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>.



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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...

For years the Denisovans lived only in gene sequencers and imagination. Now, a massive skull nicknamed Dragon Man has handed them a recognizable profile.



Molecular sleuthing has tied the more‑than‑146,000‑year‑old Harbin cranium to this hidden branch of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-human-dna-ever-found-tells-story-of-lost-branch-on-human-neanderthal-family-tree/">humanity</a>, linking ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-footprints-reveal-a-dinosaur-that-changed-pace-while-walking/">genes</a> to real bone and allowing scientists to ask new questions about their lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dragon-man-was-linked-to-denisovans">How Dragon Man was linked to Denisovans</h2>



Evolutionary geneticist Qiaomei Fu of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (<a href="http://english.ivpp.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IVPP</a>) in Beijing led the team that brought Dragon Man into the Denisovan family. 



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867425006270" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> first spotted Denisovan DNA in 2010 while sifting through a finger bone from Siberia’s Denisova cave, but no one knew what the owner looked like.



The Harbin skull fills that void, displaying thick brow ridges, a roomy braincase, and cheeks that fall between Neanderthal ruggedness and modern delicacy. 



Fu’s crew scraped its tooth tartar, recovered <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005272898001613" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mitochondrial DNA</a>, and confirmed the specimen as Denisovan. 



The same calculus yielded 95 ancient proteins, three of which match Denisovan‑specific variants, an independent molecular fingerprint. Together the molecules silence earlier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-ground-dwellers-survived-the-asteroid-impact-that-killed-the-dinosaurs/">claims</a> that the skull represented a separate species called <a href="https://www.sapiens.org/biology/homo-longi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Homo longi</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-finger-bone-to-dragon-man">From finger bone to Dragon Man</h2>



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01549-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Denisovan fossils</a> remain vanishingly rare: a handful of molars, a jaw from the Tibetan plateau, and microscopic bone shards. Until now each piece was too small to offer a clear sense of body shape. 



“This is the first time we have connected a cranium to Denisovans,” says Fu. Dragon Man changes that scale because the cranium measures almost a foot long and holds a brain as large as our own.&nbsp;



The discovery also settles a debate sparked in 2021 when the same skull was proposed as a new species. Molecular data now show the specimen sits comfortably within Denisovan <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/matching-dinosaur-tracks-found-opposite-sides-atlantic-ocean-solves-gondwana-mystery/">diversity</a>, trimming the family tree rather than adding another branch.



DNA timelines place the Harbin individual in an early Denisovan wave that occupied northeastern Asia between 217,000 and 106,000 years ago, overlapping with Neanderthals to the west and early Homo sapiens to the south.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tooth-tartar-gave-crucial-dna">Tooth tartar gave crucial DNA</h2>



Ancient DNA usually hides inside dense ear bones, but Chinese collectors removed those sections decades ago. Fu gambled on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9395117/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dental calculus</a>, the rock‑hard film that entombs oral microbes, and won big.



Its crystalline structure protected hominin cells well enough that even a few dozen authentic reads could be stitched into a complete mitochondrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeologists-discovered-ancient-footprints-that-rewrite-the-story-of-humans-in-america/">genome</a>. 



The success hints that thousands of museum teeth could preserve similar “genetic time capsules,” waiting for modern clean‑room techniques to unlock them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-denisovans-were-large-and-strong">Denisovans were large and strong</h2>



Denisovan teeth are famously big, and Dragon Man fits the trend. Paleoanthropologist <a href="https://www.anthropology.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/bence-viola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bence Viola</a>, who was not involved, estimates a lean body mass near 220 pounds and calls these hominins “enormous individuals.” 



This huge body size may have shaped their behavior. A high caloric demand would force groups to patrol large territories, which might explain why Denisovan DNA is sprinkled across Asia yet their fossils remain scarce.



Recent isotopic <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02382-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> on the Xiahe jaw hints at a meat‑heavy diet, supporting the idea of large, cold‑adapted hunters roaming upland steppes. 



If those inferences hold, the Harbin hunter probably needed more than 4,000 calories a day, a demand that would have shaped group mobility. 



Large bodies paired with cold winters could push clans toward seasonal migrations following herds of deer and horse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-denisovan-dna-in-modern-humans">Denisovan DNA in modern humans</h2>



Modern people still carry pieces of Denisovan code: <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aad9416" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Papuan and other Melanesian genomes</a> hold roughly four to six percent of it. In Tibetan <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13408" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highlanders</a> a Denisovan version of <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/epas1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPAS1</a> fine‑tunes oxygen use at 13,000 feet.



Scientists have traced at least two separate Denisovan introgression events, showing that our ancestors met different Denisovan groups on separate journeys through Asia. Each encounter left unique genetic signatures still detectable today. 



These genes influence immunity, fat metabolism, and even responses to viral infection, proving that introgression was not a biological dead end but a source of useful variation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dragon-man-shifts-the-human-story">Dragon Man shifts the human story</h2>



The new data place Denisovans across a vast swath of Asia during the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9703123/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Middle Pleistocene</a>, from chilly Siberia to low‑latitude islands. 



Each region likely held groups that drifted apart for tens of thousands of years, explaining the diverse DNA signatures seen in present‑day genomes.



Harbin also forces a second look at Chinese <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666675821000552" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a> such as Dali, Jinniushan, and Hualongdong. Their shared mix of archaic and modern traits could now be read as regional Denisovan features rather than evidence for separate species. 



Researchers are building three‑dimensional digital models that blend Dragon Man measurements with genetic findings, offering fresh hypotheses about locomotion, speech capacity, and social display.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-continue-the-denisovan-hunt">Scientists continue the Denisovan hunt</h2>



Fu’s group is already probing Dragon Man’s inner ear bone for nuclear DNA, the larger genetic archive that could reveal eye color, disease risks, and kinship to Neanderthals. 



Proteomics labs are scanning museum drawers for overlooked Denisovan teeth, while field crews are widening the search to caves in Laos and the Philippines.



Each success will feed improved <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790322000963" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phylogenetic models</a> that trace how ancient populations split, traveled, and reconnected. 



The result will be a messier but richer human story, one where several kinds of people shared ideas, pathogens, and offspring across Asia.



The lessons extend beyond academia. Understanding how past gene flow boosted altitude tolerance or immune function could guide modern medicine in a warming, relocating world. 



Dragon Man reminds us that humanity is bigger than any single lineage and that even hardened tooth tartar can rewrite textbooks.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867425006270" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell</a>.



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DNA analysis of the "Dragon Man" fossil skull gives an identity to this early human species

For years the Denisovans lived only in gene sequencers and...

The European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission has used artificial means to create a new kind of eclipse - one made entirely in space.



Using two small satellites flying in tight formation, the mission blocked the Sun’s bright disc to capture rare images of the faint solar corona. These artificial eclipse images offer a clearer view of our Sun’s hidden atmosphere.



Instruments for the artificial eclipse experiment come from a Belgian team at the <a href="https://www.csl.uliege.be/cms/c_10241774/en/csl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre Spatial de Liège</a> and from researchers at <a href="https://www.kuleuven.be/english/kuleuven" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KU Leuven</a>, who supply key computer models.



Their work turns the twin satellites - called the Occulter and the Coronagraph - into one giant camera that can stare at the outer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-heat-of-the-suns-atmosphere-is-finally-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere of the Sun</a> for hours at a time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-side-by-side-with-millimeter-accuracy">Side-by-side with millimeter accuracy</h2>



In March the two spacecraft finished their first big test. They held a fixed 150-metre gap for several hours without commands from Earth. 



Autonomous sensors kept them lined up to within a millimeter. When they point straight at the Sun the Occulter’s 1.4-metre disc casts an 8-centimetre shadow onto the Coronagraph’s <a href="https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Proba-3/Proba-3_stargazing_to_warm_up_for_corona_observations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASPIICS camera</a>, thus forming an artificial eclipse.



With the glare removed, ASPIICS records corona detail that ground telescopes can only glimpse during the brief moments of a natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/total-solar-eclipse-captured-from-one-million-miles-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">total</a> eclipse.



“Many of the technologies which allowed Proba-3 to perform precise formation flying have been developed through the <a href="https://www.esa.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a>’s General Support Technology Programme, as has the mission itself," explained Dietmar Pilz, ESA director of technology, engineering and quality. 



"It is exciting to see these stunning images validate our technologies in what is now the world’s first precision formation flying mission.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-look-at-the-corona">Why look at the corona?</h2>



The corona drives the solar wind and huge outbursts called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/huge-coronal-mass-ejection-captured-by-nasas-new-solar-mission-punch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coronal mass ejections</a> (CMEs). CMEs can paint bright <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-issues-a-severe-solar-storm-alert-with-auroras-expected-across-most-of-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">auroras</a> across the sky. They can also knock out power grids and jam satellites, as happened in May 2024. 



Seeing the corona clearly, even by means of an artificial eclipse, helps researchers track these storms before they hit Earth.



“Seeing the first data from ASPIICS is incredibly exciting. Together with the measurements made by another instrument on board, DARA, ASPIICS will contribute to unravelling long-lasting questions about our home star,” clarified Joe Zender, Proba-3 project scientist.



DARA watches total solar energy. A third sensor, 3DEES, counts high-energy electrons trapped near Earth. Together they give a fuller picture of how the Sun affects space weather.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stretching-an-eclipse-from-minutes-to-hours">Stretching an eclipse from minutes to hours</h2>



“I was absolutely thrilled to see the images, especially since we got them on the first try,” commented Andrei Zhukov, principal investigator for ASPIICS at the <a href="https://www.astro.oma.be/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Observatory of Belgium</a>. “Now we are working on extending the observation time to six hours in every orbit.”



Engineers at the Royal Observatory process three different exposure times for each photo. Stacking them reveals faint loops close to the solar surface, and sharper edges farther out. 



A natural eclipse may last a few minutes. Proba-3 can repeat its artificial eclipse every 19.6 hours and hold it for up to six.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-artificial-eclipses-for-computer-models">Artificial eclipses for computer models</h2>



“Current coronagraphs are no match for Proba-3, which will observe the Sun’s corona down almost to the edge of the solar surface. So far, this was only possible during natural solar eclipses,” says Jorge Amaya, space weather modelling coordinator at ESA.



Teams across Europe feed the new pictures into software such as COCONUT, which was built at KU Leuven. Better data mean better forecasts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-weather-poses-significant-risks-to-railway-safety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space weather</a> that can harm satellites, airlines, and power networks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-precision-to-autonomy">From precision to autonomy</h2>



“Having two spacecraft form one giant coronagraph in space allowed us to capture the inner corona with very low levels of stray light in our observations, exactly as we expected," Proba-3 mission manager Damien Galano noted.



“Although we are still in the commissioning phase, we have already achieved precise formation flying with unprecedented accuracy. This is what allowed us to capture the mission’s first images, which will no doubt be of high value to the scientific community," he added.



He explained that the formation flying achieved so far was performed autonomously, but under supervision of the ground control team. They were ready to intervene at any time to correct any potential deviations.



The scientists aim to achieve full autonomy, and to have confidence in the system such that they will not need to monitor from the ground.



Mission managers plan to let the satellites handle every maneuver without human oversight. Full autonomy will free the team to focus on science instead of the steering.



With its early success, the twin-satellite design promises many years of “eclipses on request” and a richer understanding of the Sun’s ever-changing face.



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<a href="https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Proba-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proba-3</a> is an ESA mission built by a European consortium that was led by Sener in Spain and involved more than two dozen companies from 14 countries. It launched on 5 December 2024 aboard an Indian PSLV-XL rocket.



Click here to <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2025/06/First_artificial_solar_eclipse_in_space" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watch a video of Proba-3's first artificial eclipse...</a>



Information obtained from an ESA <a href="https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Proba-3/Proba-3_s_first_artificial_solar_eclipse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">press release</a>.



Image credit: ESA/Proba-3/ASPIICS



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Proba-3 created an artificial eclipse in space to study the Sun

The European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission has used artificial means...

The skies were empty for most of Earth’s history, but then light‑boned reptiles mastered powered flight roughly 220 million years ago. 



A new analysis of fossil maps and computer climate models shows that warm, damp air, not desert heat, gave those first <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-fossil-fills-crucial-gap-in-pterosaur-evolution/">pterosaurs</a> the environmental boost they needed.



Davide Foffa of the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a> led the work with Emma Dunne at Friedrich‑Alexander‑Universität Erlangen‑Nürnberg and Alessandro Chiarenza at University College London.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaurs-lived-in-humid-regions">Pterosaurs lived in humid regions </h2>



Foffa’s team plotted every Triassic pterosaur and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0895981124001196" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lagerpetid</a> fossil they could verify, covering what was then the single supercontinent <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-was-pangea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pangea</a>. 



The map revealed a pattern: early flyers cluster in low‑latitude sites that ancient climate simulations mark as humid, while their land‑bound cousins spread across drier belts.



Lagerpetids, rat‑ to dog‑sized sprinters, never left the ground yet roamed from today’s Brazil to the American Southwest. Ezcurra and colleagues confirmed in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-3011-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2020</a> that these agile reptiles form the sister branch to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaur-bones-biomimicry-could-inspire-better-aircraft-technology/">pterosaurs</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaur-flight-needed-humid-forests">Pterosaur flight needed humid forests</h2>



The question of why pterosaurs took flight when they did has puzzled researchers for decades. Their closest relatives, lagerpetids, had the anatomical tools for agility and climbing, but lacked the skeletal adaptations needed for powered flight.



Foffa’s team suggests it wasn’t just biology holding them back - it was the environment. Without expansive forest canopies and consistently humid ecosystems, early pterosaur <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-took-flight-millions-of-years-before-birds/">ancestors</a> may have lacked both the resources and the ecological pressure to evolve wings sooner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-surge-led-to-pterosaur-flight">Rainfall surge led to pterosaur flight</h2>



As carbon‑rich volcanism drove the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7494334/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carnian Pluvial Episode</a> about 234 million years ago, average rainfall spiked for roughly two million years. Forests thickened, insect populations jumped, and treetop launchpads multiplied exactly when the first pterosaur bones appear.



To test cause and effect, the authors fed Triassic geography into the <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/approach/modelling-systems/unified-model/climate-models/hadcm3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HadCM3L general circulation model</a>, a tool normally used for <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-cretaceous-period.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous</a> and future‑climate work. 



The simulation reproduced humid bands along the equator that matched every known <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825221002786" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Norian pterosaur</a> site within a margin of about 60 miles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-and-climate-maps-tell-the-story">Fossils and climate maps tell the story</h2>



To connect ancient reptile evolution with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cracking-the-code-of-pterosaur-flight-soaring-vs-flapping/">prehistoric</a> climate, the researchers needed more than just bones. They used global climate models that simulate temperature, precipitation, and seasonal variation from over 200 million years ago, then overlaid fossil data on those maps.



This approach revealed strong patterns. Pterosaur fossils linked to flight consistently appeared in regions the model predicted to be wet and forested.



On the other hand, lagerpetids showed up in a broader range of habitats, including dry, seasonal areas. These overlapping maps helped confirm the environmental preferences of each group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humid-air-and-the-rise-of-flying-reptiles">Humid air and the rise of flying reptiles</h2>



“Their wings catapulted them into every corner of the planet,” noted Chiarenza. Later Triassic decades saw wetter air creep poleward, and the fossil record follows: specimens pop up in what is now Greenland and Argentina, hundreds of miles from the original belt.



Marine <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03996-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">records</a> show that the same wet pulse coincided with a 33 percent loss of ocean genera and rapid dinosaur diversification, hinting at a broader reshuffling. 



Dunne noted that climate change is a leading cause of biodiversity change, both in the present day and the geological past - a reminder that weather can redraw evolutionary maps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaur-flight-aided-survival-for-some">Pterosaur flight aided survival for some</h2>



Lagerpetids tolerated scorchingly dry interiors yet vanished at the <a href="https://samnoblemuseum.ou.edu/understanding-extinction/mass-extinctions/end-triassic-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">end‑Triassic extinction</a>, while their winged relatives sailed through the crisis. Flight likely offered escape from predators and fire, plus access to scattered resources after forests burned.



The disappearance of lagerpetids at the end of the Triassic remains a mystery, especially since they had a broader climate tolerance and geographic range than early pterosaurs. 



Some scientists suggest they may have lacked the specialized adaptations - like flight - that helped other groups escape or adapt to rapid ecosystem changes.



Others think competition may have played a role. As pterosaurs and early dinosaurs spread into new environments, they may have outcompeted lagerpetids for food or territory, leaving the once-thriving reptiles with fewer niches to occupy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-for-future-fossil-hunts">Clues for future fossil hunts</h2>



“Model outputs flag humid Triassic pockets in Morocco, India, and the American Midwest where no pterosaur bones have been logged. Field crews may strike pay dirt there, especially in fine‑grained lake shales that entomb fragile skeletons whole,” explained Foffa.



The research links a short‑lived climate swing to a permanent ecological shake‑up in which pterosaur flight emerged, demonstrating how quickly new winners appear when habitats shift.



With modern CO₂ levels rising on a similar scale, today’s ecosystems could see equally swift turnovers, though not necessarily as majestic as a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0895981124001196" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pterosauromorpha</a> liftoff.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02767-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Humid air gave pterosaurs the boost they needed to take flight

The skies were empty for most of Earth’s history, but...

Volcanic islands, such as those in Hawaii and the Caribbean, are often fringed by coral reefs - ring-shaped structures that closely follow the shoreline. These reefs aren’t continuous. They contain natural gaps known as reef passes, which serve as channels connecting the sheltered lagoon with the open ocean.



Water and nutrients move through these gaps, keeping the ecosystem alive and balanced. Reef passes are critical for circulation, helping flush out freshwater and bring in nutrients that coral reefs rely on to survive.



Until now, no one had pinned down how these reef passes form. But researchers from <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">MIT</a> and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have found something surprising.



These coral gateways line up with where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alaskas-rivers-are-rusting-and-the-changes-are-visible-from-space/">rivers</a> exit the island’s coast. The study shows that island rivers are not just bystanders. They help carve these passages through the coral itself.



“The results of this study help us to understand how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-grazing-halos-and-parrotfish-reveal-about-coral-reef-health/">health of coral reefs</a> depends on the islands they surround,” said Professor Taylor Perron.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rivers-offer-benefits-for-reefs">Rivers offer benefits for reefs</h2>



Megan Gillen, the study's lead author, is a graduate student in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography.



“A lot of discussion around rivers and their impact on reefs today has been negative because of human impact and the effects of agricultural practices,” said Gillen.



“This study shows the potential long-term benefits rivers can have on reefs, which I hope reshapes the paradigm and highlights the natural state of rivers interacting with reefs.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-coral-reefs-from-space">Observing coral reefs from space</h2>



The team focused on the Society Islands, a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific that includes Tahiti and Bora Bora. 



With fieldwork off the table during the pandemic, the researchers turned to satellite imagery. Scanning the islands on Google Earth, they noticed something odd.



“The islands in this chain have these iconic, beautiful reefs, and we kept noticing these reef passes that seemed to align with deeply embayed portions of the coastline,” noted Gillen. “We started asking ourselves, is there a correlation here?”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mystery-of-reef-passes">The mystery of reef passes</h2>



From above, the coral reefs looked like cracked rings. The breaks - reef passes - seemed to fall in line with old river valleys that cut deep into the coastline. 



These depressions are where rivers drain out to the sea. Gillen began wondering: are the rivers responsible for these coral gaps?



“People have examined the flow through reef passes to understand how ocean waves and seawater circulate in and out of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-lagoons-have-high-loads-of-microplastics/">lagoons</a>, but there have been no claims of how these passes are formed,” said Gillen. 



“Reef pass formation has been mentioned infrequently in the literature, and people haven’t explored it in depth.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-rivers-form-the-reef-passes">Big rivers form the reef passes</h2>



To test the idea, the team used radar data from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The mission mapped about 80% of the Earth's surface back in 1999. 



Using this topographic data, the researchers traced out the island river basins and pinpointed every reef pass on the surrounding coral reefs.



Then they “unwrapped” the islands and their reefs into straight lines. This made it easier to compare locations directly. And the pattern was clear.



“Looking at the unwrapped shorelines, we find a significant correlation in the spatial relationship between these big river basins and where the passes line up,” said Gillen. 



“So we can say that statistically, the alignment of reef passes and large rivers does not seem random. The big rivers have a role in forming passes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-rivers-shape-coral-reefs">How rivers shape coral reefs</h2>



The researchers propose two ways that rivers could shape coral: reef incision and reef encroachment.



Reef incision happens when sea levels are low and rivers can flow directly over exposed reef. The flowing water and sediment grind away at the coral over time, cutting a channel into the reef.



Reef encroachment is the opposite. When <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-growth-cannot-keep-pace-with-rising-sea-levels/">sea levels rise</a>, coral reefs grow upward and move inward, toward the island, chasing sunlight. But if they grow into an old riverbed that’s too deep for sunlight, the coral can’t survive there. It dies off, leaving a gap - a reef pass.



Together, reef incision and reef encroachment likely shaped the reef passes we see today over many sea-level cycles.



“We don’t think it’s an either/or situation,” said Gillen. “Reef incision occurs when sea levels fall, and reef encroachment happens when sea levels rise."



"Both mechanisms, occurring over dozens of cycles of sea-level rise and island evolution, are likely responsible for the formation and maintenance of reef passes over time.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-older-islands-tell-us">What older islands tell us</h2>



The researchers also noticed a trend across different islands. Younger islands had more reef passes that were close together. Older islands had fewer, more spread out.



Over time, volcanic islands sink. As they do, there’s less land to catch rain and form strong rivers. Without that flow, the reef passes begin to close, shaped instead by ocean waves.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-we-build-better-reefs">Can we build better reefs?</h2>



This study does more than explain a pattern in coral reefs. It opens the door to new ideas for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-coral-reefs-is-a-matter-of-humans-rights/">reef conservation</a>.



Gillen is now exploring whether engineered flows - man-made systems that mimic rivers - could help create reef passes where none exist. These artificial channels could boost circulation and help coral reefs stay healthy in places where natural rivers are absent.



“Part of me wonders: If you had a more persistent flow, in places where you don’t naturally have rivers interacting with the reef, could that potentially be a way to increase health, by incorporating that river component back into the reef system? That’s something we’re thinking about."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL114881">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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How island rivers quietly shape coral reefs

Volcanic islands, such as those in Hawaii and the Caribbean,...

Dolphins, like other toothed whales, live in a world of darkness where light fades fast. They stay oriented by sending out quick clicks and reading the echoes, a process known as echolocation. 



Each click acts like a tap on the water, letting their brains “feel” distant objects and fish through sound alone.



In a new study, a team of scientists led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (<a href="https://www.whoi.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHOI</a>) traced how this talent shows up inside the brain.



The study compares the neural wiring of echolocating dolphins to that of a species of non-echolocating baleen whale called a sei whale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-echolocation-the-basics">Understanding echolocation - the basics</h2>



Echolocation in marine mammals is a sophisticated biological sonar system that allows animals like dolphins, whales, and porpoises to navigate, hunt, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dolphins-must-shout-over-underwater-noise-to-communicate/">communicate</a> in dark or murky underwater environments. 



These mammals emit a series of high-frequency clicks that travel through the water and bounce off objects. By listening to the returning echoes, they can determine the size, shape, distance, speed, and even internal structure of their targets. 



This process gives them an incredibly detailed picture of their surroundings, often surpassing what sight alone could provide in deep or cloudy waters.



This adaptation is especially critical for species that live in environments where visibility is limited. For example, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bowhead-whales-dive-in-synchrony-even-when-out-of-acoustic-range/">deep-diving whales</a> rely on echolocation to locate prey thousands of feet below the surface, where light cannot penetrate. 



Echolocation also plays a key role in social behavior, helping individuals coordinate movements or avoid collisions while swimming in pods. 



Remarkably, some species can even adjust the frequency and intensity of their clicks to focus on specific tasks, much like humans adjusting the lens on a camera.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-echolocation-in-dolphins">Studying echolocation in dolphins</h2>



Brain tissue from deceased, stranded animals is hard to obtain and even harder to scan. By partnering with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (<a href="https://www.ifaw.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IFAW</a>), the team secured enough samples to begin charting auditory circuits in detail.



“Our research sought to understand how the pathways for auditory information differed between echolocating and non-echolocating whales," said lead author Sophie Flem. 



"In humans, primates, rodents, and dogs, we have well-established maps of what parts of the brain contribute to what kind of processing. We don't yet have those in dolphin brains, which are strikingly <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/are-dolphins-smart-how-are-dolphins-intelligent/">unusual</a> compared to terrestrial animal brains," she added.



Researchers traced signals leaving the inferior colliculus, a mid-brain hub that all <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/are-dolphins-sharks-and-whales-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mammals</a> share. 



In dolphins, this region is oversized, making it an ideal place to follow sound information as it travels into the cortex.



The team found more cortical targets in dolphins than in the sei whale, yet the strength of those links was similar. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cerebellum-s-role-in-dolphin-echolocation">Cerebellum's role in dolphin echolocation</h2>



The biggest surprise lay in the pathways heading the other way - down toward the cerebellum.



“While neuroscientists used to think of the cerebellum largely as a center for balance and motor (muscle/movement) control, newer evidence strongly suggests that it serves as an integration center for sensory and motor information and, importantly, a rapid prediction center," explained co-author Peter Tyack, emeritus research scholar in biology at WHOI.



“Dolphins use echolocation to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/listening-to-amazon-river-dolphins-can-help-us-save-them/">interact with their world</a> and, unlike hearing and vision, they must produce the energy that then returns to their sensory receptors - echolocation is part hearing and part vocalization," explained Tyack.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/echolocation_dolphins_cerebellar-lobules_graphic_credit-PLOSOne_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/echolocation_dolphins_cerebellar-lobules_graphic_credit-PLOSOne_1s.webp" alt="Color-coded diagram displaying cerebellar lobules targeted in the left, right, or bilateral cerebella in odontocete and mysticete specimens. Credit: PLOS One" class="wp-image-1974812"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Color-coded diagram displaying cerebellar lobules targeted in the left, right, or bilateral cerebella in odontocete and mysticete specimens. Click image to enlarge. Credit: PLOS One</figcaption></figure>



He likened the process to a person using a hand to produce the touch sense feedback that lets him or her find the light switch. 



In a similar manner, dolphins move around their echolocation beam to get the feedback they need to function in a dark, underwater environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-imaging-brains-the-size-of-suitcases">Imaging brains the size of suitcases</h2>



Scanning a sei whale brain - nearly three times heavier than a human brain - posed technical challenges.



Oxford’s Karla Miller developed high-signal diffusion sequences, while UC Berkeley’s Ben Inglis optimized collection protocols. 



The result is some of the clearest diffusion imagery ever captured from large <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-mammals-in-the-us-are-highly-vulnerable-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine mammal</a> brains.



"Comparative neurobiologists have longed to examine the patterns of connections within dolphin and whale brains for years, believing that the unique evolutionary history of these species will provide new insights into how brains evolve," said senior author Peter Cook of <a href="https://www.ncf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New College of Florida</a>.



The technology is now available to begin tackling these mysterious nervous systems and finding out how they work. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-dolphin-echolocation-regions">Mapping dolphin echolocation regions</h2>



Cook and colleagues already have more baleen and toothed whale brains queued for study. 



"It's believed that neural control of vocal output has totally shifted in dolphins as they evolved their unique nasal vocal apparatus. We can now map out vocal control in dolphins and how it differs from baleen whales," remarked Cook.



Both groups of animals have the rare ability to learn new vocal behavior, and dolphin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dolphins-smile-at-each-other-when-they-are-feeling-playful/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vocal systems</a> are some of the strangest in the animal kingdom. 



"Now that we can opportunistically and ethically look inside these animals' brains, they're just getting started teaching us," Cook concluded.



The team hopes that future maps of vocal pathways will reveal how sound production and perception blend together in one of nature’s most sophisticated sonar systems.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0323617" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Scientists learn how dolphin brains evolved to 'see' underwater by using sound

Dolphins, like other toothed whales, live in a world of...

Many people fire off rapid‑fire queries at the latest AI chatbots without a second thought. Each answer taps electricity, and a new study shows that some replies raise the meter by a factor of fifty.



The analysis covered 14 large language models (<a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/glossary/large-language-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LLMs</a>). The researchers found that the most verbose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolutionary-ai-can-balance-climate-goals-and-economic-progress/">engines</a> release as much heat‑trapping gas per answer as running a midsize laptop for an hour, while concise models sip power.



The study was led by Maximilian Dauner at the <a href="https://hm.edu/en/index.en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-answers-carry-a-carbon-cost">AI answers carry a carbon cost</h2>



Every interaction begins with tokens, the word fragments a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-disrupting-jobs-but-countries-are-learning-to-adapt/">model</a> turns into numbers so its circuits can reason. More tokens mean more processor cycles and, ultimately, more electricity. 



The link between long output and higher emissions is not new. A 2019 <a href="https://aclanthology.org/P19-1355/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> estimated that training one <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58620-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural‑language model</a> could emit as much carbon as five cross‑country flights.



Recent <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351%2823%2900365-3">projections</a> suggest generative AI as a whole could consume 29.3 terawatt‑hours per year, rivaling Ireland’s entire grid use. 



Power plants that supply that demand release hundreds of grams of carbon dioxide equivalent for every kilowatt‑hour they generate, with the <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/emissions-factors-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Energy Agency</a> placing the world average at about 480 g.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-shows-big-emission-differences">Testing shows big emission differences</h2>



Dauner’s team put seven‑ to 72‑billion‑parameter systems through 1,000 standardized questions across philosophy, history, law, abstract algebra, and mathematics. The researchers counted the electricity drawn by an <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/a100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NVIDIA A100 GPU</a> during each run.



Models designed to “think out loud” produced an average of 543.5 thinking tokens before answering, compared with 37.7 tokens for brisk responders. That extra chatter translated into as much as 50 times more emissions per question.



“The environmental impact of questioning trained <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-study-proposes-using-ai-to-improve-tsunami-warnings-in-tourist-areas/">LLMs</a> is strongly determined by their reasoning approach, with explicit reasoning processes significantly driving up energy consumption and carbon emissions,” said Dauner. 



Long answers in algebra caused six times more emissions than short history replies. It was the symbolic reasoning in AI’s long answers, not just length, that raised energy use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greater-accuracy-means-more-emissions">Greater accuracy means more emissions</h2>



The 70‑billion‑parameter Cogito model hit 84.9 percent accuracy but released three times more carbon than similarly sized concise systems. 



No model that stayed below 500 g of emissions cracked the 80 percent accuracy ceiling. That ceiling also shifted by topic. History questions were easy wins, while algebra stumped nearly every contestant despite burning far more power.&nbsp;



“Currently, we see a clear accuracy‑sustainability trade‑off inherent in LLM <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-ai-has-free-will-whos-responsible-when-things-go-wrong/">technologies</a>,” Dauner noted. 



Size alone was not destiny. <a href="https://huggingface.co/collections/Qwen/qwen25-66e81a666513e518adb90d9e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qwen 2.5</a>, a 72‑billion model that keeps its answers short, handled almost two million questions for the same emissions budget that <a href="https://api-docs.deepseek.com/news/news250120" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeepSeek R1</a> burned on 600,000, with only a small accuracy gap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-burden-of-ai-use">Environmental burden of AI use </h2>



To put the numbers in context, generating answers with some reasoning-heavy AI models emits as much CO₂ as driving a car for several miles. 



For example, DeepSeek R1 (70B) emits over 2,000 grams of CO₂ to answer 1,000 questions, which is roughly the same as burning a quarter of a gallon of <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gasoline</a>.



Over time, those numbers multiply. Running a reasoning-enabled model to answer questions non-stop over a full day could produce as much carbon as running a refrigerator for two weeks. 



This comparison helps highlight the hidden but accumulating environmental <a href="https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/estimating-appliance-and-home-electronic-energy-use" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">burden</a> of everyday AI use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoiding-long-ai-answers">Avoiding long AI answers</h2>



Individual habits matter. A quick setting that asks for a concise answer slices token counts dramatically. 



Saving the heavyweight models for code reviews or legal briefs and using lighter variants for trivia cuts emissions further.



Cloud providers can help by surfacing real‑time energy dashboards so users see the carbon cost of every query. Transparent metrics nudge people toward greener defaults without sacrificing capability when it truly counts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-ai-must-limit-long-answers">Future AI must limit long answers</h2>



Engineers are racing to squeeze more work from fewer tokens, trimming redundant reasoning steps and caching intermediate thoughts. Hardware makers also chase efficiency, but clean grids remain essential. 



Data‑center growth is already prompting utilities to burn more fossil fuel, with a recent <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-runs-dirty-power-and-the-public-pays-the-price-2025-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">investigation</a> warning of billions of dollars in public‑health impacts tied to AI power demand.



Policy teams are weighing disclosure rules, minimum efficiency standards, and incentives for renewable‑powered compute zones. Without them, the next wave of models could push the sector’s footprint beyond that of entire mid‑size nations. 



Incremental gains in software design, smarter user choices, and cleaner electricity can bend the curve. The challenge is aligning all three before the growth of digital brains outpaces the planet’s patience.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1572947/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Communication</a>.



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AI chatbots consume 50 times more energy for long answers

Many people fire off rapid‑fire queries at the latest AI...

Today, nearly all non-Africans descend from a group of people who left Africa around 50,000 years ago. But other human groups attempted this migration out of Africa long before.



Fossil records show that earlier waves moved into Eurasia, yet they vanished without leaving a genetic legacy. Why did only one expansion succeed?



A new study led by Professor Eleanor Scerri of the <a href="https://www.gea.mpg.de" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology</a> and Professor Andrea Manica of the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a>, offers a detailed explanation. 



The research combines archaeology with climate models, and it introduces a fresh parameter: ecological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-animal-will-replace-humans-as-earths-dominant-species-this-scientist-has-an-idea/">adaptability</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-habitats-used-by-humans-in-africa">Habitats used by humans in Africa</h2>



Before the successful exit, humans in Africa began using new types of environments. According to study co-author Dr. Emily Hallett, the team assembled a dataset of archaeological sites and environmental information covering the last 120,000 years in Africa. 



"We used methods developed in ecology to understand changes in human environmental niches, the habitats humans can use and thrive in, during this time," said Dr. Hallett.



The researchers used a continent-wide database of 479 dated archaeological layers and bioclimatic reconstructions. 



The analysis tracked five environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-anadoluvius-turkae-suggests-humans-originated-in-europe-not-africa/">variables</a>: leaf area index, temperature and rainfall during the wettest and warmest quarters, and annual temperature range.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expansion-of-the-human-niche">Expansion of the human niche</h2>



The research team created a time-series model to analyze ecological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-chapter-in-human-evolution-revealed-through-genetics/">changes</a>. These generalized additive models (GAMs) showed a clear result: around 70,000 years ago, humans began expanding into new habitats.



This expansion wasn't just driven by climate change. The study showed that even when forest and desert areas remained constant, humans began settling in them more frequently. 



“Our results showed that the human niche began to expand significantly from 70,000 years ago, and that this expansion was driven by humans increasing their use of diverse <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prediction-how-and-when-humans-and-mammals-will-face-next-mass-extinction/">habitat</a> types, from forests to arid deserts,” noted Dr. Michela Leonardi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-adapted-to-africa-s-changing-climate">Humans adapted to Africa’s changing climate</h2>



“Previous dispersals seem to have happened during particularly favourable windows of increased rainfall in the Saharo-Arabian desert belt," explained Professor Manica. 



"However, around 70,000-50,000 years ago, the easiest route out of Africa would have been more challenging than during previous periods, and yet this expansion was sizeable and ultimately successful."



The shift to more stable desert use marked a turning point. Even during arid periods, humans continued to occupy deserts and forests. This reflects a growing resilience to climate variation, not just opportunistic movement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-shifts-supported-human-expansion">Cultural shifts supported human expansion</h2>



Between 70,000 and 50,000 years ago, several behavioral changes occurred human populations. These included wider diets, water storage, landscape burning, and increased long-distance social ties.



The archaeological record shows signs of territoriality and group identity emerging during this period.



Around 29,000 years ago, a second major niche expansion occurred. By then, humans occupied nearly all ecosystems across Africa. This wide habitat usage became the baseline for the start of their global spread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-africa-to-the-world">From Africa to the world</h2>



Earlier hypotheses credited tools or symbolic behavior for the successful human migration out of Africa. But many of these traits existed at much earlier times. The experts concluded that success rested instead on a gradual build-up of ecological flexibility.



“Unlike previous humans dispersing out of Africa, those human groups moving into Eurasia after ~60-50 thousand years ago were equipped with a distinctive ecological flexibility as a result of coping with climatically challenging habitats," said Professor Scerri.



"This likely provided a key mechanism for the adaptive success of our species beyond their African homeland.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-africa-shaped-modern-human-success">Africa shaped modern human success</h2>



This was not a sudden revolution. It was a long African process shaped by regional adaptations. The forests in West and Central Africa, the deserts of the Sahel, and the savannas all played roles. 



The researchers avoided attributing the shift to a single cultural driver, pointing instead to overlapping local innovations.



Climate instability may have helped, not hindered. Dry and wet spells forced humans to adapt constantly. Over time, these pressures helped shape a species that could survive nearly anywhere.



The study reframes the question of human expansion by showing it began with changes in Africa. 



Successful human migration out of Africa wasn't just about tools or genes. It was about being able to survive in more places than ever before. That transformation started inside Africa, and it paved the way for global colonization.



Supported by the&nbsp;Max Planck Society, the&nbsp;<a href="https://erc.europa.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Research Council</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leverhulme Trust</a>, this work builds a strong case that ecological readiness, not technology, explains the success of our species.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09154-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Why early human migrations out of Africa failed to take hold

Today, nearly all non-Africans descend from a group of people...

When Earth was locked in ice, where did life hide out? New research suggests that shallow, sunlit meltwater ponds - small pools on top of ancient ice sheets - may have given early complex life forms a place to survive. 



These above-ice pockets could have acted as safe zones during one of the coldest, harshest chapters in our planet’s history.



The study was conducted by an international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT). The research was focused on a time known as "Snowball Earth," when much of the planet was encased in ice between 635 and 720 million years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meltwater-ponds-sheltered-life">Meltwater ponds sheltered life </h2>



During <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snowball-earth-event-set-the-stage-for-complex-life/">Snowball Earth</a>, temperatures dropped to minus 50 degrees Celsius. Ice sheets likely covered land and sea - possibly even near the equator. Still, life managed to survive.



The question of how life persisted has challenged scientists for years. Some have suggested that organisms could have survived in places like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sea-hydrothermal-vents-provide-clues-about-the-origin-of-life/">hydrothermal vents</a> deep in the ocean, under the ice, or even in small areas of open water. 



But the MIT-led team wanted to explore a different idea: what if meltwater ponds on the surface of the ice were key?



Fatima Husain, lead author of the study, is a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.



“We’ve shown that meltwater ponds are valid candidates for where early eukaryotes could have sheltered during these planet-wide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frozen-earth-global-glaciation-event-lasted-4-million-years/">glaciation events</a>,” said Husain. "This shows us that diversity is present and possible in these sorts of settings. It’s really a story of life’s resilience.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-found-in-antarctica">Clues found in Antarctica</h2>



To test this theory, the researchers turned to modern Antarctica. Today, you can find shallow <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/scientists-are-spotting-meltwater-lakes-more-frequently-in-greenland/">meltwater</a> ponds scattered along the McMurdo Ice Shelf. 



The ponds form when sunlight warms dust-laden patches of ice, melting the surface just enough to create small pools. These conditions are likely similar to what existed near the equator during Snowball Earth.



In 2018, MIT’s Roger Summons and colleagues collected samples from several of these ponds, first described over a century ago as “dirty ice.” 



The team found thick microbial mats lining the pond bottoms - sticky layers built up over years, made mostly of photosynthetic cyanobacteria. But that wasn’t all they found.



The researchers also uncovered signs of more complex life. Not just <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-pass-down-memories-to-future-generations/">bacteria</a>, but eukaryotes - organisms with a cell nucleus - were present in every pond they studied.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-life-in-meltwater-ponds">Hidden life in meltwater ponds</h2>



To confirm the presence of eukaryotes, the scientists used two techniques. First, they looked for sterols, lipid molecules that only eukaryotes produce. Then, they analyzed ribosomal RNA, which acts as a genetic fingerprint. 



These tools helped them identify not just single types of organisms, but entire communities - algae, protists, microscopic animals - thriving in each pond.



“No two ponds were alike,” said Husain. “There are repeating casts of characters, but they’re present in different abundances. And we found diverse assemblages of eukaryotes from all the major groups in all the ponds studied. These eukaryotes are the descendants of the eukaryotes that survived the Snowball Earth.”



One surprising finding: the salinity of a pond had a major impact on what lived there. Saltier ponds hosted similar communities, while fresher ponds had more variation.



“This really highlights that meltwater ponds during Snowball Earth could have served as above-ice oases that nurtured the eukaryotic life that enabled the diversification and proliferation of complex life - including us - later on,” said Husain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meltwater-ponds-hold-clues-to-ancient-life">Meltwater ponds hold clues to ancient life</h2>



There’s still debate about what Snowball Earth was really like - whether it was a completely frozen ball or more of a "slushball" with thin patches of open ocean. But the evidence from Antarctica shows that today’s meltwater ponds can serve as useful analogs for ancient environments.



“We’re interested in understanding the foundations of complex life on Earth. We see evidence for eukaryotes before and after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-complete-record-of-snowball-earth-found-in-rock-formation/">Cryogenian</a> in the fossil record, but we largely lack direct evidence of where they may have lived during,” explained Husain. 



“The great part of this mystery is, we know life survived. We’re just trying to understand how and where.” And meltwater ponds, it turns out, might be a big part of that answer.



“There are many hypotheses for where life could have survived and sheltered during the Cryogenian, but we don’t have excellent analogs for all of them,” noted Husain. 



“Above-ice meltwater ponds occur on Earth today and are accessible, giving us the opportunity to really focus in on the eukaryotes which live in these environments.”



By studying one of the coldest places on Earth today, scientists are piecing together how life managed to hang on through one of the planet’s darkest and coldest times.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60713-5">Nature Communications</a>.



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Life survived when Earth was covered in ice - but how?

When Earth was locked in ice, where did life hide...

Most people hear “histamine” and think of allergy symptoms - stuffy noses, watery eyes, and sneezing fits. But histamine does a lot more than trigger hay fever. It turns out this tiny molecule may play a big role in how our bodies respond to exercise.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a> have demonstrated that blocking histamine during workouts can seriously blunt fitness gains.



In a recent study, the team found that people taking high doses of antihistamines before exercise improved only half as much as those who didn’t take allergy medication.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-histamine-isn-t-just-about-allergies">Histamine isn’t just about allergies</h2>



Histamine has been around for a long time - it’s found in everything from single-celled organisms to humans. In all these forms of life, it helps respond to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-eats-away-our-brains-cognitive-defenses/">stress</a>.



“In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/outdoor-exercise-amplifies-physical-and-mental-health-benefits/">exercise</a>, it actually seems to be playing a very similar role of facilitating our adaptation to stress,” said study co-author John Halliwill, a professor of human physiology.



In humans, histamine is part of the immune system. When the body senses something harmful - like pollen - immune cells called mast cells release histamine. This sends a signal to create inflammation in the area, which can help fight off the threat. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-allergy-medication-prevents-exercise-gains">Allergy medication prevents exercise gains</h2>



The same mechanism causes allergy symptoms, and that’s why drugs like Claritin or Zyrtec, which block histamine, are used to treat them.



But inflammation isn’t always bad. In fact, it’s part of how muscles grow stronger after exercise. When you work out, you cause tiny amounts of damage to your muscles. The body repairs that damage, and in doing so, it builds new muscle tissue.



In this new study, researchers showed that when histamine was blocked during exercise, this repair-and-growth process didn’t work nearly as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-training-gains-cut-in-half">Training gains cut in half</h2>



The study tracked 16 men and women over six weeks. Everyone followed the same cycling routine: three to four sessions per week on stationary bikes. But there was one key difference.



Half of the participants were given high doses of antihistamines before each workout. The other half received a placebo.



By the end of the study, those in the placebo group had nearly twice the workout gains compared to those taking allergy medication. Their blood flow also improved more. That’s a sign that their bodies were adapting better to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evening-workouts-are-best-for-blood-sugar-control/">workouts</a>.



What didn’t change much between the groups was VO2 max - the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during exercise. That’s often considered a gold standard for measuring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fitness-is-far-more-important-than-weight-for-living-a-healthy-life/">aerobic fitness</a>. 



However, the researchers noted that this finding may not be reliable because the study group was small or because six weeks wasn’t long enough to see those kinds of changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-link-between-histamine-and-exercise">Link between histamine and exercise</h2>



The connection between histamine and exercise isn’t brand new. Scientists first started suspecting a link in the 1970s. But the idea was largely ignored until recently.



Now, researchers are starting to understand the details. It seems to begin with mast cells - the same ones involved in allergy responses - which are spread throughout skeletal muscles. 



When muscles are working hard, those cells release histamine. It’s still unclear what exactly sets them off.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-histamine-does-in-the-body">What histamine does in the body</h2>



Histamine helps dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the muscle. And even after the workout ends, histamine keeps working. 



It triggers an immune response that brings inflammation to the muscle - the kind that helps it recover and grow stronger.



“We've got a whole village of cell types that are turning on programs to remodel and restructure and improve the function of the skeletal muscle-organ system,” Halliwill said. “Mast cells and the histamine that they release are a major coordinator of all those cell types.”



Histamine also affects genes. During exercise, it amplifies the expression of thousands of genes that help muscles rebuild and adapt. 



When histamine is blocked, that gene response is muted. Fewer new proteins get made. That means less recovery, less muscle adaptation, and ultimately, smaller gains in fitness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-allergy-medication-and-exercise-impact">Allergy medication and exercise impact</h2>



This isn’t the first study to raise questions about allergy medication and exercise. Another research team, working separately, found a similar result when they looked at high-intensity interval training. 



Professor Halliwill said both sets of findings point in the same direction: blocking histamine seems to reduce how much your body benefits from aerobic exercise - whether that’s biking, running, or swimming.



But that doesn’t mean you need to stop taking allergy medication. Halliwill made it clear that the doses used in this study were far higher than what you’d get from an over-the-counter drug like Claritin.



More research is needed to know whether low daily doses of allergy medication have any real effect on fitness. For now, the safest move is to stay informed and wait for more evidence.



If you’re training for an event or chasing personal bests, it might be worth talking with a doctor or trainer about how your meds could factor in. But there’s no need to panic over your allergy pills - at least not yet.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00687.2024">Journal of Applied Physiology</a>.



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Allergy medication may be sabotaging your exercise gains

Most people hear “histamine” and think of allergy symptoms -...

Camels aren't just part of desert life - they are at the very heart of it, surviving where most cannot. On June 22, we observe World Camel Day. It’s a moment to honor their resilience, importance, and the vital role they play in sustaining communities across some of the world’s harshest landscapes.



In dry regions, the camel is extremely <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-animal-will-replace-humans-as-earths-dominant-species-this-scientist-has-an-idea/">crucial</a>. Whether the task is carrying loads, providing milk, or helping people travel, camels are reliable. With growing climate challenges, that reliability matters more than ever.



Camels have supported people for thousands of years. This day helps us remember and recognize that service.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-celebrate-world-camel-day">Why we celebrate World Camel Day</h2>



World Camel Day started in 2009 to raise awareness about the importance of camels. <a href="https://arkbiodiv.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Abdul Raziq Kakar</a> picked June 22 because it usually falls during the hottest days of the year. 



Camels are known for their ability to handle extreme heat, so this date fits the message. It symbolically connects the celebration to the kind of environment camels thrive in.



Since then, the event has grown. It is no longer just a scientist’s idea. Now, people from many backgrounds get involved. Camel farmers, students exploring desert ecosystems, climate scientists, and the herders who depend on camels every day all take part.



These groups organize events like camel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-we-see-some-animals-as-more-human-than-others/">rides</a>, educational workshops, fun photo contests, and zoo visits where people can interact with camels and learn more. What began as a simple awareness campaign has turned into a global effort. 



The goal is clear. Remind everyone that camels are not just useful, but essential in many regions, especially in a changing climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-camels-support-daily-life">How camels support daily life</h2>



Camels can travel for hours without drinking water. They eat tough, dry plants that other animals avoid. They do not show signs of stress. They keep going and get the job done.



Camel milk is becoming more popular around the world. It contains more iron and vitamin C than cow milk. Many people who can't tolerate regular milk can drink camel milk without issues. Some health experts refer to it as a superfood because of its nutrients.



Camels also support daily life in many places. In India, they help farmers by pulling carts and plows. In African countries, they provide meat, milk, and financial support. In the Middle East, camels appear in cultural festivals and special events.



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/">animals</a> are not limited to one role. Camels adapt to different needs and situations and work wherever people need them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-camels-are-built-for-extremes">Camels are built for extremes</h2>



A camel’s body is built for survival. Its wide, padded feet keep it steady on loose sand. Thick eyelashes shield its eyes from dust, and its nostrils can close to block out blowing sand during storms. 



The hump stores fat, which the camel uses when food is scarce. Every part serves a clear purpose.



Even when water is hard to find and food is limited, a camel keeps going. It continues to produce milk during drought and remains steady in extreme heat where other animals struggle.



Because of this, many farmers now choose camels instead of cows. Camels require fewer resources, cost less to maintain, and live longer in dry regions.



In today’s unpredictable climate, camels are proving to be a practical and dependable choice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-camels-in-a-warming-world">Camels in a warming world</h2>



Climate change has made weather more extreme. Rainfall patterns have become harder to predict. Crops fail more often. Many animals cannot cope with these changes. But the camel continues to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-pushes-back-reptile-evolution-by-40-million-years/">adapt</a> and survive.



In countries like Kenya and Somalia, more families are choosing to raise camels instead of cattle. This change helps them stay food secure during long dry periods. Camels also produce less methane than cows, which makes them a better option for the environment.



They need very little to survive. Yet they continue to provide milk, meat, and labor. That makes them ideal for regions dealing with rising temperatures and shrinking water supplies.



World Camel Day is not only about culture or tradition. It is also about recognizing the camel’s growing role in modern food systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-people-celebrate-world-camel-day">How people celebrate World Camel Day</h2>



World Camel Day is celebrated in many parts of the world. In London, zoos hold sessions where visitors learn how to care for camels. In Rajasthan, herders come together for fairs that highlight camel traditions. In New York, urban farms give children their first experience of meeting a camel.



Online, the celebration continues through photo contests and awareness campaigns. Hashtags like #WorldCamelDay help share stories, facts, and personal experiences. Educational groups upload videos, quizzes, and interviews to reach more people.



These events show something important. The camel is not only a symbol of the desert. It is also a part of the future.



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World Camel Day 2025: Celebrating a desert lifeline

Camels aren't just part of desert life - they are...

Small shifts in two proteins that doctors usually watch for silent heart damage might also warn of cancer years before symptoms start. 



A UCLA‑led team found that people with slightly higher blood levels of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3627711/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high‑sensitivity cardiac troponin T</a> and N‑terminal pro‑B‑type natriuretic peptide faced more cancers over nearly 18 years.



“These biomarkers are already well‑known indicators of cardiovascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breakthrough-cancer-cells-have-a-molecular-switch-that-could-be-rewired-to-behave-normally/">risk</a>, but our findings suggest their predictive power may reach well beyond heart disease,” explained Dr. Xinjiang Cai of <a href="https://www.uclahealth.org/">UCLA Health</a> who led the analysis. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-stress-and-cancer-biology">Heart stress and cancer biology</h2>



The idea is not entirely surprising, because <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9328284" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiac biomarkers</a> sit at the crossroads of inflammation, metabolism, and vascular stress, the same biological corridors where many tumors begin.



High‑sensitivity cardiac troponin T signals tiny leaks of protein from distressed heart muscle, while N‑terminal pro‑B‑type natriuretic peptide rises when the heart stretches under pressure. 



Both markers also climb with age, smoking, diabetes, and obesity, well‑known hazards for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-scientist-discovers-that-common-non-cancer-drugs-when-combined-can-kill-cancer-cells/">cancer</a> and heart disease.



That overlap led several groups to ask whether one prick of blood could reveal danger in two organs at once. 



Inflammatory cells release <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/immunotherapy/cytokines.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cytokines</a> that damage heart tissue and help tumors gather blood supply, so a marker that senses one process naturally flags the other.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-signs-of-cancer-in-the-blood">Early signs of cancer in the blood</h2>



The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X25003047" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Multi‑Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis</a> followed 6,244 adults from six U.S. cities for a median 17.8 years. 



Participants entered the study free of diagnosed heart disease or cancer, yet those with troponin levels above 8.8 nanograms per liter developed roughly three times more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-lifetime-cancer-risk-may-be-established-before-we-are-born/">cancers</a> than peers whose values sat below the lab’s detection limit.



People whose <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39882725/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NT‑proBNP readings</a> exceeded 102.9 nanograms per liter showed double the cancer incidence compared with participants in the lowest quartile. 



Elevated troponin and NT‑proBNP each tracked most strongly with colorectal tumors, while NT‑proBNP alone pointed to future lung cancers, echoing hospital studies that link the peptide to advanced lung lesions.



Among 820 cancer cases recorded, prostate tumors ranked first overall, but the troponin and natriuretic signals did not predict breast or prostate cancer, underscoring organ‑specific biology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mixed-results-on-cancer-prediction">Mixed results on cancer prediction</h2>



Earlier population <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33870217" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> laid some of the groundwork but painted a mixed picture. <a href="https://umcgresearch.org/w/prevend" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dutch PREVEND trial</a> connected both biomarkers with later cancer, whereas a combined analysis with the <a href="https://www.framinghamheartstudy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Framingham Heart Study</a> found only natriuretic peptides mattered.



MESA’s multiethnic design and tight lab protocols bring fresh weight, because the trends did not budge across Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White volunteers. 



Even after nearly two decades of follow‑up, the link between NT‑proBNP and cancer weakened but never disappeared, hinting at complex time windows when warning signs are sharpest.



The contradiction underscores how assay choice, population age, and follow‑up time can sway results, a reminder that biomarker science thrives on replication.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-protein-markers-in-cancer-growth">Heart protein markers in cancer growth</h2>



NT‑proBNP may foreshadow lung nodules because chronic airway inflammation and vessel strain push both lungs and heart to release stress signals that spill into blood. 



A clinical <a href="https://www.monaldi-archives.org/macd/article/view/3174" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> found NT‑proBNP levels tracked tumor stage and spread in people newly diagnosed with lung cancer. <a href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/ask-the-experts/troponin">Troponin</a>, meanwhile, tells a different story in the colon.



Laboratory <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10363310" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> has detected cardiac troponin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-could-face-an-84-increase-in-cancer-cases-by-2050/">genes</a> switched on inside colorectal tumors and shown that blocking troponin T slows cancer cell growth. 



Future bench studies will test whether trimming troponin expression in intestinal cells alters polyp formation in mice, a step toward causation rather than correlation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proteins-for-cancer-screening">Proteins for cancer screening</h2>



The clinical takeaway is not that everyone should add troponin and NT‑proBNP to annual physical panels tomorrow. Doctors already use these tests to judge chest pain and heart failure, yet the values vary with age and kidney function, and no cancer society has endorsed the proteins for screening.



Still, the markers could enrich risk algorithms that combine personal history, imaging, and other blood tests, much like cholesterol scores guide statin decisions. 



Adding these proteins to electronic health records might also help researchers run targeted recall projects, inviting high‑risk volunteers for colonoscopy or low‑dose chest CT, while each test costs roughly 20 dollars in most U.S. labs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limitations-and-future-research-steps">Limitations and future research steps</h2>



Limitations include the use of hospital records to flag cancers, which may miss cases diagnosed only in outpatient clinics and thus dilute some associations. 



Shared exposures such as tobacco use, sedentary time, and excess weight skew both markers upward, yet careful statistical work still found independent ties to cancer, hinting at deeper biology.



The study leaves open whether treating silent heart strain would lower a person’s odds of cancer, and trials that pair lifestyle coaching or blood‑pressure drugs with serial biomarker checks could answer that question.



Cai’s group is already sharing data with European cohorts to test the pattern abroad and hopes blood banks created for pandemic studies will speed replication. 



Watching two familiar heart numbers may soon widen the lens and spot cancers before they take root.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X25003047?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Advances</a>.



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Scientists invent blood test that predicts cancer years before symptoms show

Small shifts in two proteins that doctors usually watch for...

Peatlands across the northern Arctic are spreading as the climate warms, offering a temporary boost in natural carbon storage. This new growth, forming at the edges of existing peat bogs, could help slow the pace of climate change - at least in the short term.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, with partners in Canada, Finland, and Norway, used satellite images, drone footage, and peat cores to track 16 sites across the European and Canadian Arctic.



By comparing imagery from 1985–1995 with the last two decades, they found clear signs of “peak-summer greening” at most sites - evidence that peat-forming mosses are steadily spreading outward. 



The most dramatic changes were seen in regions that have warmed the most, like Svalbard.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-rapidly-warming-north">A rapidly warming North</h2>



“The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-has-warmed-four-times-faster-than-the-rest-of-the-planet/">Arctic has warmed</a> faster than the rest of the planet, with average temperatures increasing by about 4 °C in the last four decades,” said Dr. Katherine Crichton.



Warmer summers mean longer growing seasons and thicker plant cover. According to Dr. Crichton, this has improved growing conditions for plants, causing "greening" of the Arctic. 



"We wanted to identify if this greening could be from peatland plant communities. We know from paleo records that warmer periods in Earth’s history led to more carbon being stored in peatlands."



"Our new study puts these pieces together to examine whether our warming climate is causing peatland expansion - and we find strong evidence that it is.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peatlands-small-area-huge-impact">Peatlands: Small area, huge impact</h2>



Peat covers about three percent of Earth’s surface yet stores roughly 600 billion tons of carbon - more than all of the world’s trees combined.



“Our findings suggest Arctic peatlands are an increasingly important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-carbon-sinks-are-threatened-by-droughts-and-heat-waves/">natural carbon sink</a>, at least in the near term,” said Professor Karen Anderson of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute.



“But if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-may-stop-absorbing-carbon-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/">temperatures continue to rise</a>, we are likely to see changes in rainfall, and we are not sure how sustainable new or existing peatlands will be. Plus we could see increases of methane emissions at the same time."



"So - while our study gives us some positive news - it does not detract from the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilise our climate.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-years-of-surveying-arctic-peatlands">Years of surveying Arctic peatlands </h2>



The project has been in motion for more than a decade. It began with two small pilot studies - a peat-core survey in Canada and Finland and a drone-mapping test of remote sensing.



Funding was hard to come by. The team’s first grant bid went in back in 2013. A rejection followed in 2015, then two more in 2016. The green light finally came in 2018, and full fieldwork started the following summer.



Early trips set the tone. Dr. Crichton scoured Google Earth Engine for possible study sites. Professor Angela Gallego-Sala headed north to Svalbard, where the safety briefing included how to avoid hungry <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disney-documents-the-plight-of-polar-bears-in-remarkable-film/">polar bears</a>.



COVID-19 struck just as momentum built. “I was still at my desk using Google Earth Engine,” said Dr. Crichton. “Lockdown didn’t make any difference to the work I was doing.” Field teams stayed home, but mapping and permit work continued online.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fieldwork-in-unfamiliar-territory">Fieldwork in unfamiliar territory </h2>



Once borders reopened, the researchers headed to Bylot Island in 2021–22. The camp was basic; the only “shower” was a half-frozen lake. “It was light all the time. You could do fieldwork all day long and all night if you wanted to.” 



Helicopters ferried the group to nameless tundra clearings. Pilots needed labels for pickup points, so patches of moss earned nicknames like “Glacial Nirvana” and “Angela’s Paradise.” Each core came up dark and wet, holding a record of centuries of stored carbon.



Farther west, an Inuit guide at Salluit led the team across peatlands teeming with black bears and reindeer. Each evening they caught fish and mussels for supper. 



One morning, the guide shrugged at their mapped route: “You can go wherever you want.” That freedom left the crew - and their canoe - stranded on a sandbar at low tide. 



“We pushed it a long way through the sand,” Professor Gallego-Sala said. “It was pretty tough - but it was also hilarious, and we managed to get it out.”



“Meanwhile, I’m still sat at my computer by the way,” said Dr Crichton, laughing. Her satellite work linked every muddy core to long-term imagery, confirming that the edges of Arctic peatlands are edging outward as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-struggling-to-breathe-store-co2-hotter-climate/">climate warms</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peatlands-are-storing-carbon-for-now">Peatlands are storing carbon - for now</h2>



“Going out for fieldwork is a short time in comparison to the rest of the work. There is lots of lab work to analyze the samples, then extensive data analysis before the findings can be written into a published paper.”



The study links local plant changes to a global climate trend. The team also warns that, under continued warming, today’s expanding peatlands may flip and release their stored carbon. 



Until then, the slow creep of moss across Arctic ground remains one small buffer against rising greenhouse gases.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02375-1">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Arctic peatlands are spreading as temperatures rise

Peatlands across the northern Arctic are spreading as the climate...

<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.



—–



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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.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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