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...

A new study out of the University of York-led <a href="https://www.globalpharms.org/">Global Monitoring of Pharmaceuticals Project</a> has looked at the presence of pharmaceuticals in 258 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-dissolved-in-rivers-is-damaging-our-planet/">rivers</a> across the globe. Major river systems such as the Thames in London and the Amazon in Brazil were evaluated to measure the presence of 61 pharmaceuticals, including carbamazepine, metformin and caffeine.



While previous research has monitored pharmaceuticals in rivers, the new study is the first of its kind to measure a wide variety of contaminants on a global scale.&nbsp;



“With 127 collaborators across 86 institutions worldwide, the Global Monitoring of Pharmaceuticals Project is an excellent example of how the global scientific community can come together to tackle large-scale environmental issues," said Dr John Wilkinson, who led the research.



“We’ve known for over two decades now that pharmaceuticals make their way into the aquatic environment where they may affect the biology of living organisms. But one of the largest problems we have faced in tackling this issue is that we have not been very representative when monitoring these contaminants, with almost all of the data focused on a select few areas in North America, Western Europe and China.”



The researchers set out to capture the extent of pharmaceutical pollution across the globe. The experts gathered water samples from a range of sites spanning from a Yanomami Village in Venezuela, where modern medicines are not used, to some of the world’s most populated cities such as Delhi, London, New York, Lagos, Las Vegas, and Guangzhou.



Additionally, the study authors considered factors such as political instability and evaluated areas such as Baghdad and the Palestinian West Bank. To reflect variations in climate, samples were collected from high altitude alpine tundra in Colorado and polar regions in Antarctica, to Tunisian deserts.



As a result of this global effort, key takeaways include:



<ul><li>pharmaceutical pollution is contaminating water on every continent&nbsp;</li><li>strong correlations between the socioeconomic status of a country and higher pollution of pharmaceuticals in its rivers (with lower-middle income nations the most polluted)</li><li>high levels of pharmaceutical pollution associated with regions of high median age as well as high local unemployment and poverty rates</li><li>the most polluted countries have been researched the least (namely sub-saharan Africa, South America and parts of southern Asia)</li><li>the activities most associated with the highest levels of pharmaceutical pollution included rubbish dumping along river banks, inadequate wastewater infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and the dumping of the contents of residual septic tanks into rivers.</li></ul>



The researchers hope that continuous monitoring of pharmaceuticals in the environment can inform the development of strategies that work to limit pollution and reduce the associated effects.&nbsp;



The data for specific rivers will be available in the supplemental information on the <a href="https://www.globalpharms.org/">Global Monitoring of Pharmaceuticals Project</a> website.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pharmaceutical pollution is contaminating water on every continent

A new study out of the University of York-led Global...

Vaccination is an effective public health measure, and is used all over the world to prevent people from succumbing to various different pathogens, yet vaccine efficacy varies across different populations. Since it is important that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-making-vaccines-easier-to-swallow/">vaccines</a> are as effective as possible in producing the relevant antibody responses, scientists are interested in investigating any factors that may improve vaccine efficacy.&nbsp;



In a recent study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-behavior-and-immunity">Brain, Behavior and Immunity</a>, researchers from Iowa State University show that even a short stint of moderate physical exercise, taken just after being vaccinated, can improve the development of antibodies and boost immunity.&nbsp;



Antibodies are protein molecules produced by the white blood cells of the body’s immune system. They function in a “search and destroy” capacity to identify and eradicate pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, that have entered a person’s body. Vaccines help the immune system learn how to identify the presence of foreign invading organisms, and also to defend the body by producing a ready army of antibodies.&nbsp;



The researchers measured the levels of antibodies present in people who had cycled on a stationary bike or gone for a brisk walk, for 90 minutes, immediately after receiving a vaccination. Three different vaccines were used in the study, namely those against the 2009 pandemic influenza (H1N1), against seasonal influenza, and against COVID-19.



The results showed that participants who had exercised immediately after being vaccinated had more antibodies in their blood four weeks later than those who had remained sitting or who had carried on with their daily routines. In addition, exercising did not increase the side effects of vaccination. This result was consistent for all three different vaccines.&nbsp;



“Our preliminary results are the first to demonstrate a specific amount of [exercise] time can enhance the body’s antibody response to the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine and two vaccines for influenza,” said study lead author Professor Marian Kohut.



The researchers said the study’s findings could directly benefit people with a range of fitness levels. Nearly half of the participants in the experiment had a BMI in the overweight or obese category. During 90 minutes of exercise, they focused on maintaining a pace that kept their heart rate around 120–140 beats per minute, rather than focusing on distance traveled.



Interestingly, the researchers also tested whether a 45-minute exercise session would also result in increased numbers of antibodies. They found that the shorter session of physical exercise did not have the same effect. They did not test whether 60 minutes of exercise would boost immunity in the same way, but suggest that this could be an area of further study in the future.&nbsp;



Although the reason that exercise boosts the immune system is not yet clear, Kohut explains that several factors could be involved. Doing physical exercise increases blood and lymph flow, which helps circulate immune cells and bring them into contact with foreign pathogens in the body. This would lead to an immune response that would increase the number of circulating antibodies.&nbsp;



The scientists also conducted similar experiments on mouse models that were vaccinated with influenza A vaccine and then allowed to run on a treadmill. Those that had a 90-minute post-vaccination exercise session also had higher levels of antibodies in their blood. Data from the mouse experiments also suggested a type of protein (interfeon alpha) produced during exercise helps generate virus-specific antibodies and T-cells (a type of white blood cell).



“But a lot more research is needed to answer the why and how. There are so many changes that take place when we exercise – metabolic, biochemical, neuroendocrine, circulatory. So, there’s probably a combination of factors that contribute to the antibody response we found in our study,” said Professor Kohut.



The researchers are continuing to track the antibody response in the participants six months post-immunization and have launched another study that focuses on the effects of exercise on people who receive booster shots.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise after vaccination improves antibody levels

Vaccination is an effective public health measure, and is used...

The theory of sexual selection, first proposed by Charles Darwin, is often used to understand why male birds have brighter colors or more elaborate adornments than females. These attributes would normally make the males more conspicuous to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-of-predators-can-damage-prey-as-much-as-predation-itself/">predators</a>, or less agile when moving around, and could be seen as disadvantages in terms of survival. Darwin proposed that males carrying these “disadvantages” were more often selected as mates by females, who thus drove the selection for these features.



In a new study, researchers used a genetic analysis of male yellowthroats to investigate the link between conspicuous coloration and genes for enhanced survival, such as for robust immunity or stress resistance.&nbsp;This type of investigation has only become possible in the past five years, due to advances in DNA analysis technology.



Yellowthroats are small songbirds that have olive backs, wings and tails but bright yellow throats. In addition to having bold yellow patches on their chests, males also have a very noticeable black mask that runs from the sides of the face, across the eyes and up to the forehead. These features stand out, visually, and certainly make male yellowthroats very conspicuous. The aim of the study was to find out whether the size of these adornments signals the presence of male genes that are superior in terms of survival.&nbsp;



The research involved a comparative study of two different populations of yellowthroats. Peter Dunn and Linda Whittingham at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, tracked female preferences for male ornaments in&nbsp;Wisconsin, while Corey&nbsp;Freeman-Gallant at Skidmore College studied preferences in&nbsp;upstate New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;Interestingly, the females in these two populations prefer different male ornaments.&nbsp;



“We found that the particular ornaments that females tended to prefer in each of our locations didn’t match,” said Dunn, distinguished professor of biological sciences, “even though both characteristics are found among males in both areas.”&nbsp;



Females in the Wisconsin population preferentially selected males with a large black facial mask, while females in the New York population chose males with large yellow “bibs.”&nbsp;



To investigate the relationship between these sexually selected ornaments and genes that influence male fitness, the researchers analyzed the genetic basis of the ornaments in birds with larger-sized features. They found that, despite being produced by different pigments in different parts of the body, the size of the ornament preferred by females in each population was linked to numerous genes that influence&nbsp;beneficial survival traits.



This finding indicates that a large, yellow chest patch or a large black mask present in a male actually signals the presence of other genes for enhanced fitness in that male. A female choosing to mate with a male having a large ornament of this type would thus be choosing superior genes for her offspring.&nbsp;



There have been very few studies that examined the female appeal of male ornaments in different populations. Dunn refers to studies of swallows that indicate females in some locations prefer longer tails, while in other locations they preferentially select males with browner bellies.&nbsp;And even fewer studies have investigated the size of ornaments at the level of genes.



“With this study, we not only found genes related to ornaments, but we also showed that similar genes can be linked to different types of ornaments in different populations,” Dunn said. “It brings us much closer to understanding the function of ornaments.”



The findings don’t explain why the females have different preferences geographically, said Dunn, but they have implications for evolution. The availability of more than one ornament as a mating signal allows females to potentially respond to a different choice if their environment changes.



Although theory predicts that flashy or large ornaments in males are present because they are selected for by females, this may not always be true. Ornaments may also be present because they serve some other purpose, for example antlers and horns may be used in conflicts between males. For this reason, it was necessary to prove the link between female selection of features and the presence of genes for enhanced fitness.



“What we consider flashy characteristics may not be limited to mate choice. For example, they may be used in interactions between two males,” explained Dunn.



In this study, the presence of large ornaments was related to the presence of superior genes and therefore an enhanced chance of survival in offspring. Even though females from the two populations selected different ornaments in males, both of these ornaments were linked to the same superior genes. By choosing males with large ornaments, the females were thus also choosing the best possible genetic input for their offspring.&nbsp;



Nicholas Sly, a&nbsp;postdoctoral researcher at UW-Milwaukee,&nbsp;was first author on the research paper.&nbsp;



The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Female yellowthroats choose flashy features in superior males

The theory of sexual selection, first proposed by Charles Darwin,...

Artist’s Impression of Exoplanet HD 106906b

A new study led by <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> (UCL) has recently identified a ring of planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-pieces-of-debris-threaten-the-space-economy/">debris</a> with moon-size structures orbiting a white dwarf star located 117 light years away from the Earth. The scientists believe that these 65 evenly spaced clouds of planetary debris that are orbiting the white dwarf every 25 hours could be kept in such a precise arrangement by a nearby planet located in the “habitable zone” of the star, where the temperature may be right for water and thus life to exist. This is the first time that a potentially life-supporting planet has been found orbiting a white dwarf.



While very large stars become black holes when they die, smaller ones such as our Sun become white dwarves – stars that have burned through all their hydrogen fuel and lost their outer layer. They are usually the size of a planet and emit a bluish-white light after they are formed. By using data from ground- and space-based telescopes, an international team of researchers measured light from a white dwarf in the Milky Way known as WD1054-226 and, to their surprise, found pronounced dips in light corresponding to the 65 clouds of planetary debris orbiting the star.



“The moon-sized structures we have observed are irregular and dusty (e.g. comet-like) rather than solid, spherical bodies. Their absolute regularity, one passing in front of the star every 23 minutes, is a mystery we cannot currently explain,” said study lead author Jay Farihi, a professor of Astrophysics at UCL.



“An exciting possibility is that these bodies are kept in such an evenly-spaced orbital pattern because of the gravitational influence of a nearby planet. Without this influence, friction and collisions would cause the structures to disperse, losing the precise regularity that is observed. A precedent for this 'shepherding' is the way the gravitational pull of moons around Neptune and Saturn help to create stable ring structures orbiting these planets.”



More evidence is needed to confirm the presence of the planet. However, if this hypothesis turns out to be true, the planet’s position relative to its star would be perfect to theoretically allow liquid water – a crucial pre-requisite of life - to exist on its surface. Moreover, it could suggest that more planets like this probably exist around other white dwarves in our galaxy and beyond. “Usually in astronomy, if we find one, it usually means that it's common,” said Prof Farihi.



A comprehensive description of the white dwarf and the potentially life-supporting planet orbiting it can be found in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/511/2/1647/6524236?login=false">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomic Society</a>.&nbsp;



Image Credit: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Astronomers have found a planet that could support life

A new study led by University College London (UCL) has...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.uni-hamburg.de/">Universität Hamburg</a> are providing new details about the extent of coastal erosion throughout the entire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-are-transforming-arctic-coasts/">Arctic</a>. The team used a combination of computational models to investigate the magnitude and speed of coastal changes across the rapidly warming region.



“We have run through a range of scenarios, depending on how much greenhouse gases humanity will emit in the coming years,” said study’s lead author Dr. David Nielsen.



“According to the study, not only is more and more land mass being lost in absolute terms; with each degree of temperature increase, the annual rate of erosion increases – in meters, but also in millions of tons of carbon released.”



As global warming causes an increasing amount of permafrost to thaw and sea ice to melt, the soil is becoming less stable and more likely to erode. Soil erosion damages infrastructure and threatens coastal communities. Erosion also releases carbon (which was once stored in the soil) into the ocean and the atmosphere, which can boost global warming in a reinforcing feedback loop.&nbsp;



The new study shows that at the current rate of emissions, the rate of Arctic coastal erosion could more than double by the end of the century. This translates to enormous losses of up to three meters of soil per year.



“Our findings also show that a shift toward greater sustainability and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions could slow the acceleration in the second half of the century. However, it won’t be possible to stop the loss of land mass entirely," explained Dr. Nielsen.



In collaboration with experts at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and the German Meteorological Service, Dr. Nielsen has calculated the future balance for the entire Arctic coast. This is a challenging task, considering that coastal erosion varies greatly from one region to another.&nbsp;



“In the Arctic, erosion is always a combination of thermal and mechanical factors,” explained Dr. Nielsen. “Depending on the location and shape of the respective coast, we expect to see varying wave heights. With increasing temperature, the range of the waves also increases, because the sea ice disappears. In addition, the ice-free period in the summer is lengthened, making coasts even more vulnerable.”



According to the study authors, entire villages in Alaska are already facing the need for relocation as a result of costal erosion. By the end of the century, different emission scenarios lead to substantially different projections in terms of societal impacts, said the researchers. While the exact consequences for humans and wildlife are uncertain, what is made clear in the study is that the pace of Arctic soil erosion is increasing alongside global warming.&nbsp;



"The sensitivity of Arctic coastal erosion to climate change increases with time in our simulations, and is tightly related with the Arctic amplification after its onset," wrote the study authors. "Arctic coastal erosion increases more rapidly in response to increasing global mean surface air temperature in the future scenarios than it does in the historical period."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.



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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

Coastal erosion is picking up speed across the Arctic

Scientists at Universität Hamburg are providing new details about the...

Scavenging is a highly important ecological process, playing a crucial role in the circulation of nutrients, the stabilization of food webs, and the mitigation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungal-disease-is-decimating-amphibians-in-baja-california/">disease</a> transmission to humans and among various other species. Vultures are some of the most important scavengers worldwide. By eating rotting carcasses that can become hotbeds of disease, and passing them through their highly acidic digestive systems which efficiently wipe out pathogens, vultures play a fundamental ecological role.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, a new longitudinal study led by <a href="https://hawkwatch.org/">HawkWatch International</a> and the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> has found that vulture populations have been declining in recent decades.&nbsp;



The researchers studied scavenger ecology at six abattoirs in Ethiopia with in-person survey and time-lapse photography from 2014 to 2019. They discovered that critically endangered Rüppell's (Gyps rueppelli) and white-backed (G. africanus) vultures declined by 73 percent, while critically endangered hooded vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus) declined by 15 percent during this period.&nbsp;



By the end of the study period in 2019, the carrion consumed by vultures year had dropped by 20,000 kg as a result of the declining populations. At the same time, the number of scavenging feral dogs has been steadily increasing, making researchers worry that this may lead to rabies outbreaks.



“We know that the vultures are declining and we know that the feral dogs are increasing, but we don't know exactly why,” said study lead author Evan Buechley, the International Programs Director at HawkWatch.&nbsp;



“Although we can’t say for sure if the decline represents a population crash or if the vultures are being displaced by dogs and moving away from the abattoirs, either way this is really concerning,” added study co-author Megan Murgatroyd, a conservation biologist at HawkWatch.



According to the researchers, the rise of feral dogs may increase rabies rates in humans, as it happened in the late 1990s in India and Pakistan, when vulture populations crashed and feral dog populations rose to take advantage of the uneaten carrion. Although it is not yet clear whether there will be a similar link between spikes in feral dog populations and rabies in Ethiopia too, this country is already burdened by approximately 3,000 deaths caused by rabies each year, most of them children.



“Unlike a lot of diseases which impact the elderly, rabies disproportionately affects young children, which are the most likely to be bit by rabid dogs,” said Buechley.&nbsp;A solution to avoid this could be to improve fencing around abattoir facilities, which would help restrict access by feral dogs, and hopefully increase foraging by vultures.



“The overarching point is that vultures are super important. If they decline, we expect there to be pretty profound ecological consequences and there may be increases in human disease burden. And so we should appreciate vultures and invest in their conservation,” Buechley concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22194">Journal of Wildlife Management</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fewer vultures, more wild dogs linked to greater disease risks

Scavenging is a highly important ecological process, playing a crucial...

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense around the world. Heatwaves, defined as prolonged periods of excessive heat, cause many devastating ecological, economic and human health impacts. The number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-the-new-normal-for-the-ocean/">extreme heat </a>days has increased 60 percent over the past four decades globally. Extreme heat is one of the deadliest and costliest natural hazards, claiming more than 166,000 lives between 1998 and 2017 worldwide.&nbsp; To reduce the impacts of rising temperatures, adaptation measures such as infrastructure improvement, access to water, cooling systems, early warning systems, and increased awareness are relied upon. These mechanisms are costly to implement, and are more widely available in wealthier countries.



Lower income countries often lack access to adaptation measures, and are exposed to heat waves for longer periods of time. This inequality will only continue to rise as climate change persists, as demonstrated by new research.&nbsp;



The authors of the study, which is published by the American Geophysical Union, theorizes that “vulnerability to risk, and degrees of suffering, are determined by levels of economic development, rather than simple exposure to natural hazards."



The researchers analyzed historical income data, climate records and heat adaptations to quantify the level of heat wave exposure that people in different income levels face around the world. Observations were paired with climate models to predict how exposure will change over time.&nbsp;



The experts found that heatwaves have intensified more in low-income areas as opposed to high-income regions. When compared to people with higher incomes, lower income populations currently face a 40 percent higher exposure to heatwaves.



The study revealed that this disproportionate exposure to heatwaves will only increase in the world's lowest-income population by 2100, even if access to adaptation measures such as air conditioning, cool air shelters, and safety regulations are implemented. By the end of this century, people in the lowest-income population will face 23 more days of heat waves than those in the highest income quarters every year.&nbsp;



At the same time, the highest-income regions in the world with resources and capacity to adapt will experience little change. The richest two regions are expected to experience stable heatwave metrics by the end of the century. This is because high-income countries have greater capacity to adapt to climate change.&nbsp;



Many low-income regions are geographically located in already-warm tropics, and their populations are expected to grow, contributing to additional heat wave exposure. At the same time, higher-income countries have historically contributed to the majority of global greenhouse gasses.&nbsp;



The findings reinforce the fact that populations who have contributed the least to climate change often bear the brunt of climate change impacts, said lead study author Mojtaba Sadegh, a climatologist at Boise State University.&nbsp;



 The global inequalities of climate change can be addressed over time through innovative and affordable solutions, such as energy-efficient cooling solutions. “We need to raise awareness of dangers and heat safety, and to improve early warning systems - and access to those early warning systems,” said Sadegh.



The study is published in the AGU journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/23284277">Earth’s Future</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Poorest people will face the greatest burden of heatwaves

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense around the world....

The risks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-can-we-save-the-regent-honeyeater-from-extinction/">extinction</a> for specific plants and animals are generally collated in regional, national, and global threat assessments, known as “Red Lists.” These lists help legislators and conservation organizations make decisions about which species need the most urgent protection in order to avoid losing them forever.&nbsp;



Although there are many national lists available, they are often not integrated into the global <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">Red List of Threatened Species</a> compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), particularly when it comes to plants. According to current estimates, the global list lacks threat assessments for almost 90 percent of plant species.



An international team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uni-halle.de/?lang=en">Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg</a> (MLU) in Germany has now managed to address this assessment gap in the case of European vascular plants – which comprise most species of plants, besides mosses, algae, and lichens.&nbsp;



By integrating data streams on the global geographic distribution of vascular plant species and national Red Lists from 37 European countries, spanning a period from 1999 to 2020, the researchers discovered that seven to nine percent of the European vascular plant flora is endangered.&nbsp;



In other words, about 1,800 out of the 20,000 to 25,000 known European vascular plant species are at risk. However, since the national lists generally include only half of all plants occurring in a specific country, these findings are very conservative estimates.



While the IUCN list for the major vertebrate groups was completed decades ago, this has unfortunately not been the case for plants.&nbsp;



“Such data gaps can be disastrous because they lead to uncertainties in priority setting in international conservation policy,” said study lead author Hanna Holz, a Biology MSc student at MLU. “Our findings help update and expand the most important instrument in international conservation policy.”



The <a href="https://www.cbd.int/">United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity</a> (CBD), a multilateral treaty that was signed in 1992, set itself the goal of compiling a full list of endangered plant species by 2020. Unfortunately, this goal is far from being achieved even in 2022.&nbsp;



“Through a comprehensive synthesis of existing national Red Lists with global distribution data, national efforts can be incorporated relatively easily into global risk assessments of plants and, hopefully, accelerate these efforts,” said study senior author Ingmar Staude, a senior scientist at <a href="https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en">Leipzig University</a>.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10251">Plants People Planet</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Alarming number of European vascular plants are threatened

The risks of extinction for specific plants and animals are...

The highly contagious and immune-evasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-specific-boosters-may-not-be-necessary/">Omicron</a> variant seems to be subsiding quickly in many countries. In the United States, case numbers have dropped by 66 percent in the past two weeks, and hospitalizations finally fell under 100,000. Moreover, it appears that <a href="https://daytonews.com/2022/01/30/omicrons-sister-has-arrived-and-covid-may-be-here-to-stay-earth-com/">Omicron’s sister</a>, BA.2, will not cause much more trouble than the original variant, although it is slightly more contagious.&nbsp;



These developments have led many American states to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/us/us-mask-mandates.html">drop mask mandates</a>. Several European countries, such as Denmark or Sweden, have lifted nearly<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/world/europe/sweden-announces-end-covid-restrictions.html"> all COVID-19 restrictions</a> in attempts to return to normal life - or rather to learn to “live with the virus,” as so many governments, politicians, and health officials have recently put it.



However, as Maria Van Kerkhove, the <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>’s COVID-19 technical lead argued during a coronavirus update in Geneva, the chances for Omicron to be the last variant of concern are slight.&nbsp;



“We’re hearing a lot of people suggest that Omicron is the last variant, that it’s over after this. And that is not the case because this virus is circulating at a very intense level around the world. This won’t be the last variant of concern,” said Van Kerkhove.



“This pandemic is nowhere near over and with the incredible growth of Omicron globally, new variants are likely to emerge, which is why tracking and assessment remain critical,” confirmed WHO’s director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus.



Besides the possibility that Omicron may mutate into a more pathogenic variant while infecting a human host, many scientists warn that it could also find animal reservoirs in which it might mutate into even more unpredictable forms and then <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/magazine/spillback-animal-disease.html">spill back</a> into humans.&nbsp;



In fact, a recent study published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1673852721003738">Journal of Genetics and Genomics</a> has argued that an ancestor of Omicron (closer to the Wuhan wild-type virus) may have jumped from humans to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-omicron-variant-jump-to-humans-from-mice/">mice</a> in 2020 in a process called “<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0089055">reverse zoonosis</a>,” and then spilled back into humans in a heavily mutated form towards the end of last year, causing the current massive outbreaks.



Another <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.04.479189v1">study</a>, led by the <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a>, has recently found that white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Scientists have already reported <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/07/health/coronavirus-deer-animals.html?campaign_id=154&amp;emc=edit_cb_20220207&amp;instance_id=52430&amp;nl=coronavirus-briefing&amp;regi_id=126480136&amp;segment_id=81930&amp;te=1&amp;user_id=bd0b83647c92a32fc0e7bfc6ef606a6f">multiple spillover</a> of virus from humans to various animals, including free-living deer in several places in the United States. In New York, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, for instance, over 40 percent of the white-deer population have coronavirus antibodies, suggesting massive community transmission among these animals. Moreover, reports of infected deer are also beginning to emerge in Canada, from Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.



“The early detections in companion animals, in mink farms, in zoological collections - those were all different because those were confined populations,” said Dr. Andrew Bowman, a veterinary epidemiologist at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a>. “We didn’t really have a natural setting where the virus could run free.”



Although coronavirus infections in these animals appear to be largely asymptomatic, if white-tailed deer become a reservoir for the virus, the pathogen could mutate and spread to other animals and perhaps even back to humans. “If deer were to become established as a North American wildlife reservoir, and we do think they’re at risk of that, there are real concerns for the health of other wildlife species, livestock, pets, and even people,” said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, the director of the Center for Disease Control’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/index.html">One Health Office</a>, which investigates the connections between human, animal, and environmental health.



According to Stefanie Seifert, an expert in zoonotic diseases at <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a>, white-tailed deer are currently a “black-box” for the virus. “We know that the virus has been introduced multiple times, we know that there’s onward transmission. But we don’t know how the virus is adapting or how it will continue to adapt.”



Further research is needed to clarify how the deer are catching the virus, how it mutates inside them, and whether it could be (or already has been) passed on to other susceptible animal species or back to humans. Until the circulation of the virus between various species is not kept under strict control (and there are few chances now that this is even possible), the pandemic is unlikely to be over.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Omicron is still circulating widely through animal populations

The highly contagious and immune-evasive Omicron variant seems to be...

Although sales of non-alcoholic beer have increased substantially in Europe in the past few years, there are still many people who refuse to drink such alternatives. One reason is that they find the taste of non-alcoholic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heavy-drinking-dietary-choices/">beers</a> not to be quite as good as that of regular ones. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> and the biotech company <a href="https://evodiabio.com/">Evodia Bio</a> has found a way to improve this taste, and thus make it more similar to that of alcoholic beer.



Beer drinkers often complain that non-alcoholic beers have a flat and watery taste. According to Sotirios Kampranis, a biochemical engineer at the University of Copenhagen and co-founder of Evodia Bio, this has a natural explanation.&nbsp;



“What non-alcoholic beer lacks is the aroma from hops. When you remove the alcohol from the beer, for example by heating it up, you also kill the aroma that comes from hops. Other methods for making alcohol-free beer by minimizing fermentation also lead to poor aroma because alcohol is needed for hops to pass their unique flavor to the beer,” he said.



Together with Evodia Bio’s co-founder&nbsp;Simon Dusséau, Dr. Kampranis has found a way to produce a group of small molecules called monoterpenoids which can give non-alcoholic beer back its “hoppy-flavor” when added at the end of the brewing process. Thus, instead of adding expensive aroma hops in the brewing tank, just to “throw away” their flavor at the end of the process, the scientists turned baker’s yeast cells into &nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2013968117">micro-factories</a>&nbsp;which can be grown in fermenters and release the unique and tasty aroma of hops.



“When the hop aroma molecules are released from yeast, we collect them and put them into the beer, giving back the taste of regular beer that so many of us know and love. It actually makes the use of aroma hops in brewing redundant, because we only need the molecules passing on the scent and flavor and not the actual hops,”&nbsp;explained Dr. Kampranis.



This method is also much more sustainable than other techniques. Since aroma hops are mainly farmed on the western coast of the United States, there is need for extensive transportation and cooling down of crops in refrigerators. Moreover, hops demand a large amount of water (approximately 2.7 tons of water to grow one kilogram of hops), thus making them not very climate-friendly.



“With our method, we skip aroma hops altogether and thereby also the water and the transportation. This means that one kilogram of hops aroma can be produced with more than 10,000 times less water and more than 100 times less CO2,” said Dr. Kampranis.



Finally, the researchers hope to contribute to a healthier lifestyle by helping people cut down alcohol.&nbsp;



This innovative method, briefly described in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-021-01202-0">Nature</a>, is now tested in breweries in Denmark and is planned to be ready for the entire brewing industry by October 2022.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Brewing non-alcoholic beer that tastes just like regular beer

Although sales of non-alcoholic beer have increased substantially in Europe...

An international research team led by the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> has recently described a crocodile-like beast that lived about 240 million years ago on the territory of what is now Tanzania. The creature has been named Mambawakale ruhuhu, which means “ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crocodiles-have-not-changed-much-in-200-million-years/">crocodile</a> from the Ruhuhu Basin.”



Although the fossils of Mambawakale were discovered in 1963 in the Ruhuhu Basin in Tanzania (two years before Tanzania gained its independence from the British Empire), they were taken to the Natural History Museum in London, where they awaited analysis and a formal description for decades.



According to study lead author Richard Butler, a paleobiologist at the University of Birmingham, Mambawakale would have been a very large and terrifying predator. Measuring more than 16 feet (five meters) in length and sporting powerful jaws with knife-like teeth, this extraordinary creature is one of the largest predators known from the Middle Triassic period (247 to 237 million years ago).



Professor Butler and colleagues consider M. ruhuhu as one of the largest and most fierce early archosaurs, a group that emerged after the end-Permian extinction 252 million years ago, and which includes living birds and crocodilians, as well as extinct pterosaurs and non-avian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/enormous-titanosaur-discovered-in-the-pyrenees/">dinosaurs</a>.&nbsp;



During the Middle Triassic period, this group started to massively diversify for the first time. This is evident in the fact that M. ruhuhu is only one of nine other ancient archosaur species that were discovered at the Tanzanian excavation site. “Mambawakale&nbsp;adds to this picture of a rapid early diversification of archosaurs and moreover was the largest predator within its ecosystem,” Butler said.



Although it was initially informally named Pallisteria angustimentum by&nbsp;English palaeontologist Alan Charig after his friend, the geologist John Weaver Pallister, M. ruhuhu got its current name to honor “the substantial and previously unsung contributions of unnamed&nbsp;Tanzanians to the success of the 1963 expedition.”&nbsp;



A detailed description of Mambawakale ruhuhu can be found in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211622">Royal Society Open Science</a>



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient crocodile-like beast was a "terrifying predator"

An international research team led by the University of Birmingham...

Food,In,Laboratory,,Dna,Modify

Genetically modified (GM) crops are often considered contentious, especially in Europe where the topic is politicized. However, GM crops can be necessary to meet the increasing global demand for food production. Increasing food production is a concern for global climate change, as agriculture accounts for 25 percent of greenhouse gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lower-emissions-needed-to-save-the-winter-season/">emissions</a> worldwide.&nbsp;



Existing scientific literature has shown that GM crops can lead to economic, environmental, and health benefits through higher crop yields, higher farm profits, and lower pesticide use. Genetically modified crops can also help reduce GHG emissions through carbon sequestration in soil.&nbsp;



A recent study has identified a new connection between GM crops and GHG emissions. As genetically modified crops can increase yields, researchers considered the possibility that increased crop yields could reduce land use changes to support food production.&nbsp;&nbsp;



To evaluate this hypothesis, the study considered the climate benefits that would occur through more widespread GM crop adoption in the European Union (EU). The EU was selected for this study as it has not yet widely adopted genetically modified crops, and is re-evaluating GM regulatory policy. This analysis gives a preview of the positive impacts of policy change.&nbsp;



Researchers evaluated the impact of the EU increasing GM crops such as maize and soybean, to the levels of the USA. The selected crops are widely grown in other parts of the world, but hardly in Europe.&nbsp;



“The main reasons are public acceptance issues and political hurdles,” said Dr. Matin Qaim, Director of the Center for Development Research at the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/university/">University of Bonn</a>.



The findings of the study are staggering, and suggest that increasing genetically modified crops in the EU could avoid 33 million tons of CO2 equivalents, roughly 7.5 percent of the EU’s annual agriculture GHG emissions.&nbsp;



The study authors argue that the associated climate benefits could be gained at a global scale. “The EU imports a lot of maize and soybean from Brazil, where the expansion of agricultural land contributes to tropical deforestation. Higher yields in the EU could reduce some of these imports and thus help preserve the Amazon rainforest.”



The researchers are also optimistic for the future, as their study was limited to already existing GM variations. “New genomic breeding technologies are currently being used to develop a wide range of new crop applications that could lead to additional climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits in the future," said Dr Qaim.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/home">Trends in Plant Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Genetically modified crops could reduce climate impacts

Genetically modified (GM) crops are often considered contentious, especially in...

<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.

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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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...

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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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...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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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;



---



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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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