Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy.



This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellowstone-aspens-and-elk">Yellowstone, aspens, and elk</h2>



In the 1920s, people <a href="https://www.yellowstone.org/wolf-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminated wolves in Yellowstone</a>. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right thing to do.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-wolves-to-dogs-did-domestication-begin-without-human-help/">Without wolves</a>, elk herds grew very large. Elk love to eat aspen shoots - the tender young growth is highly palatable to them.



For roughly 70 years, elk browsed aspen sprouts down to stub height, and the trees couldn't grow. 



If you had walked through Yellowstone in the 1980s, you would have seen many tiny aspen shoots covering the ground, but almost no young trees gaining height. 



The forest's regeneration was stalled. Old trees died, and no new ones replaced them.



In 1995 and 1996, park managers reintroduced wolves into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/">Yellowstone Park ecosystem</a>. Scientists hoped and wondered whether this would change anything for the trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aspen-matter-to-yellowstone">Why aspen matter to Yellowstone</h2>



Aspen groves provide habitat for many species. Birds nest in them. Beavers eat the bark and use the wood for dams. Butterflies and moths lay eggs on the leaves. 



Their canopy admits enough light for wildflowers and shrubs to grow beneath. When it rains, aspen groves hold water in the soil better than some other forest types.



In short, when aspen return, dozens of other species benefit. More trees support more insects, which in turn support more birds, enriching the ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-checking-the-trees-three-decades-later">Checking the trees three decades later</h2>



<a href="https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/users/luke-painter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke Painter</a>, an ecologist at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a>, sought clear answers. His team returned to 87 aspen stands across Yellowstone that scientists had previously surveyed. 



They measured thousands of young trees, looked for bite marks, and counted how many stems were tall enough that elk could no longer reach the tips.



About a third of these stands now have many tall young aspens pushing toward the canopy. 



"About 26 of the 87 aspen stands we examined had large numbers of tall saplings throughout, a remarkable change from the 1990s when surveys found none at all," Painter said.



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



Breaking it all down, the conclusions of this study are pretty simple. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-move-pups-across-mountains-to-adapt-to-climate-pressure/">Wolves hunt elk</a>. When wolves came back, two things happened. First, elk numbers declined from unusually high levels. Second, elk changed their behavior. They spent less time in the same areas feeding.



With fewer elk and shorter feeding bouts, more aspen shoots survived long enough to exceed the browsing zone - about six to seven feet high. 



Once a sapling reaches that height, elk cannot easily reach the growing tip. The tree continues to grow.



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



Scientists call this a <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/trophic-cascades-across-diverse-plant-ecosystems-80060347/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trophic cascade</a> - when adding or removing one species causes changes that ripple through the whole system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-places-recover-others-don-t">Some places recover, others don't</h2>



Unfortunately, not every aspen stand has recovered yet. Some valleys still have many short, heavily browsed shoots, because it's not only elk eating them anymore. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstones-iconic-bison-have-merged-into-a-single-herd/">Bison herds have grown</a>, and bison browse on aspen as well. They are strong enough to break young trees. 



"Increasing numbers of bison may be emerging as a new constraint to aspen in some areas," Painter confirmed.



Additionally, winter snow depth varies; droughts stress trees; bears and mountain lions also hunt elk; and hunting outside the park influences elk distribution. 



All of these factors interact, which is why some sites show strong recovery, others show moderate recovery, and a few have changed very little.



The key pattern is that places with many tall saplings experience little browsing, and aspen groves that remain popular eating grounds today stay short. 



This fact is the strongest indication that tree recovery is linked directly to wolf presence, not solely to weather or soil conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proof-in-the-measurements">Proof in the measurements</h2>



Painter's team did not rely on casual observation. They used the same methods as earlier researchers, measuring the same plots. 



They counted recruitment - when young trees surpass browsing height and begin progressing toward maturity. This measure is crucial. Sprouts are insufficient if they never grow; without recruitment, the forest cannot replace itself.



The results are robust. After being stalled for most of a century, Yellowstone's aspens are increasing in height. In recovering stands today, you will see saplings - six, eight, or ten feet tall - that were not present in the 1990s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-yellowstone-s-aspens">The future of Yellowstone's aspens</h2>



"This is a remarkable case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-may-be-near-the-root-of-all-life-on-earth/">ecological restoration</a>," Painter concluded. "Wolf reintroduction is yielding long-term ecological changes contributing to increased biodiversity and habitat diversity."



Trees grow slowly, so even with wolves restored, it will take decades for these young aspens to form a full-grown forest. 



Some areas might never fully recover if bison numbers continue to rise or if the climate becomes too hot and dry.



Thanks to the work of Painter and his team, scientists are now certain that restoring the Yellowstone predator has restarted aspen forest regeneration. Not everywhere and not perfectly, but enough to be measured, creating hope for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112725004499?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Yellowstone's aspen trees are growing again thanks to the reintroduction of wolves

Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy. This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns. Yellowstone, aspens, and elk In the 1920s, people eliminated wolves in Yellowstone. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right...

While myths about “left-brained” or “right-brained” personalities persist, one long-known division of labor in the brain turns out to be even more significant than people realize.



A new scientific review reveals how the brain maintains separate processing streams for the left and right sides of our visual field - and how it cleverly balances this split to avoid blind spots, all while giving us a seamless experience of the world.



Neuroscientists Earl K. Miller and Scott Brincat of <a href="https://picower.mit.edu/">MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory</a> have synthesized years of research into how this split processing works. Their insights clarify how the brain’s hemispheres divide up visual spatial perception, why this trade-off exists, and how the brain bridges the resulting gap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hemisphere-myths-debunked">Hemisphere myths debunked</h2>



Study co-author Earl K. Miller is a professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT.



“People hear all these myths about the left brain being more analytical and the right brain being more artistic, or people being right-brained versus left-brained. Ninety-nine percent of that is nonsense,” said Miller. "You think with your whole brain.”



Despite this, visual spatial perception really is divided. The brain’s right hemisphere processes what we see on the left, and the left hemisphere processes the right. This separation persists even in high-level cognitive processes like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-stops-paying-attention-to-repeated-distractions/">attention</a> and working memory.



“It’s for good reason,” Miller said. “Perceptual capacity is limited - you can only take in so much at once. If your capacity is fully tied up on the right side of your gaze, you might miss a threat approaching on the left. Splitting resources between both sides helps avoid dangerous perceptual blind spots.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-splits-vision">How the brain splits vision</h2>



When Miller was a student, he learned that information from the left and right visual fields was neatly split between brain hemispheres until reaching the prefrontal cortex, where it was believed to be fully integrated. 



But two decades of research, including Miller and Brincat’s own studies, have painted a more nuanced picture.



Contrary to earlier assumptions, even in the prefrontal cortex, neural activity shows a strong bias toward the “contralateral” hemisphere - the side opposite to where an object appears in view. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bilateral-advantage">The bilateral advantage </h2>



Brain wave measurements, particularly in the gamma frequency range, reveal that neurons in the frontal cortex show increased activity when attending to stimuli on the opposite side.



“As a result, the two hemispheres appear to function surprisingly independently, even for high-level cognitive functions like attention and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pupils-enlarge-dilate-when-working-memory-engaged-focused-on-task/">working memory</a>,” wrote the researchers.



This is why, for example, people and animals can remember more items if those items are presented on both sides of their visual field, rather than all on one side - a phenomenon known as the “bilateral advantage.”



But this advantage has limits. People still track multiple objects less effectively than a single object, even if those objects are split between both sides of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blinking-plays-crucial-role-vision-human-perception/">vision</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-brain-does-share">What the brain does share</h2>



The brain’s division of labor, however, applies only to spatial information - the “where” of visual objects.



Other aspects, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-retinal-cells-explain-complex-color-perception/">color</a> and shape, are processed across both hemispheres. This selective separation allows the brain to maximize its limited perceptual capacity for spatial awareness without compromising recognition of what objects are.



Interestingly, people also show individual differences in their visual capacity across the field of view. To explore this variability, Miller has founded a startup called <a href="https://splitsage.com/">SplitSage</a>, aimed at helping people optimize performance in visually demanding tasks by measuring these perceptual differences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-the-brain-gap">Bridging the brain gap</h2>



Given the persistence of this division, why don’t we encounter any problems when, for instance, a bird flies from the left to the right side of our gaze? Why doesn’t the handoff between hemispheres disrupt our perception of a seamless world?



Studies show that as an object approaches the midline of vision, the hemisphere about to “receive” it ramps up neural activity in anticipation, while the “sending” hemisphere continues to track it for some time after.



“As a tracked target approaches the visual midline, the hemisphere about to receive the target shows a ramp-up of activity well before the crossing time, as if it is anticipating the target,” the experts wrote.



“Further, activity in the sending hemisphere remains high well after the crossing. Thus, for up to a second or more, neural signals reflecting the target are shared across both hemispheres. It is as if both hemispheres are holding the baton.”



This mechanism ensures continuity, much like how a mobile phone switches between cell towers without dropping a call. However, there is a small but measurable performance cost during this “handoff.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-division-and-disorders">Brain division and disorders</h2>



The ability to synchronize hemispheres is crucial. Disruptions in interhemispheric connectivity and synchrony have been linked to neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychedelic-use-linked-to-higher-risk-of-schizophrenia/">schizophrenia</a>, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorders.



“A foundational understanding of interhemispheric processing, combined with interventions translatable to human patients, offers hope for developing novel network-level treatments,” the authors wrote.



The better scientists understand how the brain manages this division and handoff, the better equipped they are to develop treatments for disorders where this process breaks down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-halves-one-picture">Two halves, one picture</h2>



The brain’s strategy of splitting visual spatial perception across hemispheres is an elegant solution to a capacity problem.



By managing each side independently, the brain maximizes awareness and minimizes blind spots. And thanks to its anticipatory handoff system, it stitches both halves of the world into the seamless, unified experience we take for granted.



While pop culture myths about “right-brained artists” and “left-brained analysts” remain oversimplified, the real story of how the hemispheres divide and collaborate is far more interesting - and far more relevant to both neuroscience and human health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393225000880?via%3Dihub">Neuropsychologia</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

How the brain splits vision and puts it back together

While myths about “left-brained” or “right-brained” personalities persist, one long-known...

When we think of wildlife conservation, vultures rarely top the list. Yet these birds - often misunderstood and overlooked - may be more essential to public health and ecosystems than we ever imagined.



A recent study out of Costa Rica has uncovered just how vital they are, especially when it comes to getting rid of dead animals quickly and safely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-vultures-speed-decay">How vultures speed decay</h2>



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a>, working in collaboration with OSA Conservation in Costa Rica, designed a simple but revealing experiment. 



The team set out to observe how animal carcasses decomposed with and without vultures present. Using domestic pig carcasses, they monitored the decomposition process across forest and grassland settings between September 2023 and June 2024.



The researchers left half the carcasses in the open for all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/believe-it-or-not-scavengers-are-picky-eaters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scavengers</a> to access. They placed the other half inside cages that prevented vultures and other large animals from reaching them. Cameras and insect traps were installed at each site to track both animal activity and insect populations.



The findings were both surprising and concerning. In the open sites where vultures had access, the pig carcasses lost an average of 9.5 kilograms per day. 



In contrast, the protected carcasses - off-limits to vultures - decomposed at only 4.8 kilograms per day. That’s a dramatic difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flies-thrive-without-cleanup-birds">Flies thrive without cleanup birds</h2>



As carcasses lingered without vultures, one thing became clear: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flies-respond-to-danger-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flies</a> moved in to fill the gap.



Sites where vultures were excluded saw fly populations nearly double. Dung beetle numbers stayed the same, and the researchers rarely observed larger vertebrate scavengers like pumas, ocelots, caimans, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunting-coyotes-may-be-fueling-their-population-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coyotes</a> were rarely observed.



“This research underlines the unique and irreplaceable role that vultures play as nature's cleanup crew,” said Julia Grootaers, co-author and Behavioral Ecologist at the University.



The study showed that other scavengers simply weren’t stepping in. Without vultures, decomposition slowed down significantly, giving flies more time to reproduce and mature. And this has health implications.



“These apex scavengers have specialized and highly acidic digestive systems that can destroy many of the pathogens found in carrion, thus mitigating the spread of disease from carcasses to other wildlife, livestock, and humans,” Grootaers said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-without-vultures">Health risks without vultures</h2>



According to the researchers, the extra time it takes for a carcass to decompose in the absence of vultures can increase the chances of disease transmission. 



Flies that breed in these carcasses can carry harmful bacteria like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-treatment-protects-tomatoes-from-salmonella-and-e-coli/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">E. coli</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-salmonella-outsmarts-our-gut-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">salmonella</a>. They may also become vectors for diseases such as botulism and anthrax.



“Our results demonstrate that intact scavenger communities, with vultures, invertebrate and microbial decomposers, efficiently decompose carcasses at double the rate compared to when it is insects and microbes alone,” said Dr. Chris Beirne, Director of Wildlife Programs at OSA Conservation.



“And it's apparent that in Costa Rica, other large vertebrate scavengers do not drive decomposition in the food chain and that is consistent with what we see in other regions, including Kenya and northern Spain.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vanishing-vulture-populations">Vanishing vulture populations</h2>



While there’s been widespread attention on vulture declines in Africa, Asia, and Europe, the Americas have largely flown under the radar. That needs to change.



Many species in North, Central, and South America are now facing growing threats from habitat loss, poisoning, and human disturbance. Without proper monitoring, their populations could plummet before we fully understand the consequences.



“While dramatic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fewer-vultures-more-wild-dogs-linked-to-greater-disease-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vulture declines</a> have already been documented across Africa, Asia, and Europe, this study raises concerns about the overlooked vulnerability of their American counterparts,” said Greta Hernandez of Universidad de Panamá. 



“And the findings highlight the urgent need for deeper research into vulture population trends in the Americas, the critical ecosystem services they provide, and the conservation action needed to safeguard these silent stewards of the environment.”



The takeaway is simple but powerful: vultures aren’t just scavengers - they’re a key line of defense against disease and environmental decay. Losing them means losing one of nature’s most efficient recycling systems - with real consequences for the world we share.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71408" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecology and Evolution</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Vanishing vultures may threaten public health

When we think of wildlife conservation, vultures rarely top the...

Capturing and storing carbon dioxide is essential to slow global warming, but current methods are costly and so energy-hungry they often rely on fossil fuels themselves. Now, a research team has devised a new carbon capture technique that harnesses an abundant, clean, and free energy source: sunlight.



In a recent study by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell University</a>, researchers describe how they mimicked the carbon-fixing mechanism used by plants to develop the first light-powered system that can both capture and release carbon dioxide.



The method promises to lower costs and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cutting-emissions-could-save-250000-lives-a-year-in-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> associated with carbon capture, offering a sustainable alternative to existing technologies by harnessing sunlight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-different-approach-to-carbon-capture">A different approach to carbon capture</h2>



Carbon dioxide is notoriously difficult to trap because of its chemical stability. Most carbon capture <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/capturing-carbon-directly-from-the-air-is-now-much-more-efficient-thanks-to-new-material/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">efforts</a> rely on amines - organic compounds derived from ammonia - that selectively bind CO₂. 



However, these compounds degrade in the presence of oxygen and require constant replacement, leading to high energy costs for their production.



“From the beginning, our lab has tried to think about how we can use our intuition as chemists to find alternative pathways to carbon dioxide capture,” said senior author Phillip Milner, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We basically have a motto of ‘anything but amines.’”



The new method relies on a stable enol molecule that becomes reactive enough under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dirty-sky-less-sunlight-how-pollution-steals-our-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sunlight</a> to “grab” carbon dioxide. Once captured, a shift in pH triggers the release of the CO₂ through a process known as decarboxylation.



Importantly, the entire system operates without the need for cooling between capture and release - one of the major energy bottlenecks in existing methods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-capture-inspired-by-photosynthesis">Carbon capture inspired by photosynthesis</h2>



The reaction mechanism is inspired by the enzyme RuBisCo, which plants use to fix carbon during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-foundation-of-life-is-at-risk-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesis</a>. Graduate student Bayu Ahmad, who is the first author of the study, developed the concept of using sunlight to drive both carbon capture and release.



“From a chemistry standpoint, this is totally different from what anybody else is doing in carbon capture,” Milner said. “The whole mechanism was Bayu’s idea, and when he originally showed it to me, I thought it would never work. It totally works.”



The team employed 2-methylbenzophenone, a low-cost sorbent, to anchor the process. Testing revealed that the new sunlight method’s carbon capture rate matched or outperformed other light-driven technologies, while avoiding common pitfalls like the need for extensive cooling infrastructure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-world-testing-with-flue-gas"><a></a>Real-world testing with flue gas</h2>



Lab successes often falter when faced with real-world samples full of impurities. To address this, the researchers tested their system using flue gas from Cornell’s Combined Heat and Power Building, which burns natural gas to supply campus energy. The method successfully isolated carbon dioxide from these complex samples.



“Getting real flue gas from industry is really difficult, because companies don’t want people to know what’s coming out of their power plants,” Milner said.



“But Cornell is not a company - so this is something unique that we can offer and that we hope will be operational in the next year.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-lab-bench-to-solar-fields"><a></a>From lab bench to solar fields</h2>



Looking ahead, the team envisions scaling the technology into installations resembling solar panels. But instead of generating electricity, these panels would extract CO₂ directly from the air, producing pure, high-pressure carbon dioxide that could be stored or converted on-site.



“We’d really like to get to the point where we can remove carbon dioxide from air, because I think that’s the most practical,” Milner said.



“You can imagine going into the desert, you put up these panels that are sucking carbon dioxide out of the air and turning it into pure high-pressure carbon dioxide. We could then put it in a pipeline or convert it into something on-site.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broadening-the-impact-light-driven-separations"><a></a>Broadening the impact: Light-driven separations</h2>



The benefits of this innovation extend beyond carbon dioxide. Milner’s lab is also investigating how sunlight-powered separations could be applied to other industrial gases.



“There’s a lot of opportunity to reduce energy consumption by using light to drive these separations instead of electricity,” Milner said.



This is crucial because separation processes account for about 15% of global energy consumption. Light-powered alternatives could significantly cut those figures, aligning with global sustainability goals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-open-source-flue-gas-facility"><a></a>An open-source flue gas facility</h2>



In a further effort to support carbon capture research, Milner is part of a project to make flue gas from Cornell’s power plant available to other scientists and startups. This initiative, funded by the <a href="https://www.atkinson.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability</a>, aims to create a unique testing ground for real-world carbon capture technologies.



By combining plant-inspired chemistry with the clean energy of sunlight, Milner and his team have opened a promising new path toward cost-effective, scalable carbon capture. 



The new approach not only addresses the energy pitfalls of current systems but also offers a blueprint for sustainable industrial separations, moving closer to practical solutions in the fight against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/chem/abstract/S2451-9294(25)00173-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2451929425001731%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chem</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Experts use sunlight to capture carbon

Capturing and storing carbon dioxide is essential to slow global...

The ripening of tomatoes may reveal clues about the cellular processes that influence aging, according to a new study. 



Dr. Simon Michaeli from the <a href="https://www.agri.gov.il/en/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Volcani Institute</a> worked with colleagues in Israel and Germany to explore how a fundamental recycling system in cells affects tomato ripening and possibly our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/klotho-s-kl-protein-discovered-boosts-lifespan-muscle-brain-power-with-one-dose/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a> path.



The team discovered that a process known as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41419-023-06154-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autophagy</a> may be key to shaping when tomatoes ripen, since it helps control a plant hormone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-autophagy-impacts-cellular-aging">How autophagy impacts cellular aging</h2>



Autophagy is a vital cleanup and recycling mechanism in most organisms, excluding bacteria, and is associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protein-changes-discovered-protect-humans-mammals-from-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a> processes in animals. It breaks down and repurposes damaged parts of the cell to keep everything running smoothly, much like an internal maintenance routine. 



Research suggests it promotes <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4382258/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">healthier lifespans</a> for animals by clearing out unnecessary cell materials, including proteins that might otherwise build up over time. Studies have hinted at its significance in plants, but it wasn’t always clear if it played a role in fruit ripening. 



The new <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.70127" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> shows a direct connection between autophagy and the timing of certain ripening events in tomatoes. The research also notes that slowing ripening doesn’t require halting other key growth functions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hormone-that-controls-fruit-ripening">The hormone that controls fruit ripening</h2>



<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4677914/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethylene</a> is a primary hormone that signals when fruit should turn from green to a softer, more appetizing form. It is famously linked to apples, bananas, avocados, and tomatoes, triggering them to become sweeter, juicier, and sometimes brighter.



Scientists often examine ethylene production to figure out if a fruit is on track for normal ripening. A slight acceleration can lead to fruit that ripens sooner and spoils faster. A delay can mean it stays unripe for longer and might never fully develop ideal taste or texture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tomato-experiments-and-early-ripening">Tomato experiments and early ripening</h2>



Researchers temporarily repressed autophagy genes in mature tomato fruits to test the effect on ripening. Their observations revealed that these tomatoes ripened ahead of schedule, which indicated that autophagy helps to keep ethylene levels in check.



They found that once autophagy was dialed down, ethylene production spiked earlier. In short, limiting a cell’s ability to break down its own parts pushed the fruit to age at a faster pace. 



The study points out that this cellular recycling mechanism has similar anti-aging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-old-are-you-really-new-tool-measures-aging-from-the-inside-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">functions</a> in various organisms, from simple animals to humans.



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



Producers spend enormous effort controlling the ripening process, since it influences everything from shipping schedules to profit margins. 



A big concern is spoilage, which eats into budgets and reduces the variety of produce on store shelves. Any strategy to slow or better control the ripening timeline might cut these losses.



“It is estimated that around 40% of global agricultural produce is lost or wasted, which has significant financial, nutritional, and environmental implications,” explained Michaeli. 



He and his team believe that harnessing what goes on at a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-scientific-review-analyzes-the-potential-and-limitations-of-nmn-for-slowing-down-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cellular level</a> might ensure fresher fruits and a reduced carbon footprint.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-paths-in-fruit-science">Future paths in fruit science</h2>



Experiments with tomatoes are just the tip of the iceberg for exploring how autophagy shapes food quality. It’s possible this process operates in similar ways across different types of produce, though not all fruits respond to ethylene the same way.



Additional research might look at selective targeting of autophagy pathways so that farmers can keep tomatoes from ripening too fast without harming other aspects of plant growth. That could lead to improved shelf life while maintaining the fruit’s taste, nutrients, and color.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-autophagy-ethylene-and-tomatoes-ripening">Autophagy, ethylene, and tomatoes ripening</h2>



Scientists want to pinpoint how autophagy keeps ethylene in balance. They suspect that when cells recycle specific proteins or molecules linked to ethylene, it holds off ripening a bit longer.



“Eventually, we may use our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind ripening to reduce produce loss across the supply chain. The next step is to identify how autophagy regulates the onset of ethylene,” said Michaeli.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-benefits-for-growers">Potential benefits for growers</h2>



Everyone in the food chain stands to benefit from discovering new ways to prolong produce quality. Less spoilage translates into cheaper groceries, a lighter load on landfills, and more choices for people everywhere.



Farmers are eager for any technique that can keep crops in top condition for a longer stretch. If autophagy can be managed without sacrificing flavor or nutrition, it may open the door to practical, eco-friendly solutions that help feed growing populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-insights-from-ripening-tomatoes">Aging insights from ripening tomatoes </h2>



Beyond fruit biology, this finding sparks curiosity about our own cells. Autophagy is often linked to longevity and healthier aging in animals. It’s not about living forever, but rather about steering body cells toward a more balanced maintenance system.



The tomato example shows one more way autophagy supports life processes, whether that’s controlling the moment a fruit hits peak ripeness or preserving the health of our tissues. Researchers suggest that uncovering parallels in different species may advance our understanding of aging overall.



The study is published in <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.70127" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Phytologist</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Ripening tomatoes may hold clues to delay human aging

The ripening of tomatoes may reveal clues about the cellular...

Diseño sin título - 1

A newly recognized dinosaur with extra-long arms has caused a stir in paleontology circles. It appears to have roamed what is now northern Mexico about 73 million years ago, leaving behind tantalizing clues about its life and habitat.



<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Claudia-Serrano-Branas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Claudia Inés Serrano-Brañas</a> of the Smithsonian Institution led the team that analyzed the fossilized remains. 



They identified it as an ornithomimid, a family of bird-like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-extinction-theories-are-challenged-by-new-research/">dinosaurs</a> that often sported sleek bodies and slender limbs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-mexidracon-longimanus">Understanding Mexidracon longimanus</h2>



Mexidracon longimanus stood around 10 feet from head to tail. It is described as having especially elongated forelimbs, giving it an unusual silhouette that sets it apart from other members of its group.



These dinosaurs are typically known for speed and agility. Paleontologists think <a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/saurischia/ornithomimidae.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ornithomimids</a> relied on their long limbs and lightweight frames to navigate their environments without much trouble.



Experts suggest that the extended arm bones on Mexidracon longimanus hint at specialized behaviors. Some researchers believe long arms could have helped with feeding strategies or movement through dense vegetation.



This species marks only the second ornithomimosaur found in the <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-51034-2_18" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cerro del Pueblo Formation</a> in Coahuila. 



The fact that another close relative, a deinocheirid, also called this formation home points to a larger variety of so-called theropod lineages in the area.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-ornithomimosaurs">What are ornithomimosaurs?</h2>



“Ornithomimosaurs are a clade of ostrich-like theropod dinosaurs characterized by relatively small and delicate skulls with large orbits, long necks, elongated forelimbs with non-raptorial manus and long cursorial hindlimbs," explained Dr. Serrano-Brañas.



Body size can range from small forms (over 12 pounds) to the large Late Cretaceous Asian species Deinocheirus mirificus (6 tons)."



Scientists first recognized ornithomimosaurs more than a century ago. Their name derives from Greek words meaning “bird-mimic,” referencing their superficial resemblance to modern flightless birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-coahuila-connection">The coahuila connection</h2>



The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_del_Pueblo_Formation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cerro del Pueblo Formation</a> has yielded several notable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-americas-oldest-dinosaur-is-completely-rewriting-history/">dinosaur</a> finds, including this new one. It belongs to the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous, when shallow seas and lush vegetation spread across large parts of North America.



Paleontologists traced many local fossils to ancient floodplains and deltas. These environments likely provided abundant food, attracting a variety of dinosaurs, including smaller theropods and massive hadrosaurs.



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



Mexidracon longimanus highlights the diversity of ornithomimids in southern Laramidia. This area was once a separate landmass during the Late Cretaceous, isolated by an inland sea that covered much of the central region of North America.



For years, most ornithomimid research focused on Canadian and U.S. sites. The discovery of these bones in 2014 helps fill in gaps about how these bird-like dinosaurs spread across what is now Mexico.



Additional bones from Mexidracon longimanus are stored at the Benemérita Escuela Normal de Coahuila museum. Researchers hope they will reveal more clues about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tracks-discovered-on-uks-dinosaur-highway/">dinosaur’s</a> growth, diet, and possible social behaviors.



Its extreme limb proportions could hint at broader differences within the family. Experts are keen to compare these remains with other fossils to see whether similar arm features existed elsewhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slim-build-big-intrigue">Slim build, big intrigue</h2>



Ornithomimids probably had toothless beaks. Many were either herbivorous or omnivorous, though some might have eaten small prey in specific conditions.



Even though this dinosaur appeared “ostrich-like,” it had a unique skeletal framework that sets it apart. Paleontologists are thrilled by the promise of analyzing something truly distinct in an already fascinating group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-hidden-in-the-bones">Clues hidden in the bones</h2>



Bone structure plays a key role in determining how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jaw-fossil-reveals-fruit-eating-mammal-from-the-dinosaur-age/">dinosaurs</a> moved. In the case of Mexidracon longimanus, the team noted that its metacarpals - the palm bones - were longer than its foot bones, which is rare among similar species.



This unusual proportion may have affected its balance, stride, or how it interacted with the environment. 



Combined with a slightly longer femur than tibia, it hints at movement patterns that might have been slower or more deliberate than expected for a lightweight theropod.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-step-toward-deeper-understanding">Step toward deeper understanding</h2>



Ancient creatures like Mexidracon longimanus can reshape ideas about evolutionary experiments in dinosaur body plans. 



Each new discovery from Mexico adds to the picture of what Late Cretaceous ecosystems looked like on a sprawling land bridge.



This long-armed figure could inspire a renewed search for more fossils across Coahuila. That region might contain additional specimens waiting to be recognized, shedding light on how different species lived together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-mexidracon-longimanus">What's next for Mexidracon longimanus?</h2>



Researchers have been excited to confirm that this dinosaur belongs to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13874" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ornithomimidae</a>. Detailed studies into its skeleton will likely continue for years, supported by advanced scanning and reconstruction technology.



There is interest in investigating if these extended arms were tied to feeding or courtship displays. Finding answers demands more fieldwork and collaboration among institutions worldwide.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667125000102" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous Research</a>.



-----



Like what you read?<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/"> Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Discovery of a Cretaceous 'ostrich' with extremely long arms opens new dinosaur debate

A newly recognized dinosaur with extra-long arms has caused a...

Despite growing global efforts to curb emissions, methane pollution from the fossil fuel industry remained alarmingly close to historic highs in 2024. 



This surge happened alongside record levels of oil, gas, and coal production, according to new findings.



The analysis, released by scientists from the <a href="https://www.iea.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Energy Agency</a> (IEA), highlights how tackling methane - an invisible but highly potent greenhouse gas - remains one of the simplest and fastest ways to cool the planet. Yet, progress is stalling.



The report warns that many countries are underreporting methane leaks, particularly from energy infrastructure like pipelines, drilling equipment, and abandoned sites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-methane-deserves-more-attention">Why methane deserves more attention</h2>



Methane is second only to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-carbon-dioxide-travels-in-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a> when it comes to its contribution to climate change. But unlike CO₂, methane doesn’t linger in the atmosphere for centuries. It breaks down in about a decade, meaning slashing its emissions could deliver quick climate relief.



Still, governments are failing to keep up with their promises. The IEA estimates actual methane emissions from the energy sector are about 80% higher than what countries report to the United Nations. That’s a massive gap.



The energy sector alone is responsible for roughly a third of all human-driven methane emissions. These leaks often go unnoticed - or unreported. They can occur during maintenance or result from faulty infrastructure. In many cases, stopping them is surprisingly simple and affordable.



"However, the latest data indicates that implementation on methane has continued to fall short of ambitions," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methane-emissions-by-country">Methane emissions by country</h2>



In 2024, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-fuel-pollution-is-causing-disease-disaster-and-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil fuel</a> sector released over 120 million tons of methane - nearly as much as the record year of 2019.



China topped the list, mostly due to its coal industry. The United States came in second, driven by its oil and gas operations, with Russia not far behind.



But methane isn’t just leaking from currently operating fields. The IEA’s new analysis highlights that old, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/abandoned-oil-wells-could-revolutionize-energy-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">abandoned oil wells</a> and coal mines are major culprits too. 



If counted as a country, these forgotten sources would rank as the fourth-largest emitter of methane, responsible for eight million tons last year alone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-leaks-from-orbit">Watching leaks from orbit</h2>



One reason the IEA can now paint a clearer picture of methane pollution is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-space-age-satellites-can-track-canopies-and-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">satellite technology</a>. More than 25 satellites are now scanning the globe for methane plumes. They can detect leaks as they happen, even in remote regions.



One satellite, Europe’s Sentinel 5, only detects the largest emissions. But what it sees is worrying. 



“Super-emitting methane events” reached a new record in 2024. These giant leaks were reported in several regions, particularly the United States, Turkmenistan, and Russia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-pledges-little-progress">Big pledges, little progress</h2>



About 40% of methane comes from natural sources like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-seas-release-more-methane-from-wetlands-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wetlands</a>. But the rest - mainly from agriculture and energy - can be controlled. And scientists agree: methane from fossil fuels is the easiest to fix.



More than 150 countries have pledged to reduce their methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Many oil and gas companies have set 2050 targets. But so far, real-world progress has been underwhelming.



The IEA says that cutting methane from fossil fuels could prevent about 0.1°C of global warming by 2050.



"This would have a tremendous impact - comparable to eliminating all CO₂ emissions from the world's heavy industry in one stroke," the report said.



In fact, existing technology could cut 70% of energy-sector methane emissions. Yet, only 5% of current global oil and gas production meets near-zero methane standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methane-leaks-from-coal-mines">Methane leaks from coal mines</h2>



One key area still being overlooked is methane from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-coal-ash-holds-tons-of-rare-earth-elements-worth-8-4-billion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coal</a>. Energy think tank Ember says that to stay on track for net-zero goals, methane emissions from fossil fuels need to drop by 75% by 2030.



Ember analyst Sabina Assan added that coal’s contribution is “still being ignored.”



"There are cost-effective technologies available today, so this is a low-hanging fruit of tackling methane. We can't let coal mines off the hook any longer," she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-to-tackle-methane">Time to tackle methane</h2>



The tools and knowledge to tackle methane pollution are already in our hands. What’s missing is action. 



As countries and companies race to limit climate damage, cutting methane is a no-brainer. But unless governments and industries take this seriously - and soon - the window to avoid the worst impacts of warming will continue to close.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Methane leaks surge amid record fossil fuel production

Despite growing global efforts to curb emissions, methane pollution from...

Astronomers have found something that sounds like it belongs in a science fiction film. During this TDE event, a supermassive black hole was captured on camera by multiple telescopes as it roamed freely through space, first stalking, then tearing apart and consuming a star.



This rare event was spotted 600 million light-years from Earth. It offered a chance to observe what happens when a massive, hidden object swallows a star in deep space.



The star’s dramatic end created a bright flash of radiation, revealing what scientists call a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/18-black-holes-captured-devouring-nearby-stars-in-dramatic-tidal-disruption-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tidal disruption event</a> (TDE). 



These TDE events act like a spotlight on black holes, lighting them up briefly as they consume stars. But what made this discovery truly unusual wasn’t just the burst of energy - it was where it came from.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-your-usual-black-hole">Not your usual black hole</h2>



This particular event, named AT2024tvd, was traced by scientists at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>. Using NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble Space Telescope</a>, supported by data from the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chandra X-Ray Observatory</a> and the <a href="https://public.nrao.edu/visit/very-large-array/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Very Large Array</a>, they located the source of the flare. It wasn’t where black holes typically hang out.



The black hole in question weighs about one million times the mass of our Sun. 



But instead of sitting in the middle of its galaxy, it was found roughly 2,600 light-years away from the center - extremely close in cosmic terms, but far enough away to raise eyebrows. 



What’s more, the galaxy already has a much larger black hole, 100 million times the mass of the Sun, sitting right at its center.



This marks the first time a TDE has been observed offset from a galactic core. Of the approximately 100 known TDEs spotted through sky surveys, all the others have come from black holes in central positions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-cosmic-pair">Strange cosmic pair</h2>



At the galaxy’s center, the much larger black hole continues to draw in gas and emit energy. This activity labels it as an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infrared-images-reveal-how-black-holes-affect-the-space-around-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">active galactic nucleus</a>. 



Meanwhile, the smaller black hole remains detached and drifting. Despite sharing the same galaxy, the two aren’t bound together as a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/binary-systems-with-living-and-dead-stars-reveal-stellar-secrets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">binary system</a>.



That could change. Over time, the smaller black hole may spiral inward and merge with the central giant. But for now, they’re keeping their distance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tdes-and-black-holes">TDEs and black holes</h2>



Tidal disruption events occur when a black hole’s gravity stretches a star into thin strands in a process known as “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-would-it-be-like-to-fall-into-a-black-hole/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spaghettification</a>.” 



The shredded star material heats up, forming a glowing ring that emits light across the ultraviolet and visible spectrum.



“AT2024tvd is the first offset TDE captured by optical sky surveys, and it opens up the entire possibility of uncovering this elusive population of wandering black holes with future sky surveys,” said Yuhan Yao of UC Berkeley. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/black-hole_wandering_eating-star_6-panel-montage_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/black-hole_wandering_eating-star_6-panel-montage_NASA_1s.webp" alt="This six-panel illustration of a tidal disruption event around a supermassive black hole shows the following: 1) A supermassive black hole is adrift inside a galaxy, its presence only detectable by gravitational lensing; 2) A wayward star gets swept up in the black hole's intense gravitational pull; 3) The star is stretched or &quot;spaghettified&quot; by gravitational tidal effects; 4) The star's remnants form a disk around the black hole; 5) There is a period of black hole accretion, pouring out radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from X-rays to radio wavelengths; and 6) The host galaxy, seen from afar, contains a bright flash of energy that is offset from the galaxy's nucleus, where an even more massive black hole dwells. Artwork: NASA, ESA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI)" class="wp-image-1969523"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This six-panel illustration of a tidal disruption event around a supermassive black hole shows the following: 1) A supermassive black hole is adrift inside a galaxy, its presence only detectable by gravitational lensing; 2) A wayward star gets swept up in the black hole's intense gravitational pull; 3) The star is stretched or "spaghettified" by gravitational tidal effects; 4) The star's remnants form a disk around the black hole; 5) There is a period of black hole accretion, pouring out radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from X-rays to radio wavelengths; and 6) The host galaxy, seen from afar, contains a bright flash of energy that is offset from the galaxy's nucleus, where an even more massive black hole dwells. Click image to enlarge. Artwork: NASA, ESA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI)</figcaption></figure>



“Right now, theorists haven't given much attention to offset TDEs. I think this discovery will motivate scientists to look for more examples of this type of event.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-supernova-impostor">A supernova impostor</h2>



Astronomers first noticed something odd when sky survey telescopes detected a flash as bright as a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a>. But this wasn’t a dying star explosion. 



The flare’s spectrum revealed high temperatures and broad emission lines of elements like hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen, and silicon. That’s the signature of a star being torn apart by a black hole.



The Zwicky Transient Facility (<a href="https://www.ztf.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ZTF</a>), located at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory, was the first to spot the event. It scans the northern sky every two days with a 1.2-meter telescope.



“Tidal disruption events hold great promise for illuminating the presence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-would-it-be-like-to-fall-into-a-black-hole/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">massive black holes</a> that we would otherwise not be able to detect,” said Ryan Chornock, associate adjunct professor at UC Berkeley and a member of the ZTF team. 



“Theorists have predicted that a population of massive black holes located away from the centers of galaxies must exist, but now we can use TDEs to find them.”



To confirm the offset, scientists used other tools. Observations from <a href="https://www2.ifa.hawaii.edu/research/Pan-STARRS.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pan-STARRS</a>, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (<a href="https://www.sdss.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SDSS</a>), and the <a href="https://www.legacysurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DESI Legacy Imaging Survey</a> all suggested the flare was off-center.



Chandra confirmed the X-rays were coming from the same area. Then, Hubble stepped in to settle the question with sharper ultraviolet imaging that clearly showed the event’s location.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-did-this-black-hole-come-from">Where did this black hole come from?</h2>



The black hole’s origin is still uncertain. It lurks within the galaxy’s bulge, silent most of the time except when it consumes a star.



One possibility is that it was kicked out of the galaxy’s core. Theoretical models suggest that in three-body interactions, the lightest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-confirm-lone-black-hole-wandering-through-our-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole can get ejected</a>. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/black-hole_wandering_eating-star_Hubble-Chandra-Image_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/black-hole_wandering_eating-star_Hubble-Chandra-Image_NASA_1s.webp" alt="This is a combined Hubble Space Telescope/Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of a distant galaxy that is host to the telltale signature of a roaming supermassive black hole. Both telescopes caught a tidal disruption event (TDE) caused by the black hole eating a star. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Yuhan Yao" class="wp-image-1969526"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This is a combined Hubble Space Telescope/Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of a distant galaxy that is host to the telltale signature of a roaming supermassive black hole. Both telescopes caught a tidal disruption event (TDE) caused by the black hole eating a star. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Yuhan Yao</figcaption></figure>



If that happened here, the wandering black hole may still orbit the galaxy’s center without being gravitationally tied to it.



“If the black hole went through a triple interaction with two other black holes in the galaxy’s core, it can still remain bound to the galaxy, orbiting around the central region,” said Yao.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-tde-theories-on-black-holes">More TDE theories on black holes</h2>



Another theory is that the black hole came from a smaller galaxy that merged with the larger one over a billion years ago. 



If this is true, it could still eventually fall into the center and merge with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-draco-1es-1927-654-just-awoke-is-spewing-material-at-incredible-speeds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">main black hole</a> - but this will not happen soon.



Erica Hammerstein, another UC Berkeley researcher, examined the Hubble data to look for signs of an old galaxy merger. She didn’t find any. 



“There is already good evidence that galaxy mergers enhance TDE rates, but the presence of a second black hole in AT2024tvd’s host galaxy means that at some point in this galaxy’s past, a merger must have happened,” she noted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Catching a fleeting event like AT2024tvd requires the right tools. Hubble and Chandra, each designed to detect different wavelengths of light, worked together to lock in the black hole’s location and behavior.



Future telescopes may make this easier. The upcoming <a href="https://rubinobservatory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> and NASA’s <a href="https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope</a> are designed to track short-lived cosmic events like this one. 



They’ll give scientists more chances to catch black holes in action - even when they’re hiding in plain sight.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Supermassive black hole caught on camera stalking and eating a star

Astronomers have found something that sounds like it belongs in...

Goodfellows,Or,Ornate,Tree,Kangaroo,Against,Dense,Jungle,Foliage.,This

Australia teems with wildlife known for its vivid colors and striking fur patterns. Yet, beneath the surface, some creatures hide a mesmerizing secret - their fur glows under ultraviolet light. 



Photoluminescence, a phenomenon seen in fish, birds, and even some plants, also occurs in mammal fur, though it remains poorly understood.



Intrigued by this hidden brilliance, a team of researchers at <a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Cook University</a> embarked on a quest to uncover the molecules responsible for these glowing hues. 



Linda Reinhold led the study that aimed to decode the chemistry behind photoluminescence in several Australian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protein-changes-discovered-protect-humans-mammals-from-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mammals</a>.



"Rats, along with bandicoots, possums, bats, tree-kangaroos and many other creatures in Australia and around the world are photoluminescent; they glow under ultraviolet, violet or blue light," she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mammal-fur-samples-for-uv-light-analysis">Mammal fur samples for UV light analysis</h2>



To unlock the mystery, the team turned to roadkill. 



By collecting fur from recently deceased northern long-nosed and northern brown bandicoots, northern quolls, coppery brushtail possums, Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroos, pale field rats, and platypuses, they assembled a diverse array of samples.



Shaved fur, wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent photobleaching, was stored at -18°C (-0.4°F) . The researchers employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to analyze the molecular makeup of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meet-mixodectes-pungens-prehistoric-mammal-and-relative-of-primates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fur</a>.



Each strand held potential clues, waiting to be unearthed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-fur-colors-seen-under-uv-light">Different fur colors seen under UV light</h2>



Under ultraviolet light, the bandicoot fur erupted in a vivid array of colors. Reinhold and her colleagues sought to identify the luminophores, the molecules responsible for this dazzling display.



"The fur of the Australian northern long-nosed and northern brown bandicoots photoluminesces strongly, displaying pink, yellow, blue and/or white colors. We wanted to find out whether the luminophores present in bandicoot fur might be common across multiple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-movement-predictions-matter-more-than-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>," explained Reinhold.



The study revealed two primary classes of luminophores: porphyrin derivatives and tryptophan metabolites. Yet, each species exhibited its own distinct luminescent signature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fur-compounds-causing-pink-and-orange-glow">Fur compounds causing pink and orange glow</h2>



Porphyrins, a group of organic compounds linked to heme, emit pink and orange hues when exposed to ultraviolet light. 



The researchers found several porphyrin derivatives, including protoporphyrin, coproporphyrin, uroporphyrin, and heptacarboxylporphyrin, in the fur of bandicoots, quolls, and possums.



Furthermore, the coppery brushtail possum held another surprise.



"Unexpectedly, we also found a contributing cause of the color of coppery brushtail possum fur - not photoluminescent, but a strong purple coloration in white light - a match for the molecule indigo - which is also extracted as a dye from plants," said Reinhold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indigo-in-possum-fur-under-uv-light">Indigo in possum fur under UV light</h2>



Indigo, known for its use in fabric dyes, surfaced as a startling discovery in possum fur. The compound gave the fur a striking purple sheen under white light, an unusual feature not previously associated with photoluminescence.



Was this the only instance of indigo in mammalian fur? The researchers couldn’t say for sure. The finding suggested the presence of yet-undiscovered pathways for fur coloration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-luminescent-legacy-of-tryptophan">Luminescent legacy of tryptophan</h2>



While porphyrins dominated the pink and orange hues, tryptophan metabolites contributed to yellow and blue photoluminescence. Tryptophan, an amino acid that is essential for protein synthesis, breaks down into metabolites that can emit light.



In this study, kynurenic acid and N-acetylkynurenine emerged as the key players. The pale field rat’s fur contained these compounds, and it glowed yellow under ultraviolet light. Yet, curiously, the other species showed no trace of tryptophan derivatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lumholtz-s-tree-kangaroo">Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo</h2>



Not every mammal in the study fit neatly into the porphyrin-tryptophan framework. Fur from the Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, for instance, displayed a captivating blue-lavender glow, particularly under 365 nm light.



This glow couldn’t be attributed to known luminophores. Instead, the researchers detected molecules with unique masses, hinting at unidentified compounds with unusual chemical structures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-platypus-and-its-subdued-glow">The platypus and its subdued glow</h2>



Unlike its colorful counterparts, the platypus presented a more subdued photoluminescence - a greenish tint with faint pink undertones. Despite its muted appearance, the platypus fur still contained porphyrins.



Why such a difference? Was the photoluminescence a vestigial trait, or did it serve a specific purpose? The study left these questions open, inviting further <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/enduring-earth-mystery-partially-solved-artificial-intelligence-nazca-geoglyphs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exploration</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-significance-of-photoluminescence">Evolutionary significance of photoluminescence</h2>



Why do these mammals glow in the first place? The researchers proposed several hypotheses. Photoluminescence might serve as a form of communication, a warning signal, or even a camouflage mechanism.



Alternatively, the phenomenon could indicate metabolic waste products being excreted through fur. Protoporphyrin, a common porphyrin derivative, is a byproduct of heme metabolism and is known for its toxicity in high concentrations. 



Fur might act as a dumping ground, releasing excess porphyrins to prevent their buildup in the body.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-remains-unexplored">What remains unexplored</h2>



Despite the wealth of data collected, many mysteries still linger. Out of 70 molecular ions identified in the fur extracts, only a handful matched known luminophores.



Over 57 fur compounds remained unidentified, each potentially holding new insights into the chemistry of mammalian fur under ultraviolet light.



Could some of these unknown molecules explain the intense blue and lavender glow seen in the Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo? Could others account for the unique hues of the coppery brushtail possum?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-forward-the-next-steps">Moving forward: The next steps</h2>



The study provided a glimpse into the chemical complexity of photoluminescent fur, yet it left many stones unturned. Reinhold and her team plan to continue analyzing the unidentified molecules, seeking to determine their structure and potential function.



Understanding why certain mammals glow could also shed light on broader ecological and evolutionary patterns. Do photoluminescent compounds play a role in mate selection or predator avoidance? Could they help scientists track metabolic processes in wild populations?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uv-light-uncovers-hidden-fur-glow">UV light uncovers hidden fur glow</h2>



Photoluminescence may seem like a rare and exotic phenomenon, but this study suggests otherwise. Australian mammals, from bandicoots to platypuses, harbor a secret world of hidden hues, visible only under ultraviolet light.



By probing deeper into the chemistry of fur, Reinhold and her team have opened a window into this world, revealing molecular secrets that remain largely untapped. 



Yet, the work is far from complete. Each newly discovered compound offers a tantalizing glimpse of what lies beneath the surface - an intricate web of biochemistry that glows softly in the dark.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0320432" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Some mammals have fur that displays a striking glow under UV light

Australia teems with wildlife known for its vivid colors and...

Chimpanzees are not the usual suspects when we think about musical beats. Yet recent work suggests they use patterns that might rival the rhythms many of us tap with our fingers. 



Researchers have been eavesdropping on these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-select-the-best-materials-for-termite-fishing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">apes</a> as they drum on tree roots in forests across Africa. They believe this drumming could shed light on the roots of our own musical traits.



This investigation was steered by lead author Vesta Eleuteri, who is affiliated with the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a>, Austria. She explains that the team set out to see whether certain groups had distinct drumming styles..



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimpanzees-drum-rhythmic-beats-in-forests">Chimpanzees drum rhythmic beats in forests</h2>



One part of their <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00448-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> showed that different chimpanzee populations developed regular percussive timing. 



They were intrigued to discover that these patterns varied sharply between eastern and western <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-share-alcoholic-fruit-to-increase-social-bonding/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groups</a>, which was unexpected.



“We didn't expect to see such clear differences in rhythm,” said Eleuteri. She noted the parallels between these drumming traits and human music.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-groups-have-unique-drumming-patterns">Groups have unique drumming patterns</h2>



These apes often strike large aboveground roots with their hands or feet. Observers report that the resulting pulses can be heard deep in the surrounding forest.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31918501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experts</a> suggest they use these low-frequency beats to alert others to their location. Each community’s pattern seems to have its own identity, offering subtle cues to group members who might be far away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimpanzees-use-distinct-drumming-styles">Chimpanzees use distinct drumming styles</h2>



Scientists noticed that western chimpanzees appear to drum more quickly. Their eastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-and-chimps-express-empathy-much-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relatives</a> tend to insert short and long intervals, creating a different pulse.



Some researchers think these differences might help chimps manage their social spacing. They point out that each group’s drumming style could reflect unique communication needs.



“Making music is a fundamental part of what it means to be human - but we don’t know for how long we have been making music,” said Catherine Hobaiter, from the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of St. Andrews</a>. 



She suggests that seeing such rhythmic organization in our closest relatives gives us clues about our shared past.



Some <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-abstract/68/1/201/1041058?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specialists</a> believe these percussive qualities hint that musical roots stretch back millions of years. If chimps have intrinsic timing, our own ancestors might have tapped out beats before speech ever existed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recording-chimp-drumming-poses-challenges">Recording chimp drumming poses challenges</h2>



Gathering these recordings in thick forests was tough. Teams dealt with patchy visibility and had to sift through hours of audio to isolate each drumming event.



Yet the acoustic clarity of those root strikes appears to carry well. Investigators suspect that might let group members stay aware of each other without daily face-to-face gatherings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drumming-reveals-cultural-insights">Drumming reveals cultural insights</h2>



Some think these varied beats could reveal how social structures shape cultural practices. Others see it as a window into early rhythmic skill that later blossomed into music.



Apes may not be forming bands, but they do offer glimpses into the building blocks of melodic expression. 



Observers hope this will spark fresh conversations about when and why our ancestors first started making organized noise.



Humans have always puzzled over how our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-doesnt-just-hear-music-it-becomes-the-rhythm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">musical talents evolved</a>. If an ape that shares much of our DNA relies on steady beats, then we might be tapping into a very ancient groove.



That possibility might open the door to deeper research on how rhythmic ability supports <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-chimp-nests-can-tell-us-about-early-independence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">group cohesion</a>. Song, dance, and shared drumming could have bridged gaps long before languages took shape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-chimpanzee-drumming-patterns">Studying chimpanzee drumming patterns</h2>



Several labs aim to capture more detailed measurements of these drumming sequences. They want to see if local environments or group sizes lead to special patterns that differ from one site to another.



There is also interest in exploring how individual chimps learn these rhythms. If youngsters pick them up by mimicking adults, that might confirm a transmission process much like our own cultural traditions.



Experts emphasize that these findings are not about turning chimps into rock stars. They simply want to understand how drumming has evolved and how it connects to our musical identity.



Scientists suspect this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-rapid-gestures-in-conversations-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat-based communication</a> could explain how early hominins might have adapted similar behaviors for more complex messages. Those messages could have eventually led to chanting or vocal music.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-all-of-this-mean">What does all of this mean?</h2>



No one knows exactly why certain groups seem to sync their hits, while others favor a shifting tempo. Future work may focus on the social payoffs of uniform or varied drumming.



Many suspect the chatter of buttress drumming helped shape chimp interactions for ages. Knowing how those beats work might decode an ancient puzzle about the roots of music.



Plenty of folks wonder if we will ever see chimps expanding this behavior into new activities. Time will tell if there is more complexity lurking behind these drum-like signals.



For now, these revelations remind us that humans are not the only ones with a sense of rhythm. Chimps have a knack for turning tree roots into a forest-wide broadcast. There remains a world of possibility still truly waiting to be uncovered.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00448-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Chimpanzees use rhythmic drumming to communicate in forests

Chimpanzees are not the usual suspects when we think about...

Archaeologists in Germany have identified a set of wooden spears that might be younger than previous estimates. This shift in timing raises questions about which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-theory-explains-why-neanderthals-vanished-and-homo-sapiens-are-alive-today/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early group</a>, potentially Neanderthals, actually crafted them.



The artifacts turned up in a coal mine in the town of Schöningen and were once thought to be extremely old. However, new <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adv0752" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a> sets their age closer to 200,000 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthal-spears-show-early-craftsmanship">Neanderthal spears show early craftsmanship</h2>



“[The spears are] pretty sophisticated for something that old,” said study co-author Jarod Hutson with the <a href="https://naturalhistory.si.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History</a>. These long, pointed implements were made from spruce or pine and have been described as early hunting tools.&nbsp;



Each spear shows signs of careful shaping and maintenance. Researchers believe these objects reflect a well-planned approach to gathering resources in a sometimes harsh landscape.



Early theories placed such devices in the hands of an earlier human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tinshemet-cave-discovery-neanderthals-early-humans-sharing-and-complex-interactions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancestor</a>. If the new time estimate is accurate, these weapons would fall into the era associated with <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0904119106" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthals</a>, a group known for robust builds and distinctive skull shapes.



Specialists have often debated how complex Neanderthal tool use really was. This fresh look at wooden weaponry brings fresh opinions about their skills and social organization.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revised-age-for-schoningen-spears">Revised age for Schöningen spears</h2>



The Schöningen site sits in a sediment sequence that has generated intense discussion about glacial and interglacial phases. 



<a href="https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/principles-of-sedimentology-and-stratigraphy/P200000003791/9780321960463" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stratigraphy</a> is the study of how these layers formed and changed over time, and it helps researchers understand how old artifacts might be.



Revising a single layer’s date can shift an entire view of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-neanderthals-species-face-structure-evolved-differently/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prehistory</a>. That is why these new calculations have caused so much excitement among archaeologists who study that area.



This updated timeline used <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21804567/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amino acid</a> approaches, which measure protein breakdown in fossils. Such chemical signatures can hint at a more precise age range than older methods.



If those measurements hold up under further testing, the results will spark more investigations of early woodworking and hunting. 



Researchers are also interested in how these same techniques might refine the chronology of other major sites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spears-show-strategic-neanderthal-thinking">Spears show strategic Neanderthal thinking</h2>



A single wooden spear could mean many things, but a collection suggests a shared plan. Some anthropologists argue that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-fossils-reveal-signs-of-a-population-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groups</a> who invested in multiple weapons likely participated in cooperative hunts.



This hints at coordinated tactics in tracking and killing animals. However, more study is needed to confirm whether there was a group strategy behind each find.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/spears_Schoningen-wooden-spears_neanderthals_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/spears_Schoningen-wooden-spears_neanderthals_1s.webp" alt="The Schöningen spears as presented at the exhibition of the “Paläon” Research Museum in Schöningen, Germany. Credit: MINKUSIMAGES. Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege (NLD)" class="wp-image-1969498"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Schöningen spears as presented at the exhibition of the “Paläon” Research Museum in Schöningen, Germany. Click image to enlarge. Credit: MINKUSIMAGES. Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege (NLD)</figcaption></figure>



These wooden spears hint at a level of planning and resourcefulness that challenges outdated stereotypes. 



Many people once believed Neanderthals relied solely on crude stone tools, but findings like these suggest a broader range of behavior.



Discoveries of advanced hunting methods also suggest they thrived in Europe’s variable environments. This adaptability might have boosted their chances of survival for thousands of years.



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



Insights from this location overlap with broader trends in European <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0913856107" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pleistocene sites</a>, a geologic epoch spanning over two million years. Finds of bone and stone remain the backbone of early archaeological evidence.



Wood is less durable, so each wooden tool that survives the millennia is a rare treasure. This ephemeral material can shift our perspective on what these groups did day-to-day.



Additional research at neighboring Paleolithic areas might reveal more wooden implements. Such comparisons help experts piece together a fuller story of how ancient communities spread across different regions.



If scholars uncover parallel artifacts or similar manufacturing patterns, it may strengthen the case for widespread woodworking traditions. Consistent data across multiple sites could then paint a richer picture of hominin culture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthals-spears-challenge-old-assumptions">Neanderthals spears challenge old assumptions</h2>



Some wonder if these tools are just the start of a deeper look into Neanderthal technology. Future work could pinpoint exactly how these spears were fashioned and used.



Advanced imaging and experimental replicas might highlight details of wear and tear on the spear tips. Those comparisons could reveal whether they served for throwing or thrusting at prey.



Arguments about the date of these artifacts reflect the constant refinement in archaeology. Shifts in scientific perspectives often hinge on new evidence or improved methods.



Such revisions do not undermine previous efforts but rather build on them. Every updated finding invites a broader look at human origins and adaptations.



Whether these spears belonged to Neanderthals or an earlier group, they remain a remarkable window into ancient lives. The success of wooden weaponry supports an image of skilled hunters who understood local materials.



Further investigations in Germany and beyond may clarify who wielded them. Researchers await more refined techniques.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adv0752" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Famous wooden spears, 100,000 years older than believed, may have been used by Neanderthals

Archaeologists in Germany have identified a set of wooden spears...

Tuna fishing relies on rafts that drift for thousands of kilometers, silent and unmoored, following ocean currents across vast, empty waters. 



These floating devices, often made with netting tails dangling beneath the surface, aren’t just drifting aimlessly - they’re designed to attract fish. Once surrounded by schools of tuna, the fish are scooped up by large industrial vessels.



Known as drifting Fish Aggregating Devices, or dFADs, these tools have been a staple of commercial tuna fishing since the 1990s. 



They were created to help produce “dolphin-safe” tuna by reducing the need to chase tuna schools that often swim with dolphins. But these devices have brought along a new set of problems that stretch far beyond their original intent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-far-the-devices-really-travel">How far the devices really travel</h2>



Scientists from <a href="https://www.dal.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dalhousie University</a> have taken a closer look at how the aggregating devices are used and where they go. In a new global study, they tracked just how far these devices have traveled and how much damage they may be causing.



“We found that these devices have drifted through at least 37% of the global ocean - an area as large as all inhabited continents combined. Yet most people have never heard of dFADs because tuna fishing occurs mostly in the tropics,” said study lead author Laurenne Schiller.



The researchers found that dFADs have left a lasting mark on oceans across the globe. 



“Our results demonstrate that the cumulative environmental footprint of dFADs reaches far beyond tuna fishing grounds and remains inadequately mitigated at the global scale."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tuna-fishing-gear-pollution">Tuna fishing gear pollution</h2>



The numbers are staggering. The team, which included researchers from the Manta Trust, estimates that 1.4 million dFADs were deployed between 2007 and 2021. These devices were used to catch nearly one-third of the world’s tuna supply.



In eastern Canada, fishers don’t typically use dFADs. The devices are more commonly used in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-impacts-on-tropical-fisheries-may-ripple-across-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tropical fisheries</a>, particularly in the Pacific.



Unfortunately, many of these rafts don’t stay at sea. They often wash ashore in more than 100 coastal countries. Some are made of natural materials, but many are synthetic and contribute to marine pollution. As they break apart, they entangle marine life and damage coral reefs.



There’s also the issue of the tuna being caught. More than 90% of some tuna species are snagged before they reach maturity. That’s because younger fish are more likely to gather under floating objects.



Scientists and environmental groups have warned about these problems for over two decades. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/destructive-fishing-new-definition-sustainable-management/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fishing methods</a> have shifted from chasing free-swimming tuna to targeting fish that gather near floating structures. That change has added new risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-tuna-chase-rafts">Why tuna chase rafts </h2>



Fish naturally seek cover. Floating debris, like logs or clumps of seaweed, can offer shelter in the otherwise open ocean. Tuna tend to gather under these objects, and that instinct is what dFADs exploit.



These artificial rafts have become essential equipment in tuna fishing - especially for skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna. Skipjack, in particular, is the type most often used in canned tuna.



Each dFAD can include a GPS tracker, which allows vessels to deploy the raft, leave it adrift, and return weeks or even months later. By then, fish have usually gathered beneath the device.



“Because the ocean is all connected, there are no boundaries for dFADs in their global travels, and their impacts are often felt far from where they were initially deployed," said senior author Boris Worm, a marine ecology professor at Dalhousie. 



"We need to consider how many devices can be in the water at once and make sure they all get retrieved." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lack-of-global-regulation">Lack of global regulation </h2>



Tropical tuna fisheries are overseen by four Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). Historically, they’ve been slow to respond to the growing list of concerns. 



Only recently have rules started to limit the use of netting in dFADs, to reduce bycatch of other marine animals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-in-99-percent-sea-turtles-organ-tissue-reproductive-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea turtles</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-reveal-how-sharks-use-the-oceans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharks</a>.



Still, there are no global rules that limit how many dFADs a company can use. That lack of regulation makes it hard to hold anyone accountable when problems arise.



The researchers argue that transparency is a major issue. Right now, it’s difficult to trace where a dFAD came from or who deployed it. Better labeling is essential to track damage and improve responsibility.



In 2026, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission will launch a new dFAD registry. Every device will be assigned a unique code that links it back to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-vessels-most-industrial-fishing-activity-is-not-publicly-tracked/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fishing vessel</a>. This step is expected to improve accountability across the board.



It may also help verify which companies meet the requirements for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification - a label that many tuna brands use to market their products as sustainably sourced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-the-impact-of-tuna-fishing-gear">Reducing the impact of tuna fishing gear</h2>



The study revealed that while many dFAD-using fisheries now carry sustainability labels, most still fall short of meeting requirements related to minimizing damage to ocean ecosystems.



“Programs like the MSC can really motivate companies to improve their practices, but it's also important that this improvement is continuous and doesn't just end with certification,” said Dr. Schiller. “In the case of dFAD tuna fisheries, many companies still have a lot of work to do and consumers should be aware of that.”



The researchers remain hopeful that change is possible. Their study highlights several proposed solutions - some of which are already in place - that could lessen the environmental cost of tuna fishing gear.



Study co-author Nidhi D'Costa is a fisheries researcher from Bangladesh who is now working for the Manta Trust.



“Most dFADs are deployed by a few large companies from wealthy countries, but their effects are felt across some of the world's least developed island nations with little capacity to address the damage that is caused,” said D'Costa.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads2902" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Tuna fishing gear is harming oceans more than we thought

Tuna fishing relies on rafts that drift for thousands of...

Rare earth elements are everywhere - in your smartphone screen, in the MRI machine at the hospital, in the battery of an electric vehicle, and even in oil and gas refining. They are a key ingredient of modern life.



As global tensions rise, so does the competition for access to these minerals. Recent headlines show the stakes: China has halted rare earth exports to the United States, and a deal was just signed to secure U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.



Despite their name, rare earth elements aren’t actually scarce; what’s rare is finding them in high enough concentrations to mine economically. These deposits are scattered unevenly across the globe and often buried deep underground, shaping who controls their production and the global supply chain.



Scientists at <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tufts University</a> are trying to better understand how and why rare earth minerals ended up where they did. Their research reveals how the movement of continents over billions of years helped form - and hide - these valuable deposits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supercontinents-shaped-rare-deposits">Supercontinents shaped rare deposits</h2>



To explain how this mineral drama began, we need to go back in time. Way back. Earth's surface is always on the move. Over millions of years, massive landmasses shift, collide, and break apart, reshaping the planet in the process.



"Most of us are familiar with <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/supercontinents-101-pannotia-gondwana-and-pangea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pangea</a> - the supercontinent that formed about 300 million years ago and that the current seven continents broke off from to form their present-day arrangement," said Jill VanTongeren, professor and chair of the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences.



"But Pangea is only the most recent supercontinent. Throughout Earth history, there have been at least five major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/australia-north-america-supercontinent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supercontinent</a> cycles - periods when continents all come together and then spread back out again into different pieces. We think this process happens roughly every 500 million years."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-minerals-begin">Where minerals begin</h2>



As these continents drifted apart, they created rifts - places where the Earth's tectonic plates pulled away from each other. These rifting zones became birthplaces for rare earth element-rich magmas.



"As the rocks are pushed apart, they decompress, causing melting. It's kind of like taking the lid off a soda bottle, and the bubbles rise to the surface," said VanTongeren.



"Those early magmas contain the highest abundance of rare earth and other incompatible elements that then enter the crust, either erupting in volcanic centers or solidifying at depth."



Some of these mineral-rich magmas cooled and stayed near the surface. Others got dragged back down into the mantle or remain buried too deep to mine with today’s technology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-race-for-control-resources">A race for control resources</h2>



Today, the number of economically viable rare earth deposits is limited. China dominates the market, with nearly 70% of global production coming from its Bayan Obo mine. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crucial-rare-earth-elements-discovered-coal-mines-united-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S.</a> has a smaller operation at Mountain Pass in California, and a few other countries have scattered deposits.



In the late 1990s and early 2000s, China flooded the market with rare earth minerals, driving down prices and shutting down other global producers. That move reshaped global dependence.



In response, the U.S. government took steps to re-establish a domestic supply. Recent investments from the 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Department of Defense aim to restart full operations at the Mountain Pass mine, though it could take up to a decade.



There’s also hope that Ukraine's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-is-on-a-mission-to-map-americas-mineral-wealth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mineral deposits</a> could help diversify supply. But for now, their potential remains unclear.



"Political boundaries and the desire to obtain access to mineral resources have been the source of economic and military conflicts throughout human history," said VanTongeren. "This is likely to continue as the world shifts toward green energy and a greater dependence on rare earth elements in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-for-mineral-deposits">Hunting for mineral deposits</h2>



VanTongeren’s work tracks these mineral stories from source to surface. Her fieldwork has taken her from a ship near Antarctica to platinum mines in South Africa, Morocco’s mountains, and even a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/huge-lithium-deposit-from-volanic-ash-found-in-pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lithium</a> discovery in Maine.



"It's a fascinating area of study partly because it lies at the intersection of science, economics, and politics," she said. Back on the Tufts campus, this intersection takes a more visual form.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tufts-secret-mineral-vault">Tufts' secret mineral vault</h2>



Tucked into the basement of Lane Hall, the P.T. Barnum Mineral Collection offers a glimpse into the Earth’s treasures. It includes thousands of mineral specimens, some collected by Barnum himself. He was an early supporter of Tufts and a major collector of natural history in the 1800s.



"In the late 1800s, it was considered fashionable for many prominent individuals to accumulate their own natural history collections," noted VanTongeren.



"P.T. Barnum was one of the biggest collectors of the time. His collection of animals, plants, and minerals was among the first gifts to Tufts University and part of an endowment to establish Tufts as one of the major natural history museums in the country."



After a fire destroyed the Barnum Museum in 1975, the mineral collection moved to Lane Hall. Now, it’s about to move again - this time to Bacon Hall, the new home for the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-hunt-for-rare-earth-elements">Global hunt for rare earth elements</h2>



VanTongeren hopes this new home will be more than just a storage site. She wants it to become a space that encourages curiosity and exploration, not just for scientists, but for everyone.



"My pie-in-the-sky vision is to set up a mineral gallery with both a permanent exhibit as well as pop-up exhibitions every semester highlighting minerals important for technology, related to other research at the university, or to global events," said VanTongeren.



"I'd like to help bring back Barnum's vision of bringing the beauty of, and an appreciation for, the natural world to campus."



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Global hunt for rare earth elements is underway

Rare earth elements are everywhere - in your smartphone screen,...

<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=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



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



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



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



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



—–



Like what you saw and read?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a>&nbsp;for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



—–



Check us out on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.



—–

Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<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.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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>



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



-----

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>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

News coming your way