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...

In a new analysis from the Dog Aging Project, researchers have built the first large-scale comorbidity map for companion dogs using owner-reported health histories from 26,614 pets across the United States.



The result is a network that highlights which illnesses tend to cluster and, when timing is available, which ones usually come first.



The goal is practical. If certain conditions line up in a common sequence, veterinarians can screen earlier, counsel dog owners more clearly, and manage risks with fewer blind spots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-dogs-and-diseases">Studying dogs and diseases</h2>



Pet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-suffer-from-the-january-blues-just-like-humans/">dogs</a> share our homes, daily environments, and many age-related illnesses, which makes them strong models for understanding how multiple diseases stack up over time in real-life settings. 



Dogs often receive consistent veterinary care, so their medical records can reveal surprisingly insightful patterns.



The comorbidity study was led by Antoinette Fang of the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Chicago</a>, with colleagues from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M University</a>, and Tufts University.



“Because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dogs-binge-watch-television-everyday/">pet</a> dogs share our homes, environments and many of our age-related diseases, mapping how their illnesses cluster and cascade offers a powerful window into the same multimorbidity processes that erode human health and points to earlier detection and prevention strategies for people too,” said Fang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-dog-disease-map-reveals">What the dog disease map reveals</h2>



The team constructed an undirected comorbidity network that flags statistically significant condition pairings after adjusting for age, sex and reproductive status, weight, and mixed-breed versus purebred status.



Connections involving otitis externa - a condition marked by inflammation of the outer ear canal - reflect a familiar reality: allergies are a frequent underlying cause of ear problems and infections in dogs.



The network also linked proteinuria - an excess of protein in the urine - to anemia in the setting of chronic kidney disease. This connection is consistent with the biology of kidney-driven anemia in dogs.



The analysis highlights associations such as protein in the urine alongside low red blood cell counts, which may signal more advanced kidney disease. This connection demonstrates the importance of monitoring red blood cell production early.



A parasite cluster pattern was also found in the data, which aligns with clinical experience that many parasitic infections co-occur in the same animal.



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



To examine the sequence in which conditions arise, the team incorporated reported onset dates and built a directed network to estimate which condition is more likely to precede another within a 12-month period.



This guide becomes useful when a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-head-shape-influences-dog-behavior/">dog</a> shows an early sign and a clinician needs to decide what to check next.



One example stands out from everyday ophthalmology. In dogs, diabetes is strongly associated with cataracts, and about 75 percent of diabetic dogs develop blinding cataracts within two years of diagnosis. This pattern aligns with the network’s diabetes-before-cataracts signal. 



The network also places keratoconjunctivitis sicca - commonly known as dry eye, where inadequate tear production leaves the eye unprotected - before corneal ulceration, a painful condition in which the cornea develops open sores. 



This sequence aligns with the way insufficient tears can leave the cornea vulnerable to injury and infection.



A cardiovascular example points the same direction. The ordered map shows hypertension preceding chronic kidney disease in older dogs, which matches consensus guidance that sustained high blood pressure damages target organs, including the kidneys. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-diseases-change-with-age">Dog diseases change with age</h2>



As dogs age, disease webs change shape, with more connections concentrating around a smaller set of hubs in senior dogs according to the authors’ age-stratified analyses. 



The shift lines up with what many owners see, a long stretch of minor problems, then a steeper cascade later in life.



Body size complicates this picture in useful ways. In Dog Aging Project <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38232117/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>, larger dogs carry higher lifetime prevalence for several categories like orthopedic, endocrine, and cancer, while smaller dogs show higher prevalence in some eye and cardiac categories, patterns that can shape size-aware screening choices. 



A veterinarian who knows a patient’s size risks can use this network as a clinical overlay rather than a one size fits all checklist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-vets-can-use-the-map">How vets can use the map</h2>



For primary care, the value is anticipatory. If a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-followed-the-first-farmers-through-the-americas/">dog</a> presents with a new diagnosis that sits at the center of a cluster, a vet can plan targeted tests, schedule follow-up at tighter intervals, and talk with owners about what to watch for. 



The lesson for owners is to share detailed histories. Reporting onset dates, even approximately, helps transform a static problem list into a timeline that can guide critical decisions. 



“Mining owner-reported data from the Dog Aging Project, we built the first large-scale canine comorbidity network, confirming that diabetes often occurs before cataracts and revealing that health problems tend to cluster around a few key diseases as dogs age,” said Fang. 



Such a map can guide practical clinical trials, refine breed- and size-specific screening guidelines, and improve how veterinarians and owners discuss health risks well before they escalate into a crisis.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012728" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Computational Biology</a>.



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Mapping disease patterns in dogs can reveal what's ahead

In a new analysis from the Dog Aging Project, researchers...

On the remote Rēkohu Chatham Islands, an ancestral duck that arrived hundreds of thousands of years ago evolved into a sturdier, more terrestrial bird with shortened wings and elongated legs. 



Within a few hundred millennia, it was already on the road toward giving up flight. The now-extinct species adds a vivid chapter to the story of how islands reshape animals.



The new research, led by the <a href="https://www.otago.ac.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka</a>, combines <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-dna-reveals-37000-years-of-hidden-human-infections/">ancient DNA</a> with detailed bone measurements to describe a previously unknown shelduck. 



The species carries the scientific name Tadorna rekohu and the common name Rēkohu shelduck, both given by the <a href="https://www.moriori.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hokotehi Moriori Trust</a>, guardians of the islands’ plants and animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-island-life-favors-walkers">Island life favors walkers</h2>



“In that time, the Rēkohu shelduck evolved shorter, more robust <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-once-had-hands-but-evolution-turned-them-into-wings/">wings</a> and longer leg bones, indicating it was going down the pathway towards flightlessness,” said co-lead author Nic Rawlence, an associate professor and director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory.



Those changes make ecological sense on Rēkohu. Food was plentiful. Ground <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/well-built-fences-keep-predators-from-harming-livestock/">predators</a> were scarce. Winds were strong, and flying wasn’t the safest or most efficient choice.



“Flight is energetically expensive, so if you don’t have to fly, why bother?” said co-lead author Pascale Lubbe, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago. 



“The longer leg bones are more robust to support more muscle and create increased force for takeoff  - necessary when you have smaller wings.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-dna-and-bones-tell-the-story">Bird DNA and bones tell the story</h2>



Researchers pieced together the bird’s story from two lines of evidence. First, they sequenced ancient mitochondrial DNA from Chatham Islands fossils and compared it with living relatives. 



Second, they analyzed the shapes and proportions of skull, wing, and leg bones, looking for consistent differences.



Together, the genetic tree and the measurements confirm that the Rēkohu shelduck was most closely related to the pūtangitangi paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata) of mainland Aotearoa New Zealand, yet distinct in form.



The family tree also helps time the split. The best estimate is that the ancestor of the Rēkohu shelduck colonized the islands about 390,000 years ago during the Late Pleistocene.



That is enough time, on an isolated archipelago, for natural selection and island living to reshape a bird’s body - shorter wing bones with chunkier ends and longer, more robust legs - without making it fully flightless.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-on-a-windy-archipelago"><a></a>Life on a windy archipelago</h2>



The Chathams sit roughly 785 kilometers (488 miles) east of mainland New Zealand and have long been a crucible of endemic bird life. Before people arrived, at least eight species of waterfowl bred there, from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-nesting-ducks-are-at-risk-from-climate-and-land-use-changes/">ducks</a> to swans and mergansers.



Island isolation and a different predator scene often push birds toward a classic “island syndrome:” reduced flight, stronger legs, and more time on the ground. 



The Rēkohu shelduck fits that rulebook. It had a longer, narrower cranium, proportionally shorter forelimbs, and longer hindlimbs than its mainland cousin - signatures of a bird that spent more time walking and foraging on foot.



Genetically, Tadorna rekohu is the sister taxon to T. variegata. Morphologically, it diverged in ways that matter for survival on Rēkohu. Ratios of limb bones show a slight tilt toward leg power over wing power.



 Analyses that compare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-flight-feathers-may-reveal-which-dinosaurs-could-fly/">flight</a> capability across ducks suggest the Rēkohu shelduck was flight-reduced rather than fully flightless - a sensible compromise when winds are fierce and terrestrial food is reliable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overhunting-sealed-the-bird-s-fate">Overhunting sealed the bird's fate</h2>



Archaeological clues indicate the Rēkohu shelduck did not survive into the 19th century. Its bones appear in early Moriori middens, pointing to overhunting as the likeliest cause of extinction, later compounded by habitat change and introduced predators. 



That fate mirrors many island birds that evolved with few enemies on the ground. Yet discovery still carries meaning. 



“This discovery is great for Rēkohu as a whole and helps connect imi Moriori with miheke (treasure) of the past,” said Levi Lanauze, Hokotehi Moriori Trust CEO.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-into-rapid-evolution">A window into rapid evolution</h2>



Describing Tadorna rekohu does more than add a name to a list. It shows how quickly island environments can nudge anatomy and behavior. 



It clarifies that the Chathams hosted a richer waterfowl community than survives today. And it underscores the value of pairing ancient DNA with careful measurements to resolve long-standing taxonomic puzzles.



Each new species described from Rēkohu helps sharpen the timeline of colonization, adaptation, and loss on an archipelago where evolution works fast.



The Rēkohu shelduck also illustrates how science and community can work together. The bird’s names acknowledge guardianship and genealogy that bind people, place, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-disturbing-details-about-the-state-of-earths-wildlife/">wildlife</a>.



As researchers continue to study bones, genomes, and sediments from the islands, more stories like this are likely to surface - reminding us how landscapes shape species, and how quickly those species can vanish without careful stewardship.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/204/3/zlaf069/8212055" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society</a>.



Image credit: Sasha Votyakova, Te Papa CC BY 4.0



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Extinct duck reveals how island life reshapes birds

On the remote Rēkohu Chatham Islands, an ancestral duck that...

River otters have roamed the shores and inlets of Chesapeake Bay for a long time. But there’s still a lot we don’t know about how they interact with their environment. What do they eat? Where do they hang out? And oddly enough - where do they go to the bathroom?



To answer these questions, researchers in Maryland spent nearly a year observing river otters and collecting data on their habits. 



The team, based at the <a href="https://serc.si.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a> (SERC), analyzed scat samples and habitat use to better understand the otters’ diet, behavior, and exposure to parasites.



Study senior author Dr. Katrina Lohan is a parasite ecologist and head of the Coastal Disease Ecology Laboratory at SERC.



“River otters in the Chesapeake Bay eat a wide range of animals, including those that live in the water and on land. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parasites-help-worker-ants-live-much-longer-lives/">Parasites</a>, too, are crucial parts of their diet,” said Dr. Lohan. "We also found that river otters use manmade structures for latrines or choose areas with specific characteristics.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-otter-poop-on-the-dock">Otter poop on the dock</h2>



It all started with an email. A colleague spotted some odd, watery scat on a dock and sent a message to Dr. Lohan. Inside the scat was a bright red worm. 



Cameras later confirmed that the dock had become a favorite toilet spot for a local river otter. This was the beginning of a full-scale study.



Graduate researcher Calli Wise took the lead on collecting samples. Over 11 months, she gathered scat from 18 active otter latrines. On average, each latrine held about 28 scat piles.



“Scats usually smelled strongly of fish and were full of scales or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-invasive-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-mediterranean/">crustacean</a> shells,” Wise said. “We wore gloves and used sterile tools and tubes to collect scat samples, to avoid contamination with other DNA.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-otter-toilets-are-social-hotspots">Otter toilets are social hotspots</h2>



The latrines aren’t just toilets. Otters use them to mark territory with urine and feces, but they’re also social spaces. 



Otters gather there to eat, play, and rest. The latrines often show signs of repeated use: flattened grass, worn vegetation, and nearby cover.



Most were located near the shoreline. The researchers found that otters liked areas with woody debris and easy access to the water. 



Some latrines stood out. Five were found directly on man-made features like docks, boardwalks, or stairs leading to the water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-otter-poop-reveals">What the otter poop reveals</h2>



The team used two main methods to analyze the samples: metabarcoding, which identifies DNA fragments, and traditional microscopy. Both approaches helped piece together what the otters had been eating - and what else they might be spreading.



“We collected most scats in the summer, when river otter diet is likely diverse,” Wise said. “We found evidence of invasive species like common carp and white river <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bright-coloration-in-crayfish-does-not-serve-an-evolutionary-purpose/">crayfish</a> in river otters’ diet.”



The otters also ate American blue crabs, other fish, and crustaceans. Occasionally, they even consumed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ducks-balance-water-pressure-while-diving/">ducks</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-40-of-amphibians-face-extinction-due-to-escalating-climate-threats/">amphibians</a>.



But diet was just one layer. The scat also showed which parasites the otters were exposed to - either through their prey or directly. Most parasites infected teleost fish, the primary type of fish eaten by otters. A few may have infected the otters themselves.



“It is possible that river otters, like other top predators, wouldn’t be able to find enough food to eat without parasites,” noted Dr. Lohan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-parasites-might-be-a-good-thing">Why parasites might be a good thing</h2>



The researchers couldn’t identify every parasite. Gaps in DNA databases made some sequences impossible to match. They also couldn’t link poop to specific otters, so individual diets remain a mystery.



Still, the findings suggest otters might be playing an even bigger role in the ecosystem than we thought.



“Since so many of the parasites are actually infecting otters’ prey, it could mean that river otters are culling sick individuals from the populations they are preying upon,” explained Dr. Lohan.



Removing infected animals could reduce the spread of disease and even affect the gene pool of prey species. Sick animals don’t get to reproduce if they’re eaten. There’s also a potential connection to human health.



“Some of the parasites that infect river otters could potentially also infect humans, who also are mammals,” said Dr. Lohan. “Thus, we could use river otters as ‘disease sentinels,’ and study them to learn about what public health threats occur in certain areas.”



This study opens new questions about how river otters influence, and are influenced by, their environment. Their poop tells stories about what they eat, where they go, what parasites they host, and what role they might play in managing disease in coastal ecosystems.



And in Chesapeake Bay, it turns out those stories often start at a latrine - sometimes even on a dock.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/mammal-science/articles/10.3389/fmamm.2025.1620318/full">Frontiers in Mammal Science</a>.



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What river otter poop reveals about life in Chesapeake Bay

River otters have roamed the shores and inlets of Chesapeake...

North American monarch butterflies do not use Earth’s magnetic field as a map to find Mexico. They use it as a compass to hold a heading, and cold temperatures later flip that compass for the return trip north.



In lab tests that mimicked different locations relative to their overwintering sites, fall migrants kept pointing toward the equator under every magnetic setting. 



After a 24 day chill, roughly 52ºF days and 39ºF nights, the same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterfly-populations-are-disappearing-and-its-happening-fast/">butterflies</a> switched to a poleward heading, while controls kept aiming south.



A group of scientists in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati (<a href="https://www.artsci.uc.edu/natural-sciences/biological-sciences.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC</a>) collaborated on the research 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monarch-compass-navigation">Monarch compass navigation</h2>



The team used a righting response setup inside a Helmholtz coil system, which generates controlled Earth-strength magnetic fields.



The butterflies oriented on a vertical mesh after righting themselves, giving clear headings without relying on visual landmarks.



The team tested three field conditions: locations about three days’ flight south of the overwintering sites, the overwintering sites themselves, and locations three days’ flight north. They then recorded the butterflies’ preferred direction.



The magnetic parameter that acts like latitude is inclination - the angle at which magnetic field lines enter the ground. It becomes steeper toward the poles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cold-triggers-migration-change">Cold triggers migration change</h2>



“Our discovery that coldness triggers the northward flight direction in spring remigrants solves one of the long-standing mysteries of the monarch migration,” wrote Patrick A. Guerra, who led the study.



A decade ago, researchers showed that winter cold flips the monarch’s time-compensated sun compass, turning a fall southbound program into a spring northbound one.&nbsp;



The new study extends that logic to the magnetic system. Fall migrants chilled for 24 days under overwintering-like temperatures reversed their magnetic headings to poleward, while <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterfly-species-are-declining-fast-across-the-united-states/">monarchs</a> held at fall temperatures did not.



This points to temperature as a shared recalibration signal across compass systems. It also raises a practical question: how warm can the overwintering microclimate get before this switch fails to flip on schedule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-monarch-conservation">Implications for monarch conservation</h2>



Rising winter temperatures in central Mexico could interfere with the recalibration process by preventing monarchs from experiencing the consistent cold needed to reset their orientation systems. 



Without this signal, they might depart on their spring migration still heading equatorward, wasting critical time and energy reserves.



Conservation strategies may need to account not only for preserving habitat but also for maintaining the microclimate stability of overwintering sites. 



Protecting forest canopy cover, limiting deforestation, and monitoring local weather trends could help ensure that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterflies-can-adapt-quickly-but-evolution-has-its-limits/">monarchs</a> continue to receive the environmental cues they depend on for successful migration cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-compass-not-a-map">A compass, not a map</h2>



Several animals use geomagnetic information in two ways, as a compass for direction and as a map for position. 



Tests of fall monarchs have found no evidence that they possess a fine-scale magnetic map that could guide them to a specific Mexican mountain forest.



By contrast, some species do form magnetic maps that help them correct course or home to precise destinations. 



Evidence spans hatchling and adult sea turtles and at least some birds, where animals learn or inherit positional signatures in the field.



Monarchs likely lean on other cues to decide when to stop, including the cool, moist microclimate of oyamel fir forests at roughly 8,000 to 12,000 feet and consistent humidity in those groves. 



Those conditions bracket temperatures close to freezing up to about 59ºF, which help insects conserve energy until spring.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monarch-compass-works-without-sun">Monarch compass works without sun</h2>



“We now show that migratory monarch butterflies have an inclination magnetic compass that allows them to orient in the proper southern direction during the fall migration,” reported Guerra and colleagues. 



When the sun’s position is clear, monarchs use their sun compass. On overcast days, they can still stay on course with a light-dependent magnetic compass.&nbsp;



Recent genetics and neurobiology work has shown that the cryptochrome 1, a UV-A/blue-light sensitive protein, is essential to this magnetosensory response. Both antennae and eyes appear to serve as magnetosensory organs in this context.



Directional and timing cues are integrated in the brain’s central complex, a midline hub that combines skylight and clock information for orientation. Reviews of monarch neurobiology place this circuit at the center of migratory control.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-travel-speed-and-timing">Travel speed and timing</h2>



Monarchs do not sprint to Mexico. Typical progress averages about 25 to 30 miles per day in reasonable weather, and it can stall or surge with changing winds.



Telemetry studies capture faster days under strong assistance, with a radio-tracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-country-without-butterflies-rapid-decline-in-u-s-populations/">monarch</a> covering about 89 miles in a single day. 



Temperature and wind together pushed that pace, demonstrating how sensitive the journey is to weather.



That sensitivity extends to winter. Federal assessments warn that changes to the oyamel fir belt, through logging and climate warming, threaten the microclimate that monarchs rely on to survive and to trigger their spring reorientation.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0328737" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS ONE</a>.



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Monarch butterflies have a built-in compass that flips when it's cold, disrupting migration

North American monarch butterflies do not use Earth’s magnetic field...

Picture your morning without coffee, your lunch without apples, your snacks without almonds. The table feels empty, doesn’t it? That’s the reality we face if honey bees disappear. 



Far from aimless wanderers, these tiny pollinators are the quiet workforce keeping our food - and our future - alive.



Every visit a bee makes sparks life into motion - crops grow, ecosystems thrive, and nature holds its balance. Take them away, and fields go barren, farmers struggle, and grocery shelves grow bare. 



National Honey Bee Day 2025 isn’t just a date on the calendar; it’s both a celebration and a call to action. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honoring-national-honey-bee-day">Honoring National Honey Bee Day</h2>



A jar of honey is more than a touch of sweetness - it’s a symbol of tireless bees and the beekeepers who guide them through the seasons. National Honey Bee Day honors this vital partnership, one that provides many of the foods we love and often take for granted.



In 2009, a group of U.S. beekeepers decided that bees needed recognition. They petitioned the <a href="https://www.usda.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Agriculture</a> for official support. The department agreed, and the first observance took place the same year.



Since then, the holiday has grown. The date was fixed to the third Saturday in August, making it easier for people to plan events. 



Today, a nonprofit group organizes the celebrations, ensuring that the message of bee conservation reaches more communities each year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-honey-bees-matter">Why honey bees matter</h2>



Pollinators are invisible workers that keep our food supply stable. Nearly 90 percent of wild plants and over 75 percent of food crops depend on them.



Bees are efficient, adaptable, and essential. They visit thousands of flowers daily, moving pollen that allows plants to reproduce. This keeps ecosystems diverse and resilient. But despite their importance, bees face serious threats. 



Habitat destruction, pesticides, and climate stress are stripping away the resources they need to survive. Factor in pollution - and even the impacts of conflict - and their struggle becomes more intense.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-dangers-for-honey-bees">Growing dangers for honey bees</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-bee-day-2025-protecting-the-pollinators-that-feed-the-world/">numbers</a> paint a grim picture. In the U.S., up to 60 percent of managed hives vanished this year alone. That scale of loss is devastating for farmers who depend on pollination services.



Pests worsen the crisis. Varroa destructor mites latch onto bee larvae and spread weakness through colonies. Viruses carried by these mites disrupt normal behavior. Bees fly shorter distances, gather less food, and struggle to keep colonies fed. 



Even treatments designed to fight mites can backfire. Poor timing often damages colonies instead of saving them.



When losses reach this level, it’s not just a beekeeper’s problem. It becomes a problem for everyone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-solutions-to-protect-bees">Finding solutions to protect bees</h2>



Scientists aren’t standing still. One promising tool is a man-made diet designed for bees when pollen is scarce. In field trials, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-diet-offers-hope-for-saving-endangered-honey-bees/">colonies</a> that received the diet didn’t just survive - they thrived. This offers hope for hives during tough seasons.



Another <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/science-is-giving-beekeepers-a-better-way-to-fight-colony-collapse/">breakthrough</a> is the UBeeO assay, which allows beekeepers to breed bees that resist disease. These hygienic bees reduce reliance on chemicals and create healthier, more stable colonies. Breeding programs built on this tool could transform beekeeping in the coming years.



Timing matters too. Adjusting mite treatments to match hive needs can prevent unnecessary losses. Instead of blanket approaches, smarter strategies give bees a fighting chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-landscapes-bee-friendly">Making landscapes bee-friendly</h2>



Solutions don’t stop in laboratories. Farmers and gardeners can play a huge role. Honey bees need variety in their diets. Winter bees, in particular, live longer when pollen comes from multiple plants.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bee-survival-depends-on-more-than-just-pollen-abundance/">Farmers</a> can help by planting flower strips, rotating crops, and maintaining organic fields. Home gardeners also hold power. Choosing native flowers, mixing bloom times, and skipping pesticides all strengthen local bee populations. 



A growing collection of research shows that even small gardens can support diverse bee communities.



At larger scales, land management matters. Turning unused farm corners into conservation zones attracts pollinators. Pairing organic fields with perennial meadows provides long-term habitats. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-threats-to-bees">New threats to bees </h2>



Bees now face threats that scientists never imagined. Microplastics infiltrate hives, artificial lights confuse pollinators, and conflict reduces crop diversity, hurting both bees and farmers.



Researchers are testing solutions like solar parks with flower habitats, nectar-rich crop breeding, and less antibiotic pollution. Experts are also developing RNAi treatments that can target pests without harming helpful insects.



These efforts could protect bees while advancing broader climate and conservation goals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-on-national-honey-bee-day">Action on National Honey Bee Day</h2>



National Honey Bee Day isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about small, consistent actions. Support a local beekeeper by buying honey from them. 



Plant a mix of flowers in your garden or balcony. Avoid spraying pesticides, especially during bloom periods when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/science-is-giving-beekeepers-a-better-way-to-fight-colony-collapse/">bees</a> are most active.



You can also spread the word. Share research updates about the artificial diet that keeps colonies alive. Talk about how diverse pollen sources make winter bees resilient. These conversations matter because awareness drives action.



Real progress happens when communities, farmers, scientists, and leaders work together. National Honey Bee Day is not just about honoring bees - it’s a reminder that protecting them means protecting our harvests, our ecosystems, and our future.



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National Honey Bee Day 2025: Why pollinators matter

Picture your morning without coffee, your lunch without apples, your...

inscripciones-programa-impulso-digital-pozuelo-de-alarcon - 1

An unassuming green alga that has lived quietly in laboratory flasks for decades just revealed it carries a giant virus so large, and so stealthy, that nobody had noticed it before. 



The find rewrites what scientists thought they knew about how big a virus can grow while still hiding inside a single-celled host.



The work, led by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iEhGXaMAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maria Paula Erazo-Garcia</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=JLV6g2AAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frank Aylward</a> of <a href="https://www.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a>, shows that the virus, dubbed punuivirus, slips into the alga’s DNA, goes to sleep, then wakes up later to build full virus particles without killing most of its hosts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-giant-punuivirus-matters">Why giant punuivirus matters</h2>



Viruses that integrate and then lie low are common in bacteria, animals, and even humans, but only a handful have been spotted in algae. 



The new study confirms that latent infection strategies also exist in the <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads6303" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oversized world</a> of giant viruses, whose genomes dwarf those of many bacteria.



These huge pathogens fascinate virologists because they blur the line between virus and cell. Finding one that can go dormant suggests algae, which form the base of many food webs, may quietly shuttle viral genes around ecosystems.



Latent giants also interest evolutionary biologists. Because they cut themselves into host chromosomes, they sprinkle new genes across lineages and may spark sudden leaps in innovation.



Finally, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/herpes-virus-reshapes-human-dna-to-multiply/">virus</a> that waits instead of killing offers hints about how viruses manage long-term coexistence, an issue that matters when scientists engineer viral vectors for vaccines and gene therapies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-and-studying-punuivirus">Finding and studying punuivirus</h2>



“We could definitely see that there was a virus inserted there,” said Erazo-Garcia. She first saw unusual DNA fragments while screening cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a staple of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-cells-capable-of-photosynthesis-created-for-the-first-time/">photosynthesis</a> research. 



Long-read sequencing confirmed that a 617,000-base-pair viral genome sat inside chromosome 15. 



Electron-microscopy snapshots later caught complete virions roughly 200 nanometers wide budding from a small fraction of cells, even though the cultures looked perfectly healthy.



Because only a few cells ignite the viral program at a time, the infection flies under the radar. The team measured two spikes of viral particles, one early and one late in the week-long growth cycle, showing that timing matters for reactivation.



Parallel tests in Swedish lakes and Dutch coastal waters turned up similar viral DNA in wild relatives, hinting that punuivirus-style infections are not a laboratory quirk but part of nature’s routine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sizing-up-the-genetic-payload">Sizing up the genetic payload</h2>



At 617 kilobases, the giant punuivirus ranks among the largest double-stranded-DNA viruses known. 



Its genome encodes an integrase, an enzyme that pastes viral DNA into host chromosomes, and several <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06356-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fanzor nucleases</a>, mobile genes that can cut DNA using RNA guides, a trick reminiscent of CRISPR systems.



Those nucleases, plus hundreds of other genes, are sandwiched between long terminal repeats and flanked by a six-base target-site duplication, molecular fingerprints that helped researchers pinpoint the insertion site.



The virus also carries hallmarks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/herpes-virus-reshapes-human-dna-to-multiply/">self-sufficiency</a>: DNA polymerase, major capsid proteins, and its own transcription machinery. 



Such complexity suggests punuivirus can fend for itself once it wakes up, relying on the host mainly for raw materials.



The genome lacks obvious “<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4758904/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suicide genes</a>” that would lyse the cell, explaining why infected cultures keep growing. Instead, the virus appears content to release modest numbers of particles while most algae remain alive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-editing-promise-of-punuivirus">Gene editing promise of punuivirus</h2>



Because punuivirus slips its DNA neatly into a host chromosome and later excises full-length genomes, biotechnologists see a potential delivery tool. 



The built-in integrase and Fanzor nucleases might help shuttle large cargos into plant or algal genomes more cleanly than current viral vectors.



“It was not known that this could happen in viruses that are quite so big as this one,” said Aylward, noting that the alga stays healthy even while the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-crisis-alarming-virus-threatens-global-seafood-supplies/">virus</a> inserts and removes giant stretches of DNA.



Fanzor nucleases are guided by short RNA molecules, much like <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6299457/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CRISPR-Cas enzymes</a>, but they cut DNA in a different way. 



Harnessing them could broaden the menu of gene-editing tools, especially for organisms where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crispr-used-to-remove-extra-chromosomes-in-down-syndrome-and-restore-cell-function/">CRISPR</a> struggles.



Researchers also want to dissect the molecular alarm clock that flips punuivirus from silent to active. Understanding that trigger could let engineers program on-demand expression of therapeutic genes without permanent activation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-editing-giant-viruses-and-the-future">Gene editing, giant viruses, and the future</h2>



The team plans to map every transcript and protein made during the virus’s two production bursts to learn which genes turn the switch. 



They also hope to test whether environmental cues, light, nutrients, or stress, nudge the virus awake.



Ecologists, meanwhile, will survey lakes and oceans for other dormant giants. If latent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-may-be-near-the-root-of-all-life-on-earth/">viruses</a> prove common, their slow-motion gene traffic could reshape how scientists think about microbial evolution and carbon cycling.



The discovery shows that even in 2025, familiar lab organisms can hide astonishing secrets, waiting for a curious grad student and a new sequencing machine to bring them to light.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads6303" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Giant dormant virus discovered in algae could revolutionize gene editing

An unassuming green alga that has lived quietly in laboratory...

Tiny robots often struggle with batteries, sensors, and navigation, yet a common fruit fly already packs all three in a two and a half millimeter body. Researchers at <a href="https://www.rowland.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard’s Rowland Institute</a> have now learned to steer those insects as if they were remote controlled microrobots, trading silicon for living tissue.



The team reports that it can point <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/drosophila-melanogaster" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Drosophila melanogaster</a> along preset routes, flip its heading on command, and even choreograph a swarm that traces the phrase “HELLO WORLD” across a floor. 



Lead author <a href="https://www.rowland.harvard.edu/directory/kenichi-iwasaki/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kenichi Iwasaki</a> of the Rowland Institute explained that the work shows how biology can solve problems that stump microengineering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-live-flies-into-microrobots">Turning live flies into microrobots</h2>



The first trick relied on the fly’s optomotor response, an ancient reflex that keeps moving patterns stable on the retina. 



By projecting a rotating blue and black pinwheel, the scientists nudged the insect to veer right or left, achieving 94 percent waypoint accuracy in a five inch corridor.



Visual cues were only half the story. The group also used optogenetics to plant light sensitive channels in each antenna, letting red or blue flashes mimic odor plumes and pull the fly toward a target with 95 percent fidelity after a brief neural tune up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-miniature-autopilot">Building a miniature autopilot</h2>



To keep left and right commands separate, one antenna was coated with blue blocking dye and its twin with red blocking dye, creating a simple “two bit” control channel. 



Because the fly supplied its own muscles and metabolism, the external hardware shrank to an overhead projector, a camera, and a computer smaller than a lunchbox.



When tested side by side, light steered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-can-walk-jump-and-dance-using-the-same-motor-neurons/">flies</a> covered the thirteen inch track four times faster than untreated controls and wandered half as far off course, performance that held steady for hours without food rewards. 



That durability hints that the reflexes sit below the insect’s motivational circuitry, so guidance does not need constant recalibration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-scribbles-to-hello-world">From scribbles to "HELLO WORLD"</h2>



After mapping simple lines, the researchers strung thirty one checkpoints into the outline of ten letters, guiding a single fly to walk each stroke until the phrase appeared on screen. 



The insect finished the “writing” in just under seventeen minutes, confirming that the closed loop system can handle complex sequences.



In parallel trials three separate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flies-like-to-play-and-have-fun-like-other-animals-according-to-a-fascinating-new-study/">flies</a> played the role of independent pens, each assigned a subset of strokes, and still reproduced the message legibly. 



The multi-pen demonstration shows that guidance commands can be broadcast in parallel without mixing up which insect receives which cue.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/living-creatures_drosophila_controlled-like-robots_hello-world_PNAS_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/living-creatures_drosophila_controlled-like-robots_hello-world_PNAS_1s.webp" alt="Sequencing multiple goals to create complex patterns in writing text. (A, i) Schematic depicting the idea of sequencing spatial goals in a pattern of letter H. Numbers and colors represent target goals. Flies’ orientation with respect to the walking trajectory is depicted with a fly cartoon in the Top Left. (ii) Schematic showing sequencing of patterns to “write text” with fly walking trajectories. (B) Example HELLO WORLD fly walking patterns “written” by a single fly. Fly cartoon (not to size) shows the flies’ orientation when walking. Running trajectory colors represent runs to a target point (same color as trajectory). Numbers represent target ordinal in sequence. (C) Spatial occupancy probability heatmaps for 3 example flies, showing all running data for each fly. This shows the degree of consistency of writing text across letters and across flies. (D) Olfactory-based HELLO WORLD letters. Each letter represents a running trajectory from a different fly. For letters E, L2 (fly 4), W, and D, the length of the side of the black square is 43 cm. For letters H, L1 (fly 3), O1 (fly 5), O2 (fly 7), R, and L3 (fly 9), the length of the side of the black square is 18 cm. Credit: PNAS" class="wp-image-1981994"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sequencing multiple goals to create complex patterns in writing text. (A, i) Schematic depicting the idea of sequencing spatial goals in a pattern of letter H. Numbers and colors represent target goals. Flies’ orientation with respect to the walking trajectory is depicted with a fly cartoon in the Top Left. (ii) Schematic showing sequencing of patterns to “write text” with fly walking trajectories. (B) Example HELLO WORLD fly walking patterns “written” by a single fly. Fly cartoon (not to size) shows the flies’ orientation when walking. Running trajectory colors represent runs to a target point (same color as trajectory). Numbers represent target ordinal in sequence. (C) Spatial occupancy probability heatmaps for 3 example flies, showing all running data for each fly. This shows the degree of consistency of writing text across letters and across flies. (D) Olfactory-based HELLO WORLD letters. Each letter represents a running trajectory from a different fly. For letters E, L2 (fly 4), W, and D, the length of the side of the black square is 43 cm. For letters H, L1 (fly 3), O1 (fly 5), O2 (fly 7), R, and L3 (fly 9), the length of the side of the black square is 18 cm. Click image to enlarge. Credit: PNAS</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microrobots-haul-loads-and-walk-mazes">Microrobots haul loads and walk mazes</h2>



Size does not equal weakness. A fly weighing a single milligram hauled an extra milligram of brass, roughly 0.000035 ounces, back and forth between two points more than six hundred times before tiring.



When the arena was replaced with a seventeen inch square maze lined by dead end branches, the pinwheel guidance still kept insects on the main loop for hundreds of laps. 



Those trials show that the method works even when walls block direct sightlines and cast confusing shadows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-borrowing-nature-for-microrobotics">Borrowing nature for microrobotics</h2>



Conventional microrobots often stall once they leave the lab, because dust, humidity, and radio interference swamp their fragile circuits.



A living fly reared for pennies in a jar brings built in power, stereo smell, and a flight computer honed by evolution, delivering fault tolerance that engineers currently pay for in weight and expense.



Swarms of such “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2024.1336612/full">biobots</a>” could sniff hazardous leaks, map collapsed buildings, or pollinate rows of strawberries without the carbon footprint or price tag of disposable electronics. 



Soft robotics specialists say biological carriers could also ferry sensors deep into rubble that wheeled machines cannot enter.



“Fruit flies have evolved for millions of years to handle tight spaces and unpredictable environments,” said <a href="https://www.rowland.harvard.edu/directory/sasha-rayshubskiy-phd/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sasha Rayshubskiy</a>, Rowland Fellow at Harvard University. 



His group believes that modest on board gadgets will be enough to steer the insects outdoors once proof of concept backpacks now tested on cockroaches move below the one milligram threshold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-lab-to-field-tests">From lab to field tests</h2>



Solar powered “circuit saddles” only four hundredths of an ounce have already helped cyborg beetles right themselves after falls, suggesting similar packs could drive flies for days without human input. 



A recent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55197-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> showed that a swarm of such cyborgs can navigate dunes without bunching up, thanks to simple neighbor to neighbor rules.



Transplanting that algorithm onto fruit flies could let hundreds sweep a greenhouse for pests, each insect sharing only local information yet covering acres faster than a single drone. 



Because the guidance signals piggyback on reflexes rather than override them, the team predicts that the insects will still sleep, eat, and mate on schedule, reducing welfare concerns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hurdles-remain-for-living-microrobots">Hurdles remain for living microrobots</h2>



Engineers still need to miniaturize guidance hardware to under one milligram, the payload limit seen in weight tests. 



They must also ensure that artificial cues do not block essential behaviors such as feeding, which would shorten any field deployment.



Ethicists will ask how much autonomy a sentient agent should sacrifice for human benefit. 



The Harvard group argues that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-on-treadmills-video-shows-how-insects-walk-and-balance/">flies</a> already use the same reflexes in nature, so the intervention resembles turning up the volume rather than rewriting the score.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-glimpse-at-future-swarms">A glimpse at future swarms</h2>



Because each insect costs pennies to rear and requires minutes to train, fleets numbering in the thousands are plausible. 



Machine vision algorithms could direct those swarms to converge on odor plumes, forming a living, distributed sensor that highlights pollutant hotspots in real time.



Meanwhile laboratory neuroscientists gain a bonus tool, a way to hold a moving fly at any coordinate, then record how specific brain cells behave when the animal chooses, or refuses, to follow orders. 



That feedback loop could clarify decision making at a resolution unseen in larger animals.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2426180122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Scientists convert living flies into microrobots, forcing swarms to write "HELLO WORLD"

Tiny robots often struggle with batteries, sensors, and navigation, yet...

Bryozoans are tiny marine animals that live in colonies and quietly build underwater structures on which many species depend. These little invertebrates often go unnoticed, even though their work is essential to life in the sea. Now, research shows that climate change may be pushing them past their limit.



A recent study from scientists at the <a href="https://www.icm.csic.es/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institut de Ciències del Mar</a> (ICM-CSIC) takes a close look at how ocean acidification and warming are affecting bryozoans. 



The team focused on two species that play an important role in building marine habitats, including Myriapora truncata, also known as the “false coral.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bryozoans-build-marine-homes">Bryozoans build marine homes</h2>



Myriapora truncata forms complex, three-dimensional structures that give shelter to a variety of marine life. These aren’t true <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/corals-can-be-trained-to-endure-heat-stress/">corals</a>, but they serve a similar purpose - building habitats that other species rely on.



The researchers examined how this species, along with another type of encrusting bryozoan, responds to future ocean conditions. These include warmer temperatures and more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidity-crosses-dangerous-threshold-threatening-marine-life/">acidic water</a>, both of which are caused by rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.



“Despite being a different phylum, very diverse and abundant globally, these small architects of the sea are often overlooked in studies,” said Blanca Figuerola, ICM-CSIC researcher and lead author of the study. 



Figuerola noted that bryozoans play a very important ecological role and their microbiome had been virtually unexplored.



This study is the first to describe the microbiome - the community of microorganisms that live in and on these animals - of the false coral.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcano-bubbles-mimic-future-seas">Volcano bubbles mimic future seas</h2>



To study how these organisms respond to acidified oceans, the research team used a unique spot off the island of Ischia in Italy. Natural volcanic bubbles mimic ocean acidification levels expected by the century’s end.



“This area offers a unique opportunity to study how marine species respond to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-is-spreading-into-deeper-waters/">acidification</a> under natural conditions,” said Núria Teixidó, a researcher at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn and co-author of the article.



The scientists compared bryozoan colonies in acidified waters with those in normal conditions, examining their shape, skeleton structure, and microbiome.



The researchers found that the species show some flexibility. Animals in acidified water changed their skeleton composition in a way that could help them resist harsher conditions. And overall, their microbiomes stayed fairly stable - but not entirely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trouble-in-the-microbial-neighborhood">Trouble in the microbial neighborhood</h2>



The study found that acidified conditions reduced the variety of microbes performing key functions inside the bryozoans.



“However, we observed a loss in functional microbial diversity, with a decline in genera potentially involved in key processes such as nutrition, defense, or resistance to environmental stress,” said Figuerola.



That shift could have serious consequences over time. Even if the bryozoans look fine on the outside, a weaker microbiome could leave them more vulnerable to disease.



“Even if colonies look externally healthy, changes in the microbiome could serve as early bioindicators of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-could-completely-stop-growing-by-2054/">environmental stress</a>,” said Javier del Campo, a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-double-blow-to-reef-makers">Double blow to reef-makers</h2>



Alongside acidification, the study also tracked the impact of rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">ocean temperatures</a> over a five-year period. When warming is added to the mix, the effects worsen.



“The models used indicate that the combination of these two stressors intensifies the effects observed, significantly reducing the coverage of the encrusting bryozoan and increasing mortality," said Pol Capdevila, a researcher at the University of Barcelona.



"Although the species show some morphological plasticity, it is not enough to offset the combined impact of acidification and warming.”



To reach these findings, the team used advanced modeling techniques and micro-CT scans to get 3D images of the internal skeletons of these animals. 



The team is currently working with Cooked Illustrations, a visual storytelling studio, to turn their research into a science animation aimed at education and outreach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bryozoans-deserve-more-attention">Bryozoans deserve more attention</h2>



Bryozoans may not get as much attention as corals, but they play a similar role in creating habitats for other marine life. If they start to disappear, many other species could be affected.



This study highlights how important it is to understand not just the animals themselves but also the microbes they live with. 



By identifying potentially beneficial microorganisms, researchers are opening the door to future methods of helping these organisms adapt. These may include nature-based solutions that support both the host and its microbiome.



The research started under the MedCalRes National Plan project. It is continuing through the HOLOCHANGE consolidation project and the National Plan MedAcidWarm. 



These initiatives aim to better understand how bryozoans and their microbiomes interact, and how we might help them cope with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-stress-causes-undetected-changes-in-marine-ecosystems/">climate stress</a>.



“The complexity of the issue demands integrated analyses,” said Figuerola. “This study shows how interdisciplinary approaches can help us anticipate future scenarios and more effectively protect marine ecosystems.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08524-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Biology</a>.



Image Credit: ICM-CSIC



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'Ocean architects’ expose hidden threats of climate change

Bryozoans are tiny marine animals that live in colonies and...

A broken bone sets off a repair job inside the body. New blood vessels grow in, bringing oxygen and nutrients to rebuild the damage. 



Scientists have now traced that same process in a Tyrannosaurus rex rib from about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/t-rex-was-about-70-percent-bigger-than-we-thought/">67 million years ago</a>, using powerful X-rays to see mineral “shadows” where blood once flowed.



They focused on a deep fracture near the vertebral end of the rib. The bone had started to heal before the animal died, laying down a callus - the bumpy repair tissue that forms during recovery. 



Inside that callus, they spotted tube-like structures that matched the size and pattern of blood vessels linked with healing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-t-rex-blood-vessels">Finding T. rex blood vessels</h2>



The work centers on a Tyrannosaurus rex specimen named "Scotty," housed at the <a href="https://royalsaskmuseum.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Saskatchewan Museum</a> in Canada, one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons ever found. 



The research team scanned the rib at the <a href="https://www.lightsource.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canadian Light Source</a> synchrotron, a facility that generates extremely bright X-rays for high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis.



Jerit L. Mitchell, a PhD student in the Department of Physics at the <a href="https://www.uregina.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Regina</a>, led the study after joining the project during the first scan of the rib in 2019. 



“I remember showing my supervisors, Dr. Barbi and Dr. McKellar, a strange structure inside a scan of the rib that I originally didn’t give much thought to," Mitchell reminisced. 



"They were quick to point out that what I discovered could possibly be preserved blood vessels, which has since led to a much more expansive research project."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-vessels-from-an-injured-t-rex">Blood vessels from an injured T. rex</h2>



The vessel-like structures only showed up around the fracture and its callus, not throughout the rib. They were larger than the tiny <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haversian_canal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Haversian canals</a> that normally carry blood in compact bone. 



That pattern lines up with what doctors see today: during healing, the body ramps up angiogenesis - growth of new vessels - to flood the injured area with supplies.



The team kept the features in place, studying them “in situ” rather than grinding the fossil down. That choice protected a rare specimen and let the researchers compare 3D shapes and chemistry directly within the bone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-tech-tools">High-tech tools</h2>



Synchrotron micro-CT produced 3D images at micrometer-scale resolution, small enough to resolve fine tubes weaving through the callus. 



X-ray fluorescence (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/x-ray-fluorescence-spectroscopy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">XRF</a>) mapped elements, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/x-ray-absorption-near-edge-structure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">XANES</a>) identified their chemical states. 



The team also checked thin sections with light and electron microscopes to confirm textures and mineral identities.



Together, those methods allowed them to connect geometry with chemistry. They could tell not just that tubes were present, but also what filled them and how those fillings changed over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iron-fractures-and-soft-tissue">Iron, fractures, and soft tissue</h2>



The tubes were rich in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fools-gold-may-be-a-valuable-source-of-lithium/">pyrite</a>, an iron sulfide often called fool’s gold. Some of that pyrite later oxidized to iron oxides such as goethite and hematite. 



Iron can help stabilize organic structures during fossilization, and the resulting minerals can persist long after soft tissue disappears. 



Here, the original vessels are gone, but their mineral casts remain, recording the paths where blood once moved through healing bone.



“Normally, what gets preserved in the fossil record is only just the hard parts - just the bones or the teeth,” Mitchell told CBC News' Adam Hunter.



“But we can actually have the soft tissues preserved in rare circumstances, and these can tell us a lot more about how dinosaurs lived millions of years ago.”



The chemistry and the location work together. Iron sulfides transitioning to iron oxides fit a plausible path from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeopteryx-fossil-soft-tissue-flight-evolution-proves-darwin-right/">soft tissue to mineral replicas</a>, especially in a confined space like a fracture callus where blood flow once surged.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-location-of-the-t-rex-blood-vessels">Location of the T. rex blood vessels</h2>



The features cluster where healing was most active. Temporary vessels can grow larger than everyday bone canals as they branch from the marrow cavity and the bone surface to supply repair tissue. 



Seeing that size and distribution in the rib strengthens the case that these were angiogenesis-related structures, not ordinary anatomy or random mineral growth.



“Preserved blood vessel structures, like we have found in Scotty’s rib bone, appear linked to areas where the bone was healing. This is because during the healing process, those areas had increased blood flow to them,” Barbi explained.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06981-z/figures/4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/scotty_t-rex_preserved-blood-vessels_light-microscopy-images_Scientific-Reports_1s.webp" alt="In situ analysis of vascular structures in fractured Tyrannosaurus rex rib using cross-polarized light microscopy. Credit: Scientific Reports" class="wp-image-1981926"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In situ analysis of vascular structures in fractured Tyrannosaurus rex rib using cross-polarized light microscopy. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Scientific Reports</figcaption></figure>



This targeted preservation also speaks to how fossils can capture brief, intense biological episodes. A break triggers a rush of activity lasting weeks or months. 



Under the right burial conditions, traces of that activity can harden into rock and wait for us to find them.



“This work also provides a new way to compare how injuries healed in extinct animals, like dinosaurs, with living species, such as birds and reptiles, which helps us better understand the biology of the past, and also how life on Earth has evolved over millions of years," Barbi concluded.



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



These results connect dinosaur biology with processes we see in clinics and labs today. 



Bone is living tissue. It remodels, it repairs, and - under certain conditions - its repair work can leave a chemical and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/183-million-year-old-plesiosaur-fossil-plesiopterys-wildi-preserved-skin-soft-tissue/">structural record that lasts</a>. 



The study also shows how non-destructive tools can reveal fragile features without harming invaluable fossils.



The approach helps clarify past debates over “soft tissues” <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-fossils-reveal-cancer-clues-for-modern-medicine/">in dinosaur bones</a>. Here, the authors do not claim original vessels. 



They present mineral casts that track vessel paths in a healing zone, supported by size, distribution, and iron-based chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-learned-for-future-studies">Lessons learned for future studies</h2>



Healed injuries may be prime places to look for similar traces in other dinosaurs and in distant relatives like early birds and reptiles. 



With broader sampling, finer imaging, and detailed chemical work, researchers could compare healing rates, test links to metabolism, and study how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-animals-become-fossils-while-others-just-disappear/">burial environments shape preservation</a>.



A single broken rib from an enormous T. rex skeleton has told a very precise story: blood rushed to a wound, vessels expanded, bone knit, and minerals later filled the spaces left behind. 



The biology ended ages ago. The imprint stayed put.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-06981-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Preserved blood vessels found in bones of the world's largest T. rex

A broken bone sets off a repair job inside the...

If humans ever leave Earth to colonize other planets, they will need companions that are incredibly resilient and able to shrug off the lethal conditions found in outer space. Tiny animals called tardigrades, only visible under magnification, are perfect for the job.



At about 0.004 inches long, a tardigrade can nap through a blast of ionizing radiation strong enough to cripple spacecraft systems. 



A new study by NASA ambassador Isadora Arantes and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=W5_qtZgAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Geancarlo Zanatta</a> of the <a href="https://www.ufrgs.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul</a> examines the toughness of tiny tardigrades and what makes them tick.



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



Tardigrades are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extremophiles-and-the-quest-for-alien-life/">extremophiles</a>, organisms that tolerate ranges most species never encounter, from -456 °F to 302 °F and pressures up to 1,200 atmospheres. 



Such extremes make them a natural laboratory for the question of whether cellular life can survive the hazards of space.



In 2007, dehydrated specimens endured ten days in open orbit and revived when rehydrated back on Earth. This feat showed that biology, not just spores, can tolerate the vacuum, ultraviolet glare, and micrometeoroid hits outside the atmosphere.



The trick rests on a state called cryptobiosis, where the animal curls into a tun, suspends metabolism, and replaces water with glass-like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-type-of-flour-contains-more-protein-than-meat-and-eggs-crickets/">proteins</a>. In this form it waits out drought, freeze, or radiation that would shred ordinary DNA.



Scientists have logged survival at particle doses above 5,000 grays, dozens of times higher than the lethal dose for humans. The numbers hint at molecular armor rather than sheer luck.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-bodyguard-protein">DNA bodyguard protein</h2>



A standout piece of that armor is Damage Suppressor, or <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10247392/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dsup</a>, an intrinsically disordered protein that coats chromatin in a loose mesh. 



Simulations by Arantes and Zanatta using <a href="https://www.gromacs.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gromacs</a> show Dsup scattering incoming energetic particles before they can snap DNA strands.



Laboratory <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms12808" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> backs the picture, as Dsup trimmed X-ray damage by about 40 percent when engineered into human cells. In those tests, irradiated cells expressing the protein kept dividing while unprotected neighbors stalled or died.



“The protein prevents genetic mutations by dissipating radiation and minimizing DNA disruptions,” the authors report, a conclusion drawn from nanosecond-scale molecular dynamics runs. 



Their calculations align with crystallography that found no rigid core, only flexible loops that mold to the phosphate backbone.



Arantes and Zanatta also note supporting cast members: heat shock proteins that refold bent peptides and antioxidant enzymes that mop up reactive oxygen unleashed by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/3d-printed-hydrogels-developed-to-protect-astronauts-from-space-radiation/">radiation</a>. 



Together the network acts like a mobile repair crew deployed the instant damage begins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tardigrades-helping-astronauts">Tardigrades helping astronauts</h2>



Radiation is the hardest technical limit on crewed trips to Mars because aluminum hulls cannot block high-energy cosmic ions without adding dangerous secondary showers. 



A genetic patch borrowed from tardigrades could complement shielding by giving cells an internal line of defense.



In mice, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1044743123000209" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">messenger-RNA injections</a> that coax tissues to make Dsup already cut radiation-induced breakage during test exposures. 



Translating that to astronauts might reduce lifetime cancer risk and lighten the mass budget for a Mars transfer vehicle.



Cryogenic tolerance is another bonus, because the same proteins help tardigrades keep membranes flexible when water vitrifies. 



That chemistry could extend the shelf life of blood products, vaccines, or even organ transplants shipped on long missions.



“These applications highlight the broader relevance of extremophiles in addressing challenges on Earth while contributing to the scientific foundation for future space missions,” observe Arantes and Zanatta. 



Their statement underscores how terrestrial medicine and exploration share a need for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slime-found-in-home-appliances-could-help-fight-climate-change/">molecular resilience</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tardigrades-and-life-beyond-earth">Tardigrades and life beyond earth</h2>



Researchers also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31730377/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">link</a> the tardigrade rulebook to worlds such as Mars, Europa, and Titan where water and radiation mix in ways that mirror laboratory tests. 



At the conference, Arantes pointed out that the stability of proteins in Titan-like ammonia-water seas reinforces that view.



The icy crust of Europa hides a salty sea bombarded by Jupiter’s magnetic field, while Titan mixes ammonia with water at pressures near 1,000 bars. 



Molecular modeling shows ordinary proteins can stay folded in that chilly brine, hinting life could adapt without reinventing biochemistry.



On dusty Mars, episodic meltwater may give microbes only transient refuges, but a Dsup-style shield would slow the genetic erosion caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-source-of-cosmic-rays-found-after-a-century-long-search/">cosmic rays</a>. That makes water bears a template for what to look for in future sample-return missions.



Every survival strategy logged in a terrestrial animal widens the habitability map for the Solar System. The more tricks scientists catalog, the less alien life seems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-back-on-our-planet">Next steps back on our planet</h2>



Agronomists are testing tardigrade genes in rice and wheat to see whether crops can shrug off drought and frost without sacrificing yield. 



Early greenhouse <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37977025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trials</a> suggested Dsup plants recover faster after gamma irradiation, an edge as climate change intensifies storms and ozone depletion events.



Pharmaceutical companies hope the same proteins will keep monoclonal antibodies stable without expensive cold chains. Replacing freezers with molecular antifreeze would cut costs for rural clinics and disaster zones alike.



Regulators will insist on careful checks for unintended side effects because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-dna-reveals-37000-years-of-hidden-human-infections/">DNA</a>-repair pathways tie into cancer risk. Yet the broad interest signals confidence that tardigrade solutions can be ported rather than merely admired.



For Arantes, Zanatta, and a growing cadre of astrobiologists, the next milestone is to watch Dsup at work inside living animals during deep-space analog missions. 



Tiny cameras and omics assays aboard Lunar Gateway could reveal whether the protein performs as advertised beyond low Earth orbit.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2025/pdf/2477.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Proceedings</a>.



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This tiny animal could help humans colonize Mars

If humans ever leave Earth to colonize other planets, they...

Nature can still surprise us, even in places we think we know well. Europe’s wildlife has been studied for centuries, yet some species have managed to hide in plain sight. One of them is Carcina ingridmariae, a bright, colorful moth.



For more than 100 years, this moth species has been misidentified. Its true identity has now been revealed, thanks to a mix of sharp observation and modern genetic tools.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carcina-ingridmariae-found-after-100-years">Carcina ingridmariae found after 100 years</h2>



Dr. Peter Huemer from the <a href="https://www.tiroler-landesmuseen.at/en/tyrolean-state-museums/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum</a> in Innsbruck, Austria, led a team that described the new species.



For over a century, it was thought to be oak carcina, Carcina quercana, a moth that was first described in 1775. The two look almost identical, sharing vivid pink and yellow tones. That resemblance kept the new species hidden in collections and field <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-rising-co2-levels-threaten-insect-reproduction/">sightings</a> for decades.



C. quercana has always been seen as easy to recognize, even making it onto the cover of an identification book. 



Its classification history is more tangled, moving through several families before most scientists agreed to place it in the family Peleopodidae. That agreement didn’t stop surprises from turning up, as this discovery shows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-confirms-the-new-moth-species">DNA confirms the new moth species</h2>



The first clues came from DNA barcoding in Greek moth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-farming-is-causing-many-insect-species-to-collapse/">surveys</a>. Tests showed over 6.5% genetic difference between C. ingridmariae and C. quercana - far beyond what’s expected within a single species. 



When the team took a closer look, the differences were clear. Male C. ingridmariae often have paler orange-brown wings with fewer markings. Their genital structures are distinct, with a more slender gnathos and a different cucullus shape. 



Females show an obvious difference in having a broad, tubular antrum. These features match the genetic split and confirm the species is new.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-areas-to-mountain-slopes">Coastal areas to mountain slopes</h2>



Researchers think the larvae feed on several oak species, including Quercus trojana, Q. coccifera, and Q. ilex. Records from north Cyprus show the moth occurs in areas without oaks, suggesting its larval host may be more flexible than previously thought.



The caterpillars probably make flat, silvery-white silk webs on the underside of leaves, just like C. quercana. Pupation likely happens between two spun leaves. 



Adults appear in many habitats, from coastal areas to mountain slopes up to 1,500 meters (4,920 feet). They fly in two main periods: early May to late June, and mid-August to early October.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-the-moth-s-range">Tracking the moth's range</h2>



Confirmed populations of Carcina ingridmariae have been recorded in several eastern Mediterranean countries, including Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, and Türkiye. 



In addition to these verified locations, there are strong indications that the species also occurs in Lebanon, Israel, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, based on regional records and specimen analysis.



The geographical range of this moth overlaps with that of <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/205221-Carcina-quercana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carcina quercana</a>, a species that is widely distributed throughout Europe and also found in parts of North Africa. 



Because the two <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urbanization-causes-massive-decline-in-insect-pollinators/">species</a> are so similar in appearance, distinguishing between them in areas where their ranges meet cannot be done by sight alone.



In such cases, researchers must rely on DNA analysis or a detailed examination of anatomical features, particularly the structure of the genitalia, to confirm the correct identification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-personal-name-for-a-rare-find">A personal name for a rare find</h2>



Dr. Huemer decided to honor his wife when naming the species. “It is without doubt the prettiest species I have encountered in my long scientific career, even though it is still unnamed.” For him, it was “obvious” the new moth should bear her name. 



He announced the dedication on their 42nd wedding anniversary, giving the discovery a personal and lasting touch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-familiar-landscapes-with-unknown-species">Familiar landscapes with unknown species</h2>



Finding C. ingridmariae shows that even colorful, distinctive species can go unnoticed without the right tools. 



DNA barcoding has uncovered many new moth species in Europe, but most are small and dull-colored. Discovering a vivid new species hiding among individuals of a different, but well-known species, is unusual.



The case proves that wide genetic surveys, paired with traditional anatomy, can change how we see biodiversity. As Dr. Huemer’s work shows, even familiar landscapes may hold species we’ve been overlooking for generations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://alpineentomology.pensoft.net/article/158239/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alpine Entomology</a>.



Image credit: P. Huemer/Ferdinandeum



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New moth species revealed after a century of mistaken identity

Nature can still surprise us, even in places we think...

At dawn in the deep waters off North Maluku, Indonesia, a team of technical divers raised their camera lights and found themselves face to face with a creature once known only from stone. 



The brown spotted coelacanth, an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (<a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/sarco/sarcopterygii.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sarcopterygii</a>) in the class Actinistia, famous for vanishing before the last dinosaur fell, a survivor of a lineage stretching back more than 400 million years, hovered calmly 475 feet below the surface.



The encounter, recorded in October 2024, was led by underwater explorer <a href="https://www.expeditions.com/about/expedition-team/alexis-chappuis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexis Chappuis</a> of <a href="https://unseen-expeditions.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSEEN</a> Expedition, whose lenses delivered the first photographs of Latimeria menadoensis in its natural Indonesian home.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latimeria-menadoensis">Latimeria menadoensis</h2>



Modern science met an ancient rumor in 1938 when museum curator Marjorie Courtenay Latimer pulled the first living specimen of <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/discovery-living-fossil" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Latimeria chalumnae</a> from a South African net, shocking paleontologists who thought the group had died out 70 million years earlier. 



The discovery turned a textbook extinction into a living case study and launched a global hunt for other populations.



A second species, the <a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/coelacanth/coelacanth1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indonesian coelacanth</a> Latimeria menadoensis, surfaced in a Sulawesi fish market in 1997, yet no diver had ever photographed it alive until now. 



Remote submersibles had glimpsed shapes in dark caves, but human eyes at depth remained unconfirmed.



Both species mature slowly, reach about six feet in length, and can live nearly a century according to scale ring studies of their African cousin. 



Long lives come with late puberty, around 40 years, and pregnancies that last roughly five years, leaving populations fragile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-maluku-moment">The Maluku moment</h2>



Chappuis and teammate <a href="https://certificate.iantdbenelux.com/List/Instructors?filterNaam=leblond" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Julien Leblond</a> descended with closed circuit rebreathers and a helium rich trimix gas blend to keep their brains clear at pressures four times those at the surface. 



They landed on a steep volcanic slope at 410 feet, where temperature dropped to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and visibility stretched beyond 100 feet.



A white spotted silhouette emerged, dorsal fin erect, drifting over sponge covered rock. The divers kept a respectful distance, gathering five minutes of video before beginning a decompression ascent that would last more than three hours.



Two days later they returned, found the same individual Latimeria menadoensis fish swimming 30 feet shallower, and logged eight more minutes of observation.



Photo analysis confirmed the match by its unique lateral spot pattern, evidence that individual recognition is possible without tags.



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



Lobe finned fishes like Latimeria are closer on the tree of life to land vertebrates than to tuna or trout, so every heartbeat they take informs questions about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/500-million-year-old-fish-armor-may-be-the-reason-your-teeth-hurt/">fish evolution</a> and how fins first evolved toward limbs. 



Genomic work has already revealed gene clusters linked to limb development that are shared with humans.



Their conservation status, however, is precarious. <a href="https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Latimeria-menadoensis.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FishBase</a> lists L. menadoensis as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and its African cousin as “Critically Endangered.”



With fewer than a thousand West Indian Ocean individuals estimated and only a handful of documented Sulawesi Latimeria menadoensis fish, accidental capture, deep water oil development, and plastic pollution threaten to erase a lineage older than trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latimeria-menadoensis-in-the-mesophotic">Latimeria menadoensis in the mesophotic</h2>



The coelacanth’s preferred address lies within the mesophotic zone, a twilight band from roughly 200 to 500 feet where sunlight dwindles but still fuels sparse coral growth. 



Temperatures hover around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a cold refuge below Indonesia’s warm surface waters.



Steep cliffs, cracks, and overhangs offer caves for daytime rest and hunting posts at night, a pattern confirmed in African populations and now filmed in Asia. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Coelacanth-Latimeria-chalumnae_indonesia-waters_credit-Alexis-Chappuis_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Coelacanth-Latimeria-chalumnae_indonesia-waters_credit-Alexis-Chappuis_1s.webp" alt="Deep diver about a meter behind the Sulawesi Coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) discovered at a depth of -144 m in North Maluku, Indonesia. Credit: Alexis Chappuis" class="wp-image-1981879"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Deep diver about a meter behind the Sulawesi Coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) discovered at a depth of -144 m in North Maluku, Indonesia. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Alexis Chappuis</figcaption></figure>



The Maluku slope matched every habitat clue, turning prediction into proof when they encountered Latimeria menadoensis.



Researchers measured steady thermoclines that rarely exceed 72 degrees, conditions that slow metabolism so much that coelacanths burn calories at a fraction of the rate seen in shallow water predators. 



That sluggish physiology explains why the fish can hover motionless for minutes without beating their tail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-deep-exploration">Challenges of deep exploration</h2>



Reaching such depths safely demands meticulous gas planning because a single error can cause nitrogen narcosis or oxygen toxicity. 



After only minutes on the bottom, the team staged upwards in 10 foot increments, breathing progressively richer oxygen mixes to flush inert gases.



During those long stops, swell and current can sweep divers across open ocean, so support crews tracked bubble markers and maintained redundant lift bags. 



Every successful descent expands the frontier for non-invasive research like environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-human-dna-ever-found-tells-story-of-lost-branch-on-human-neanderthal-family-tree/">DNA</a> sampling.



Decompression itself is a grueling vigil, the pair spent over two hours at 20 feet, alternating between breathing loops while oceanic swells rocked them like pendulums. 



Every extra minute adds risk of hypothermia, yet leaving early would invite dangerous bubbles in blood and bone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-latimeria-menadoensis">Saving Latimeria menadoensis</h2>



“This is good news for the conservation of this highly vulnerable vertebrate and supports the hypothesis that Indonesian coelacanths might present a more extensive distribution range than initially thought,” wrote Chappuis. 



He urged authorities to shield deep reef ecosystems before tourism or mining can intrude, which would surely result in extinction for Latimeria menadoensis.



Because the fish’s slow life history limits its ability to rebound, even small increases in mortality can cascade into extinction risk. Protecting a single slope in Maluku could safeguard an entire regional population.



Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs is drafting protected zones for deep reef slopes, but enforcement will hinge on funding and local partnership. 



Citizen science programs that report accidental catches could supply vital population data while building community pride in stewardship.



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



The team plans to return in 2026 with a slim line remotely operated sampler that can swab mucus from passing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/">fish</a> without tethers. 



DNA will reveal kinship among Maluku, Sulawesi, and Papua individuals, testing whether the region houses one gene pool or several.



Such insights could refine protected area boundaries and show whether migration corridors exist along Indonesia’s complex seafloor ridges. 



Clear answers will help decide if tourism limits or seasonal fishing closures are the wiser guardrails to protect Latimeria menadoensis and other coelacanths.



Future missions aim to collect water samples for DNA without touching the animals, map additional habitats, and support local enforcement against destructive fishing. 



The return of this so-called living fossil is not a curiosity, it is a reminder that deep seas still hold stories we are only beginning to read.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-90287-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Scientists capture photos of a prehistoric fish thought to be extinct for 70 million years

At dawn in the deep waters off North Maluku, Indonesia,...

<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.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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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