The sight of a whale shark, the largest fish alive today, leaves most people humbled. Its slow, graceful movements and gentle nature often make them symbols of the ocean’s mystery. Yet behind this serene image lies a struggle for survival.



Populations have fallen sharply, and their biology makes recovery slow. The findings of a new study from Indonesian waters not only reveal the scale of human impacts but also highlight why protecting whale sharks is vital for ocean health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whale-shark-decline-accelerates">Whale shark decline accelerates</h2>



Over the last 75 years, global whale shark numbers have dropped by more than half. In the Indo-Pacific, declines are even steeper. 



Hunting, habitat disruption, and entanglements push whale sharks closer to extinction. Because they take up to 30 years to mature, populations rebound very slowly. 



Large-bodied species like whale sharks face unique risks in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-invasion-how-microplastics-are-disrupting-land-ecosystems/">ecosystems</a> since they grow slowly, reproduce late, and invest heavily in fewer offspring. 



The researchers noted that the disappearance of such giants can ripple through marine systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-injuries-trace-back-to-people">Injuries trace back to people</h2>



In the Bird’s Head Seascape of West Papua, the research team found 62 percent of whale sharks bore scars or wounds, mostly from human actions.



“We found that scars and injuries were mainly from anthropogenic causes, such as collisions with ‘bagans’ - traditional fishing platforms with lift nets - and whale shark-watching tour boats,” said Dr. Edy Setyawan of the <a href="https://www.elasmobranchinstitute.id" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia</a>.



“Relatively harmless minor abrasions were the most common. Serious injuries from natural causes such as predator attacks, or from boat propellers were much less common."



Patterns in ecology show that when human activities concentrate near feeding or breeding grounds, injury rates increase significantly. 



According to the study, direct human pressures such as vessel strikes and fishing gear interactions remain among the greatest global threats to megafauna. Whale sharks are no exception.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-following-the-gentle-giants">Following the gentle giants</h2>



Between 2010 and 2023, the scientists tracked whale sharks across Cenderawasih Bay, Kaimana, Raja Ampat, and Fakfak. This biodiversity hotspot hosts 26 marine protected areas. Using the distinctive spot patterns of each shark, the researchers identified 268 individuals.



Nearly all sightings occurred near bagans, where whale sharks fed on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-threatens-the-global-fish-supply/">baitfish</a> like anchovies and sprats. Most were juvenile males, four to five meters long. More than half were resighted, including one young male recorded 34 times over three years.



From an ecological lens, these observations support a classic theory: young individuals often use coastal waters rich in food, while adults migrate offshore into deeper, less accessible habitats.



Such ontogenetic shifts are common across marine megafauna and are essential for population survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-injuries-reshape-populations">Injuries reshape populations</h2>



Of 206 sharks with scars, over 80 percent carried human-caused injuries. Serious wounds, including lacerations and blunt trauma, were rare but concerning. More often, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-move-into-dangerous-territory-as-the-climate-warms/">sharks</a> bore superficial abrasions from rubbing against fishing gear and boats.



Studies across marine ecology emphasize that while minor wounds may not kill, cumulative injuries reduce overall fitness.



Injured animals often change behavior, avoid key feeding zones, or expend more energy healing. Over time, this shapes population dynamics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-female-whale-sharks-live-in-deep-seas">Female whale sharks live in deep seas</h2>



A lingering question is the absence of females and older individuals, since previous studies show that adult whale sharks - especially females - prefer the deep ocean where they feed on prey like krill and schooling fish.



By contrast, younger males remain near shore in shallow, plankton-rich waters that help them grow quickly.



“Our own satellite tracking data also show that females and adults frequently use deep sea features such as canyons and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seamounts-are-gathering-hubs-for-ocean-predators/">seamounts</a>,” said study co-author Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra.



Ecological theory explains this pattern: sexual segregation often arises in large marine vertebrates, with males and females exploiting different ecological niches to reduce competition and improve survival chances. This strategy is a driver of population resilience across species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tourism-brings-dangers-to-whale-sharks">Tourism brings dangers to whale sharks</h2>



Staying near coasts, whale sharks offer strong potential for ecotourism. 



“Whale sharks in Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay (Kaimana) had high rates of residency and resighting, indicating that they should be viewed as valuable tourism assets for local communities and governments,” said Dr. Mark Erdmann of Rewild.



However, unmanaged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-change-their-daily-schedules-when-tourists-are-watching/">wildlife tourism</a> can create a risky cycle: attraction leads to proximity, which heightens disturbance and injury risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-changes-big-impact">Small changes, big impact</h2>



The researchers recommend small but effective changes, such as modifying fishing platforms to remove sharp edges.



“We aim to work with the management authorities of the marine protected areas to develop regulations to require slight modifications to the bagans, including the removal of any sharp edges from boat outriggers and net frames," said Erdmann. "We believe those changes will greatly reduce scarring of whale sharks in the region."



Ecological models highlight that even minor adjustments in human practices can dramatically reduce stress on threatened populations. 



Protecting whale sharks is more than conserving one species. It safeguards a keystone component of marine food webs, maintains ecosystem balance, and secures benefits for communities who depend on healthy seas.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1607027/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.



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Whale sharks are literally scarred by human activity

The sight of a whale shark, the largest fish alive today, leaves most people humbled. Its slow, graceful movements and gentle nature often make them symbols of the ocean’s mystery. Yet behind this serene image lies a struggle for survival. Populations have fallen sharply, and their biology makes recovery slow. The findings of a new study from Indonesian waters not only reveal the scale of human impacts but also highlight why protecting whale sharks is vital for ocean health. Whale shark decline accelerates Over the last 75...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

Honey bees are at the heart of global food systems. Their tireless pollination supports crops, ecosystems, and economies. Habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate extremes, and poor nutrition have threatened their survival in recent decades. 



Beekeepers worldwide have reported unsustainable losses, raising alarms about the stability of food production. To address this crisis, experts are working on solutions that go beyond traditional hive management. 



Scientists have now introduced a remarkable food source that can sustain honey bee <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-honey-bee-day-2025-why-pollinators-matter/">colonies</a> indefinitely, even without natural pollen.



The research comes from&nbsp;Washington State University (<a href="https://wsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WSU</a>) and&nbsp;<a href="https://apixbiosciences.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APIX Biosciences NV</a>&nbsp;in Belgium. The trials showed that nutritionally stressed colonies thrived on this specially designed diet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-for-bees-on-the-brink">Food for bees on the brink</h2>



The innovation mirrors the artificial diets long used for livestock and pets. It provides honey bees with every essential nutrient, potentially offering a critical strategy against rising colony collapse. 



This advancement will strengthen global food security, since bees serve as vital pollinators for agriculture.



The new food resembles human “power bars.” These nutrient-rich bars are placed inside hives, where young bees process and distribute them to larvae and adults. 



This directly addresses the growing issue of poor nutrition that has long plagued honey bee survival.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-need-better-healthier-food">Bees need better, healthier food</h2>



Changes in land use, urban expansion, and extreme weather all negatively impact nutrition for honey bees and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-and-pollution-are-changing-the-buzz-of-bees/">pollinators</a>.



Study co-author Brandon Hopkin is a P.F. Thurber Endowed Distinguished Professor of pollinator ecology at WSU.



"Honey bees are generalists and do not get all their nutrition from a single source," said Hopkin. "They need variety in their diet to survive but find it increasingly difficult to find the continuous supply of pollen they need to sustain the colony."



Patrick Pilkington, CEO of APIX Biosciences US, emphasized the uniqueness of this breakthrough. "Until this study, honey bees were the only livestock that could not be maintained on a (human-made) feed," he said.



Trials showed that colonies under nutritional stress fared much better on the new diet compared to current feeding practices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-better-bee-diet">Building a better bee diet</h2>



The project took over a decade of research and global collaboration.&nbsp;Thierry Bogaert is the study's lead author and chairman of APIX Biosciences.



"The newly published work is the result of a Herculean scientific effort of three teams," Bogaert enthused. 



"First, the founders and scientists of APIX Biosciences who tested thousands of combinations of ingredients on honey bees over more than 10 years to create this feed," Bogart continued.



"Second, the WSU team, with leading honey bee and field expertise. And third, leading beekeepers in California, together with extension teams, made large-scale, science-based field testing of feeds possible."



A major finding during the research was the discovery of isofucosterol, a nutrient found naturally in pollen. This molecule proved critical for bee <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-bees-arrive-late-flowers-may-vanish/#google_vignette">survival</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-missing-piece-in-bee-diets">Missing piece in bee diets</h2>



The study revealed that not all sterols in pollen play the same role for bees. For decades, 24-methylenecholesterol was considered the most critical sterol, but experiments showed that colonies could survive without it, though with some decline in brood production. 



In contrast, removing isofucosterol had severe effects, including reduced brood growth and neuromuscular dysfunction.



Isofucosterol depletion caused bees to move sluggishly and exhibit impaired coordination, reducing their ability to forage and care for brood. Colonies missing this nutrient collapsed, proving it to be an essential sterol. 



The researchers suggest that the nutrient's importance may stem from how it influences cell membranes and nerve functions. 



Unlike other sterols, bees appear to conserve isofucosterol more carefully, suggesting an evolutionary mechanism to retain it for vital processes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trials-show-colonies-rebound">Trials show colonies rebound</h2>



To confirm real-world effectiveness, the WSU team tested the diet with colonies in blueberry and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunflower-family-tree-explains-evolution-of-flower-symmetry/">sunflower</a> fields. These environments are known to have poor pollen quality and typically stress colonies.



The study showed that colonies receiving the complete diet maintained higher survival and growth, while those on commercial substitutes or no feed declined sharply.



Interestingly, colonies on the new diet also displayed feed efficiency similar to natural pollen. For every capped brood cell produced, the bees consumed almost the same diet mass they would have with pollen. 



This finding highlights that the artificial feed can truly substitute pollen, not just supplement it.



"Some beekeepers don't pollinate blueberries anymore because colonies suffer or die and the pollination fees don't cover the losses," Hopkins explained. 



"<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disease-attacking-blueberry-plants-is-spreading-around-the-world/">Blueberry</a> pollen isn't very nutritious for honey bees, and they aren't adapted well to pollinating that crop. But if they have this supplemental food source, beekeepers may return to pollinating those fields since they know their bees are more likely to survive."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-bees-securing-food">Saving bees, securing food</h2>



Annual colony losses remain alarmingly high, highlighting the urgency of this breakthrough. The study demonstrated that colonies given the complete diet remained strong from spring through autumn, even during periods of transport, high-density storage, and natural pollen scarcity. 



These larger, healthier colonies are better prepared for overwintering, a key predictor of survival in temperate climates.



"We are confident that the product will positively impact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smart-sensors-help-beekeepers-monitor-hive-health/">beekeepers</a> and growers once it's available to purchase in the U.S., targeted for mid-2026," Pilkington said. 



"We are working with WSU and the beekeeping community across the U.S. to develop the best way to make use of this new tool in agricultural settings."



By addressing nutritional gaps, this innovation could reshape pollination practices, reduce losses, and strengthen the&nbsp;food systems&nbsp;that depend on honey bees.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.3078" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Scientists create pollen-replacing superfood for honey bees, hoping to prevent extinction

Honey bees are at the heart of global food systems....

For decades, biologists thought isolation on islands nudged animals toward smaller bodies, tamer behavior, and shrunken brains - an energy-saving suite dubbed “island syndrome.” 



However, a new study of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/channel-island-foxes-threatened-by-low-genetic-diversity/">Channel Islands foxes</a> complicates that picture. Most of these cat-sized predators evolved relatively larger brains than their mainland gray fox cousins, suggesting that cognitive demands - more than isolation itself - can drive brain size.



The work, led by researchers at the <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a>, argues that brain evolution on islands is shaped by the pressures of survival on the ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fox-brains-break-the-mold">Fox brains break the mold</h2>



Lead author Kimberly Schoenberger argued that the results overturn a long-held assumption.



“It was most surprising to discover that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-how-darwins-giant-daisies-spread-into-distinct-niches/">island syndrome</a> isn’t one-size-fits-all," said Schoenberger. "When we looked at carnivores like Channel Island foxes, the pattern of smaller brains didn’t hold.”



That departure matters because most previous brain-size studies focused on island <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-biodiversity-benefits-from-large-herbivores-like-elephants-and-moose/">herbivores</a> - animals that face different challenges than hunters and omnivores. 



By spotlighting a small carnivore, the team shows that the “rules” of island evolution can fracture along ecological lines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-six-islands-one-natural-experiment"><a></a>Six islands, one natural experiment</h2>



The Channel Islands - an eight-island chain off Southern California - provide a rare, replicated testbed. Six islands host endemic fox subspecies. 



The researchers compared those island foxes to mainland gray foxes, their closest living relatives and probable ancestors, and also contrasted the island subspecies with one another.



If isolation or island area alone drove brain shrinkage, the team would expect a simple pattern. Instead, they found that brain-to-body ratios lined up more closely with local habitat demands than with geography.



On five islands - Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Santa Catalina, San Clemente, and San Miguel - the foxes had relatively larger brains despite their smaller bodies.



Those <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electrical-synapses-are-key-to-decision-making-in-animal-brains/">brains</a> showed deeper folds and ridges in regions tied to motor control and spatial processing. Such traits help the animals navigate rugged terrain, remember scattered resources, and compete for scarce shelter.



On two of those islands, foxes share space with rivals like the spotted skunk, raising the bar for fast decisions and agile movement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brains-shrink-when-survival-is-simple">Brains shrink when survival is simple</h2>



San Nicolas, the most remote and resource-limited island in the study, told the opposite story. There, foxes had smaller relative brains. With few <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-chaos-caused-a-mass-extinction-of-top-marine-predators/">predators</a>, low biodiversity, and a thin menu of foods, the researchers inferred that the foxes faced fewer cognitive demands.



Under those constraints, conserving energy for the basics - staying warm, finding enough calories - may have outweighed the payoff of maintaining larger brain tissue.



“The Channel Island foxes show that brain size reduction is not a universal feature of island life,” Schoenberger said. “It depends on the pressures each species faces.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-fox-minds-from-bones">Measuring fox minds from bones</h2>



To trace brain evolution through time, the team worked with more than 250 skulls representing six island fox subspecies and four gray fox subspecies. These specimens came from the <a href="https://nhmlac.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County</a> and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.



The researchers first estimated body mass from skull measurements and validated those estimates against recorded weights from live-caught island foxes. That gave them a solid baseline for comparing brain-to-body ratios.



For brain size, they used microbeads to measure braincase volume - a reliable proxy when brains are absent. They then CT-scanned the skulls to build 3D models of the cranial cavities.



The scans confirmed the volume estimates and revealed subtle differences in the surfaces where brain folds press into bone. These patterns allowed the team to infer changes in regions linked to movement and spatial awareness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fox-brains-bend-to-fit">Fox brains bend to fit</h2>



The digital reconstructions uncovered a telling feature: island foxes had shorter, more compact frontal areas of the braincase than mainland gray foxes. The researchers linked that to the foxes’ shorter snouts, which reduce available space at the front of the skull.



To compensate, the island foxes developed slightly deeper cortical folds and more pronounced ridges in that region. This preserved space for circuitry supporting motor control and navigation - skills especially useful for climbing trees and foraging in complex terrain.



Both island and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-help-gray-foxes-coexist-with-coyotes/">gray foxes</a> are the only canids known to climb, but island foxes rely on arboreal foraging more often, likely because ground resources are leaner.



The study also found no difference in brain size between males and females. This points away from sexual selection and toward shared environmental pressures as the main driver of change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-foxes-stayed-wild-with-humans">Foxes stayed wild with humans</h2>



Genetic and radiocarbon evidence suggests foxes first reached the northern Channel Islands roughly 9,000 years ago. They may have arrived by rafting on storm debris or by swimming shorter channels when sea levels were lower.



Thousands of years later, Indigenous peoples may have helped move foxes to other islands - likely as pest control rather than pets.



Despite that long association with humans, island foxes never became truly domesticated. Unlike early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-evolving-to-fit-the-modern-lives-of-humans/">domestic dogs</a>, which show brain shrinkage as they grew dependent on people, island foxes retained wild-type behaviors and brain sizes befitting self-sufficient hunters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brains-matter-for-survival">Brains matter for survival</h2>



As climate change and development carve mainland habitats into island-like fragments, understanding which traits help animals cope could guide management.



The Channel Islands fox suggests that cognitive flexibility and problem-solving can be part of the survival toolkit - when ecosystems still offer enough resources to support those costly traits. 



Yet the foxes’ low genetic diversity makes them vulnerable to disease and rapid environmental shifts, underscoring the need to protect habitats that sustain both bodies and brains.



Island syndrome, it turns out, is not a single script but a library of local stories. On five Channel Islands, small bodies came paired with relatively big brains. On the sixth, the opposite prevailed. 



Together, those outcomes point to a simple conclusion with big implications: the brain follows the work that needs doing, and on islands, that work depends on the world outside the skull as much as on the DNA within it.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0328893" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Island foxes evolved bigger brains to help them survive

For decades, biologists thought isolation on islands nudged animals toward...

A sweeping analysis of the “tree of life” finds that most living species belong to a relatively small number of lineages that diversified unusually quickly.



Across plants, animals, and other kingdoms, most branches have not grown evenly through time. Instead, a few have exploded into dense thickets of species, while many others remain sparsely populated.



The British evolutionary biologist J.B.S. Haldane is said to have quipped that any divine being evidently had “an inordinate fondness for beetles.” 



The joke contains a truth biologists have wrestled with for decades: some groups dominate the ledger of life, while others are comparatively species-poor.



More than 40 percent of extant insects are beetles, 60 percent of birds are passerines, and more than 85 percent of plants are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-of-life-created-for-flowering-plants-using-400-million-specimens/">flowering plants</a> - an unevenness that begs an explanation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spanning-earth-s-many-species">Spanning Earth's many species</h2>



To move beyond anecdotes, researchers compiled a vast cross-taxonomic dataset. They then asked whether the concentration of species in a few very large groups is a general feature of life on Earth.



The team analyzed the distribution of <a href="http://v">species richness</a> and diversification rates across clades - lineages that share a common ancestor - spanning land plants, insects, vertebrates, all animals, and a synthesis “across life.”



For land plants, the tally included 10 phyla, 140 orders, and 678 families, together representing more than 300,000 species. For insects, 31 orders and 870 families covered over one million known species.



Vertebrates made up 12 classes encompassing more than 66,000 species, while animals overall accounted for 28 phyla and 1,710 families, totaling more than 1.5 million species.



A final roll-up across 17 kingdoms and 2,545 families included more than two million species. The team compared species counts, clade ages, and diversification rates for each clade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-diversity-comes-from-rare-explosions">Earth's diversity comes from rare explosions</h2>



“Here we show for the first time that most living species do indeed belong to a limited number of rapid radiations," said John Wiens, a professor at the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a>. "That is, they form groups with many species which evolved in a relatively short period of time.” 



“If we look among the kingdoms of life, among animal phyla, and among plant phyla, we find that more than 80 percent of known species belong to the minority of groups with exceptionally high rates of species diversification.”



The result stayed consistent no matter how researchers sliced the tree - by high-level phyla, mid-level orders, or family-level groupings. They found that most species cluster in a few branches with above-average diversification rates, while the majority of branches remain comparatively species-poor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-spark-behind-biodiversity-surges">The spark behind biodiversity surges</h2>



So-called rapid radiations can follow the opening of new ecological opportunities or the evolution of key innovations.



When a small founding flock of grassquit birds reached <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-around-the-world-are-helping-save-galapagos-iguanas/">the Galápagos</a> roughly 2.5 million years ago, it diversified into Darwin’s finches.



When powered flight evolved in early bats about 50 million years ago, it unlocked a rich set of niches. Such episodes don’t just add species; they reset the balance of diversity across the tree.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traits-that-tip-the-scales"><a></a>Traits that tip the scales</h2>



“Our results imply that most of life's diversity is explained by such relatively rapid radiations," Wiens said. "We also suggest key traits that might explain these rapid radiations, based on our results and results of earlier studies."



“These traits include multicellularity in plants, animals, and fungi across the kingdoms of life; the invasion of land and the adoption of a plant-based diet in arthropods among animal phyla; and the emergence of flowers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urbanization-causes-massive-decline-in-insect-pollinators/">insect pollination</a> in flowering plants among plant phyla.”



These innovations changed the rules of engagement with the environment, allowing lineages to exploit new resources, spread into new habitats, and diversify faster than their relatives.



The statistical signal is not unique to one group or one rank. It appears from the vast diversity of insects to the great branches of land plants and vertebrates.



In practical terms, most of the species we encounter - and most of the biodiversity we aim to conserve - sit within a minority of lineages. These lineages experienced unusually fast growth spurts through evolutionary time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bacteria-remain-a-vast-unknown">Bacteria remain a vast unknown</h2>



One major caveat is the kingdom <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-bacteria-get-hungry-they-turn-on-each-other/">Bacteria</a>. Scientists have formally described only about 10,000 bacterial species, yet they estimate true bacterial diversity to be in the millions to trillions.



At the same time, bacteria originated roughly 3.5 billion years ago, which spreads speciation events across immense time and implies a low overall diversification rate.



The authors point out that if bacteria actually have far more species than we currently know, then bacteria would make up most of life on Earth - very different from what their study found. They emphasized that their results mainly apply to the species we’ve already identified.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conserving-earth-s-species-diversity">Conserving Earth’s species diversity</h2>



Recognizing that most species are concentrated in a handful of fast-diversifying clades reframes both evolutionary theory and conservation practice. It sharpens questions about the ecological triggers and genetic innovations that spark radiations.



It also helps triage conservation priorities: protecting the engines of diversification may conserve not only many species today but also the capacity for future diversity.



Haldane’s quip about a deity’s “inordinate fondness for beetles” captured the pattern with wit. This analysis shows the pattern is not an exception but a rule written across much of life. The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1596591/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Just a few explosive lineages account for most species on Earth

A sweeping analysis of the “tree of life” finds that...

A series of hide-and-seek tests show that bonobos rely on memory to keep track of several familiar people at once, even when they’re out of sight. The results reveal mental map-making skills once assumed to be uniquely human.



The study, led by Johns Hopkins University’s <a href="https://www.social-cognitive-origins.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Social and Cognitive Origins Group</a>, documents these abilities in a bonobo named Kanzi. The findings speak to how animals manage complex social worlds and where humans and apes overlap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-myth-of-human-only-minds">The myth of human-only minds</h2>



Study senior author Chris Krupenye is an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins who studies how animals think. 



“People think social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/every-part-of-the-brain-works-together-to-support-intelligence/">intelligence</a> is a thing that makes humans unique," said Krupenye. 



"We have to manage so many different relationships, we might have a range of cognitive tools for doing so that will only be found in ultra-social species like humans,”



“But most of us who study apes have a strong intuition that, because the social world is so important for them too, they must, like humans, be keeping track of these critical social partners," he said. 



"They must share with us at least the foundations of our rich social intelligence.”



Humans routinely keep mental tabs on others. If a partner leaves the room, their location stays active in the mind. 



For bonobos and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-catch-yawns-from-robots-and-lie-down-to-rest/">chimpanzees</a>, who often move through dense forests where companions flicker in and out of view, such memory would be useful - perhaps essential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-bonobo-memory-skills">Testing bonobo memory skills</h2>



Kanzi faced a simple setup with demanding implications. Two caregivers he knew well hid behind two of three identical barriers. 



An experimenter then showed Kanzi a photo of one caregiver and asked him to point to where that person was. Trials were repeated in varied orders to prevent rote guessing.



“Kanzi very quickly understood the task and performed well,” said lead author Luz Carvajal, a Ph.D. student in Krupenye's lab who studies apes' knowledge of their social relationships.



The team then removed visual cues altogether. Caregivers hid where Kanzi could not see them choose a barrier. From behind the screens they each called out, “Hi Kanzi,” letting him hear who was where. 



Only then did the experimenter show a photo of one caregiver and ask Kanzi to indicate their location.



“Here he also performed above chance, and especially well with one of his two caregivers,” Carvajal said. “He does have the capacity to use voice as a marker for identity. This face matches this voice.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faces-and-voices-connected">Faces and voices connected</h2>



While the bonobo made mistakes - as humans do in memory tasks - the pattern was clear. Kanzi kept separate, accurate records of multiple individuals at once, and he could connect a face with a voice to a place.



“Across these studies, the results suggest that Kanzi has a memory of these individuals that brings together their vocal and visual identities - who they are and what they sound like, and where they are in space,” Krupenye said.



“If he hears them he might imagine what they look like. If he sees them, he might bring to mind an idea of what they sound like," he said. 



"We think this is one <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/built-in-memory-janitor-helps-your-brain-forget-some-things-on-purpose/">integrated memory</a>. He's using the same photo prompt to refer to an individual whether he can see them or not.”



That kind of “bound” memory - linking identity across senses and locations - helps explain how bonobos manage fission-fusion societies, where subgroups split and reunite through the day.



It suggests a shared foundation for the social cognition humans rely on to plan, coordinate, and reconnect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bonobo-memory-human-insight">Bonobo memory, human insight </h2>



Field studies have long hinted that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-apes-will-suffer-through-frequent-and-extreme-climate-events/">great apes</a> mentally track groupmates and recognize familiar voices and faces even after years apart. 



Chimpanzees, for instance, can pick out known humans wearing masks. But controlled tests of tracking multiple individuals at once were missing. Kanzi’s performance fills that gap and pushes the conversation forward.



The results also broaden what “voice recognition” means in apes. Bonobos had not been tested on matching voices to specific individuals hidden from view. 



Here, voice alone guided correct choices, at rates above chance, and in some cases with striking accuracy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-origins-of-social-life">Deep origins of social life</h2>



The team now wants to expand the study with new questions: How many individuals can apes track at once? Does performance hold up over minutes, hours, or days? What happens when the voices are recorded, filtered, or partially masked? 



The answers could reveal the limits of these mental maps and the cues apes, including bonobos, rely on.



“These animals are rich and complex,” Krupenye said. “Even if we just want to understand ourselves better, there’s an urgency to this work - and to saving this endangered species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-and-ape-social-minds">Human and ape social minds</h2>



The findings also blur the line between human and ape <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/having-an-active-social-life-helps-the-brain-make-better-sense-of-the-world/">social minds</a>. 



Apes are not planning cities or managing calendars, but they can bind identities across senses, track several individuals at once, and call up that knowledge on demand - much like we do.



For species that must coordinate movement, negotiate alliances, and reunite after separation, those abilities are not luxuries. They are survival tools. 



Kanzi’s success suggests the roots of our social lives run deeper than our species - and they’re still visible, if we know how to play the right game of hide-and-seek.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.



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Bonobos have memory skills that were thought to be uniquely human

A series of hide-and-seek tests show that bonobos rely on...

In the depths of&nbsp;Costa Rica’s tropical forests, a surprising story has emerged. Spectral bats - the world’s largest carnivorous bats - are not the solitary hunters many once believed them to be. Instead, these creatures lead richly social lives, filled with affection, cooperation, and care.



A new study led by Marisa Tietge at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum für Naturkunde</a> - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science&nbsp;in Germany has revealed remarkable details about their behavior. The findings, published in&nbsp;PLOS One, provide the first clear window into the private world of these elusive animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-cameras-capture-bat-lives">Hidden cameras capture bat lives</h2>



Studying bats is never simple. Their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geomagnetic-disturbances-throw-nocturnal-birds-off-course/">nocturnal</a> lifestyle and hidden roosts make close observation challenging. 



To overcome this, the researchers installed a motion-sensitive infrared camera inside a hollow tree in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Here, a family of four spectral bats (Vampyrum spectrum) became the focus of months-long monitoring.



These bats, with wingspans reaching up to three feet, were once thought to forage alone. But three months of footage told a different story - one of social cooperation and emotional bonds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-affection-documented">Rare affection documented</h2>



The researchers observed that the bats displayed eight distinct behaviors, ranging from grooming and vocal exchanges to playful interactions and even a unique form of greeting. 



In this greeting, one bat would wrap its wings around another in a gesture resembling a hug, a form of physical affection rarely documented in wild carnivorous species.



Beyond social gestures, food sharing also emerged as a central behavior. Adult bats returning from hunts often transferred their prey to younger members of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-have-acoustic-mental-maps-to-navigate-total-darkness/">colony</a>. 



This not only provided nourishment but also served as a form of training, allowing the younger bats to practice handling prey.



At the same time, it eased their gradual transition from relying on milk to consuming a carnivorous diet, preparing them for independence as skilled hunters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-cooperation-revealed">Family cooperation revealed</h2>



Surprisingly, the recordings captured instances of cooperative foraging. Adults sometimes left or returned to the roost together, and males transferred prey to females nursing young. 



These behaviors suggest teamwork, which is a rarity among carnivorous mammals. The observations also revealed a long-term family structure. 



The presence of two young bats, likely born in different years, showed that offspring may remain with parents longer than expected. This hints at extended parental care beyond what is typical for many bat species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-bonds-and-care">Complex bonds and care</h2>



The study paints a picture of spectral bats as deeply connected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-dont-get-cancer-now-scientists-think-they-know-the-reason/">animals</a>. Both parents participate in raising the young, forming strong monogamous bonds and investing heavily in offspring survival. 



Such biparental care is uncommon in bats and especially rare among carnivorous mammals.



“Spectral bats exhibit a level of cooperative behavior and biparental care that is rarely documented in bats - a fascinating area for future research,” Tietge said. “We were astonished by how gentle and cooperative these apex predators are.” 



“The most endearing behavior was forming a tight cuddle-ball when falling asleep: each bat wrapping one wing around its nearest neighbor, all snouts touching.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spectral-bats-even-recognize-humans">Spectral bats even recognize humans</h2>



Their social complexity extended beyond family life. Tietge herself experienced something extraordinary. 



"I was astonished to find that the bats seemed to recognize me after several consecutive weeks of visiting the roost," she said. "At first, I was greeted with threat-like calls, and the bats broke their roosting formation to hide in the corners." 



"But over time, their response shifted to just a few curious looks - no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marmosets-call-each-other-by-names-with-distinct-vocalizations/">vocalizations</a>, and they remained in a relaxed roosting formation. Even after nine months away, they appeared to recognize me immediately when I returned the following season."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-spectral-bats-teach-us">What spectral bats teach us</h2>



These findings transform our understanding of spectral bats. Rather than solitary hunters, they appear as nurturing creatures that rely on cooperation and affection.



“Rather than hunting and raising young in isolation,&nbsp;V. spectrum&nbsp;shows complex cooperation behavior, strong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-show-signs-of-divorce-before-the-breeding-season/">monogamous pair</a> bonds, as well as extended parental investment and biparental care - traits highly unusual in carnivorous mammals, especially bats,” Tietge concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0321338" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Spectral bats lead social lives with hugs, play, and food sharing

In the depths of&nbsp;Costa Rica’s tropical forests, a surprising story...

Slimy layered microbial mats in Shark Bay are more than seaside oddities. They are living laboratories where bacteria and archaea still work side by side, much as they may have done long ago.



A new co-culture from these mats shows a bacterium and an archaeon physically connecting through tiny tubes while trading metabolites in ways that make both partners tick. That kind of teamwork fits neatly with ideas about how complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-was-thriving-before-earths-greatest-mass-extinction/">cells</a> arose.



<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/brendan-burns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brendan P. Burns</a> at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) led the study with colleagues including <a href="https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Iain.Duggin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Iain G. Duggin</a> at the University of Technology Sydney.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shark-bay-microbes-survive-extremes">Shark Bay microbes survive extremes</h2>



Shark Bay, Western Australia, holds thriving stromatolites, the rock-like piles that grow when layered microbial communities trap and bind sediments in harsh, salty water. 



In Malgana language, Shark Bay is called <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep46160" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gathaagudu</a>, which means two waters, a name still used by Traditional Owners and regional agencies.



The southern basin can be roughly twice as salty as the open ocean, and the mats ride out heat, desiccation, and intense UV under those conditions. 



Modern mats are not time capsules, but they are useful stand-ins for ancient ecosystems where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocks-reveal-the-turning-point-when-oxygen-changed-earth-forever/">microbes</a> built layered structures and forged partnerships that shaped the planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-mat-microbes-team-up">Microbial mat microbes team up</h2>



Back in the lab, researchers enriched a two-member community from those mats: the bacterium Stromatodesulfovibrio nilemahensis and a newly named Asgard archaeon, Nerearchaeum marumarumayae. 



<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5875740/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Asgard archaea</a> are widely viewed as the closest known prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes, the lineage that includes animals, plants, and fungi.



The team sequenced both genomes and grew the partners under high-salt, low-oxygen settings that fit the mats’ tough environment. 



Each partner seems to cover what the other lacks, a classic sign of syntrophy, where two microbes share metabolic tasks to make <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/timeline-of-lifes-evolution-extended-by-nearly-1-5-billion-years/">life</a> work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-show-nutrient-sharing">Genes show nutrient sharing</h2>



Genome analysis indicates the archaeon releases hydrogen, acetate, formate, and sulfite, while the bacterium supplies amino acids and vitamins that the archaeon needs. 



These characteristics and interactions may represent an early step in the symbiotic evolution of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/eukaryote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eukaryotic</a> cells.



That statement does not claim a perfect replay of early evolution. It argues that the features they see line up with long-standing models that link archaeal hydrogen producers and bacterial sulfate reducers to the rise of complex cells.



Those models gained traction after the first enrichment and later formal isolation of an Asgard archaeon, <a href="https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006435" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum</a>, a slow-growing anaerobe that depends on partner microbes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-mat-shows-nanotube-connections">Microbial mat shows nanotube connections</h2>



With cryotomography, the researchers observed chains of budded vesicles attached to the archaeal cell by extracellular fibers, plus internal tube and cage-like elements inside the archaeon. 



They also saw intercellular nanotubes apparently assembled by the bacterium that contact the archaeal surface, hinting at direct physical links during resource sharing.



Archaea in other systems build similar connections, and a 2024 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51159-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> reported nanotubes in a co-culture that bridged cytoplasms and appeared to serve as conduits for molecular exchange. 



That study counted an average of 4.4 nanotubes per host-symbiont contact, showing how dense and structured these links can become under the microscope.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hints-at-complex-cells">Hints at complex cells</h2>



If partners swap metabolites through persistent contacts, selection can push them toward tighter dependence. 



That is the kind of ratchet some researchers think nudged early archaea and bacteria toward the cell-in-cell <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/third-state-of-existence-beyond-life-and-death-confirmed-by-scientists/">arrangement</a> that defines eukaryotes.



The new Shark Bay culture does not show one cell engulfing the other. It does, however, put plausible building blocks on the table: complementing metabolisms, physical tethers, and vesicle traffic that could knit cells into a more integrated unit over time.



That interpretation sits alongside earlier work that first enriched and then formally described Prometheoarchaeum, strengthening the case that Asgard lineages sit near the root of eukaryotic features.



More broadly, archaeal communities are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10117752/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">known</a> to trade vesicles and tube-like structures, which can shuttle proteins, lipids, and genetic material and may help build cooperative networks in extreme habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-in-research">Next steps in research</h2>



First, replication matters. Independent teams will want to reproduce the nanotube contacts and metabolite exchanges and test whether those tubes move specific molecules in real time, not just correlate with growth.



Second, comparative context helps. Asgard cultures and co-cultures are slowly expanding, and every new system gives biologists another angle on the relationship between archaeal cell biology and eukaryotic traits.



Finally, place still matters. Shark Bay’s mats are rugged, hypersaline, sunlit, and dynamic, a mix of stresses that can reward tight microbial alliances and keep them around across seasons and storms.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.22.663070v2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bioRxiv</a>.



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Strange microbial bedfellows offer clues to how complex life evolved

Slimy layered microbial mats in Shark Bay are more than...

A new study reveals that among seven baleen whale species, only humpbacks can execute the high-performance turns essential for "bubble-net feeding." This incredible feeding strategy involves whales releasing bubbles in a ring to corral prey.



The research, led by <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa</a> graduate Cameron Nemeth, highlights the special role of humpback pectoral flippers in achieving this maneuver. 



The findings shed light on the biomechanics behind one of the ocean’s most iconic hunting strategies.



Nemeth conducted the study as part of a larger project at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology’s Marine Mammal Research Program (<a href="https://www.mmrphawaii.org/">MMRP</a>).



Using drones and noninvasive suction-cup tags, his team quantified the turning performance required for solitary bubble-net feeding.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-and-bubble-net-feeding">Whales and bubble-net feeding</h2>



"The fact that humpback whales' pectoral <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-crocodile-had-dolphin-like-flippers-and-smooth-skin/">flippers</a> enhance their maneuverability wasn't the most surprising part of our study, as there have been previous studies on the morphology of these flippers," said Nemeth.



"However, it was shocking to discover that among thousands of turns from a variety of behavioral states, no other species of whale examined were achieving the turning performance required to create a bubble-net."



This discovery shows how unique <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-humpback-whales-are-born-in-places-we-didnt-expect/">humpbacks</a> truly are compared to other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baleen-whales-cannot-escape-human-noise/">baleen whales</a>. Even though other species may seem capable of turning sharply, their physical structure makes bubble-net feeding highly inefficient.



In contrast, humpbacks have adapted perfectly to this demanding strategy, giving them an advantage when hunting smaller or scattered prey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-baleen-whales-diet">Understanding baleen whales' diet</h2>



Baleen whales eat some of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-satellites-track-antarctic-krill-are-these-tiny-ocean-shrimp-in-danger/">tiniest creatures</a> in the ocean, even though they’re among the largest animals on Earth. 



Instead of teeth, they have long <a href="https://us.whales.org/whales-dolphins/what-is-baleen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plates of baleen</a> - think of them like giant combs made of keratin, the same stuff as your fingernails. 



When a whale takes in a huge mouthful of water, it pushes the water back out through the baleen, trapping food inside. 



Their menu usually includes krill, plankton, and small schooling fish like anchovies or herring, depending on the species and where they live.



What’s amazing is the sheer volume they eat. A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-ever-footage-of-a-blue-whale-nursing-its-calf-captured/">blue whale</a>, for example, can gulp down several tons of krill in a single day during feeding season. 



These whales don’t nibble all year round; they often migrate thousands of miles between feeding grounds in cold, nutrient-rich waters and breeding grounds in warmer seas where food is scarce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flippers-help-with-bubble-nets">Flippers help with bubble-nets</h2>



The research highlights that humpbacks’ large flippers can produce nearly half of the force required for turning. 



This efficiency means <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-helps-humans-have-20-minute-conversation-with-humpback-whale-named-twain/">humpback whales</a> use less energy while executing bubble-net feeding compared to other whale species.



For others, even attempting such maneuvers would demand far greater energy expenditure, making it impractical.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/humpback-whale_bubble-net_feeding-strategy_infographic_credit-Remili-Nemeth_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/humpback-whale_bubble-net_feeding-strategy_infographic_credit-Remili-Nemeth_1s.webp" alt="An infographic presenting the main findings of Nemeth et al. (2025). Credit: Anaïs Remili and Zoltan Nemeth" class="wp-image-1982732"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An infographic presenting the main findings of Nemeth et al. (2025). Click image to enlarge. Credit: Anaïs Remili and Zoltan Nemeth</figcaption></figure>



"This is a great example of a collaborative research project that took advantage of datasets from 28 different research organizations across six countries," said Lars Bejder, research professor at <a href="https://www.himb.hawaii.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HIMB</a>, principal investigator of MMRP, and co-author of the study. 



"These sorts of initiatives are able to address questions that otherwise would be very difficult to answer."



This collaboration allowed researchers to build a comprehensive dataset, strengthening the evidence for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-humpback-whales-are-born-in-places-we-didnt-expect/">humpbacks</a>’ unique hunting edge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-reserves-for-survival">Energy reserves for survival</h2>



The findings are especially important for Hawaiʻi. Humpback whales travel there in the winter, and while in the islands, they do not eat.



Instead, they survive solely on the fat and energy stored from feeding in Alaska. Knowing how well they hunt helps scientists assess their health, strength, and energy levels.



This knowledge also reveals how changes in the environment - such as shifts in prey or warming oceans - might affect their survival during long migrations and fasting. For Hawaiʻi and its people, protecting humpback whales depends on such careful research.



Studies like this also guide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-leaks-conservation-efforts-may-shift-harm-elsewhere/">conservation</a> by highlighting the real challenges whales face as they manage their limited energy reserves and prepare for future journeys.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-research-culture-and-continuity">Research, culture, and continuity</h2>



Nemeth led this large-scale project during his final undergraduate semester and will continue with the MMRP as he transitions into a Ph.D. program in 2026. 



He will oversee the lab’s ongoing humpback whale project in Maui, ensuring long-term continuity of this important research.



In an additional milestone, Nemeth translated the study’s abstract into Hawaiian, collaborating with a Hawaiian language professor to refine the text. 



This marks one of the first times a scientific paper in this field has included a Hawaiian-language abstract, setting a precedent for future publications.



By merging cutting-edge science with cultural respect, this step opens the door for broader community engagement with<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracking-tiny-life-new-tools-for-phytoplankton-research/"> marine biology research</a>. 



It shows how scientific work can honor local traditions while still advancing global knowledge and understanding.



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article-abstract/228/16/jeb249607/368911/The-key-to-bubble-net-feeding-how-humpback-whale?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>.



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Humpbacks are the only whales capable of using the 'bubble-net feeding' strategy

A new study reveals that among seven baleen whale species,...

The roots of mammals stretch deep into Earth’s history. Long before modern species appeared, small creatures experimented with traits that shaped the lineage we come from. 



Fossils are our only link to these ancestors, and sometimes a single discovery can change the whole picture. 



This is exactly what happened in Greenland, where scientists uncovered the oldest definitive docodontan mammal ever found.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oldest-fossil-from-greenland">Oldest fossil from Greenland</h2>



Dr. Sofia Patrocínio and her team at the <a href="https://www.uevora.pt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universidade de Évora</a> have described the fossil in the journal Papers in Palaeontology. It came from the Rhætelv Formation, a site that holds rare traces of early life.



The research closes a gap in mammal history, narrowing a 40-million-year mystery to 33 million years.



The docodontan fossil, named&nbsp;Nujalikodon cassiopeiae, includes part of a jawbone, a preserved molar, and the roots of another tooth. From these pieces, researchers pieced together a story about how early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-was-thriving-before-earths-greatest-mass-extinction/">mammals</a> ate, lived, and adapted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptable-teeth-shaped-survival">Adaptable teeth shaped survival</h2>



"Docodontans are one of the earliest groups of mammaliaforms," said Dr. Elsa Panciroli. "They have more complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/end-of-dentures-tooth-replacement-science-is-about-to-help-you-regrow-your-own-teeth/">teeth</a> than most other mammaliaforms at this time, with a lot of cusps and ridges, rather than a simple arrangement of only a few cusps in a row."



That complexity gave docodontans a real advantage. With teeth that could handle many foods, they spread into new environments. 



"This probably made them able to eat a wider range of foods, making them more ecologically diverse," Dr. Panciroli said. By the Middle to Late Jurassic, they were thriving in ways few other early mammals managed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rise-and-fall-of-docodontans">Rise and fall of docodontans</h2>



But success did not guarantee survival. Docodontans dissapeared, and no direct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-million-year-old-fossils-could-redefine-mammalian-evolution-argon-argon-dating/">descendants</a> remain today. Why? No one knows for certain. 



"It is not possible to say why they became extinct. Extinction is a natural phenomenon that happens, often when conditions change (new habitats, changing climates, or altered ecosystems)," said Dr. Panciroli.



Shifts in climate and habitat may have played a role, but the fossil record leaves questions where answers should be.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-docodontan-fossils-fill-history-gaps">Docodontan fossils fill history gaps</h2>



The placement of docodontans in the evolutionary tree is relatively clear, but relationships among species remain debated. Fossils help untangle these links, though they are scarce.



"There are very few places in the world where the fossils of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earliest-land-animals-had-fewer-skull-bones-than-fish/">terrestrial animals</a> are preserved from the Early to Middle Jurassic," said Dr. Panciroli. 



"This is why there is such a big gap in our knowledge. It's a problem not just for the study of mammals, but for all land-living animal groups."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-reveals-docodontan-link">Fossil reveals docodontan link</h2>



Detailed analysis showed Nujalikodon cassiopeiae was either an early docodontan or its closest relative, making it a transitional species. 



It also represents the oldest definitive docodontan yet identified, reducing the evolutionary gap by seven million years.



Its teeth reveal how simple cusp patterns evolved into the complex structures seen later. "This gives us a clue about how their complex teeth may have evolved from the simpler cusp patterns of their ancestors," said Dr. Panciroli.



The fossil’s location matters too. With similar finds in Great Britain and France, researchers believe docodontans first appeared in Europe. 



From there, they spread widely, reaching regions that include Portugal, Germany, Russia, China, and the U.S. Their ability to adapt to new diets likely made this expansion possible.



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



The Greenland fossil does not answer every question, but it takes scientists much closer to understanding the bigger picture. 



It offers a glimpse into how docodontans lived, the regions they spread into, and the way their teeth developed into more complex forms that allowed them to survive in different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-euarthropod-youti-yuanshi-lived-520-million-years-ago-insect-evolution/">environments</a>. 



Still, one of the biggest puzzles remains unsolved - why did they eventually disappear, leaving no direct descendants behind?



Every new discovery adds a missing piece to the vast puzzle of mammal evolution. With&nbsp;Nujalikodon cassiopeiae, researchers now hold one of the most important clues uncovered so far.



The study highlights both the progress that has been made and the mysteries that remain, reminding us how much more there is to learn about the deep history of mammals.



Image credit: Two Nujalikodon cassiopeiae in the Rhætelv Formation, Greenland. Credit: Pedro Andrade in Patrocínio et al. 2025



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spp2.70022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Papers in Palaeontology</a>.



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New docodontan species discovery fills in mammal evolution gaps

The roots of mammals stretch deep into Earth’s history. Long...

An international team of researchers is looking for answers behind the mystery of Gigantopithecus blacki, a giant prehistoric primate that once lived in what is now southern China.



The species is known from its teeth and mandibles found in cave sites.



The fossils suggest it was the largest primate ever, with estimates of its size ranging from about 1.8 to 3 meters in height (5.9 to 9.8 feet) and weighing around 250 kilograms (551 pounds).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-search-of-gigantopithecus-blacki">In search of Gigantopithecus blacki</h2>



Gigantopithecus blacki roamed and ruled the wilderness of southern China during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-kangaroos-changed-their-diets-to-survive-climate-change/">Pleistocene epoch</a>, roughly 2 million to 300,000 years ago.



Its demise is enigmatic considering that it was one of the few Asian great apes to go extinct in the last 2.6 million years, whereas others, including orangutan, survived until the present.



The cause of the disappearance of Gigantopithecus blacki remains unresolved, but new findings could shed light on primate resilience and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracing-the-disappearance-of-north-americas-megafauna/">fate of megafauna</a> in this region.



G. blacki - a very distant human ancestor - went extinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-species-of-human-ancestors-literally-crossed-paths-1-5-million-years-ago/">before humans arrived</a> in the region. The cause of this extinction has been a burning question among scientists.



The experts report that these primates were unable to adapt their behavior and food preferences to survive shifting environmental conditions.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-enigma-in-paleontology">An enigma in paleontology</h2>



The story of Gigantopithcus blacki is an enigma in paleontology. 



"How could such a mighty creature go extinct at a time when other primates were adapting and surviving?" questioned the study's co-lead author Professor Yingqi Zhang, from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (<a href="http://english.ivpp.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IVPP</a>).



"The unresolved cause of its disappearance has become the Holy Grail in this discipline. The IVPP has been excavating for G. blacki evidence in this region for over 10 years but without solid dating and a consistent environmental analysis, the cause of its extinction had eluded us," Zhang continued.



The researchers analyzed new evidence from a large-scale project conducted in 22 cave sites spread across the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangxi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guangxi Province</a> in southern China.



“It’s a major feat to present a defined cause for the extinction of a species," said study co-lead author Professor Kira Westaway, a geochronologist at <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Macquarie University</a>. 



"But establishing the exact time when a species disappears from the fossil record gives us a target time frame for an environmental reconstruction and behavior assessment. Without robust dating, you are simply looking for clues in the wrong places," Westaway concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The team used multiple techniques to date the collected samples. Researchers at <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Cross University</a> analyzed Gigantopithcus blacki teeth to gain a better understanding of the apes’ behavior. 



Experts at Australian National University (<a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANU</a>) and <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a> studied the pollen and fossil bearing sediments in the cave where the primates once thrived.



“By direct-dating the fossil remains, we confirmed their age aligns with the luminescence sequence in the sediments where they were found, giving us a comprehensive and reliable chronology for the extinction of G. blacki,” explained study co-author and Southern Cross University Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau.



Based on their detailed analyses, the researchers were able to establish the environmental conditions leading up to when G. blacki went extinct. 



They also modeled the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baboons-may-offer-clues-to-early-human-social-evolution/">primate's behavior</a> using trace element and dental microwear textural analysis (DMTA) of the teeth.



"Teeth provide a staggering insight into the behavior of the species indicating stress, diversity of food sources, and repeated behaviors,” said Professor Joannes-Boyau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-scientists-learned">What the scientists learned</h2>



The experts determined that Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, which is much earlier than previously thought. 



Up until this time, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pierolapithecus-catalaunicus-recreating-face-of-an-ancient-human-ancestor/">ancient primates</a> flourished in a rich and diverse forest.



Fossilized teeth and jawbones reveal that G. blacki had powerful jaws and massive molars. Those features suggest it was a specialized plant-eater, most likely thriving on a diet of bamboo, fruits, and other tough vegetation. 



Its size and teeth point to an animal adapted to grinding through fibrous plants rather than hunting or eating meat.



Researchers believe its reliance on forest habitats made it vulnerable as climates shifted and forests receded. 



As grasslands spread and bamboo thinned, this giant ape likely struggled to find enough food, especially with competition from other species. 



As a result, the giant primates grew reliant on a less nutritious back up food source. 



With less energy from their food, the apes would have ultimately became less mobile, had a reduced geographic range for foraging, and faced chronic stress and dwindling numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-gigantopithecus-blacki-matters">Why Gigantopithecus blacki matters</h2>



G. blacki was the ultimate specialist, compared to the more agile adapters like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-orangutan-day-2025-turning-awareness-into-action/">orangutans</a>, and this ultimately led to its demise.



With the threat of a sixth mass extinction event looming over us, there is an urgent need to understand why species go extinct.



Exploring the reasons for past unresolved extinctions gives us a good starting point to understand primate resilience and the fate of other large animals, in the past and future.



The full study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06900-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>. 



Image Credit: Garcia/Joannes-Boyau (Southern Cross University)



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Searching for answers behind the extinction of the largest primate that ever lived

An international team of researchers is looking for answers behind...

Jake Johnson traces his veterinary research motivation to a simple concept with sweeping consequences. The idea is that animal, human, and environmental health are inseparable, and knowledge gains power when it crosses borders.



Johnson was captivated early by the <a href="https://provost.ncsu.edu/global-one-health-academy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One Health Initiative</a>, which shows how discoveries in veterinary medicine can inform human health and ecosystem resilience. Sharing those insights can improve outcomes far beyond a single patient.



A cardiology resident at North Carolina State University’s <a href="https://cvm.ncsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Veterinary Medicine</a>, Johnson focuses his work on translating cutting-edge cardiology into tools that clinicians can actually use.



He prioritizes education and access for veterinary students and general practitioners who may not have specialized training or high-end equipment. He also designs studies with practical take-home value.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-on-earlier-projects"><a></a>Building on earlier projects</h2>



Johnson’s current efforts build on early projects, including a case report describing an unusual form of feline <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-close-to-bars-and-pubs-increases-the-risk-of-heart-failure/">heart failure</a> and how imaging choices can change clinical decisions.



The through-line is the same: bridging the gap between advanced knowledge and the constraints of real clinics. 



He sees research as the engine that turns individual, hard-won insights into shareable methods. Others can then deploy these methods in emergencies or resource-limited settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cocaine-toxicosis-in-dogs">Cocaine toxicosis in dogs</h2>



One strand of his work tackles <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-cocaine-tricks-and-hijacks-the-brain/">cocaine</a> toxicosis in dogs. Much of the available data comes from controlled laboratory studies or from human medicine, and neither dataset perfectly reflects the chaos of a real-world veterinary emergency.



Animal exposures are often uncertain - owners may not know what a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-evolving-to-fit-the-modern-lives-of-humans/">dog</a> picked up, or may hesitate to say - so clinicians must act on incomplete information. 



That uncertainty is exactly why better case documentation and practical protocols matter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dog-cocaine-case">The dog cocaine case </h2>



A small dog was experiencing collapse episodes accompanied by severe bradycardia. Due to concerns about possible illicit substance ingestion, clinicians performed a urine drug screen. 



The test returned positive for cocaine and was later confirmed by an external laboratory. For Johnson, the case demonstrates the importance of pairing clinical signs with targeted toxicology testing when exposure is a possibility.



The case also highlights the need to build a literature that helps practitioners decide what to test, when, and why.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-exposure-before-emergencies">Preventing exposure before emergencies</h2>



Dogs are opportunistic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-followed-the-first-farmers-through-the-americas/">scavengers</a>. Owners can cut risk by keeping pets leashed, watching for attempts to pick up unfamiliar items, and - when needed - using a basket muzzle during walks.



Reliable “leave it” and “drop it” cues can be lifesaving if a dog encounters dangerous substances. 



And when exposure is suspected - or a pet is simply “not quite right” - immediate veterinary care is prudent, because minutes and hours often determine outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-case-reports-that-save-lives">Case reports that save lives</h2>



In veterinary medicine, case reports serve an essential role. They capture the unusual and the emergent - the very scenarios large trials miss. 



They also preserve the details future clinicians will look for when seconds matter. Over time, those reports seed better triage pathways, monitoring checklists, and treatment protocols.



A persistent misconception hampers care: that veterinarians will judge or report owners who admit a pet may have ingested illicit drugs.



However, according to Johnson, clinicians need accurate histories to save lives, not to assign blame. Honest, specific information - what, when, and how much - enables tailored treatment and closer monitoring for predictable complications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-research-priorities-to-advance-care">Research priorities to advance care</h2>



Looking ahead, Johnson’s agenda centers on access. He calls for studies that simplify imaging so it can be performed with standard equipment. 



He also advocates for cost-effective screening strategies that identify high-risk patients without expensive panels, along with pragmatic educational interventions that convert subspecialty knowledge into routine practice.



Johnson also pushes for comparative trials of lower-cost treatment protocols that achieve similar outcomes, structured training so general practitioners can perform basic specialty procedures, and wider use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/telemedicine-helps-address-the-ongoing-mental-health-crisis/">telemedicine</a> to bring specialist guidance into rural and resource-limited clinics in real time.



The goal is to ensure that a dog in a small town has access to lifesaving options just as reliably as one treated in a metropolitan referral hospital.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-open-science-in-veterinary-care">Open science in veterinary care</h2>



Information only helps if people can access it. Removing paywalls and sharing protocols lets students and clinicians learn and apply cardiology principles with the tools they have, not just the tools they wish they had.



In Johnson’s model, publishing is a starting line, not a finish line - the real success is a colleague using that knowledge to stabilize a patient they might otherwise have lost.



Across topics - from toxicosis to cardiology education - the constant is a One Health sensibility coupled with a practical streak. 



Johnson’s work aims to move advanced concepts out of the seminar room and into exam rooms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-linked-to-a-surge-in-hospital-emergency-visits/">ERs</a>, and farmyards, where they can change outcomes today while building a stronger evidence base for tomorrow.



The case report of the dog ingesting cocaine is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1622850/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Veterinary Science</a>.



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How a "my dog ate cocaine" incident is changing veterinary care

Jake Johnson traces his veterinary research motivation to a simple...

High in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, flashes of orange hair move between the trees. Orangutans spend most of their lives in the canopy - navigating branches, building nests, and raising young in one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth. 



Watching them is like catching a reflection of ourselves - their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutan-mothers-have-unique-parenting-styles-like-humans/">intelligence</a>, habits, and even their struggles often resemble our own. Yet, despite these connections, orangutans are slipping toward extinction.



World Orangutan Day on August 19 highlights this urgent reality. The day serves as a reminder that saving orangutans goes hand in hand with protecting their forests - and safeguarding the climate we all rely on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-orangutans-and-forests">Protecting orangutans and forests</h2>



Orangutans live in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra. They act as gardeners of the jungle. By eating fruit and scattering seeds, they help forests regenerate. 



Without them, many plant species would vanish, and the ecosystems tied to them would weaken.



Healthy forests do more than shelter wildlife. They absorb carbon, regulate climate, and provide clean water. Protecting orangutans means protecting the same systems that humans depend on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-communication-than-expected">Smarter communication than expected</h2>



Orangutans continue to surprise scientists. Just when we think we understand them, new research proves otherwise. A recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutans-use-complex-vocal-patterns-found-in-human-language/">study</a> from <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Warwick</a> revealed that Sumatran orangutans use recursive vocal patterns when sounding alarm calls. 



Recursion is a language tool that allows ideas to be nested within other ideas, creating layered meaning. Humans rely on it constantly in speech and writing, but until recently, scientists assumed it was uniquely human. 



The discovery that orangutans use recursion forces us to rethink how we define language and how it is used throughout the animal kingdom.



Another study used machine learning to analyze the calls of Bornean orangutans. Researchers discovered three distinct pulse types hidden in their long calls. Each pulse seems to serve a different role, giving their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-unlock-the-mysteries-of-orangutan-communication/">communication</a> more depth than expected.



For years, people described orangutan calls as simple. This evidence shows otherwise. Their vocal world is structured, varied, and much more sophisticated than we realized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-conservation-emergency">The conservation emergency</h2>



Orangutans mirror human behavior in unexpected ways. One study describes how they recover from poor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutans-manage-sleep-much-like-humans-do/">sleep</a> by napping during the day. They even build quick daytime nests for rest. This pattern looks remarkably similar to how humans catch up on lost sleep.



Despite their intelligence and adaptability, orangutans face steep decline. Populations have fallen by more than half in the past century. 



Palm oil plantations replace diverse forests with monoculture crops. Illegal logging cuts deep into jungles. Poachers kill mothers to steal infants for the pet trade.



As their habitats shrink, orangutans crowd into smaller areas. This increases stress, reduces food, and creates conflict with humans. Without intervention, they could disappear in a matter of decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-actions-to-protect-orangutans">Actions to protect orangutans</h2>



There are many ways individuals can help protect orangutans. Opting for products made with certified sustainable palm oil is one approach. Supporting rescue centers through donations is another. 



You can even virtually <a href="https://www.theorangutanproject.org/donate/?referrer_source=GADUS_GENERIC&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=13240991473&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwwZDFBhCpARIsAB95qO3vTJ075IBt6pMnMSn9C_e0WVyfcGdiW25dHR7bmkwMgaqtFtLPMqMaAmINEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adopt</a> an orangutan to help cover their food and medical care.



Responsible tourism can make a difference. Visiting orangutan habitats can help support local communities and demonstrates that intact forests are far more valuable than cleared land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-progress-worth-noting">Progress worth noting</h2>



There are signs of hope. Rehabilitation centers in Borneo and Sumatra rescue orphaned orangutans and teach them survival skills. Some of these animals are now living free in the wild again.



Governments and conservation groups are also creating protected areas and linking them with wildlife corridors. These corridors let orangutans move safely between forest patches. 



Meanwhile, local communities are exploring sustainable crops that do not destroy rainforests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-purpose-of-world-orangutan-day">Purpose of World Orangutan Day </h2>



Orangutans cannot fight for themselves. They cannot confront corporations or push for laws. That responsibility falls on us. 



Protecting these animals is not just about saving one species. It is about defending the rainforests that regulate climate and sustain life across the globe.



The science is clear, and the threats are well known. What matters now is commitment. Governments need to enforce environmental protections. Businesses must clean up supply chains. People everywhere can support conservation and make smarter choices.



On World Orangutan Day 2025, one truth is clear: orangutans matter. The real challenge is turning that awareness into action - before it’s too late to save them and the forests they call home.



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World Orangutan Day 2025: Turning awareness into action

High in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, flashes of...

<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=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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[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...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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