Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features the port city of Derna on the northeastern coast of Libya, where heavy rainfall caused catastrophic flooding that killed thousands of people.&nbsp;



"On September 10 and 11, over 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain fell on Derna. The city lies at the end of a long, narrow valley, called a wadi, which is dry except during the rainy season," explained NASA.



"Floods triggered two dams along the wadi to collapse. The failure of the second dam, located just one kilometer inland of Derna, unleashed 3- to 7-meter-high floodwater that tore through the city. According to news reports, the flash floods destroyed roads and swept entire neighborhoods out to sea."



The image was captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9 on September 18. It shows the eroded banks of Wadi Derna, and muddy water off the coast.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Preliminary estimates by the United Nations Satellite Center (UNOSAT) indicate that 3,100 buildings in Derna were damaged by rushing water. According to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 40,000 people in the country were displaced by the storm, and 30,000 of those were displaced from Derna," said NASA.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Aftermath of catastrophic flooding in Derna, Libya

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory &nbsp;features...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features the western region of Morocco, where a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on September 8, 2023. The violent earthquake killed thousands of people and many are still missing more than a week later.



"The damage proxy map shown above is a NASA Earth Observatory version of a map created by the Earth Observatory of Singapore - Remote Sensing Lab (EOS-RS). The map uses modified Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite data processed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and with software originally developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech," said NASA.



"To map the landscape, including buildings, Sentinel-1’s radar sends pulses of microwaves toward Earth’s surface and 'listens' for reflected echoes of those waves. In the map above, the damage proxy data from EOS-RS was laid over a Landsat 9 image and combined with a digital elevation model based on data collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission."



According to NASA, the most severe destruction occurred in small rural villages in the High Atlas Mountains. Near the epicenter, entire communities were destroyed.



A resident of the town of Tinzert, Hakim Idlhousein, told CNN that it took just 10 seconds for his whole village to disappear. The homes have been reduced to rubble, and the survivors are still waiting for government aid. These hardest-hit regions have been difficult to reach after roads were destroyed by the earthquake.&nbsp;



"Help has been slow to come and has so far mostly consisted of food and water brought up into the mountains in private cars by volunteers from across Morocco," reported CNN.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Entire villages destroyed by earthquake in the High Atlas Mountains

Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Cook Strait, which separates New Zealand's North and South Islands.



"Named after James Cook, who was the first European to sail through it, the PoipuCook Strait is just 23 km wide at its narrowest point, so on a clear day it is possible to see across the strait. However, it is also renowned as one of the roughest and most unpredictable stretches of water in the world, owing to strong winds, conflicting currents and variable tides," says ESA.



"This dynamic environment is depicted here by the various shades of blue in the water and swirls. Both shores feature steep cliffs which, in the image, result in the white colour caused by the big waves crashing against the rocky coast."



New Zealand is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, consisting of two main islands, both marked by volcanoes and glaciation. It is known for its stunning and diverse landscapes, which include beaches, mountains, forests, lakes, and farmland. The capital city is Wellington, while the most populous city is Auckland, both located in the North Island.



The country is renowned for its strong commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability. It has a diverse economy with key sectors including tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and services. New Zealand is famous for its dairy industry, especially the export of products like milk and cheese.



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Cook Strait, New Zealand

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

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Mendenhall Glacier - a stunning glacier located about 13 miles from downtown Juneau in Southeast Alaska. Mendenhall is easily accessible and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year.&nbsp;



The photograph was captured on July 28, 2023 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. When compared to a previous image captured in 1985 by Landsat 5, scientists found that Mendenhall had retreated by about one mile.



According to NASA, thinning has also taken a toll on the glacier during the past four decades, causing it to narrow by about 2,000 feet at the bend closest to its front.



"Mendenhall Glacier started retreating in the mid-1700s following a period of glaciation that began 3,000 years ago. But in recent decades, Alaska has been warming twice as fast as the rest of the United States, helping to push the region’s glaciers into an especially steep decline," said NASA.



"The Juneau Icefield, of which Mendenhall Glacier is a part, lost 63 out of 1,050 small glaciers inventoried between 2005 and 2019. During that same period, the icefield lost 10 percent of its glacier area."



The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center provides excellent views of the glacier and offers interpretive programs about the natural history of the glacier. The center is a popular destination for tourists visiting Juneau.



There are several activities available for tourists including guided walks, boat tours, and even ice cave explorations. The glacier and its surroundings also offer opportunities for wildlife viewing.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Mendenhall Glacier in Southeast Alaska

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features a dark patch of water located east of the Delmarva Peninsula. The image was captured on May 6, 2023 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite.&nbsp;



"The bright, silvery appearance of much of the water is due to sunglint - an optical phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of the water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views it. The result is mirror-like specular reflection that shows up as long, bright areas in MODIS data," explains NASA.



"The 'roughness' of the water surface can influence how sunglint areas appear in MODIS images - sometimes creating distinctive patterns within them. Most of the time, winds create enough waves and choppiness in the water that light gets reflected in a variety of directions (diffuse reflection) as it hits the sea surface."&nbsp;



With weaker winds, the sea surface is smooth. This was the case at the time the photograph was captured along the U.S. East Coast.



Scott Bachmeier is a research meteorologist with the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.



“Within a region of light winds, the appearance of the rather flat underlying water surface - either darker than adjacent water, or extremely bright - depends on the sun-satellite geometry,” explains Bachmeier.



Chuanmin Hu is a professor of Optical Oceanography at the University of South Florida.



“In this case, the dark features were likely areas with very weak winds,” says Professor Hu. ”But other things that change the ‘roughness’ of the water can lead to changes in sunglint patterns as well. These include oil slicks, freshwater slicks, ship wakes, ocean circulation, internal waves, and ocean circulation.”



“Some of the narrow dark features inside Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay may be partly due to freshwater, but freshwater slicks are not generally as large as the main dark patch visible east of the Delmarva Peninsula."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Dark features appear near the Delmarva Peninsula

The Balanophoraceae family, when stumbled upon in the forest, might be dismissed as mere <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-distribute-enormous-amounts-of-co2-to-mycorrhizal-fungi/">fungi</a>, thanks to their peculiar mushroom-like structures. However, these aren't your average mushrooms. They are actually inflorescences, small gatherings of flowers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-parasitism-nbsp">Extreme parasitism&nbsp;</h2>



Rather than simply taking nutrients from host plants using a haustorium, as seen in many parasitic species, Balanophora takes parasitism to another level. It encourages the host plant's vascular system to grow into its tuber.&nbsp;



This results in an unprecedented underground organ formed from both the host and parasite tissue. It's within this chimeric tuber that Balanophora steals nutrients from its host.



Dr. Xiaoli Chen of <a href="https://www.bgi.com/global" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BGI Research</a> and her team set out to explore the evolutionary origins of these subtropical parasites. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shrinking-genomes">Shrinking genomes</h2>



In collaboration with Dr. Sean Graham, a botanist from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of British Columbia</a>, Dr. Chen compared the genomes of Balanophora and Sapria, another extreme parasitic plant. While they belong to different families and have varying appearances, their genomic narratives turned out to be surprisingly similar.



According to the study, both Balanophora and Sapria displayed record shrinkages for flowering plants, losing 28 and 38 percent of their genomes, respectively, as they evolved to full-blown parasitism.&nbsp;



“The extent of similar, but independent gene losses observed in Balanophora and Sapria is striking,” said Dr. Chen. “It points to a very strong convergence in the genetic evolution of holoparasitic lineages, despite their outwardly distinct life histories and appearances, and despite their having evolved from different groups of photosynthetic plants.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-discovery-nbsp">Unexpected discovery&nbsp;</h2>



Both plants displayed an almost total loss of genes associated with photosynthesis, which is not surprising given that they give up their photosynthetic ability.&nbsp;



However, what was unexpected was the discovery of the loss of genes vital for other biological functions such as root development, nitrogen absorption, and flower development regulation.&nbsp;



In essence, these parasites seemed to have discarded a significant amount of gene families typically found in green plants, only retaining crucial genes or their copies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategic-gene-loss">Strategic gene loss</h2>



An astonishing revelation was the parallel loss of genes related to the synthesis of a significant plant hormone - abscisic acid (ABA) - in both plants.&nbsp;



Even in the absence of these genes, ABA hormone accumulation was found in Balanophora's flowering stems, with ABA signaling response genes still intact in both parasites.



"The majority of the lost genes in Balanophora are probably related to functions essential in green plants, which have become functionally unnecessary in the parasites,” said Dr. Graham.&nbsp;



“That said, there are probably instances where the gene loss was actually beneficial, rather than reflecting a simply loss of function. The loss of their entire ABA biosynthesis pathway may be a good example. It may help them to maintain physiological synchronization with the host plants. This needs to be tested in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



Highlighting the broader context, Dr. Huan Liu of BGI Research mentioned the 10KP project, which aims to sequence 10,000 plant genomes.&nbsp;



"The study of parasitic plants deepens our understanding of dramatic genomic alterations and the complex interactions between parasitic plants and their hosts," said Dr. Liu.&nbsp;



"The genomic data provides valuable insights into the evolution and genetic mechanisms behind the dependency of parasitic plants on their hosts, and how they manipulate host plants to survive."



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01517-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Plants</a>.



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Extreme parasitism: Balanophora convinces a host to grow into its tissue

The Balanophoraceae family, when stumbled upon in the forest, might...

Dolphin,Portrait,Detail,Of,Eye,While,Looking,At,You,From

In a recent study, researchers have discovered that a staggering 72% of cetacean and pinniped stocks under U.S. jurisdiction exhibit high or very high vulnerability to the threats posed by climate change. The main threats to these marine mammals include rising ocean temperatures and changes in water composition. 



Pinnipeds are “flipper-footed” animals such as seals, sea lions, and walruses, while cetaceans are species that cannot survive on land, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-embedded-in-tissues-of-whales-and-dolphins/">whales</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/dolphin-everything-you-need-to-know-about-these-magical-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dolphins</a> and porpoises.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-and-marine-mammals">Climate change and marine mammals</h2>



The study, led by Matthew D. Lettrich from <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA Fisheries</a>, sheds light on the susceptibility of marine mammals in US waters to the ever-intensifying impacts of a changing climate.



Several factors drive this vulnerability. As the Earth's climate undergoes rapid alterations, the distribution, behavior, and movements of marine mammals are being significantly influenced.&nbsp;



Key agents of this change include warming ocean temperatures, diminished sea ice cover, increased ocean acidity, changing salinity levels, and declining dissolved oxygen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study-nbsp">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



Until now, while <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/climate/climate-vulnerability-assessments" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate Vulnerability Assessments</a> (CVAs) provided insights into the climate impacts across a spectrum of species, none had specifically delved into US-managed marine mammals. 



Recognizing this gap, the researchers embarked on a comprehensive assessment of 108 marine mammal stocks spanning the western North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.&nbsp;



The goal was to gauge their exposure to climate change and their inherent ability to adapt to its consequences.



To do this, the team used 16 climate-related factors that are likely to influence marine mammals directly or indirectly via their prey or habitat.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alarming-results-for-marine-mammals">Alarming results for marine mammals</h2>



The assessment revealed that a startling 44% of marine mammal stocks were found to have a “very high” climate vulnerability score. Baleen whales, medium-sized whales, toothed whales, and dolphins were found to have the greatest risk.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The primary culprits affecting these species were identified as alterations in ocean temperature, acidity, and dissolved oxygen levels, which have direct repercussions on their prey availability and habitat conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changes-in-sound-transmission-nbsp">Changes in sound transmission&nbsp;</h2>



Moreover, a less explored facet of climate change impacts on marine mammals is the changes in sound absorption and transmission in waters due to fluctuating pH and temperature levels.&nbsp;



This has significant implications for species that rely on echolocation for activities like communication, hunting, and foraging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystem-management-and-conservation">Ecosystem management and conservation</h2>



“These results provide information for researchers, managers, and the public on marine mammal responses to climate change to enhance the development of more effective marine mammal management, restoration, and conservation activities that address current and future environmental variation and biological responses due to climate change," wrote the study authors.



"This vulnerability assessment provides a tool that can complement other marine mammal assessment techniques and support the broader implementation of protected species and ecosystem management and conservation as the climate changes.”



The researchers would like for the marine mammal climate vulnerability assessment to be repeated when enhanced input data is available, such as higher-resolution climate projections and better species-specific biological information.



“Using a systematic approach allowed us to look across all of these stocks and better understand what drives their vulnerability to climate change," said Lettrich.



"We can now go out and look at some of these individual responses to climate change, and explore approaches to reduce the impacts of climate change on these vulnerable populations.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0290643">PLOS ONE</a>.



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Marine mammals in U.S. waters are highly vulnerable to climate change

In a recent study, researchers have discovered that a staggering...

NASA is edging closer to the conclusion of its ambitious seven-year mission, aiming to prevent a catastrophic collision of a massive asteroid named <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/asteroids/101955-bennu/overview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bennu</a> with Earth. Recent findings have indicated that there's a 1 in 2700 chance of Bennu slamming into Earth on September 24, 2182.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-menace-of-asteroid-bennu">The menace of asteroid Bennu</h2>



Roughly the size of the iconic Empire State Building, Bennu spans about a third of a mile wide. The potential aftermath of its predicted collision with Earth could equate to the explosive energy of 22 atomic bombs. 



The asteroid makes its presence felt by passing Earth approximately every six years. However, scientists anticipate that its most perilous close encounter could be a mere 159 years away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">OSIRIS-REx mission</h2>



In a proactive move, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> dispatched a spacecraft to Bennu in 2016. This mission was crucial for collecting samples and advancing the agency's strategy to stave off a doomsday-like asteroid deflection scenario.



"It feels very much like the last few miles of a marathon, with a confluence of emotions like pride and joy coexisting with a determined focus to complete the race well,” expressed an impassioned Rich Burns, the project manager for OSIRIS-REx at NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goddard Space Flight Center</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Historic sample collection</h2>



In October 2020, NASA's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/osiris-rex-is-bringing-an-asteroid-sample-back-to-earth-this-month-worrying-many-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OSIRIS-REx</a> spacecraft made history by alighting on Bennu's surface and procuring a chunk of rocky material. Weighing in at approximately 8.8 ounces (250 grams), this represents not only NASA's inaugural asteroid sample but also the largest ever extracted from space.



Come next Sunday, at around 3.42 pm BST, the world will watch with bated breath as the OSIRIS-REx mission dispatches this precious sample <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OSIRIS-REx_mission_infographic_2big-scaled.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">back to Earth</a>. After traversing 63,000 miles, the spacecraft will relinquish a capsule, roughly the size of a mini-fridge, preserving the sample.



Hurtling towards Earth at an intense 28,000 mph and enduring temperatures akin to double that of lava, the capsule's descent will be <a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20381/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tempered using parachutes</a>. This will ensure a controlled landing in the Great Salt Lake Desert, Utah, marking the culmination of the OSIRIS-REx's monumental seven-year odyssey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Deciphering the secrets of the solar system</h2>



These asteroid fragments are expected to furnish scientists with a rare peek into the planet formation phenomena that created our solar system approximately 4.5 billion years ago.



"Pristine material from asteroid Bennu will help shed light on the formation of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago and perhaps even on how life on Earth began,” elucidated Nicola Fox, an associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Origin of asteroid Bennu's name</h2>



Discovered in September 1999 by the <a href="https://www.ll.mit.edu/impact/watch-potentially-hazardous-asteroids" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research</a> (LINEAR) survey, the asteroid initially bore the moniker 1999 RQ36. It wasn't until 2013 that a nine-year-old from North Carolina christened it Bennu. Following his triumph in the 'Name that Asteroid!' competition, he drew inspiration for the name from an ancient Egyptian deity.



As NASA approaches the final leg of this critical mission, the world watches in anticipation, rooting for its success and the vast potential knowledge it promises to unravel about our universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-asteroid-bennu">More about asteroid Bennu</h2>



As mentioned above, asteroid Bennu stands as one of the most intriguing celestial bodies in our solar system. This near-Earth asteroid, discovered in 1999, presents scientists with both a chance to study the early solar system and an opportunity to better understand potential asteroid threats.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-formation-and-composition">Formation and composition</h3>



Bennu originated from the primordial debris that helped form our solar system about 4.5 billion years ago. This diamond-shaped rock measures about 500 meters in diameter. This is roughly equivalent to the height of the Empire State Building. Researchers believe that Bennu offers insights into the raw materials present during the solar system's early days because of its rudimentary nature.



When scientists examine Bennu's surface, they find a dark and rocky world. The asteroid's rough landscape consists primarily of boulders and rocks, with very few flat areas. The darkness of Bennu's surface comes from its carbon-rich composition, indicating that organic molecules, which form the basis for life as we know it, might exist there.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-path-and-potential-threat">Path and potential threat</h3>



Bennu orbits the Sun on a trajectory that occasionally brings it close to Earth. While currently it poses no direct threat, its orbit intersects with Earth's, which classifies Bennu as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA). 



As mentioned previously, researchers estimate that there is a 1 in 2,700 chance of Bennu impacting Earth in the late 22nd century. However, scientists constantly monitor its trajectory to ensure we have an accurate understanding of any future threat.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-osiris-rex-a-truly-groundbreaking-mission">OSIRIS-REx: A truly groundbreaking mission</h3>



The allure and potential importance of Bennu led NASA to launch the OSIRIS-REx mission in 2016. This spacecraft aimed to approach, study, and collect a sample from Bennu's surface. The mission achieved multiple milestones. These include the detailed mapping of the asteroid's surface, gaining insights into its geology, and understanding its rotational dynamics.



In 2020, a significant achievement for the mission occurred when OSIRIS-REx touched Bennu's surface and successfully collected samples. The spacecraft will return these samples to Earth on September 24, 2023, offering scientists a pristine piece of the early solar system to analyze.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-the-future">Implications for the future</h3>



Understanding Bennu serves a dual purpose. On one hand, its study aids our comprehension of the origins of life on Earth. The presence of organic molecules on Bennu could provide clues about the building blocks of life and their distribution throughout the solar system. 



On the other hand, understanding the properties and trajectories of near-Earth asteroids like Bennu is crucial for planetary defense. This knowledge enables us to predict and possibly mitigate potential future impacts.



In summary, Bennu represents more than just a floating rock in space. It's a bridge to our past, a beacon for scientific discovery, and a reminder of the dynamic nature of our solar system. Through the combined efforts of observational astronomy and space missions like OSIRIS-REx, we continue to unveil the secrets Bennu holds.



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NASA mission to stop asteroid Bennu collision comes to spectacular end on Sunday

NASA is edging closer to the conclusion of its ambitious...

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EPA Lawn Care Tips: Start with a soil test

EPA Lawn Care Tips: Start With A Soil Test