Before there were dinosaurs, before trees covered the land, fish were already hard at work shaping Earth’s future. They did this with a single powerful innovation: jaws.



Jaws weren’t just for biting. Fish used them for all sorts of tasks - cracking shells, digging into the seafloor, defending themselves, and even carrying their young.



This one tool gave early vertebrates - including our distant ancestors - a huge advantage. But not all fish jaws evolved the same way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-twist-in-fish-jaw-evolution">Surprising twist in fish jaw evolution</h2>



Roughly 400 million years ago, fish ruled the seas. Two big groups stood out: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coelacanth-ngamugawi-wirngarri-new-species-living-fossil-fish-survived-over-400-million-years/">lobe-finned fishes</a> and ray-finned fishes. 



Lobe-finned fishes had fleshy, muscular fins that helped them move in different ways. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/319-million-year-old-fish-holds-clues-about-brain-evolution/">Ray-finned fishes</a> had lighter, more flexible fins supported by thin spines.



Today, ray-finned fishes dominate the oceans, rivers, and lakes. They include about 33,000 species - from goldfish to tuna. 



Lobe-finned fishes, on the other hand, are nearly extinct. Only eight species are known to exist today, including the coelacanth and the lungfish. But a new study from the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a> flips the story.



The research shows that between 359 and 423 million years ago, lobe-finned fishes were the ones leading the evolutionary race. 



Their jaws were changing fast, adapting in all sorts of new ways. Meanwhile, the ray-finned fishes were evolving far more slowly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-answers-in-ancient-jaw-bones">Finding answers in ancient jaw bones</h2>



The researchers used CT scans to create 3D models of 86 fossilized fish jaws from the Silurian and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/at-least-two-of-earths-mass-extinctions-caused-by-massive-supernova-explosions/">Devonian Periods</a> - dating back to around 443 million years ago. That’s older than the first forests.



The team digitally mapped these jaws to study both their shape and how they worked. To measure the strength of a fish's bite, they calculated something called mechanical advantage.



Emily Troyer is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan and lead author of the study. She explained that essentially, the higher the mechanical advantage of the jaw, the stronger the bite force.



The results showed something no one expected. "This is a really striking result, primarily because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lungfish-genome-discovery-explains-how-fish-first-walked-onto-land/">lungfish</a> and coelacanths today are represented by only eight living species, with not much jaw diversity going on," Troyer said. 



"However, if we look back in time 400 or so million years, we see this striking inversion. During the Devonian, we have a lot more species and a lot more innovation within their jaws." 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dipterus-fish_whole-skeleton_credit-Troyer-UMichigan_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Dipterus-fish_whole-skeleton_credit-Troyer-UMichigan_1s.webp" alt="Whole skeleton of Dipterus, an extinct lungfish from the middle Devonian period. Specimen (UMMP 16140) from the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology. Credit: E.M. Troyer/UMichigan" class="wp-image-1984595"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Whole skeleton of Dipterus, an extinct lungfish from the middle Devonian period. Specimen (UMMP 16140) from the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology. Click image to enlarge. Credit: E.M. Troyer/UMichigan</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lungfish-jaws-lead-the-way">Lungfish jaws lead the way</h2>



Lungfish jaws, in particular, went through a major shift during the Devonian Period. Their jaws became larger, thicker, and packed with powerful muscles. This likely helped them crush hard-shelled prey, like early clams and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-crustaceans-have-what-it-takes-to-survive-climate-change/">crustaceans</a>.



"With their really hefty jaws, they were able to eat really hard food," Troyer said. "We think these new feeding strategies might be causing jaws to need to be shaped like this, and that some of these major innovations are associated with their ecosystems during this time."



Rafael Rivero-Vega, co-first author of the study and a recent doctoral graduate, scanned nearly every complete lobe-finned fish jaw fossil available. 



He mapped out their key features to study something called adaptive radiation. That’s when animals quickly evolve into many different forms because their environment pushes them to adapt.



Rivero-Vega saw clear patterns. "Some fishes were diversifying their jaws rapidly in shape and size, only later to stay essentially unchanged once they filled a specialized niche," he said. 



"Others had similar characteristics but a wider variety of shapes and sizes, and yet others had similar form but wouldn't change until after they had already transitioned onto land."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-jaw-innovation-changed-the-future">Fish jaw innovation changed the future</h2>



This research shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-evolution-not-random-can-be-predicted-pangenome-genetic-history/">evolution</a> doesn’t follow a straight line. Just because a group is successful now doesn’t mean it always was. 



Lobe-finned fishes once led the way in jaw innovation, helping set the stage for major changes in vertebrate life - including the eventual rise of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.



"When you're looking at evolution, you can learn so much from looking at the past," Troyer said. "Without the fossil record, we would have no idea of this inverted role reversal."



The study also highlights the importance of old bones. Even though only a few lobe-finned fishes are still around, their ancient fossils tell a story that would otherwise have been be lost.



"It's a great example of how innovations in shape, form, and function can be explored by different fish groups at their own pace, as long as they experience the appropriate evolutionary pressures," said Rivero-Vega. 



"All of this happened hundreds of millions of years before the dinosaurs. Fishes are awesome."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982225010395" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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How ancient fish jaws built the path to modern land animals

Before there were dinosaurs, before trees covered the land, fish were already hard at work shaping Earth’s future. They did this with a single powerful innovation: jaws. Jaws weren’t just for biting. Fish used them for all sorts of tasks - cracking shells, digging into the seafloor, defending themselves, and even carrying their young. This one tool gave early vertebrates - including our distant ancestors - a huge advantage. But not all fish jaws evolved the same way. Surprising twist in fish jaw evolution Roughly 400 million...

Atlas,Moth,-,Attacus,Atlas,,Beautiful,Large,Iconic,Moth,From

Female moths don't rely on sight or smell alone. They can also hear stressed plants. Scientists found that these insects detect ultrasonic clicks from plants under drought stress and use them when choosing egg-laying sites.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-heard-making-screaming-sounds-stress-induced-first-time-ever/">Plants</a> emit airborne ultrasonic sounds when stressed. These vibrations, previously thought to be undetectable by animals, can travel through the air. The Egyptian cotton leafworm moth,&nbsp;Spodoptera littoralis, hears these sounds. 



This species has tympanic ears sensitive to the 20 to 60 kHz range, with peak sensitivity around 38 kHz. That is where many plant clicks fall. 



The researchers hypothesized that female moths might use these plant sounds to decide where to lay eggs. Their experiments confirmed this.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-plant-communication">Understanding plant communication</h2>



Plants may not have mouths or ears, but they <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-could-soon-talk-to-farmers-and-listen-too/">definitely talk - and listen</a>. Through their roots, leaves, and even the air, they exchange chemical signals to warn each other of danger, call for help, or share resources. 



When a caterpillar chomps on a leaf, for example, some plants release volatile compounds that drift to their neighbors, triggering defensive measures like bitter-tasting chemicals or toughened leaves. 



Underground, fungi form vast mycorrhizal networks - often called the “Wood Wide Web” - that help trees and plants share nutrients, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-capture-plant-communication-on-video/">send distress signals</a>, and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.



What’s wild is how intentional it all seems. Certain plants send out distress chemicals only when their kin are nearby, suggesting a level of familial recognition. 



Others can distinguish between friend and foe based on the scent of another plant’s emissions. It’s not just survival - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-use-underground-networks-to-eavesdrop-on-their-neighbors/">it’s community</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-respond-to-plant-sounds">Moths respond to plant sounds</h2>



The study involved multiple experiments with precise setups. In a no-plant environment, moths preferred laying eggs near a speaker playing recorded plant stress sounds. 



When these moths were deafened, the preference disappeared. This proved that the response came from hearing, not other cues.



In contrast, when healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-music-help-plants-grow/">plants</a> were added and the same sounds were played near one, the moths chose the silent plant. This indicated that when real plants were present, moths correctly interpreted the sounds as warnings.



"After proving in the previous study that plants produce sounds, we hypothesized that animals capable of hearing these high-frequency sounds may respond to them and make decisions accordingly," said study co-author Professor Yossi Yovel from <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tel Aviv University</a>.



"Specifically, we know that many insects, which have diverse interactions with the plant world, can perceive plant sounds. We wanted to investigate whether such insects actually detect and respond to these sounds." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-plant-sounds-change-moth-behavior">Do plant sounds change moth behavior?</h2>



In longer arenas, moths laid more eggs near either the sugar feeder in the center or the sound-emitting speaker at one end. They laid none near the silent resistor at the other end. 



These results were consistent across different click rates and setups. When tracked, moths spent more time on the side with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-hear-bee-sounds-and-make-sweeter-nectar-in-response/">plant</a> sounds before deciding.



Even though the courtship sounds of male moths fell in a similar frequency range, females showed no egg-laying preference for the male side. This confirmed that the response was specific to plant sounds.



"We chose to focus on female moths, which typically lay their eggs on plants so that the larvae can feed on them once hatched. We assumed the females seek an optimal site to lay their eggs - a healthy plant that can properly nourish the larvae," said co-author Professor Lilach Hadany.



"Thus, when the plant signals that it is dehydrated and under stress, would the moths heed the warning and avoid laying eggs on it? To explore this question, we conducted several experiments."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-integrating-sound-and-smell">Integrating sound and smell</h2>



Without a visible plant, sound becomes the only cue. So moths associate it with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-plants-alter-the-soundscape-of-ecosystems/">plant</a> presence. But when they can see or smell real plants, and one gives off stress sounds, they avoid it. This shows a context-based decision-making process.



The researchers also tested moth antennae. Using electroantennogram recordings, they found strong differences in odor detection between drying and hydrated plants. This shows that moths integrate sound and smell.



In real tomato plant patches, the click rate reaches about 20 per minute. In experiments, sounds were played at 30 to 60 clicks per minute. 



This simulated what a moth might hear near many stressed plants. Sound levels used matched those measured in live plants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-acoustic-interactions-in-nature">Acoustic interactions in nature</h2>



This study reveals that plant sounds can guide insect behavior. Moths may not just rely on smell or touch. Instead, they interpret ultrasonic cues. The researchers think other animals, perhaps pollinators or predators, might also use these sounds.



While the plant clicks likely evolved as a by-product of water loss, they now serve as useful cues. Scientists predict more discoveries in this area.



"In this study, we revealed the first evidence for acoustic interaction between a plant and an insect. We are convinced, however, that this is just the beginning," noted the researchers.



"Acoustic interaction between plants and animals doubtlessly has many more forms and a wide range of roles. This is a vast, unexplored field - an entire world waiting to be discovered."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/reviewed-preprints/104700v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eLife</a>.



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Plants and animals captured "talking" to each other using sound for the first time

Female moths don't rely on sight or smell alone. They...

After flames tore across the Brazilian Pantanal in 2020, destroying over 11 million acres of forest and wetland, most would expect a drop in wildlife. But something strange happened in one remote stretch of this vast landscape - jaguars didn’t just survive. More showed up.



This patch of wetland, a 36,700-acre floodplain deep in the northern Pantanal, already held the highest concentration of jaguars ever recorded anywhere. Then came the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/">fires</a>.&nbsp;



As smoke settled and camera traps kept rolling, researchers were stunned to find not only that local jaguars stuck around, but their numbers actually grew. New jaguars had moved in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-sanctuary-emerges">An unlikely sanctuary emerges</h2>



There are no roads or towns here. To get to the site, the researchers traveled five hours by boat, swatting through clouds of biting insects just to check their equipment. But the isolation appears to be part of its strength.



This stretch of wetland has been studied since 2014 by a team that includes researchers from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> and their partners in Brazil. The group has learned that jaguars here are different.&nbsp;



Jaguars in the Pantanal behave more like tolerant neighbors than rivals and have a surprising diet: they mainly hunt fish and caiman, the small alligator-like reptiles common in the area. This means less competition over land animals and fewer territorial disputes.



This behavior may help explain why the area could absorb so many newcomers without descending into chaos.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-just-jaguar-survival">More than just jaguar survival</h2>



“Finding even more jaguars and other mammals in the study area following the 2020 wildfire and extreme drought suggests that it may serve as a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-oasis-provided-refuge-for-plants-during-earths-worst-extinction-event/">climate refuge</a>, buffering the effects of extreme climate events,” said Charlotte Eriksson, a post-doctoral scholar who has worked on the project for years.



To understand the full picture, the researchers examined footage from camera traps before, during, and after the fire. They also collected nearly 175 scat samples to analyze what the jaguars were eating. The results showed a striking pattern.



Jaguars that were living in the area before the fires continued to appear on camera afterward at about the same rate. They hadn’t fled or died out.&nbsp;



Instead, their numbers grew with the arrival of migrant jaguars - some possibly pushed out of their home territories by the fires or drought elsewhere. New cubs were also born in the area within a year of the disaster, further boosting the population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-surprising-level-of-resilience-nbsp">A surprising level of resilience&nbsp;</h2>



The kind of resilience seen in the Pantanal is rare for big cats. Typically, large <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-leopards-the-carnivores-that-eat-plants/">carnivores</a> are solitary and territorial. Seeing them so concentrated, and so tolerant of one another, is highly unusual.&nbsp;



According to Eriksson, seeing a jaguar that often on camera would be similar to most frequently seeing a cougar or mountain lion on cameras in North America instead of deer.



Eriksson said that whenever she got off the boat, she would see jaguar tracks. One of her cameras recorded a jaguar just seven minutes after she set it up.



“I have never been to a place where the presence of a large carnivore is so obvious,” said Eriksson.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-jaguar-survival">Beyond jaguar survival </h2>



The study didn’t just focus on jaguar survival. The researchers were also curious about how other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammal-evolution-kicked-off-with-daring-experiments/">mammals</a> responded to the fire and prolonged drought.&nbsp;



The team found that the richness and abundance of mammals increased over time. But here’s the twist: this trend started in 2018 - two years before the fires. That suggests drought, not fire, may have been the main factor driving changes in wildlife numbers.&nbsp;



Species seemed to move in or flourish as water patterns shifted, not necessarily in direct response to the flames. There also wasn’t a clear difference between burned and unburned camera sites in terms of species richness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jaguar-survival-after-the-fires">Jaguar survival after the fires</h2>



Still, fire did have some short-term effects. Right after the blaze, jaguar activity dropped, likely due to disturbance and smoke. But it rebounded quickly. Over time, the population didn’t just recover - it grew.



And through all this, the jaguars stuck to their unusual diet. Despite more mammals being around, they kept hunting aquatic prey, especially fish and caiman.&nbsp;



The researchers noted that their preference for wetland prey likely eases pressure on land animals, allowing more species to coexist in this space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fragile-edge-of-the-world">A fragile edge of the world</h2>



The Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restored-wetlands-cut-carbon-fast-without-the-methane-problem/">wetland</a>, but that doesn’t mean it’s invincible. Even in protected zones like this one, climate pressures are mounting.&nbsp;



Extreme drought, record heat, and increased human activity all helped fuel the 2020 fires. The devastating outbreak was responsible for the estimated loss of 17 million vertebrates.



The study highlights how some landscapes - especially those with water, rich habitat, and limited human interference - may serve as essential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-mammals-live-depends-more-on-climate-than-human-activities/">climate</a> refuges. These are places where animals can ride out the worst of a warming world.



But that doesn’t mean they’re safe. The researchers warned against assuming that what works here will work everywhere.&nbsp;



The Pantanal has unique protections and geography that make it special. Without careful planning and proactive fire management, even this rare refuge could be at risk.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70344">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Jaguars offer a glimpse of survival in a changing world

After flames tore across the Brazilian Pantanal in 2020, destroying...

Female songbirds sing more often than many once believed. A new study led by Professor Karan Odom uncovers why. Female song arises from a mix of climate, territory, and teamwork.



The researchers examined over 1,300 bird species. They discovered that female birds are more likely to sing in species that stay in one place year round, share parental duties, and defend territories together. These conditions occur most often in tropical regions.



This challenges the long-held idea that birdsong evolved mostly in males. Odom's 2014 study already showed that female song existed early in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-bird-species-could-vanish-in-the-next-century/">avian</a> evolution but was later lost in many lineages.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-and-why-female-birds-sing">When and why female birds sing</h2>



The new analysis showed that year round territoriality and biparental care predict female song better than latitude alone. These traits often appear together in tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/">species</a>. 



Species in which both sexes sing equally tend to have larger bodies and stable partnerships. When asked if busy moms stop singing, Professor Odom said "not exactly."



“But separate parental and territorial roles do appear to lead to differences in male and female behavior. Some birds have the same mate all year or for multiple years, which leads to males and females acting more similar."



“But if the birds are not monogamous, if the male breeds with multiple females, then we have observed that their traits diverge, and we find support that the male gets a really flashy, complex, long song, and the female gets a short song, or she loses her song.”



These differences arise as mating systems shift. When males breed with several females and skip parenting, female birds sing less or not at all. Singing near the nest may also attract predators, discouraging song.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-singing-to-find-faithful-partners">Singing to find faithful partners</h2>



“They might just breed once and then go and find another mate, and then the female, in those cases, does all the work on her own: she's raising the chicks and feeding the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-birds-migrate-without-riding-the-wind/">chicks</a>, and that would be where you observe less female song," said Professor Odom. 



"This might be because when the female spends so much time around the nest, it is detrimental to sing.”



The study reveals that female song is not just about attraction. It is a strategy. Female birds may use song to secure a mate who will help raise offspring. The strongest female song appeared in monogamous species with cooperative males.



“I get excited about the parental care being significant because that's not something people have tested before. That’s a new result, and it reaffirms that females could be competing for good mates or good dads,” said Professor Odom.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-birds-sing-together-and-share-duties">Some birds sing together and share duties</h2>



The study confirmed that duetting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-declining-fastest-where-they-were-once-common/">birds</a> typically exhibit year round territoriality and equal parental roles.



Duetting species, often tropical, tend to have larger bodies and low levels of polygyny. This supports the idea that song helps maintain social bonds and territories rather than just attract mates.



The team found that 59 percent of songbird species include singing females. Among them, many have songs as frequent and complex as males. Others sing occasionally or only in certain contexts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-female-bird-with-hidden-songs">Female bird with hidden songs</h2>



The story does not end in the tropics. Even in temperate zones, some females sing. This occurs more often in species where males help raise young or where competition among females matters. 



Species with moderate levels of polygyny and weak territoriality still show female song, though less frequently. This suggests song is not strictly for attraction. It might help females compete for resources or nesting support. 



Traditionally, science underreported female birdsong. Observers often assumed males were the only singers. Many field guides and sound libraries underrepresent female voices.



“I truly love my work,” said Professor Odom. “I feel very passionate about it. It's a field I've been in for about a decade now, and I self-selected it out of pure enthusiasm." 



"I went where the questions guided me and what I found most exciting, and then I spend a lot of time and energy on the research."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60810-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Female birds sing to find a faithful companion

Female songbirds sing more often than many once believed. A...

Humpback whales travel thousands of kilometers each year, migrating between Antarctic feeding grounds and tropical breeding areas. This journey demands energy, timing, and favorable environmental conditions.



New research from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Queensland</a> has revealed that these whales now head south significantly earlier than before, by about three weeks.



This shift in humpback whale migration is not just a quirk of nature. It may be a response to deeper changes in the Southern Ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-are-now-migrating-earlier">Whales are now migrating earlier</h2>



Between 2003 and 2024, the southern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-humpback-whales-are-born-in-places-we-didnt-expect/">migration</a> peak shifted from early October to mid-September. 



“Acoustic and visual surveys show the peak of the southern migration in 2003 was in early October but by 2024, we observed it was in the middle of September,” noted Professor Rebecca Dunlop, lead author of the study.



This change was found across different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-helps-humans-have-20-minute-conversation-with-humpback-whale-named-twain/">whale</a> groups: adult males, mothers with calves, and mixed adult groups. 



Singing males, tracked through acoustic surveys, also showed a 22-day shift. These consistent patterns point to a population-wide response, not just isolated variation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-ice-and-krill">Less ice and krill </h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-blow-bubble-smoke-rings-near-humans-to-communicate/">Whales</a> feed mostly on Antarctic krill, which depend on sea ice for food and shelter. Since 2016, sea ice in regions like the Ross Sea has declined sharply. By 2024, ice levels had dropped by over six million square kilometers.



Whales do not eat much during their migration. They rely on the fat reserves built up during the summer. 



“Fewer available krill prior to the migration could be forcing the whales back to the feeding grounds earlier,” said Dunlop.



Environmental records confirm the link. An earlier return south was strongly correlated with low sea ice and specific chlorophyll-a levels (a marker of ocean productivity) during summer feeding periods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-migrate-with-growing-pressure">Whales migrate with growing pressure</h2>



The eastern Australian humpback whale population has rebounded from near extinction. It grew from just 300 individuals in the 1960s to around 40,000 today.



But this success comes with consequences. More whales mean more competition for krill. At the same time, krill fishing for fishmeal and supplements has intensified.



Earlier shifts in whale migration were not seen during past periods of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-transport-nutrients-across-entire-ocean-basins-in-their-urine/">population</a> growth. But now, under growing environmental pressure, the timing has started to change. This suggests that climate impacts, not crowding, may drive the shift.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-show-similar-trends-globally">Whales show similar trends globally</h2>



This pattern is not isolated to Australia. Populations along the western coast of Australia, California, and even South America have also shown changes in timing. Some arrive earlier at breeding grounds, others leave feeding grounds sooner.



“The later years of this study coincide with a pronounced decline in sea ice coverage beyond usual annual fluctuations,” said Dunlop.



These declines were especially sharp after 2021. That is exactly when the migration pattern began to shift.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-greater-energy-cost">A greater energy cost</h2>



Humpback whales are resilient. They have bounced back before. But the current situation is different. Environmental changes are now faster and broader. While whales still migrate and reproduce, the energy cost may be increasing.



“I am concerned at some point we may see a decline in birth rates because females won't have the energy to support migrating north, giving birth and getting their calf back to the feeding grounds,” warned Dunlop.



Researchers are now investigating if whales also leave the feeding grounds earlier. If both legs of the journey shift, it may point to long-term changes in life cycle and reproductive success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whale-migration-and-ocean-changes">Whale migration and ocean changes</h2>



Whales respond to changes in food, ice, and temperature. Their migration is tied to the pulse of the ocean. Shifts in their patterns signal broader disruptions in marine ecosystems, affecting balance and biodiversity.



Monitoring whale timing can help track how quickly the Southern Ocean changes. The data may also provide insight into the health of connected species. But more studies on whale health and krill populations are needed to understand the full impact.



For now, whales continue their incredible journey. But their timing tells a different story - one that's shaped by a changing planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-07010-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Humpback whales now migrate weeks early, signaling big ocean changes

Humpback whales travel thousands of kilometers each year, migrating between...

Ocean warming is altering the mating routines of angelsharks, according to a new study. Instead of showing up to breed, females are heading for cooler waters - leaving the males behind.



This mismatch in behavior, scientists say, could spell trouble for the future of the species. 



A team of researchers from <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lancaster University</a> and the Angel Shark Project: Canary Islands uncovered this shift using acoustic trackers.



The study was focused on the Canary Islands, where sea temperatures have been rising steadily - particularly around La Graciosa Marine Reserve, off the coast of Lanzarote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-angelsharks-in-a-warming-ocean">Angelsharks in a warming ocean</h2>



In 2022, the ocean around the reserve experienced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">extreme heat</a>. Sea surface temperatures climbed above 23.8°C and stayed over 22.5°C for almost three times longer than in previous years. That temperature threshold, it turns out, is critical. 



“The males were much more resilient to temperature rises and stuck to their regular patterns of arrival and departure, seemingly prioritizing mating despite these temperature extremes,” said Dr. David Jacoby, a zoologist at Lancaster University and lead investigator on the study.



But while the males arrived in November as usual, the females were largely absent. This disrupted their usual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-shark-mating-behaviors-observed-for-the-first-time-in-the-wild/">mating</a> season, which typically begins in late autumn when the waters are cooler.



Unlike males, females have higher energy demands due to their reproductive biology. Staying cool is more than a preference - it’s a matter of survival.



“With angelsharks we observed important sex differences in behavior, with the females being disproportionately influenced by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">sea temperature rises</a>,” noted Dr. Jacoby.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heatwaves-beneath-the-surface">Heatwaves beneath the surface</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mapping-marine-heatwaves-to-understand-their-impacts/">Marine heatwaves</a> may not be as visible as wildfires on land, but they can be just as disruptive. 



"These more frequent and extreme heatwaves are potentially the wildfires of the ocean and are having untold effects on marine species,” Dr. Jacoby explained.



Between 2018 and 2023, the team tracked over 100 angelsharks. Until 2022, male and female sightings in the reserve peaked around the same time each year. 



But then the pattern was broken. Female presence dropped off dramatically, and researchers believe 22.5°C is close to the upper temperature limit for their comfort.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-refuge-for-the-angelshark">A refuge for the angelshark</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/fuerteventura-and-lanzarote-of-the-canary-islands/">Canary Islands</a> are a major refuge for the angelshark, and one of the few places where both adults and juveniles are regularly seen. 



The region supports a growing dive industry that relies on this rare predator as a flagship species. However, as ocean temperatures creep upward, the window for successful mating narrows.



“That fact that environmental extremes are driving differing male and female arrival times at coastal mating sites is of particular concern for this critically endangered species,” said Dr. Lucy Mead of ZSL’s Institute of Zoology and Lancaster University.



"Angelsharks - as with most other sharks - are ectothermic, which means their body temperature directly depends on surrounding water temperatures.'



"It seems that male angelsharks prioritize mating even when conditions are unfavorable, while females prioritize staying within their preferred temperature range."



According to Dr. Mead, the Canary Islands are already at the warmer end of tolerable temperatures for angelsharks, and with significant warming projected here, our concern is that key areas may become inhospitable for females. 



"These findings have important implications for how we conserve this highly threatened species in a warming world," said Dr. Mead.



“Climate change impacts in the ocean tend to be ‘out of sight, out of mind’, but just as heatwaves and wildfires are becoming more frequent on land, so are extreme events in the oceans.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-long-term-monitoring-matters">Why long-term monitoring matters</h2>



The long-term tracking efforts behind this study show how vital it is to monitor temperature and shark movement together. 



“These findings are a reminder of how climate extremes are already reshaping the behavior of threatened marine species,” said Eva Meyers, co-lead of the Angel Shark Project and researcher at the <a href="https://leibniz-lib.de/en/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change</a>.



“This study highlights exactly why long-term monitoring of critical habitats in the Canary Islands must be a key pillar of any effective marine biodiversity recovery plan. The Canary Islands are one of the main strongholds for this species - safeguarding these waters is more urgent than ever.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bigger-picture-for-ocean-life">The bigger picture for ocean life</h2>



Beyond angelsharks, the findings point to a broader concern - how warming oceans are unsettling the ecological balance of coastal ecosystems.



Dr. David Jiménez Alvarado is co-lead of the Angel Shark Project and postdoctoral researcher at the EcoAQUA Institute at the <a href="https://www.ulpgc.es" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria</a>.



“It’s important to understand how changes in the ocean’s physicochemical conditions can affect the species that inhabit coastal ecosystems," said Dr. Alvarado.



"These environmental shifts may alter the habitat use and behavior of key predatory species that play a crucial role in maintaining trophic balance."



“Since many of these species are already globally threatened, studying how climate-related stressors impact their ecological function is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies.”



The message from the angelsharks is simple: if the ocean keeps heating up, they may stop showing up. And if that happens, it’s not just bad news for the sharks - it’s a warning sign for all of us.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70331" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Angelsharks are skipping the mating season due to ocean warming

Ocean warming is altering the mating routines of angelsharks, according...

A dusty leg bone, pulled from the ground in 1963 and stored away in a museum drawer for decades, may now be helping scientists rethink the early days of dinosaurs.



Originally found in what’s now Zambia, this 225-million-year-old fossil was largely ignored for years. 



However, new research suggests the fossil holds key information about an ancient group of reptiles known as silesaurs. The study may shift long-held assumptions about the size and role of the first dinosaurs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-challenges-dinosaur-size">Fossil challenges dinosaur size</h2>



Researchers have been re-examining the femur - first uncovered by British scientists more than 60 years ago - and what they’ve learned is surprising.



“Some fragmentary fossils from the silesaurids and a group of early dinosaurs called the herrerasaurids suggest that these animals could grow much bigger than more complete remains suggest,” said Jack Lovegrove, a Ph.D. student who led the research. 



“As more large animals are found close to the origin of dinosaurs, it raises the possibility that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dinosaurs-come-from-missing-fossils-hold-the-secret/">first</a> dinosaur was bigger than we predicted.”



This idea runs counter to the long-standing belief that early dinosaurs started out small and gradually evolved into giants. If Lovegrove’s team is right, dinosaurs may have actually shrunk in size over time.



“If this is the case, then some groups of dinosaurs would have actually gotten smaller across the late <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-erosion-and-fire-contributed-to-triassic-mass-extinction/">Triassic</a>,” Lovegrove said. “Finding more silesaur fossils could help us to figure out how they are related to early dinosaurs and confirm the existence of these size trends.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-of-dinosaur-relatives">Fossils of dinosaur relatives</h2>



Silesaurs are an extinct group of dinosaur-like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reptile-ancestors-appeared-40-million-years-earlier-than-we-thought/">reptiles</a> that lived roughly between 240 and 200 million years ago. For a long time, scientists couldn’t quite figure out where they belonged on the reptile family tree. Were they dinosaurs? Close relatives? Something else entirely?



In 2010, silesaurs were officially recognized as their own group. The most famous example is Silesaurus, a two-meter-long animal with a beak-like jaw that may have helped it eat insects or plants.



Originally considered dinosaur cousins, silesaurs are now thought by some experts to actually be early dinosaurs. One clue is the toothless tip of their lower jaw, which links them to ornithischians - a major group of dinosaurs that would later include species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/triceratops-dinosaurs-seem-to-have-developed-complex-social-structures/">Triceratops</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-complete-stegosaur-skull-ever-found-forces-rewrite-of-plated-dinosaur-history/">Stegosaurus</a>.



But even now, placing silesaurs neatly into the dinosaur family tree is tricky. Most of the fossils found are incomplete, which makes identification difficult. That’s why researchers are taking a fresh look not just in the field, but in museum collections.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-fossil-comes-back-into-focus">Old fossil comes back into focus</h2>



The femur at the center of this study had been sitting in the Natural History Museum in London for over 50 years before its importance was recognized.



“This fossil was discovered on an expedition to what are now Zambia and Tanzania in the early 1960s,” Lovegrove explains. “The researchers were mainly interested in studying mammal-like reptiles such as the dicynodonts and cynodonts but also found a variety of other fossils.”



“As the fossil wasn’t what they were focusing on, it hadn’t been studied until one of my co-authors, Brandon, came across it. This shows how important museum collections are at preserving specimens whose importance can be appreciated by future generations.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-silesaurs-one-species-or-many">Silesaurs: One species or many?</h2>



The rocks in Zambia where this bone was found are packed with silesaur fossils. Only one species from the region has been formally named - Lutungutali sitwesis - but researchers have found many leg bones that don’t seem to match that species. 



Most are about 15 centimeters long. One, however, is more than double that size. This raises two possibilities. Either the large bones belonged to Lutungutali at a more mature stage of life, or multiple species were living side by side.



The team can’t say for sure yet, but the new study shows clear differences in growth patterns between the Natural History Museum bone and others from the area. That might suggest that more than one type of silesaur lived in the same ecosystem.



“It’s historically been assumed that there was just one silesaurid per area in the past,” said Lovegrove. “As a result, fossils from different species might have been lumped together.”



“This could explain the uncertainty we find when we try to understand how silesaurids relate to other animals. New datasets will be important to untangle these evolutionary relationships and work out what’s really going on.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-than-we-thought">Bigger than we thought</h2>



There’s another piece to this puzzle: size. If silesaurs like the one in the study were as large as the leg bone suggests, they may not have been minor players in their environment. They might have been in charge.



“The size of the bone we’ve studied, as well as others from this formation, suggest that silesaurids might have been the largest herbivores in some parts of the world at this point in the Triassic,” noted Lovegrove. 



“The biggest silesaurids were probably taller and longer than the dicynodonts, even if they were lighter. It suggests they probably had a much greater impact on the ecosystem than we’ve realized, especially as they are the most common archosaur found in this region.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewriting-the-story-of-dinosaurs">Rewriting the story of dinosaurs</h2>



The early evolution of dinosaurs is still full of questions, but fossils like this Zambian femur are helping scientists get closer to the answers. 



Silesaurs may have been bigger, more diverse, and more influential than anyone thought. And if they turn out to be early dinosaurs themselves, we may need to rewrite the story of how dinosaurs came to be.



For now, one thing is clear: sometimes the most important discoveries are already sitting on a shelf - waiting for someone to take a second look.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250762" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Fossil suggests early dinosaurs were larger than we thought

A dusty leg bone, pulled from the ground in 1963...

Scientists have discovered two new species of wart sea slugs in North Sulawesi, Indonesia: Phyllidia ovata and Phyllidia fontjei. These marine invertebrates belong to the family Phyllidiidae and are known for their vivid colors and chemical defenses.



The sea slugs live on Indo-Pacific coral reefs and feed on sponges. They store sponge toxins in their own tissues as protection from predators. Though over 350 sea slug species are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-slugs-use-sunlight-to-survive-just-like-plants/">found</a> in North Sulawesi, nearly 100 remain unnamed.



The research was conducted by an international team of scientists from Germany, Indonesia, and Wales.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-slug-species-was-misclassified">Sea slug species was misclassified</h2>



Phyllidia ovata gets its name from its oval shape and pattern. This species has been photographed over the last two decades across Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Australia. However, it was previously misidentified as Phyllidia picta or Phyllidia coelestis. 



The sea slug has a clean white body with a central black patch surrounded by bright tubercles tipped in yellow. It can grow up to 50 mm (2 inches). 



The sea slug's unique appearance, including the ventral anus and black foot line, separates it from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-slugs-flash-bright-colors-to-scare-off-predators/">similar</a> species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-tribute-to-an-indonesian-scientist">A tribute to an Indonesian scientist </h2>



Phyllidia fontjei is named in honor of Dr. Fontje Kaligis, an Indonesian scientist who contributed significantly to global sea slug research. 



Measuring just 16 mm (0,6 inches), this species is notably small. It has a white body, a bright orange patch at the center, and a black band - making it visually distinct. 



Researchers discovered Phyllidia fontjei resting on a sponge at a depth of 25.3 meters (83 feet), near Bunaken Island in North Sulawesi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-slugs-with-unique-traits">Sea slugs with unique traits</h2>



What sets&nbsp;P. fontjei&nbsp;apart from related species is its lack of prominent dorsal tubercles. Instead, its back displays three smooth ridges and tiny granules. 



Internally, it reveals unique anatomical traits. Scientists observed a well-developed glandular oral tube, a structure now recognized as key in feeding. This oral tube was previously referred to as a pharyngeal bulb.



The slug also features a complex reproductive system. These internal features, captured in detailed histological slides, helped confirm&nbsp;P. fontjei&nbsp;as a new and separate sea slug species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distinct-anatomical-differences">Distinct anatomical differences </h2>



Scientists used advanced microscopy to compare&nbsp;P. fontjei&nbsp;with&nbsp;P. ocellata&nbsp;and the Mediterranean species&nbsp;P. flava. 



They found minor structural differences in digestive and reproductive anatomy, despite size and distribution variations.&nbsp;P. fontjei&nbsp;matures at a small size, while&nbsp;P. ovata&nbsp;and&nbsp;P. flava&nbsp;grow much larger.



The study introduced the term “glandular oral tube” to describe a part of the digestive tract previously called the “pharyngeal bulb.” This gland structure, which is used during feeding, may be specific to each species. 



Images from histological slides show glandular folds, muscle bundles, and the reproductive organs in striking clarity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limited-sightings-of-the-sea-slugs">Limited sightings of the sea slugs</h2>



Phyllidia ovata&nbsp;ranges from Japan to Australia, with most sightings in Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. 



In contrast,&nbsp;Phyllidia fontjei&nbsp;has a smaller known range and is limited to Indonesia, Malaysia, and parts of the Andaman Sea.



Both species remain extremely rare, even in areas where other&nbsp;Phyllidia&nbsp;sea slugs are commonly found.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Sea-slug_Phyllidia-ovata_credit-Heike-Wagele_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Sea-slug_Phyllidia-ovata_credit-Heike-Wagele_1s.webp" alt="Phyllidia ovata. Credit: Heike Wägele" class="wp-image-1978676"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Phyllidia ovata. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Heike Wägele</figcaption></figure>



Limited sightings suggest that these newly described species may have highly specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-is-tracking-endangered-animal-habitats-from-space/">habitat preferences</a> or low population densities.



Despite their <a href="https://www.mcsuk.org/news/sea-slugs-a-rainbow-of-life-in-our-seas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vibrant appearance</a>, they often go unnoticed in the diverse reef ecosystems they inhabit. Their rarity underlines the need for continued exploration and documentation of marine invertebrate life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-citizen-science-played-a-key-role">Citizen science played a key role</h2>



The discoveries would not have been possible without contributions from amateur divers and photographers. Platforms like iNaturalist, NudiPixel, Facebook, and the <a href="http://www.seaslugforum.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sea Slug Forum</a> helped scientists locate images of these nudibranchs.



“We all use these platforms in many different fields of taxonomy as they provide useful records when the species are distinctive, and have done so for more than two decades,” said Dr. Nathalie Yonow of <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swansea University</a>.



This discovery highlights the value of open collaboration and long-term data collection. It also reminds us that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/inspired-by-sea-slugs-microneedles-could-transform-health-monitoring/">ocean</a> still holds many surprises, even in regions that are frequently explored.



The full study appears in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/153046/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ZooKeys</a>.



Image Credit: Heike Wägele.



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Two rare sea slugs discovered using diver photos

Scientists have discovered two new species of wart sea slugs...

We are living through the fastest period of environmental change in Earth’s history. Many wild populations no longer carry the genetic diversity they need to keep up.



Some scientists now believe that the same technologies behind drought-resistant crops and efforts to revive extinct species like the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/de-extinction-of-the-woolly-mammoth-should-we-bring-lost-species-back/">mammoth</a> could be repurposed to tackle a more pressing challenge.



The goal is to restore lost genetic diversity in endangered species using gene editing - helping them better adapt to future threats.



In a new study, an international team of experts discusses both the promise and the perils of using cutting‑edge genome engineering for conservation and outlines a roadmap for how it could work in practice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restoring-genetic-diversity">Restoring genetic diversity </h2>



Traditional conservation methods - protecting habitat, outlawing hunting, and running captive‑breeding programs - have saved more than a few species from the edge. 



Yet those same species often emerge from population bottlenecks genetically impoverished. When numbers crash, chance replaces natural selection, and whole sets of gene variants disappear.



Even after head counts rebound, the population can remain stuck with a narrow genetic toolkit and a heavy load of harmful mutations. Biologists call this situation genomic erosion.



The authors of the new study, led by Professor Cock van Oosterhout at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> and Dr. Stephen Turner at <a href="https://colossal.com/">Colossal Biosciences</a>, argue that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-gets-a-revolutionary-upgrade-with-new-tool/">genome editing</a> can address what traditional measures cannot: it can put lost diversity back into play.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-borrowing-lost-dna">Borrowing lost DNA</h2>



One avenue, the team suggests, is to recover genetic variation that disappeared long ago. Natural history museums, biobanks, and research collections hold feathers, skins, bones, and tissue samples gathered decades or even centuries in the past.



DNA extracted from those specimens can reveal gene variants that no longer occur in today’s populations. Using CRISPR or similar tools, scientists could reinsert those variants into living individuals and breed them back into wild populations.



In essence, the technique would give threatened species access to their own lost history, including immune‑system alleles that could help them stand up to new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-pandemic-looms-as-pathogens-move-from-wild-plants-to-crops/">pathogens</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-editing-for-endangered-species">Gene editing for endangered species</h2>



A second option involves what the authors call facilitated adaptation. Closely related species or distinct populations often carry genes tuned to hotter climates, novel diseases, or different diets.



By moving those alleles into struggling populations, conservation biologists might give them a genetic boost in a warming, rapidly changing world.



A third potential use is to correct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-genetic-mutation-dramatically-increases-the-risk-of-dementia-in-men/">harmful mutations</a> that became fixed during a population crash. 



If a broken gene reduces fertility or increases disease risk, editors could swap it for the healthy sequence found in ancestral samples. The payoff could be higher reproductive success and better overall health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-lesson-from-the-pink-pigeon"><a></a>A lesson from the pink pigeon</h2>



The pink pigeon of Mauritius illustrates why such interventions might be necessary. Intensive captive breeding and reintroduction lifted the pigeon from around ten surviving birds in the 1990s to more than 600 today.



Genetic studies, however, show that despite the species' numerical recovery, it continues to lose genetic diversity and could vanish within a century unless scientists restore its gene pool.



The team argues that genome editing could restore lost DNA variants, boosting the pigeon’s resilience to disease and climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risk-of-reducing-genetic-diversity">Risk of reducing genetic diversity </h2>



Farmers already plant millions of acres with gene-edited crops altered for pest or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertilizer-reduces-plant-damage-caused-by-droughts/">drought resistance.</a> The idea of applying similar tools to wildlife raises both hope and concern.



Off‑target edits, unintended side effects, and the possibility of further reducing genetic diversity are real risks. 



Conservation genome editing must start with small, monitored trials grounded in ecology and guided by strong ethical oversight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treading-carefully-working-locally"><a></a>Treading carefully, working locally</h2>



Because conservation often intersects with livelihoods and cultural values, the paper calls for robust engagement with local communities and Indigenous groups. 



It also urges involving the broader public before any genome‑engineered individuals are released.



The scientists stress that genetic interventions should never replace habitat restoration or established protections. Instead, they are meant to complement those efforts when conventional tools fall short.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-lab-genes-to-wild-species">From lab genes to wild species</h2>



The team proposes a phased strategy. First come proof‑of‑concept laboratory edits in cell cultures, followed by controlled experiments in captive animals to test fitness, fertility, and ecological interactions.



Scientists would release edited individuals into semi‑wild or wild settings only after rigorous vetting, regulatory approval, and local consent. Long‑term monitoring would then track both the target species and its ecosystem.



Biotech companies eager to showcase beneficial applications of their technologies may find common cause with conservation nonprofits. This partnership could potentially open new funding channels for endangered species programs.



“The same technological advances that allow us to introduce genes of mammoths into the genome of an elephant can be harnessed to rescue species teetering on the brink of extinction,” noted study co-author Beth Shapiro, chief science officer at Colossal Biosciences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-endangered-species-beyond-gene-editing">Endangered species: Beyond gene editing</h2>



Genome editing will not reverse habitat loss, curb poaching, or slow climate change by itself. But for species already hanging on by a genetic thread, it could supply the raw material evolution needs to do its work.



“Genome editing is not a replacement for species protection and will never be a magical fix," said Professor Hernán Morales of the <a href="https://globe.ku.dk/">Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen</a>. "Its role must be carefully evaluated alongside established conservation strategies.”



With careful testing and collaboration, gene editing could become a valuable new tool for conserving Earth’s biodiversity. It may help keep endangered species from vanishing during the turbulent decades to come.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-025-00065-6">Nature Reviews Biodiversity</a>.



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Rewriting evolution: Can gene editing save endangered species?

We are living through the fastest period of environmental change...

Imagine you're a fish - darting through the water, dodging predators, searching for food, and trying to find shelter. Now imagine that your only option is a flat concrete wall with nowhere to hide. This is the challenge many fish face in human-made waterways.



Years ago, Keith Van de Riet started wondering: what if we designed seawalls with fish in mind?



Currently a professor at the <a href="https://arcd.ku.edu/">University of Kansas School of Architecture &amp; Design</a>, Van de Riet has spent more than a decade experimenting with textured seawall panels inspired by mangrove roots.



His latest study - conducted in partnership with scientists from Carleton University in Canada - explored whether freshwater fish, too, prefer these artificial root structures to flat walls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-sparked-a-design-shift">Nature sparked a design shift</h2>



Van de Riet’s interest in redesigning <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fighting-coastal-erosion-electricity-turns-sand-into-a-sea-wall/">seawalls</a> began while living along a canal in Florida. One day, something he witnessed made him rethink how fish interact with built environments.



“We saw bait fish being chased by predators literally leaping up against the flat side of the seawall, trying to evade them, because they had nowhere else to go,” he said.



Back then, Florida’s coastlines were thick with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mangroves-help-raise-hundreds-of-billions-of-fish-annually/">mangrove</a> roots - natural hiding places for marine life. Those roots became the blueprint for what he would later call “Reef Wall” panels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-preferred-textured-walls">Fish preferred textured walls</h2>



The Canadian team had followed the professor’s earlier experiments in Florida’s saltwater habitats. 



The researchers wanted to know if similar designs could work in freshwater environments - like lakes and seawall-lined canals - using fish commonly found in Canada.



So they built a controlled experiment. In a test tank, they introduced four species one at a time: bluegill, rock bass, yellow perch, and <a href="https://earthpedia.earth.com/animal-encyclopedia/chordata/fundulidae/fundulus-diaphanus/?_gl=1*1vxpgm*_ga*MTg3OTEyMjQ2Ni4xNzIxMDYzMTg3*_ga_STJW8JPZJQ*czE3NTI3OTYxMDAkbzE2JGcxJHQxNzUyNzk2MzgxJGo5JGwwJGgw">banded killifish</a>. 



The fish were given a choice between a flat concrete wall (the control) and four wall panels with increasing levels of texture and complexity.



The results were encouraging. All the Canadian fish liked the variegated walls more than the flat ones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-habitat-tastes-varied-by-fish-species">Habitat tastes varied by fish species</h2>



The results also demonstrated that one size doesn't fit all. Some species were pickier than others. Their preference for the most complex design turned out to be fairly species-specific, 



Van de Riet pointed out that bluegill liked - or at least hung out near - the artificial panels the most, followed by banded killifish.



Rock bass and yellow perch showed more versatility, preferring a range of relief depths, according to the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-walls-for-healthier-ecosystems">Better walls for healthier ecosystems</h2>



The point of these panels isn’t only to keep smaller fish from being eaten. The more textured the surface, the more nooks and crannies there are for bivalves - like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-freshwater-mussels-are-threatened-by-sea-level-rise/">mussels</a> and oysters - to attach. 



Those animals can filter water naturally, improving water quality for the entire ecosystem, including the humans living nearby.



The team noted that the research is especially important for places where shorelines are already built up or too heavily trafficked for traditional living shorelines.



Professor Van de Riet said the study is challenging because each species has different behavior. "And they behave differently at different ages. When they're younger, they're going to seek refuge, no matter what."



"As bluegill age, they prefer open spaces because they can see everything around them. So they tried to account for those things based on what they already know about the species.”



The takeaway? Fish respond to structure - but there's a sweet spot in the design.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-for-the-real-world">Designing for the real world</h2>



The work has not stopped. This year, the team is testing the root-inspired panels in an actual lake instead of a lab tank. They’re monitoring how fish respond in more natural, uncontrolled conditions.



“The work includes reaching out to waterfront property owners, doing surveys and trying to figure out what's the best way to roll out ideas and concepts that would impact how they build on their shorelines,” said Professor Van de Riet.



As more shorelines are paved over with concrete, this research offers a hopeful message: we can still make room for nature. Fish seem to know what they need - we just have to pay attention.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.70148">Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems</a>.



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Helping fish survive: Building walls with fake plant roots

Imagine you're a fish - darting through the water, dodging...

Animals are constantly fighting over food, shelter, mates, or space. Most studies judge those clashes in the moment - by who won, who lost, and who got hurt. Two behavioral ecologists argue that this snapshot view misses the bigger evolutionary picture. 



To understand why, when, and how animals choose to fight or flee, the researchers say we have to track the long arc of costs and payoffs across an individual’s whole life. That includes how conflict shapes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scents-of-survival-how-plant-aromas-shape-insect-diets/">survival</a> and the number of offspring left behind.



The study, led by Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto from the <a href="https://ufmg.br/international-visitors">Federal University of Minas Gerais</a> in Brazil, lays out a path for linking contest behavior to fitness.



“By linking individual contests to lifetime <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reproductive-success-of-southern-white-rhinos-linked-to-gut-microbiome/">reproductive success</a>, we can understand how different contexts and environmental situations could favor the evolution of decision strategies in different species,” Peixoto said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-animals-fight-often">Why animals fight often</h2>



Displays, jousts, and all‑out fights occur across the animal kingdom. Sometimes they are ritualized shows of strength; sometimes they involve real blows, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-body-connection-wounds-heal-faster-if-we-think-more-time-has-passed/">wounds</a>, and death.



Even symbolic standoffs drain energy reserves. Because conflicts can bring both rewards and risks, natural selection should shape decision rules: when to escalate, when to back off, and when to never engage.



Value matters. A top‑tier resource - prime territory, a critical shelter site, or a receptive mate - might justify bigger risks. Lesser resources may not. The type of damage matters, too.



“If snapping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-crisis-alarming-virus-threatens-global-seafood-supplies/">shrimp</a> lose a claw during a fight, it can regrow, so it’s not a total loss because they can recover and fight subsequent contests,” Peixoto said. 



“If a beetle breaks a horn during a fight, it will not regrow, so that individual will be unable to fight again. Since they often fight for female access, this means they will be unable to reproduce anymore.”



A recoverable cost and an irreversible cost have very different consequences for lifetime breeding success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gaps-in-animal-conflict-research">Gaps in animal conflict research</h2>



To see how biologists have been scoring these bouts, the authors reviewed 73 field and lab studies covering 62 species.



They tallied 24 types of contest cost and folded them into six broader themes. These included elevated metabolic expenditure, stress responses tied to weakened immunity, and risks like injury or death. 



Other costs were lost foraging time, reduced vigilance to predators, and cutbacks in parental care.



Different research traditions focus on different angles. Work on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-invasive-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-mediterranean/">crustaceans</a> and fishes often zeroes in on metabolism. Insect studies tend to document broken body parts. That patchwork makes cross‑species comparisons tough.



“There is huge variation in the measurements researchers take,” Peixoto said. Variation itself is fine; the trouble is that without some common yardsticks, we cannot ask whether, say, crabs and beetles pay similar average prices for fighting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-our-view-of-animal-conflict">Expanding our view of animal conflict </h2>



Short‑term metrics also dominate. Many experiments measure what happens minutes or hours after a contest and stop there. 



Yet the most meaningful cost might unfold weeks later if an injured animal skips a breeding season, or years later if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chronic-stress-disrupts-gut-bacteria-and-fuels-cancer-progression/">chronic stress</a> cuts lifespan.



So what should come next? “We need to link the average cost in a single contest to the individual’s longevity or lifetime reproductive success,” Peixoto said.



“For example, are there contexts that favor individuals that always fight and are more aggressive, and other situations that favor more cautious individuals that only fight weaker rivals to increase their chances of winning?”



The answer likely differs by species, habitat, and the reliability of signals about opponent strength.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-fights-across-lifetimes">Tracking fights across lifetimes</h2>



The researchers propose starting by identifying the cost that matters most for the focal species - irreparable injury, energy drain, or lost breeding time. 



Next, measure how that cost accumulates within a contest relative to baseline. Finally, scale up: track how often individuals engage in fights over a lifetime and tally their reproductive output.



“By knowing the average number of fights that different individuals are involved in and their lifespans, we can estimate whether individuals who fight more or less have better lifetime reproductive success,” Peixoto said.



“This connection would allow us to gain deeper insights into the evolutionary dynamics of animal contests and the trade-offs individuals face.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-research">Broader implications of the research </h2>



Wildlife managers, conservation biologists, and evolutionary theorists all stand to benefit from a better understanding of animal conflict. 



If escalating human disturbance changes how often animals must fight for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-heat-shrinking-habitats-insects-face-hidden-threats/">shrinking resources</a>, the lifetime toll could ripple through populations.



Standardizing how we track contest costs - and extending those measures over years - will reveal when aggression pays and when it backfires. It will also show how natural selection calibrates the will to fight across the tree of life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0169534725001533">Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Wild animal fights can harm a species for generations

Animals are constantly fighting over food, shelter, mates, or space. Most...

vibora-colores-brillantes-espinas-tailandia - 1

Divers exploring coral outcrops near Kumejima Island in Japan thought they had found novelty props for an aquarium display. Instead, their cameras captured a tiny siphon‑pumping animal whose stark white stripes and dark eye‑like spots looked like a cartoon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-panda-day-2025-from-the-brink-of-extinction-to-hope/">panda</a> wearing a skeleton costume.



The inch‑tall surprise soon went viral in diver forums, and what began as a curiosity post led researchers to a bona fide species never cataloged before. 



Study coauthor <a href="https://researchmap.jp/hoya_nhasegawa?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Naohiro Hasegawa</a> of <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hokkaido University</a> arranged dives, collected specimens, and confirmed that the creature belonged to the genus Clavelina, yet was distinct enough for its own name.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-clavelina-species">New Clavelina species</h2>



Photos first appeared online in 2017, letting scientists inspect body shapes and color patterns without leaving their desks. 



Independent images posted by different dive operators also revealed that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-change-their-daily-schedules-when-tourists-are-watching/">animals</a> occurred at several reef patches between 16 and 66 feet, giving a hint that the oddity was not a photo trick.



Hasegawa’s team located colonies in 2022 and used gentle suction devices to move living clusters into chilled seawater dishes aboard their boat. 



Laboratory microscopy then mapped the arrangement of internal vessels, showing transverse white bars that create the “bones” illusion and four discrete black pigment patches on each zooid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-morphology-and-genetics">Morphology and genetics</h2>



Thanks to the clear photos and field data, the scientists could write a precise morphological description even before genetic work began. 



Their approach echoes a broader move toward <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380943736_Passive_citizen_science_Social_media_as_a_tool_for_marine_wildlife_observation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">passive citizen‑science</a>, where researchers mine social media for reliable species observations instead of waiting for mailed specimens.



A final round of underwater surveys returned measurements on abundance and depth range, ensuring that the panda‑masked animal’s ecological niche was documented alongside its anatomy. 



Those data are now archived with <a href="https://www.kahaku.go.jp/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japan’s National Museum of Nature and Science</a> for easy access by future investigators.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clavelina-ossipandae">Clavelina ossipandae</h2>



The new animal was christened <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1534455-Clavelina-ossipandae" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clavelina ossipandae</a>, a nod to its bottle‑shaped body (Clavelina is Latin for “little bottle”) and its bone‑and‑panda palette. 



Each transparent zooid grows no longer than 0.8 inches, or about 20 millimeters, and sits free of its neighbors rather than sharing a common tunic, one of seven features that separate it from 44 known congeners.



Live specimens show ten to fourteen double‑row gill stigmata and two muscular ribbons running from abdomen to endostyle, details that place the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colorful-aquarium-creature-cherax-pulverulentus-is-new-crayfish-species-never-catalogued/">species</a> within the tunicate lineage while ruling out close look‑alikes such as Clavina picta or Clavina moluccensis. 



“The white parts that look like bones are the blood vessels that run horizontally through the sea squirts' gills,” explained Hasegawa.



Another quirk involves the jet‑black <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/sites/default/files/Fig3.101A-InternalAnatomyTunicate.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">endostyle</a>, a mucus‑secreting groove used to trap food. 



Comparable grooves in other Clavelina members are pale, so the noir throat offers an easy field mark for photographers trying to separate the skeleton panda from less flashy relatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-ties-and-feeding">Family ties and feeding</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-squirts-cancer-treatment-promising-drug-trabectedin/">Sea squirts</a> are sessile members of the phylum Chordata, meaning their swimming larvae carry a notochord similar to the backbone we humans develop. Adults, however, cement themselves to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-oldest-known-rocks-formed-over-four-billion-years-ago/">rocks</a> and switch to a pump‑and‑filter lifestyle.



The skeleton panda follows the classic filter‑feeding routine, drawing seawater in through an oral siphon, passing it across a mesh of gill slits, and expelling it through an atrial siphon. 



Every hour, a zooid the size of a thumbnail can process volumes of water many times its own body capacity, quietly removing bacteria and microalgae that would otherwise cloud the lagoon.



Because the colony sits in sunlit shallows, stray plankton is plentiful, and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-may-have-three-million-undiscovered-animal-species/">animals</a> rarely exceed snorkel depth. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-growth-squeezes-beaches-threatening-flood-protection/">coastal ecosystems</a>, these compact filters act like living water purifiers, clarifying reef zones where corals and juvenile fish need light.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clavelina-genes-seal-the-verdict">Clavelina genes seal the verdict</h2>



To double‑check that the panda mimic was not a color morph of an existing species, scientists sequenced 810 base pairs of the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4512" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene</a>. 



Two individuals differed by ten nucleotides, a 1.26 percent divergence, yet translated into identical amino acids, a pattern typical of intraspecific variation.



Phylogenetic analysis grouped the samples squarely inside the Clavelina clade, confirming that the combination of free zooids, panda mask, and gene signature warranted a fresh binomial. 



Collection data were deposited in Japan’s National Museum of Nature and Science, making the record available for future comparative work.



Routine bar‑coding of new finds matters because many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-ancient-cousins-500-million-year-old-tunicate-holds-intriguing-secrets/">tunicates</a> carry compounds of biomedical interest, including anti‑cancer metabolites. 



Even if C. ossipandae never yields a drug, accurate placement in the tree of life guides bioprospectors toward branches more likely to host useful chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-picture-for-these-tiny-creatures">Bigger picture for these tiny creatures</h2>



Diver photos once rejected as casual snapshots turned out to be first drafts of a taxonomic paper, highlighting how amateurs can accelerate discovery when scientists stay alert to online chatter. 



Mobile phone cameras now exceed the resolution of older lab instruments, so crisp images of soft‑bodied creatures travel the globe in seconds, creating virtual voucher collections.



Citizen monitoring platforms such as the <a href="https://dan.org/alert-diver/article/advancing-conservation-through-citizen-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reef Environmental Education Foundation</a> now log more than 300,000 underwater surveys gathered by 18,000 volunteer divers, a reminder that hobbyists routinely cover real estate scientists rarely see. 



Their effort frees researchers to focus on analysis instead of boat time, accelerating species checklists worldwide.



The find also underscores how much biodiversity hides in plain sight. Kumejima is a popular snorkel destination, yet a palm‑sized colony remained unnamed until someone noticed its Halloween stripes. 



Conservation planners use such surprises to argue for broad <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conservation-success-stories-offer-hope-for-biodiversity/">habitat protection</a>, not just for charismatic megafauna but for sponge‑sized curiosities that stitch reef food webs together.



“We don't really know why the pattern is there,” admitted Hasegawa. The skeleton panda invites questions about evolution of color in non‑visual animals. Pigment may discourage predators or shield tissues from ultraviolet light, or it may simply be metabolic spillover with no clear purpose.&nbsp;



The study is published in <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/specdiv/29/1/29_SD22-16/_article" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Species Diversity</a>.



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Divers discovered tiny sea creatures that resemble 'swimming panda bear skeletons'

Divers exploring coral outcrops near Kumejima Island in Japan thought...

Antimicrobial resistance now kills at least 1.27 million people a year and is linked to almost five million deaths, making common infections progressively harder to treat. Meanwhile, the pipeline for new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genes-for-antibiotic-resistance-lurk-in-our-wastewater-and-streams/">antibiotics</a> has slowed, but animal venom offers new hope amid fears of a post‑antibiotic era.



Using deep-learning tools, researchers mined 40 million venom‑encoded peptides collected from snakes, scorpions, spiders, and other animals. They pinpointed 386 molecules with the hallmarks of powerful antibiotics.



The work was led by César de la Fuente at the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Pennsylvania</a>, who specializes in machine biology and antibiotic discovery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-toxins-new-treatments">Old toxins, new treatments</h2>



Decades ago, a peptide from the Brazilian pit viper inspired captopril, the first ACE inhibitor for hypertension, proving that toxins can be tamed for therapy. 



More recently, FDA‑approved <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6214764/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ziconotide</a>, derived from cone snail venom, has provided severe pain relief without opioids.



Those successes hint at a vast pharmacological trove hidden in venoms, yet only a fraction of the peptides they contain have been examined. 



Digital screening can accelerate that search beyond what manual experiments allow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-venom-holds-rare-chemistry">Venom holds rare chemistry</h2>



Venomous animals have evolved specialized chemistries for offense or defense over millions of years. These chemistries generate peptides that slice into nervous systems, coagulation pathways, and bacterial membranes.



Because each species fine‑tunes its arsenal, the combined library covers many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotic-resistance-could-cause-a-health-crisis-globally/">chemical</a> shapes rarely found in conventional drug collections.



The Penn team compiled proteins from four databases, representing cone snails, spiders, snakes, scorpions, and more. This diversity fed the AI with sequences spanning more than 16,000 proteins. 



The model then shredded these sequences into over 40 million candidate peptides.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antibiotic-candidates-found-in-venom">Antibiotic candidates found in venom</h2>



APEX turns each animal venom peptide’s sequence into numbers that reflect traits like charge and water-repellence. Then, it predicts how much of each peptide is needed to stop the growth of 34 different bacterial strains.



Sequences predicted to inhibit growth at 32 micromoles per liter or less advanced to a similarity filter that weeded out peptides too close to known antibiotics.



The filter left 386 candidates that occupied unexplored corners of peptide sequence space. This ensured any hits would add new chemical diversity. Crucially, the whole triage ran in a few hours on standard graphics‑processing hardware, a pace impossible for wet‑lab screening.



“Venoms are evolutionary masterpieces, yet their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antimicrobial-resistance-projected-to-kill-10-million-people-each-year/">antimicrobial</a> potential has barely been explored,” said César de la Fuente. His lab’s strategy turns that evolutionary advantage into a search engine for urgently needed drugs.



The platform also found over 2,000 new short sequence patterns that help break bacterial membranes -useful building blocks for future antibiotics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peptides-killed-drug-resistant-bugs">Peptides killed drug-resistant bugs</h2>



The researchers synthesized 58 of the AI‑ranked peptides and challenged them against drug‑resistant strains of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/about/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Escherichia coli</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/staphylococcus-aureus/about/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staphylococcus aureus</a>; 53 wiped out the bacteria at doses that left human red blood cells unharmed.



“By pairing computational triage with traditional lab experimentation, we delivered one of the most comprehensive investigations of venom‑derived antibiotics to date,” said Marcelo Torres, a research associate at Penn. 



Torres noted that the most potent peptides came from spiders, mirroring the predators’ need to immobilize prey quickly.



One standout candidate knocked down <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3442836/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Acinetobacter baumannii</a> infections in mice by up to 99 percent after a single topical dose. The animals showed no weight loss or other toxicity signs, an early but encouraging safety signal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-venom-bypasses-resistance-paths">Venom bypasses resistance paths</h2>



Most classic antibiotics block <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-enzyme-developed-to-recycle-plastic/">enzymes</a>, so single genetic tweaks can disarm them, but venom peptides that destabilize bacterial membranes face fewer resistance routes.



Animal venom hits carried strong positive charges and balanced hydrophobic residues, a combination that latches onto the negatively charged bacterial surface and punches holes in it.



Fluorescence assays confirmed that 26 peptides swiftly collapsed the cytoplasmic membrane potential in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.



Outer membrane permeabilization played a smaller role, suggesting depolarization is their primary kill step.



This mechanism works like human defensins but uses new sequences that bacteria haven’t seen, making resistance unlikely - and because human cells have cholesterol and a neutral charge, they aren’t harmed in the same way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-venom-worked-without-harming-cells">Venom worked without harming cells</h2>



Testing in human kidney cells found that most scorpion and cone snail peptides were benign at concentrations far above their antibacterial doses. 



A handful of spider peptides showed cytotoxicity, guiding the team to prioritize safer scaffolds.



In the mouse skin‑infection model, the lead spider peptide cut bacterial counts by roughly three orders of magnitude without harming the animals.



Pharmacokinetic tweaks such as end‑capping or non‑natural amino acids could further prolong its activity and reduce dosing frequency.



Computational screens suggest 40 percent of candidates likely avoid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/potassium-depletion-in-agricultural-soils-threatens-food-security/">potassium</a> channels, a common off-target for cationic peptides. Electrophysiology studies now under way will test that prediction before systemic trials begin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-venom-based-antibiotics">What’s next for venom-based antibiotics</h2>



Medicinal chemists are refining the top animal venom hits to sharpen selectivity, resist protease degradation and improve serum half‑life. 



Machine‑learning feedback loops will retrain APEX with every new data point, steadily raising prediction accuracy.



Regulatory hurdles remain, yet the researchers argue that topical use in skin or burn infections could reach patients faster than systemic applications. 



Researchers can also pair peptide antibiotics with existing drugs to delay resistance evolution.



The goal is a pipeline where venom data trains artificial intelligence, AI guides chemistry, and chemistry delivers antibiotics in months. If realized, that loop could turn the tide in the struggle against superbugs.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40645962/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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AI found a way to turn venom into antibiotics

Antimicrobial resistance now kills at least 1.27 million people a...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<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=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<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=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

<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://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

<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://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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