagery to study how birds respond to artificial night light.



“We were shocked by our findings: Under the brightest night skies, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/">bird</a>’s day is extended by nearly an hour,” Pease said. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-classroom-project-that-grew">A classroom project that grew</h2>



Pease began this project as a creative way to spark interest among undergraduates. He installed a microphone at Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, sending live birdsong into the Agriculture Building miles away. Soon, students could watch <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-struggling-to-keep-pace-with-a-warming-climate/">species</a> activity on building monitors.



To advance the effort, Pease used <a href="https://birdweather.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BirdWeather</a> devices. These tools, linked with Wi-Fi, GPS, and sensors, connect to BirdNET, a system developed by the Cornell <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lab of Ornithology</a> and Chemnitz University of Technology. The dashboard revealed in real time which birds were nearby.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-birds-act-under-light">How birds act under light</h2>



“We started seeing - in real time - which birds were at Touch of Nature, right in our Agriculture Building,” Pease said. 



“I realized that I stumbled upon something really important for wildlife research. All of a sudden, we not only know where species are but how they are behaving 24/7.”



Pease explained that BirdWeather allowed researchers to study bird behavior across vast regions and time spans, much like trail cameras transformed mammal research decades ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-golden-age-of-bird-conservation">Golden age of bird conservation </h2>



“We are just now entering the golden age of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-evolution-timeline-pushed-back-20-million-years-by-baminornis-zhenghensis-discovery/">avian</a> conservation, all through machine learning and participatory science,” Pease said. He has long worked with citizen-science projects, including sound monitoring during the April 8, 2024 eclipse.



With BirdNET, researchers transformed audio recordings into spectrograms that visually capture each bird’s unique call. These were compared against a database of over 6,000 species.



Please noted that the machine learning algorithm makes it possible to analyze 24/7 audio recordings, which would otherwise take lifetimes to listen to.



“Neil and I are the first, to our knowledge, to apply and analyze the BirdWeather data in this way," said Pease.



"We have many research options, but first we focused on how birds are responding to global light pollution, which is a growing concern for humans and wildlife alike.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-eyed-birds-react-more-to-light">Big-eyed birds react more to light</h2>



The study revealed that the average delay in rest was about one hour, but not all species reacted equally.



“The next question was: why?” Pease said. “What is driving this response by birds? We had the idea that maybe it was a species’ photoreceptor sensitivity - their eyesight. And this turned out to be a key factor." 



"Species with large eyes relative to their body size had a disproportionately stronger response to artificial light at night. They were more sensitive to light at night than species with small eyes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-s-effect-on-birds">Pollution's effect on birds</h2>



The supplementary analysis also looked at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-birds-get-road-rage-when-exposed-to-traffic-noise/">noise pollution</a>, which often accompanies artificial light. Birds near roads behaved differently than those farther away, suggesting that noise can shift vocal activity.



However, the researchers concluded that the most consistent behavioral shifts were tied to light, not sound.



Interestingly, nocturnal species showed the opposite pattern. In bright landscapes, they vocalized less and shortened their nightly activity. 



For example, in the darkest settings a nocturnal bird might call around 1.6 times per night, while in bright environments it dropped closer to 1.1 times. Moonlight also played a role, amplifying or reducing activity depending on its phase.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-citizen-science-at-its-best">Citizen science at its best</h2>



Whether these changes benefit or harm birds is not yet clear. Extended time awake might provide more opportunities to feed or attract mates, but it could also mean reduced sleep and higher stress.



“This is citizen-science at its best,” Pease said. “A technology designed for people to check out the species in their own backyards has acquired an unprecedented amount of data since 2021 - over 1.4 billion vocalizations from more than 11,000 locations across the globe."



"Neil and I are determined to continue to apply the technology for wildlife conservation.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv9472" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Light pollution makes birds around the world sing longer each day

Cities do not sleep. Streetlights glow, billboards shimmer, and skies...

A fish built for the margins just turned up in a Canadian river that does not need any new surprises. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (<a href="https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/index-eng.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DFO</a>) confirmed a pond loach, also called the oriental weatherfish, in the LaHave River near New Germany, Nova Scotia, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-native-species-are-spreading-at-an-exponential-rate/">first record</a> for the Maritimes.



This species breathes air using part of its intestine, which helps it weather poor water conditions and even brief time on wet land. 



“The Japanese weatherloach can exchange gases with air via the posterior region of the alimentary canal,” wrote <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/133/1/371/5412/Respiratory-Physiology-of-Intestinal-Air-Breathing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brian McMahon</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pond-loach-survival-skills">Pond loach survival skills</h2>



It can endure drought by burrowing and surviving extended dry spells in mud, which is unusual for a freshwater fish. 



In <a href="https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/bio_facpubs/252/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Idaho</a>, individuals survived more than 81 days without water or food in experiments that tracked real, wild fish from local populations.



Cold offers little relief. Laboratory tests estimated a critical thermal minimum, the lowest temperature at which normal function is possible, between 30.2 and 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit, with fish surviving in direct contact with ice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-fish-worries-canada">Why this fish worries Canada</h2>



Nicholas E. Mandrak, University of Toronto Scarborough (<a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UTSC</a>), studies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-lampreys-help-scientists-decode-stem-cell-origins/">aquatic invasive fishes</a> in Canada. His work has helped shape national screening and detection approaches that aim to keep high risk species out of local waters.



Once established, pond loach can change the character of still and slow waters by rooting through bottom sediments for food. 



Controlled experiments in Australia reported significant cuts to macroinvertebrates, the small animals without backbones that feed fish and amphibians, along with higher turbidity and nitrogen levels in the water column.



The species also moves parasites around the world. A team working in New York found Asian monogenean flatworms on feral weatherfish, found evidence that introduced fish can ferry nonnative parasites with risks for other fishes and possibly amphibians when host switching occurs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-it-beats-tough-conditions">How it beats tough conditions</h2>



Air breathing is not a party trick here, it is a physiology. Intestinal breathing complements gills and skin, and the gut also plays a role in moving ammonia out of the body, a key reason weatherfish keep going in oxygen poor backwaters where many species stall.



These traits add up to flexibility. The fish can use shallow, silty margins, slip into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-aquatic-weed-is-spreading-rapidly-in-the-northeastern-u-s/">aquatic plant</a> beds, and wait out heat, cold, or low oxygen in ways that give it options when conditions swing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-a-single-female-does-not-tell-us">What a single female does not tell us</h2>



One fish does not make a population. A single, egg-bearing female is a warning flag, but by itself it does not prove the species is established or spreading in Nova Scotia.



Reproduction in this species is more complicated than a slogan. Most populations reproduce sexually, yet some lineages are triploid clones that use <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12130809/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gynogenesis</a>, egg development triggered by sperm without incorporating the sperm’s DNA, which allows clonal females to produce offspring once the developmental switch is flipped.



Hybridization matters too. In Europe, crossing experiments between the native weatherfish Misgurnus fossilis and the nonnative M. anguillicaudatus found “no evidence for postzygotic barriers,” wrote <a href="https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/67708/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Josef Wanzenböck</a>.



Fecundity (the possible number of offspring that can be produced over a lifetime) in introduced North American populations can be high by small fish standards. 



In New York, unmated females sampled from feral waters carried about 150 to 18,000 oocytes, and ovary weight reached up to 19 percent of body weight, which helps explain how local numbers can ramp up once conditions suit them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-pond-loaches-live">Where pond loaches live</h2>



The species is already present in British Columbia, with confirmed records in the Lower Fraser Valley and clear provincial rules that prohibit possession, breeding, release, sale, or transport of live weatherfish.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/northern-pike-are-sneaking-through-the-ocean-to-invade-new-lakes/">South of the border</a>, long running records show it can settle in different kinds of habitats. A published note from Washington <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286872334_An_oriental_weatherfish_Misgurnus_anguillicaudatus_population_established_in_Washington_State" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documented</a> an established population in the Lake Washington system at the turn of the century.



On the other side of the country, field work in the Hudson River Valley found feral populations using vegetated, silty stream reaches, with stomach contents dominated by small invertebrates.



These threads show a pattern. Pond loach thrives where current is gentle, bottoms are soft, and food is small and abundant, the very places many native minnows, sunfish, and amphibians also need.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-people-can-do-now">What people can do now</h2>



Never release aquarium fish, bait, or water into local streams or ponds, and do not move live fish between waterbodies. In British Columbia, for example, those actions are <a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1079/cabicompendium.75075" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">illegal</a> because of the risk of establishment and spread.



Costs pile up when invaders gain a foothold. A 2025 analysis linked species ranges and macroeconomic data to estimate global economic costs of biological invasions over the last six decades.



This underscores how prevention and early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-murder-hornets-eradicated-us-invasion-officially-stopped/">detection pay off</a> compared with long cleanups.



“The costs could have reached 35 billion dollars per year over the last 60 years,” noted the <a href="https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-023-00750-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Doñana Biological Station</a> press office.



The biodiversity stakes are not hypothetical. A major intergovernmental assessment concluded invasive alien species have contributed to about 60 percent of recorded global extinctions, a stark reminder that moving species around has consequences that reach far beyond a single creek bend.



The study is published in <a href="https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=498" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Invasive fish breathes through its intestines and carries dangerous parasites

A fish built for the margins just turned up in...

Sixty-six million years ago, North America saw long, dark winters. Fossils now suggest tiny primates were already there, coping with ice and snow.



A new <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2423833122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> turns the usual tropical origin story on its head. The research combines hundreds of fossils with climate models to track primate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-endangered-primate-species-identified-in-new-report/">ancestors</a> through time.



“Our findings flip that narrative entirely,” said Jorge Avaria-Llautureo, an evolutionary biologist at the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a>. His team traced the primate family tree back to chilly northern forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-primates-adapted-to-freezing-climates">Primates adapted to freezing climates</h2>



The team worked with the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/global/climate-zones/jetstream-max-addition-k-ppen-geiger-climate-subdivisions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Köppen-Geiger</a> climate system, a scheme that sorts environments by average heat and rain. Their maps place the earliest true primates in a zone with hot summers and sub-freezing winters.



That habitat fits today’s upper Midwest more than a steamy jungle. It means our lineage started where annual temperature swings could reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit.



These ancestors likely looked like nimble squirrel-sized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-dominance-in-primates-is-more-common-than-we-thought/">creatures</a>. They foraged at night, avoiding daytime chill.



Statistical models show a 70% chance that the first crown primates lived in what is now North America, with 30% pointing to Western Europe - territories then sitting near 45° N before plate motion. Their later travels reflect how moving land and changing skies steered evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-reveal-primate-movement">Fossils reveal primate movement</h2>



Fossils alone cannot solve the puzzle because they capture animals only where sediments preserve bones. The new study adds computer methods that simulate how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visually-striking-primate-features-ease-tension-and-reduce-conflict/">species</a> move across shifting landmasses.



By feeding 902 living and extinct species into BayesTraits software, the group estimated branch-by-branch journeys. They then matched positions with climate layers produced by the Hadley climate model.



The results indicate that early primates stayed in cold or temperate zones for at least 18 million years. Tropical forests entered the picture much later.



Warmer global temperature spikes such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum did not speed their spread. Instead, local temperature swings mattered most.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-primates-made-long-journeys">Early primates made long journeys</h2>



When ancestral lineages ventured into new climate categories, they tended to roam farther. Major moves often involved crossing climate boundaries rather than continents.



Median treks reached roughly 349 miles, compared with 85 miles for moves within familiar conditions. The bigger jumps exposed populations to novel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/primates-face-an-uncertain-future-due-to-climate-change/">habitats</a> and pressures.



Such leaps helped generate new species by separating kin groups long enough for them to drift apart genetically. The pattern echoes broad ecological models that link dispersal to diversification.



Independent work on North American mammals predicts roughly 9 % of species will fail to outrun current warming trends, underlining the cost of slow feet. Swift past wanderers hint at which modern lineages could thrive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-primates-survived-cold">How primates survived cold </h2>



How could small primates endure months of scarce food and sub-freezing nights? One answer is hibernation, a state in which body temperature and metabolism plunge.



Today’s dwarf lemurs in Madagascar sleep underground for up to seven months each year, a strategy first documented in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15215852/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2004</a>.



Later <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep01768" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fieldwork</a> showed that other dwarf lemur species also hibernate when mountain air turns icy.



These living examples show that primate physiology can slow to bear-like torpor, supporting the idea that ancient relatives did something similar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-climate-shifts-caused-changes">Fast climate shifts caused changes</h2>



The Reading group found that the rate, not the direction, of local change predicted primate success. Rapid swings in heat or rain pushed species to travel or perish.



That insight matters today because many forests are shifting faster than ever measured. Flexible species may cope, while specialists could hit a wall.



The study also separates global averages from local reality. A place can warm overall yet still see harsher cold snaps or erratic storms that jar wildlife.



Conservation planners often model future ranges with coarse climate grids. The new work argues for finer, neighborhood-scale maps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-origin-ideas-were-wrong">Old origin ideas were wrong</h2>



Textbooks have long tied primate origins to lush equatorial canopies. That view leaned on early fossil finds labeled “paratropical” without rigorous climate checks.



By applying a single classification standard, the team showed that many supposed rain-forest sites were actually cool mixed forests.



The conclusion challenges popular origin theories like “visual predation,” which assume dense, warm vegetation shaped grasping hands and forward eyes. Those traits may have first evolved among conifers instead.



The researchers also found that <a href="http://cwd.huck.psu.edu/Bio414/Rosids.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rosid</a> plants, common in temperate woods, diversified around the same time, offering fruit and sap to budding primates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-primates-adapted-to-shifting-climates">Primates adapted to shifting climates</h2>



Early primates were tougher and more mobile than usually portrayed. They met freezing dawns, marched hundreds of miles, and only later settled in the tropics where most descendants remain.



Their story suggests resilience has always underpinned primate history, yet it came with extinctions for lineages that failed to keep pace.



Modern humans, one branch of that hardy clan, now drive the climate engine. Understanding our icy roots may remind us how quickly fortune can flip.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2423833122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Early primates evolved in cold climates, not tropical jungles

Sixty-six million years ago, North America saw long, dark winters....

Exposure to industrial pollution during pregnancy may ripple across generations. New evidence shows a child faces a higher risk of intellectual disability if a grandmother lived near clusters of industrial facilities while pregnant with one of the parents. 



The risk grows with the density of facilities, and signals are strongest through the maternal line, according to the study.



The work, led by the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Utah</a>, draws on rare multigenerational records to test whether historical industrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-people-die-from-air-pollution-each-year-yet-theres-still-a-lack-of-monitoring/">pollution</a> can shape neurodevelopment in descendants who were never directly exposed in the womb.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-air-pollution-s-future-toll">Air pollution’s future toll</h2>



“We know that breathing polluted air is dangerous for our own health now, but it’s scary to imagine what it could do to people’s unborn grandchildren,” said Sara Grineski, professor of sociology at the University of Utah and lead author of the study.



“The evidence from this study and many others force us to ask: What will be the legacy of the decisions that we make today?”



About one percent of Americans live with an intellectual disability. Past studies have tied risk to direct fetal exposure to toxins such as lead or mercury. The intergenerational question has been harder to test in people.



“It's much easier to study multigenerational effects on animals," Grineski said. "The research in humans is much harder to do - we have longer lifespans, we’re not going to expose people to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastics-supercharge-toxin-absorption-in-plants-and-humans/">toxins</a> on purpose, and it’s hard to get data on people who were alive 80 years ago.” 



“But it’s really important, especially as you think about intergenerational equity - what do we need to do to protect our future children and grandchildren?”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historic-data-on-pollution-exposure">Historic data on pollution exposure</h2>



The team used the Utah Registry for Autism and Developmental Disabilities and the <a href="https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/huntsman/utah-population-database" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Utah Population Database</a> to identify children born statewide between 2000 and 2014. They selected those diagnosed with an intellectual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-plastics-linked-to-disability-risks-for-coastal-residents/">disability</a> and a control group without such diagnoses.



The population database uniquely retains linked birth certificates and historical addresses for parents and grandparents. This allowed the researchers to pinpoint where families lived during each pregnancy.



To reconstruct industrial exposure, the study tapped Dun &amp; Bradstreet business directories. Those listings include facility locations, years of operation, and <a href="https://www.census.gov/naics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North American Industry Classification System</a> codes.



The codes helped estimate health-relevant hazard profiles. Using those data, the team calculated the density of industrial facilities within two to three miles of each residence during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pregnancy-may-speed-up-aging-in-women/">pregnancies</a> of the child’s mother, the maternal grandmother, and the paternal grandmother.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-toxic-exposure-footprints">Tracking toxic exposure footprints</h2>



Roger Renteria, a doctoral candidate in sociology, and Kevin Ramos, then an undergraduate GIS researcher, led the geospatial work.



“Industrial activity often produces concentrated releases of toxic pollutants that can persist in soil, air, and water for decades,” Renteria said.



“Linking facility data to historical residential addresses makes industrial exposure data especially valuable for studying multigenerational health impacts, which is rarely possible with other environmental hazards.”



Ramos said the process changed how he saw his own neighborhood. “It’s easy to overlook how much our surroundings influence our development and overall health. While working with the data, I discovered polluting industries near my own home that I hadn’t known about,” he said.



“Very few studies have explored this issue, and we believe our work is only beginning to uncover the long-term impacts industrial pollutants may have across generations.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-generational-effects-revealed">Generational effects revealed</h2>



The analysis found a consistent signal. A child’s odds of intellectual disability rose if any grandparent had lived near industrial facilities while pregnant with either parent.



The association was strongest for pollution exposure to the maternal grandmother pregnant with the child’s mother. The relationship followed a dose–response pattern: higher facility density correlated with higher risk.



The team also estimated the mother’s exposure during her own pregnancy with the child. That allowed them to consider present-day and ancestral exposures together. The results suggest risks can stack across time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-medicine-meets-environmental-history">Medicine meets environmental history</h2>



Multigenerational effects complicate standard risk assessments. They extend the timeline of harm and the circle of those affected. They also raise questions of fairness. Communities living near industrial zones in the past may still be paying a price through their descendants today.



Grineski argues that health care and environmental agencies should respond. “Ancestral exposures, with present-day exposures, may contribute to cumulative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-exposure-increases-mental-health-risks/">health risks</a>,” said Grineski.



“The multigenerational impacts of toxics must be taken seriously by medical professionals, government agencies, and anyone concerned with protecting future generations.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decisions-ripple-through-generations">Decisions ripple through generations</h2>



This is observational research, not a controlled trial. It cannot prove a specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-ever-detection-of-a-toxic-chemical-pollutant-in-the-atmosphere-mccps/">pollutant</a> caused a specific outcome. But the study’s strengths are notable: large linked datasets, verified addresses, and standardized industry codes across three generations.



The authors plan to probe mechanisms in future work. They will examine whether particular facility types, eras of operation, or mixtures of pollution exposures drive stronger effects.



The core message is simple: industrial decisions echo. They can shape risks for children not yet born when the smokestacks were active. That makes prevention urgent and cleanup more than symbolic. It is a way to reduce harm for families today and ease the burdens carried by their grandchildren tomorrow.



The stakes are summed up in Grineski’s question: What do our choices leave behind? The answer, this study suggests, lies not only in the air we breathe now, but also in the futures we pass along through our family trees.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969725015293?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of the Total Environment</a>.



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Impacts of industrial pollution exposure echo across generations

Exposure to industrial pollution during pregnancy may ripple across generations....

If an extraterrestrial civilization went hunting for human-made signals, the best time to listen would be during lineups between Earth and other planets. The best places to look would be solar systems oriented edge-on to us, within a few dozen light-years.



That’s the message from a new analysis of our strongest, most persistent transmissions into deep space. The study was led by researchers at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a> and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.



The experts mapped 20 years of human deep-space communications to show when and where they would be most detectable by observers beyond the solar system. The findings could improve our own search strategies for technosignatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-extraterrestrial-communications">Detecting extraterrestrial communications</h2>



“Humans are predominantly communicating with the spacecraft and probes we have sent to study other planets like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-captured-in-true-color-like-youve-never-seen-the-red-planet-before/">Mars</a>,” said lead author Pinchen Fan, a graduate student in astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State.



Because Mars does not fully block transmissions, a distant spacecraft or planet aligned with Earth and another Solar System body could detect the spillover.



“This suggests that we should look for alignment of planets outside of our solar system when searching for extraterrestrial communications,” she said.



SETI scientists sift the sky for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/searching-for-technosignatures-from-intelligent-life-in-the-cosmos/">technosignatures</a> - signs of past or present technology - as evidence of intelligent life.



“Researchers often search the universe for signs of past or present technology, called technosignatures, as evidence of intelligent life,” Fan said. 



“Considering the direction and frequency of our most common signals gives insights into where we should be looking to improve our chances of detecting alien technosignatures.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-decades-of-space-transmissions">Tracking decades of space transmissions</h2>



The team analyzed public logs from NASA’s Deep Space Network (<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/communicating-with-missions/dsn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DSN</a>). This trio of powerful antenna complexes in California, Spain, and Australia that uplinks commands and downlinks data to and from interplanetary spacecraft and space telescopes.



The researchers matched each DSN transmission to the targets’ positions, reconstructing the timing and directionality of Earth’s most potent radio beams.



“NASA's Deep Space Network provides the crucial link between Earth and its interplanetary missions like the New Horizons spacecraft and the James Webb Space Telescope,” said co-author Joseph Lazio, a project scientist at <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>.



“It sends some of humanity's strongest and most persistent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-detect-more-than-20-mysterious-radio-signals-from-space/">radio signals</a> into space, and the public logs of its transmissions allowed our team to establish the temporal and spatial patterns of those transmissions for the past 20 years.”



Most of those beams point toward Mars missions. Others target spacecraft elsewhere in the Solar System and observatories parked at the Sun–Earth Lagrange points. These are gravitational sweet spots where telescopes like the JWST hover in a stable alignment as seen from Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-signals-during-planetary-alignments">Earth signals during planetary alignments </h2>



Because the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/interstellar-tunnel-cosmic-channel-discovered-connects-our-solar-system-to-other-stars/">Solar System</a> is essentially flat - think planets tracing paths on a dinner plate - DSN transmissions hug Earth’s orbital plane, with the vast majority within five degrees of it. Eavesdroppers are most likely to catch our signals when Earth aligns with another planet.



”Based on data from the last 20 years, we found that if an extraterrestrial intelligence were in a location that could observe the alignment of Earth and Mars, there’s a 77 percent chance that they would be in the path of one of our transmissions,” Fan said.



“If they could view an alignment with another solar-system planet, there is a 12 percent chance they would be in the path of our transmissions.”



In practical terms, an average DSN signal would be detectable with Earth-class radio telescopes out to roughly 23 light-years, the team calculated. Focusing on edge-on star systems and timing observations with planetary alignments could greatly improve success odds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-earth-s-signals-as-a-guide">Using Earth’s signals as a guide</h2>



Astronomers already watch exoplanets during transits, when a world crosses its star and dims it from our perspective. That same planetary alignment is when spillover from another civilization’s interplanetary chatter would most likely pass our line of sight.



“However, because we are only starting to detect a lot of exoplanets in the last decade or two, we do not know many systems with two or more transiting exoplanets,” Fan said.



“With the upcoming launch of NASA's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasas-roman-space-telescope-hopes-to-solve-the-dark-matter-mystery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope</a>, we expect to detect a hundreds of thousands previously undetected exoplanets, so our potential search area should increase greatly.”



The team noted that this alignment-first strategy also applies to searches for optical technosignatures. Future spacefaring societies may prefer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lasers-make-quantum-materials-reveal-their-hidden-properties/">lasers</a> for deep-space links, which spill less than radio beams. These signals would still be most detectable along the transmitter’s line to its target.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-searching-for-alien-signals">Searching for alien signals</h2>



“Humans are pretty early in our spacefaring journey," said Professor Jason Wright, the director of the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center and co-author of the study. "As we reach further into our Solar System, our transmissions to other planets will only increase.” 



The next step is to identify nearby star systems that match those criteria, focusing on planetary alignments, and estimate how often any given system would have been swept by Earth’s beams over the past two decades.



In a field where vast search spaces collide with limited telescope time, aiming at the cosmic equivalents of our own “Mars call” geometry could be the efficiency gain that finally turns a faint whisper into a first hello.



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Planetary alignments may hold the key to detecting alien life

If an extraterrestrial civilization went hunting for human-made signals, the...

Moisture isn’t just a background player in the atmosphere. New research shows it can make one kind of atmospheric block dig in and linger while weakening another. 



The study helps explain why some heat waves, cold spells, droughts, and flood patterns persist for days or weeks - and why some climate models have predicted fewer blocking events as the planet warms.



The research was led by Zhaoyu Liu, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at <a href="https://www.eaps.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>. Lei Wang, an assistant professor who conceived the idea and served as corresponding author, set the study in motion.



Their paper reframes a decades-old assumption about a “dry” atmosphere and replaces it with a moisture-aware view of how atmospheric blocks evolve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-the-jet-stream-stops">When the jet stream stops</h2>



Atmospheric blocking occurs when large-scale pressure patterns stall the normal west-to-east flow. Ridge blocks are bulging domes of high pressure that shove the jet stream north and often anchor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/africas-heat-waves-are-getting-hotter-longer-and-deadlier/">heat waves</a>.



Dipole blocks pair a high and low side by side, locking contrasting weather in place. In both cases, persistence is the problem. The longer the block, the greater the impacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dry-theories-miss-moisture">Dry theories miss moisture</h2>



“Since the beginning of modern meteorology (around the 1940s), most classical theories for atmospheric blocking were developed based on the assumption that we are living in a completely dry world,” Wang said.



“Obviously, that assumption was helpful for simplifying the processes to its essence, but a completely dry assumption is not the case in the real atmosphere.”



In reality, moist air rises, condenses, and releases latent heat. That “diabatic” heating changes pressure patterns, feeds certain waves, and can either reinforce or erode a block. The question has been how - and whether the answer differs by block type.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moisture-s-split-role-in-the-atmosphere">Moisture’s split role in the atmosphere</h2>



The team shows that the atmosphere’s moisture doesn’t act uniformly. It amplifies some blocks and damps others.



“We find that while moisture-induced diabatic heating is conducive to the persistence of ridge blocks, it exerts a surprising damping effect that significantly weakens the amplitude of dipole blocks,” Wang said.



That split personality helps untangle a climate-model puzzle. As the air warms, it can hold more moisture. If moisture makes ridges tougher but softens dipoles, then the balance of blocking behaviors can shift.



Some models have projected fewer total blocks in a warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/looking-to-earths-ancient-climate-to-predict-our-future/">climate</a>. The new mechanism shows how a moister atmosphere could, paradoxically, reduce the strength or number of dipole blocks even as it props up ridges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-physics-of-blocking">The physics of blocking</h2>



To move beyond patterns and into causes, the researchers leaned on the geopotential height tendency equation. This is a backbone of atmospheric dynamics and links heating and motion to changes in pressure surfaces aloft.



With it, they offered a physical interpretation for how latent heat released by condensation can reinforce high-pressure domes while sapping the seesawing strength of adjacent high–low pairs. 



The result is a clearer mechanistic bridge from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clouds-are-shrinking-and-making-the-earth-hotter/">clouds</a> and rain to the fate of stalled weather regimes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-road-rules-meet-weather">Road rules meet weather</h2>



Wang compares blocked flows to congestion on a highway. “Without considering moisture, yes, blocks can happen,” Wang said.



“However, the role of moisture is just like the road condition at the time of the traffic jam. Sometimes, if the blocks are of different shapes (such as trough or dipole), they may exert an influence to reduce the strength of the blocks.”



In other words, depending on the configuration, moisture can act like a slick surface that loosens the jam. Or, for ridge blocks, it can be the sticky pavement that slows everything down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moisture-improves-forecasts">Moisture improves forecasts</h2>



“Blocking events usually lead to extreme weather events, such as heat waves or cold spells or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-triggers-early-autumn-by-forcing-leaves-to-fall/">droughts</a>,” Wang said.



“Recognizing and unraveling these distinct roles of diabatic heating for different types of blocks will help us to better predict the evolution of blocking events.”



That prospect matters most on the subseasonal-to-seasonal timescales - two to eight weeks ahead&nbsp; where forecast skill is notoriously thin and societal stakes are high.



Improved treatment of moisture-block interactions can help forecasters anticipate whether a ridge will lock down and intensify a heat wave, or whether a dipole configuration will fade sooner than expected. 



This insight can also help climate modelers diagnose why different models disagree on blocking trends and adjust physics accordingly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wetter-view-of-extremes">A wetter view of extremes</h2>



Wang’s group studies large-scale dynamics on Earth and other planets, with a particular eye on blocks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/">extreme weather</a>. The goal is to close the forecast gap on events that cause outsized damage but remain hard to predict. 



This study’s message is both simple and actionable: moisture matters, and it matters differently depending on the shape of the block.



That insight updates a foundational theory without discarding its elegance. It takes the clean “dry-world” framework of classic meteorology and adds the messy ingredient that nature never leaves out. 



In doing so, it offers a path to sharper warnings for the high-impact spells that define our weather memories - when heat lingers, rain won’t quit, or cold air refuses to budge.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60811-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Moisture in the atmosphere causes extreme weather to last longer

Moisture isn’t just a background player in the atmosphere. New...

For decades, young quaking aspen struggled to grow beyond waist high in Yellowstone. Elk snipped off tender shoots year after year, and the forest’s understory stayed bare.



That pattern is finally changing as a new wave of young trees pushes upward toward the canopy. The shift is not subtle either, and it carries lessons about predators, plants, and how ecosystems reset after long pressure.



Wolves came back to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/upload/2023-Wolf-Report-final_web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yellowstone</a> in 1995 and, over time, elk behavior and distribution shifted, with winter counts showing most elk north of the park boundary and fewer inside where aspen stands are concentrated. 



The new study was led by <a href="https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/users/luke-painter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke E. Painter</a>, an ecologist at Oregon State University (<a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OSU</a>).



Ecologists call this a <a href="https://trophiccascades.forestry.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/Beschta2023_foodwebs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trophic cascade</a>, the indirect, systemwide effects that follow the loss or return of an apex predator, and Yellowstone has become a clear test case for that idea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-wolves-impact-on-aspens">Measuring wolves impact on aspens</h2>



Across 87 aspen stands, researchers documented, in 2020 to 2021, the first new overstory cohort since the 1940s, with 43 percent of stands now containing young trees about 2 to 4 inches in DBH (Diameter at Breast Height).



That's an average of 1,460 stems per hectare, about 590 per acre, and a 152 fold jump in sapling and young tree density relative to the late 1990s.



Height matters here because trees taller than roughly 6.6 feet are far less likely to be clipped, and lower browsing rates lined up with more saplings making it above that escape height.



Field teams combined random plots with stand wide checks to avoid missing scattered pockets of tall saplings. 



That approach captured places where a few sheltered stems, sometimes protected by fallen logs, had finally slipped past the nibbling zone.



Earlier work had hinted at this turn, showing young aspen getting taller in the late 2000s as herbivory eased in parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-aspen-trees-are-growing-again-thanks-to-reintroduction-of-wolves/">Northern Range</a> and aspen began to rebound.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aspens-and-wolves-matter">Why aspens and wolves matter</h2>



<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_rm/rm_gtr119.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aspen</a> stands act like biodiversity magnets, supporting shrubs, wildflowers, birds, insects, and mammals, including beavers that use aspen for food and building.



Their open canopy lets more light reach the ground, which boosts understory growth and, in turn, the wildlife that depends on it.



The picture is not uniform across the landscape, and one reason is bison. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.10369" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> shows bison can physically break young aspen and flatten progress in sites they frequent, creating a local bottleneck on tree recruitment even where elk pressure has dropped.



“The reintroduction of large carnivores has initiated a recovery process that had been shut down for decades,” said Painter. 



Some stands now bristle with tall saplings, while others still lag as browsers concentrate or as woody debris barriers shift and decay.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-ripple-effects">Broader ripple effects</h2>



The resurgence of aspen in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/">Yellowstone</a> is not happening in isolation. Stands that have regained height are also improving conditions for riparian zones, with more shade over streams helping regulate water temperatures that support aquatic species. 



Insects tied to willow and cottonwood habitats are benefiting as well, creating more food sources for fish, amphibians, and birds.



Scientists note that these indirect benefits can extend far beyond the immediate forest edges. As more diverse vegetation takes hold, soil stability improves, reducing erosion during heavy rains and spring runoff. 



This interconnected chain of changes underscores how apex predator restoration can set off physical and biological adjustments that reshape entire landscapes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-comes-next-for-yellowstone">What comes next for Yellowstone</h2>



If browsing stays moderate and fire continues to reset patches of conifers, aspen coverage could keep expanding in more places. 



Warmer, drier summers and bison pressure may counter that expansion in others, so the future likely holds a mix of thriving and stubborn stands.



Either way, the northern range is no longer locked in the old pattern of elderly aspen with empty understories. Young trees are finally stepping up to replace the fading overstory.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112725004499" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



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The return of wolves revives trees that had not grown for 80 years

For decades, young quaking aspen struggled to grow beyond waist...

Botanists have formally described a new parasitic plant from the Canary Islands, Orobanche andryalae, after two decades of field work and very patient verification.



It is a tiny member of the <a href="https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/141300/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">broomrape group</a> that taps the roots of other plants for water and nutrients, then blooms with understated charm on harsh volcanic ground. It took time, care, and a steady hand to show it really was something new.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orobanche-andryalae-is-different">Orobanche andryalae is different</h2>



Broomrapes are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/holoparasite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">holoparasites</a>, plants that lack green leaves and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-fairy-lantern-species-thismia-aliasii-cant-photosynthesize/">do not photosynthesize</a>, so they attach to hosts underground and siphon resources quietly until they flower. 



That life strategy, effective yet discreet, helps explain why species can be missed or misnamed for years.



The species stands out by a distinctive set of floral traits, including a markedly cernuous, or nodding, corolla and a high point where the filaments attach inside the flower, features that hold steady even when cultivated.



It grows on thermophilous, or heat loving, volcanic substrates and shows a tight association with Andryala species as hosts, a combination recorded in northern Lanzarote, northwest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-camera-technology-vtt-captures-the-most-detailed-images-ever-taken-of-the-sun/">Tenerife</a>, and the Jandía area of Fuerteventura.



The authors also provide an identification key for the Canary Islands’ broomrapes, a practical step that will reduce future mix ups in this tricky genus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-field-notes-to-greenhouse-proof">From field notes to greenhouse proof</h2>



Researchers watched Orobanche andryalae in the wild for 23 years, logging five plants at a population near Yé and about 40 near Haría on Lanzarote between 2020 and 2022, which helped map its patchy presence and year to year swings.



They then <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-manage-to-grow-plants-from-ancient-seeds-that-are-2000-years-old/">raised the parasite from seed</a> on its host at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden to confirm that the key traits remain constant in cultivation, an important check when field conditions can blur the picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-identification-took-so-long">Why identification took so long</h2>



Orobanche andryalae sits in a cluster of small flowered species where fine details of floral shape and hair patterns matter, and where different names have historically been applied to similar faces. 



Taxonomists have long flagged that this subsection is hard to resolve with morphology alone, especially when pressed herbarium specimens lose color and nuance.



Past <a href="https://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/publication/41327/europe-pubmed-central" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> on broomrape biology shows why confusion arises. Local lineages can evolve to prefer particular hosts, which leads to look alike plants with different genetic backstories.



Experimental work has also documented host specific races in Orobanche minor, a close relative, offering a useful model for how host choice can shape divergence in parasitic plants.



In that context, the authors’ combined approach, blending stable floral characters, host identity, and ecology, makes the case for species status without waiting on a perfect phylogeny. The careful cultivation step further strengthens it, because it shows the defining traits are not just environmental artifacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-orobanche-andryalae">Protecting Orobanche andryalae</h2>



Based on today’s records, the species occurs in few localities and in low numbers, so the authors recommend treating it as “Data Deficient” until long term surveys reveal more, a cautious call that respects limited data while flagging potential concern.



<a href="https://treatment.plazi.org/GgServer/html/9D4999B2BB8A52749E9914F6898766F1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orobanche</a> seed banks can, however, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-wollemi-pine-from-the-jurassic-period-is-the-most-protected-tree-on-earth/">remain viable for decades</a>. Apparent absences may hide dormant populations that can reappear when conditions swing in their favor.



The main host, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270066891_Andryala_perezii_Asteraceae_a_New_Species_from_the_Canary_Islands" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andryala perezii</a>, is locally common within a narrow range on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, which hints that more parasite sites may be found as surveys intensify and as botanists check associated Asteraceae more closely.



Seed ecology studies in related broomrapes indicate that prolonged viability is plausible, which bolsters the case for multi-year monitoring before firm threat assessments are made.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parasitic-plants-in-the-spotlight">Parasitic plants in the spotlight</h2>



Taxonomy can feel like naming for naming’s sake, yet here it unlocks clear signals for conservation, survey priorities, and basic biology. 



A stable name tied to diagnostic traits lets land managers, herbaria, and local botanists speak the same language when they report new finds.



It also puts a spotlight on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-orchids-turn-parasitic-when-conditions-allow/">parasitic plants</a>, a group that quietly shapes plant communities by redistributing resources underground. 



That influence is often overlooked because the action happens at the root, out of sight and away from casual paths.



Finally, this story shows why patience matters in field botany. Twenty three years is a long haul, yet this timescale fits a plant that can vanish for seasons, return in small bursts, and test how carefully we look.



The study is published in <a href="https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/141300/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PhytoKeys</a>.



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Leafless and mysterious parasitic plant survives by stealing water from other plants

Botanists have formally described a new parasitic plant from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://eros.usgs.gov/image-gallery/image-of-the-week">USGS</a> shows how one of the worst natural disasters in history reshaped the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. 

In December of 2004, an earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra was so intense that it lifted the seafloor several meters and sent tsunami waves in every direction. The 9.1-magnitude Indian Ocean Earthquake ranks as the third must powerful on record. 

Waves that reached the coast of Sumatra were as high as 30 meters. Landsat images show where the vegetation was completely stripped away along the coast, as well as the recovery in the years that followed. 

Video Credit: USGS

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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

Indian Ocean tsunami reshaped the coast of Sumatra

Today's Video of the Day from the USGS shows how...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University</a> describes how lobster shells have inspired 3D printed concrete with the strength to support more complex structures.

The researchers designed special 3D patterns based on the natural toughness of lobster shells. When these new patterns were combined with a specialized concrete mix, the product was stronger than traditional concrete.

"3D concrete printing technology has real potential to revolutionise the construction industry, and our aim is to bring that transformation closer," said Dr. Jonathan Tran. 

"Our study explores how different printing patterns affect the structural integrity of 3D printed concrete, and for the first time reveals the benefits of a bio-inspired approach in 3DCP."

"We know that natural materials like lobster exoskeletons?have evolved into high-performance structures over millions of years, so by mimicking their key advantages we can follow where nature has already innovated."

Video Credit: RMIT University 

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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

Lobster shells have inspired stronger concrete

Today's Video of the Day from RMIT University describes how...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/video">NASA Goddard</a> describes how Earth's warming trend is influencing major weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts.

Unprecedented heat in the atmosphere, on land, and in the ocean will extend far beyond 2020, which is now ranked as the hottest year on record.

Global warming is the result of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that have been released in the atmosphere as a result of human activities. These gases remain in the atmosphere for a long time, which means that the consequences, such as record-breaking storms and wildfires, will persist.

Video Credit: NASA Goddard 

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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

The consequences of global warming in 2020

Today's Video of the Day from NASA Goddard describes how...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> features Vanderbilt University chemist Dr. Steven Townsend, who is one of the leading breast milk experts in the world. 

Dr. Townsend is studying human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which are complex sugar molecules found in human breast milk.

Human milk oligosaccharides not only promote the development of beneficial gut bacteria in growing babies, but also help stop the development of bad bacteria. 

A mother can produce more than 200 different kinds of oligosaccharides in breast milk, and the formula constantly changes according to the unique needs of her baby. 

Dr. Townsend is working to uncover the specific functions of human milk oligosaccharides in an effort to help baby formula companies improve their products.

Video Credit: American Chemical Society 

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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

Uncovering the secrets of human breast milk

Today's Video of the Day from the American Chemical Society...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> reveals that 2020 was essentially the single hottest year on record. 

According to scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, the year’s globally averaged temperature was 1.84 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the baseline 1951-1980 average 

The scientists determined that 2020 was warmer than 2016 by such a small margin that the two are now effectively tied as the hottest years observed since modern record-keeping began. 

“The last seven years have been the warmest seven years on record, typifying the ongoing and dramatic warming trend,” said GISS Director Gavin Schmidt. “Whether one year is a record or not is not really that important - the important things are long-term trends. With these trends, and as the human impact on the climate increases, we have to expect that records will continue to be broken.”

The 2020 GISS values represent surface temperatures that were averaged over the whole globe and throughout the entire year. According to NOAA, parts of the continental United States experienced record high temperatures in 2020, while others did not.

Video Credit: NASA Goddard 

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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

2020 was the hottest year on record

Today's Video of the Day from NASA Goddard reveals that...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features stunning images captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft that has been studying the Moon for over a decade. 

According to NASA, the tour of the lunar surface by the Orbiter Mission reveals both the visual beauty and scientific value of the landscape.  

Video Credit: NASA Goddard 

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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

The fascinating landscapes of the Moon

Today's Video of the Day from NASA Goddard features stunning...

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NASA telescope will capture millions of galaxies Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard#">NASA Goddard</a> describes the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, one of the most iconic images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.

In 2003, Hubble focused on what looked like a patch of empty sky for hundreds of hours. The image captured countless galaxies across the universe that date back to within a few hundred million years of the Big Bang. Also NASA telescope will capture millions of galaxies as shown in the video above.

While Hubble observed thousands of galaxies by looking in a single direction, NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will be able to capture millions of galaxies this way. The telescope has the capability to photograph an area of the sky at least 100 times larger than Hubble with the same sharpness. With the Hubble Space Telescope, we have begun to understand galaxies as time capsules that chronicle how the universe evolved, from the birth of stars within them to the buildup of immense galaxy clusters. However, this modern realization of the cosmic role and significance of galaxies, including our own, took centuries to emerge.

Video Credit: NASA Goddard 

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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

NASA telescope will capture millions of galaxies

NASA telescope will capture millions of galaxies Today's Video of...

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Looking inside of a mini-brain Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://wysscenter.ch/">Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering</a> describes a new way to study "mini-brains" that could accelerate drug research while reducing the need for animal testing. 

"Despite advances in growing mini-brains, it has been difficult to understand in detail what is going on inside - until now," said study senior author Professor Adrien Roux.

"Typically, to look inside a mini-brain, we slice it thinly and view it on a slide under a microscope. This is a slow process that can damage the sample. Now, for the first time, we have produced high resolution 3D images of single neurons within intact 'mini-brains', revealing their remarkable complexity," explained study lead author Dr. Subashika Govindan. To grow a mini-brain in the lab, scientists take skin stem cells and reprogram them into pluripotent stem cells, which can develop into any type of bodily cell or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/molecular-switch-tissue-renewal/">tissue</a>. From there, researchers place them in a cell culture that mimics the environment that allows our own brains to grow. Looking inside of a mini-brain shows Scientists have grown a miniature brain in a dish with a spinal cord and muscles attached, an advance that promises to accelerate the study of conditions such as motor neurone disease.

Video Credit: Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering, Geneva, Switzerland and HEPIA

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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

Looking inside of a mini-brain

Looking inside of a mini-brain Today's Video of the Day...

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Observing the outer planets Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) project,  which was designed to obtain to help experts investigate the atmospheric dynamics and evolution of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Yearly observations from Hubble will provide an important series of images that can be studied by planetary scientists. Here we explain the characteristics of the outer planets : Although they are further from the Sun, they are all within the solar system. The outer planets are also known as gaseous planets , since they do not have a solid surface. The outer planets are also known as giant planets , since their size is much larger than that of the inner planets. Like the Inner Planets, the Outer Planets share similarities but each also has its own unique characteristics. As well as all being huge and being made up mostly of gases , all four have rings spinning around them, with Saturn having the most famous rings. All four planets also have large numbers of moons orbiting them.  Observing the outer planets shown in the video above will show you the mission schedule events.

Video Credit: NASA Goddard 

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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

Observing the outer planets

Observing the outer planets Today's Video of the Day from...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> features a collection of striking images of Earth captured from the International Space Station.

Astronauts onboard the ISS take thousands of photographs of the Earth every year. The top 20 of 2020 were selected by experts at the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

The images can be found at the <a href="https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/">Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth</a>. 

Video Credit: NASA 

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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

Most incredible Earth images of 2020

Today's Video of the Day from NASA features a collection...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes all of the exciting missions that are coming up in 2021, including the launch of a telecommunications satellite called Quantum. This satellite is the first of its kind that can be reprogrammed from space. 

 "As the world leaves behind the strange and challenging year of 2020, we look towards 2021 with a mixture of relief and expectation. And this is the same at ESA, where we look forward to a brighter and very exciting 2021," writes the ESA.

"This year will see Vega-C making its maiden flight, two ESA astronauts start long-duration missions on board the International Space Station, and BepiColombo and Solar Orbiter continuing their voyages around the Solar System."

Video 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

Exciting year ahead for the European Space Agency

Today's Video of the Day from the European Space Agency...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> describes all of the incredible sights you can see in the sky this month.  

On January 20, Uranus will be visible between the Moon and Mars. Locate the crescent Moon and Mars within two hours after it gets dark and look for the faint, bluish disk of Uranus. 

During the last two weeks of January, Mercury can be seen just after sunset. Find a spot with a clear view, and Mercury will appear to the west just a few degrees above the horizon.

Video Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

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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

Mercury and Uranus will appear in January

Today's Video of the Day from the NASA Jet Propulsion...

News coming your way