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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

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

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

Drought is closely tied to how warm air interacts with moisture. Warmer air can pull more water from surfaces, which is why your hair dries faster in dry air than in a steamy bathroom. It’s also why the tropics experience heavy rain while deserts rapidly lose water from their soils.



But now, this basic fact about warm air is causing bigger problems. A new study shows that the atmosphere’s growing thirst for water is making droughts more severe - even in areas where rainfall hasn’t changed.



The research, conducted by a team of scientists at the University of Oxford and <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Santa Barbara</a>, paints a clear picture. Over the past 40 years, droughts have become 40% more severe around the world, largely because the air is demanding more water than it used to.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hidden-force-behind-drought">The hidden force behind drought</h2>



Traditionally, droughts are blamed on <a href="//www.earth.com/news/global-drought-has-caused-crisis-levels-of-food-and-water-scarcity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">low rainfall</a>. But there’s another force at work - the atmosphere’s evaporative demand, often called AED. It acts like a giant sponge, pulling moisture from soils, rivers, and plants faster than it can be replaced.



“Drought is based on the difference between water supply (from precipitation) and atmospheric water demand. Including the latter reveals substantial increases in drought as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-some-lakes-resist-the-heat-of-atmospheric-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere warms</a>,” said co-author Chris Funk, director of the Climate Hazards Center at UC Santa Barbara.



As the air warms, it can hold more moisture. Even if the relative humidity stays the same, warmer air can draw more water. This tug-of-war between rainfall and evaporative demand has raised an important question: Which is increasing faster?



To answer this, the scientists joined forces to examine how AED is affecting droughts around the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-atmosphere-s-thirst">Measuring the atmosphere's thirst</h2>



Although experts have known about AED for years, there hadn’t been a careful, global measurement of its impact using real-world data. Without this, predicting and preparing for droughts remained difficult.



This new study changed that. The team used more than a century of high-resolution climate data. They applied sophisticated models that account for multiple climate factors - not just temperature.



“We face a big challenge,” explained lead author Solomon Gebrechorkos, a hydro-climatologist at the University of Oxford. 



“There’s no direct way to measure how ‘thirsty’ the atmosphere is over time," he said. "So, we used high-resolution climate data and applied the most advanced models for atmospheric <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thirstwaves-the-hidden-climate-threat-drying-out-american-farms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evaporative demand</a> - models that account for multiple climate variables, not just temperature.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drought-increases-faster-than-rainfall">Drought increases faster than rainfall</h2>



The researchers compared water supply, based on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-forecast-more-extreme-precipitation-ahead/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precipitation</a>, with AED using several top-tier global datasets. They standardized the data to make comparisons easier across wet and dry regions.



“This allowed us to compare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expect-more-extreme-wet-and-dry-seasons-with-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wet and dry</a> regions using a common framework,” Funk said.



The analysis showed that the atmosphere’s evaporative demand has increased faster than precipitation. This suggests a worrying trend toward drier conditions.



“I find these results very concerning, but perhaps not terribly surprising,” Funk said. “Most of us are familiar with how air temperatures are increasing rapidly, but most people may not realize the connections between this warming and the desiccating influence of the atmosphere.”



He added that just a small rise in temperature can dramatically boost the air’s ability to draw moisture from crops, rangelands, and forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bracing-for-drier-days-ahead">Bracing for drier days ahead</h2>



This study supports earlier findings that droughts will likely grow more intense as the atmosphere warms. This isn’t just a problem for farmers. Droughts threaten food and water supplies and can increase political instability and conflict.



The link between increased AED and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-in-old-growth-amazon-forests-increased-by-152-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a> is even more direct. Drier plants mean bigger fires.



Looking ahead, the study emphasizes the importance of early warning systems and better drought management strategies. Predicting when AED will rise can help farmers and communities take action in advance.



For instance, farmers might turn to micro-irrigation or use soil treatments that help retain water.



“To counter increasing drought trends, we need to anticipate and manage the extreme events that lead to concerning increases in drought risk,” Funk said.



The team also wants to dig deeper into how evaporation and the atmosphere’s evaporative demand interact with water supplies, beyond just rainfall. 



There’s a growing need to understand how farmers, cities, and ecosystems can adapt to an atmosphere that’s constantly demanding more moisture.



The full study was published in the journal Nature.



-----



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



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



-----

How a thirsty atmosphere is making global droughts much worse

Drought is closely tied to how warm air interacts with...

Orchids thrive in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama, where lush forests, rolling peaks, and a climate that swings between calm mist and chilly gusts provide ideal conditions for growth.



It is in these elevated environments, spanning roughly 4,593 feet to 8,366 feet above sea level, that three new members of the <a href="https://www.aos.org/explore/pleurothallis">Pleurothallis</a> orchid genus have emerged.



Each of these species carries a distinctive way of reproducing without seeds, hinting that these mountains may still harbor more botanical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-orchids-evolved-to-reproduce-without-ever-opening-their-flowers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treasures</a>. Researchers identified them after conducting detailed fieldwork and lab studies to understand how these orchids adapt to cold, damp conditions.



The discovery was recently described by Dr. Armando P. Karremans and colleagues from the <a href="https://www.entercostarica.com/attractions/hidden-treasures/lankaster-botanical-gardens" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lankester Botanical Garden</a> at the University of Costa Rica, whose work emphasizes how local collaborations help uncover rich plant diversity in remote habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orchids-clone-to-endure-cold">Orchids clone to endure cold</h2>



One feature that sets these species apart is prolification, a process in which miniature plantlets form directly on flowering stems. This approach allows an orchid to skip making seeds and instead focus on spreading small clones from the main <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/adelopetalum-argyropus-new-orchid-species-discovered-resembles-small-cupcake/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a>.



Scientists believe this reproduction trick could be especially handy in rugged cloud forests if pollinators are scarce. The ability to clone themselves may also ensure long-term survival for the orchids during times when mating partners are limited.



In general, orchids can propagate in many ways, but they rarely grow directly from flower stems. Researchers hypothesize that stress in chilly, moisture-laden habitats may help trigger this behavior. As a result, these species may rely on this method far more than orchids in less challenging settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orchids-found-in-cloud-forests">Orchids found in cloud forests</h2>



Costa Rica features over 1,700 orchid species, and about one-third of those are exclusive to its borders. The Talamanca range, which stretches into western Panama, is viewed as a stronghold of high-altitude biodiversity. 



Botanists have only scratched the surface of its potential, with many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/despite-their-incredible-adaptability-orchids-are-disappearing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specimens</a> waiting to be formally recognized.



Each of the three newcomers - Pleurothallis matrisilvae, Pleurothallis pridgeoniana, and Pleurothallis winkeliana - shows varied forms of <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/news/epiphytes-plants-such-moss-bromeliads-found-trees" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epiphyte growth</a>. These orchids can cling to mossy trunks, branches, or even grow on thick leaf litter. 



Researchers confirm that each orchid species also displays distinct habits of vegetative spread, enabling them to thrive in the cold, damp canopies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protected-forests-help-survival">Protected forests help survival</h2>



Much of Costa Rica’s highland forest is protected by <a href="https://www.sinac.go.cr/EN-US/asp/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SINAC</a>, the robust local network of parks and reserves. Within these areas, institutions like the Lankester Botanical Garden lead efforts to document and conserve fragile ecosystems.



The region’s protected status made it possible for experts to revisit remote sites, track orchid colonies, and set up small field labs. They collected data on plant health, habitat pressures, and pollinator activity, revealing ways in which these newly found orchids interact with the environment.



Stable conservation measures also motivate researchers to explore further. Besides the new orchids that clone themselves for survival, scientists may uncover helpful data for managing pests or monitoring changes in humidity and temperature. 



The findings contribute to fine-tuning forest management, benefiting other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-orchids-turn-parasitic-when-conditions-allow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fauna</a> and flora in the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountain-orchids-show-how-species-evolve">Mountain orchids show how species evolve</h2>



Orchids in this genus share certain traits, yet each species offers clues to broader patterns of evolution in tropical mountains. As they root themselves on tree branches or decaying logs, they often form miniature communities with mosses, lichens, and small insects.



Scholars suggest that, over time, repeated isolation in each valley or ridge may spark subtle genetic shifts. When those shifts accumulate, new species emerge. Tracking these changes can reveal how tropical biodiversity is generated and maintained.



Some experts also point out that widespread distribution of orchids across Central and South America hints at older migratory pathways along the highlands. Studies of plant DNA are ongoing, aiming to illuminate the family tree of <a href="https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:325966-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pleurothallis</a> and its closest relatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-pride-and-ongoing-curiosity">Local pride and ongoing curiosity</h2>



Across Costa Rica, orchids hold both cultural and ecological importance. Many towns embrace them as emblems of natural beauty, spurring youth programs for conservation or horticulture.



In many cases, local communities help scientists spot uncommon plants on coffee farms or along distant hiking trails. This collaboration sometimes leads to on-site training, where residents learn to recognize orchid species and track changes year to year.



Enthusiasm for these floral gems extends to western Panama as well. Researchers find that sharing knowledge with cross-border partners speeds up everything from collecting samples to verifying lab results. Progress made on one side of the mountains can guide decisions on the other side.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orchids-on-the-edge-of-change">Orchids on the edge of change</h2>



The road ahead involves sorting out how these orchids adapt and spread in a changing climate. Cold cloud forests around 4,593 feet may experience shifts in rainfall or average temperatures that could affect orchids, pollinators, and epiphyte growth.



For now, experts believe that the <a href="https://costa-rica-guide.com/travel/regions/cordillera-talamanca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Talamanca region</a> remains a haven where the three newly identified species can stay healthy. Yet monitoring changes is essential to anticipate any threats from habitat loss or shifting weather patterns.



Continued research may confirm the presence of additional undiscovered species in the area. As scientists refine their methods, more hidden orchids could make an appearance, adding to the appreciation of Central America’s intricate ecosystems.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://phytokeys.pensoft.net/article/140316/list/9/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PhytoKeys</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Rare orchids found to clone themselves for survival in the cold

Orchids thrive in the highlands of Costa Rica and western...

A large-scale study spanning seven years and 11 wildlife reserves in South Africa has revealed that removing the horns of rhinos can significantly reduce poaching.



The research is the first of its kind to assess the real-world effectiveness of dehorning in curbing illegal killings of one of the world’s most endangered animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rhino-poaching-plunges">Rhino poaching plunges</h2>



Between 2017 and 2023, scientists and reserve managers tracked the poaching of nearly 2,000 rhinos in the Greater Kruger region, which is home to roughly 25% of all African rhinos. During this period, teams dehorned more than 2,200 rhinos across eight of the reserves.



“Dehorning rhinos to reduce incentives for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-colobus-monkeys-are-threatened-by-poachers-in-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poaching</a> was found to achieve a 78% reduction in poaching using just 1.2% of the overall rhino protection budget,” said lead author Tim Kuiper, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.mandela.ac.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nelson Mandela University</a>. Kuiper also pointed out that 2,284 rhinos were dehorned across eight reserves. 



The researchers compared reserves with and without dehorning, and assessed poaching levels before and after dehorning started.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-cost-effective-strategy"><a></a>A cost-effective strategy</h2>



The team documented the poaching of 1,985 rhinos, about 6.5% of the population annually, across 11 Greater Kruger reserves over seven years. "This landscape is a critical global stronghold that conserves around 25% of all Africa’s rhinos,” Kuiper said.



The financial impact was also evaluated. Between 2017 and 2021, the reserves spent roughly $74 million on a variety of anti-poaching efforts. That included everything from helicopter patrols, ranger teams, and detection cameras. 



However, the study found no statistical evidence that these traditional enforcement methods had a measurable effect on reducing poaching incidents.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rising-challenge-of-poaching">The rising challenge of poaching </h2>



While dehorning rhinos reduced poaching significantly, it did not eliminate it entirely. The study noted that some poachers continued to target dehorned animals for their horn stumps and regrowth.



In fact, evidence from 2024 and 2025, collected after the study period, suggests that this challenge may be increasing. The researchers also warned that poachers could shift their attention to populations that still have intact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horned-dinosaur-species-lokiceratops-rangiformis-is-largest-most-ornate-ever-found/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">horns</a>.



Moreover, systemic issues such as poverty and corruption can undermine even the best anti-poaching strategies.



“Finally, ineffective criminal justice systems mean that arrested offenders often escape punishment, with evidence from our study area of multiple repeat offenders,” Kuiper said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-helps-save-rhinos">Science helps save rhinos</h2>



The study stands out for its close collaboration between researchers and conservation practitioners.



The <a href="https://gkepf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation</a> (GKEPF), a collective of reserve managers operating on the front lines of rhino protection, started the initiative.



KEPF convened workshops, gathered data, and worked with scientists from the <a href="https://www.uct.ac.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cape Town</a>, Nelson Mandela University, <a href="https://www.sun.ac.za/english" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stellenbosch University</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



Sharon Hausmann, CEO of GKEPF, described the partnership as a model for evidence-based conservation.



“The true value of this innovative study, conceived by GKEPF operational managers, lies in its collective critical thinking - ensuring not only that operations are guided by science, but also that science is grounded in real experience from the frontline,” she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-money-matters">Conservation money matters</h2>



One of the study’s most important contributions guides how conservation funding might be better allocated. 



“From a donor perspective this study has given excellent insight where conservation donor funding can be spent and where to avoid funding,” said co-author Markus Hofmeyr from the <a href="https://rhinorecoveryfund.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rhino Recovery Fund</a>.



Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland from the University of Oxford, echoed that sentiment. “This collaboration is a brilliant example of how the effectiveness of conservation interventions can be assessed quantitatively, even in challenging and complex situations,” she said.



The study also underscored the importance of rigorous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-of-things-tech-will-transform-ocean-data-collection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data collection</a>. Professor Res Altwegg of the University of Cape Town, who supervised the statistical analysis, noted that it is important to check that conservation interventions work as intended and keep working that way.



“For me, this project has again highlighted the value of collecting detailed data, both on the interventions that were applied and the outcome. It’s such data that makes robust quantitative analyses possible," said Altwegg.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-turning-point-for-rhinos">A turning point for rhinos</h2>



Poaching remains the top threat to rhino survival. Despite years of enforcement efforts, criminal networks continue to exploit gaps in governance and enforcement. But this study offers hope - and a practical, data-backed approach - for turning the tide.



Dehorning rhinos, while not a perfect solution, may offer a powerful tool when integrated into a broader strategy that addresses the root causes of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-are-using-forensic-science-to-fight-wildlife-trafficking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife trafficking</a>.



As governments, NGOs, funders, and private reserves reconsider their conservation priorities, the evidence from Greater Kruger urges them to focus not just on what they’ve done, but on what works.



-----



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



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



-----



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado7490">Science</a>.

Dehorning rhinos significantly cuts down on poaching

A large-scale study spanning seven years and 11 wildlife reserves...

Tiny motors and humming generators may seem harmless against Antarctica’s sweeping silence, yet new evidence shows that the noise is reaching some of the continent’s most fragile refuges.



Recordings reveal that a single power unit over a mile away can pierce the natural hush of Ardley Island, an Antarctic sanctuary for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-sea-ice-makes-it-harder-for-seabirds-to-find-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seabirds</a> and seals. This discovery raises fears that steady human noise is already stressing its wildlife.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-listening-to-noise-in-antarctica">Listening to noise in Antarctica</h2>



An international team of researchers from the <a href="https://udelar.edu.uy/portal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Republic of Uruguay</a> (Udelar) and <a href="https://www.upf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pompeu Fabra University</a> (UPF) embarked on two summer field campaigns in 2022 and 2023 that measured the acoustic footprint of an energy generator stationed on the busy Fildes Peninsula.



One recorder sat 900 feet (300 meters) from the machine; another perched on Ardley Island itself, inside Antarctic Specially Protected Area 150. 



Hour-by-hour samples proved the generator’s low-frequency thrum was “clearly perceptible” inside the reserve, even when gusty winds muffled other distant sounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noise-from-human-activities">Noise from human activities </h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-is-increasingly-disrupting-whale-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Noise</a> from human activities can affect animals’ communication and social interaction, which is highly dependent on acoustic signals.



In penguin rookeries and seal haul-outs, calls carry instructions about mating, feeding, and danger. When a mechanical drone overlaps those pitches, parents may miss a chick’s plea, or a nervous adult may abandon a nest too often.



“Animals typically respond to noise exposure by altering their usual behavior, including changes in the type and frequency of vocalization and efficiency in foraging and responding to predators," said co-author Martín Rocamora, a scientist at UPF. "They may also develop hearing loss or increased levels of the stress hormone."



Field stations around Fildes use countless engines - generators, trucks, boats, aircraft - to keep science and logistics running.



Until now, most studies of Antarctic noise focused on ships disturbing whales at sea. Terrestrial soundscapes, however, have gained little scrutiny, even though colonies of gentoo, chinstrap, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/adelie-penguins-use-sea-ice-to-migrate-thousands-of-miles-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adélie penguins</a> depend on predictable auditory cues during the frantic austral summer breeding window.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noise-stresses-birds-in-antarctica">Noise stresses birds in Antarctica </h2>



Each recorder captured five-minute clips every hour, day and night. Spectral analysis identified the generator by its distinctive low-frequency fingerprints and helped rule out other sources such as helicopters or quads. Researchers then compared these signals with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/powerful-antarctic-winds-speed-up-melting-of-doomsday-glacier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wind</a> readings.



They found that strong onshore gusts could dampen the noise, but calmer periods let it travel unbroken across sea ice and snow. Over time, the machine’s pulse became a near-constant layer beneath waves, katabatic winds, and bird chatter.



Although Ardley Island teems with several nemoral species, the study zeroed in on seabirds. The island supports roughly five percent of all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/penguins-are-threatened-by-mercury-contamination/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chinstrap penguins</a> in the South Shetlands and large numbers of southern giant petrels. Both species rely on short, discrete calls.



A background hum may not drown them outright, yet the overlap forces individuals to call louder or more often, draining energy and exposing nests to predators and cold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-today-population-shifts-tomorrow"><a></a>Stress today, population shifts tomorrow?</h2>



The work stops short of documenting direct behavioral changes, but the authors argue that sustained exposure is a credible threat.



Chronic noise can mask alarm calls, hamper chick-feeding coordination, and raise baseline stress. Over successive seasons, such subtle costs may tip breeding success below replacement levels.



The scientists stress that further monitoring should link sound levels to on-site observations of bird and seal activity. Because the generator sits in one of Antarctica’s busiest research corridors, its acoustic reach likely mirrors dozens of similar installations across the continent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-as-a-possible-ally"><a></a>Wind as a possible ally</h2>



Wind shear above the ocean’s surface occasionally deflects the drone away from Ardley’s nesting crags. This natural buffer hints at practical mitigation: situating future generators behind ridges or erecting small acoustic baffles could slash sounds without hindering operations. Even switching to newer, quieter models would help.



The researchers emphasize the urgent need to raise awareness about how noise pollution affects Antarctic ecosystems and to incorporate measures addressing this issue into the management plans of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-hosts-more-plant-life-vegetation-than-scientists-survey-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Antarctic Specially Protected Areas</a> (ASPAs).



Current guidelines for protected areas emphasize limits on foot traffic, fuel spills, and invasive species, yet mention little about decibel thresholds.



Adding continuous acoustic monitoring to routine environmental checks could flag hotspots early and guide equipment placement before wildlife pays the price.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-unnecessary-noise-in-antarctica">Reducing unnecessary noise in Antarctica</h2>



Antarctica will never be utterly silent - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-antarctic-sea-ice-loss-is-causing-severe-storms-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storms</a>, ice quakes, and natural colonies produce their own orchestrated roar. But unnecessary human noises are avoidable.



Installing mufflers, clustering machinery farther from breeding sites, and timing heavy-lift flights outside peak nesting hours all lie within reach of today’s logistics teams. 



Each adjustment would preserve the continent’s rare acoustic commons and shield animals whose entire life cycles pivot on being heard.



Until comprehensive studies link generator drone to chick survival, researchers plan to expand their sensor network across other South Shetland islands.



The early evidence, though, is unambiguous: even in Earth’s last great wilderness, a single engine can speak louder than an entire penguin colony. Protecting the Antarctic soundscape may prove as crucial as guarding its ice and krill.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125001268?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecological Informatics</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Human noise is disrupting wildlife in Antarctica

Tiny motors and humming generators may seem harmless against Antarctica’s...

Clay, one of Earth’s most common nanomaterials, might soon play a surprising role in reducing carbon emissions. Researchers have found a way to use this simple, abundant material to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the air.



The scientists behind this work are from <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>, working in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories. Their recently published study earned a 2024 R&amp;D 100 Award and has a patent application underway. 



The research could lead to new solutions for reducing the amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tech-can-capture-carbon-dioxide-from-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide in the atmosphere</a>, an urgent challenge in managing the global climate crisis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-clay-particles-big-potential">Small clay particles, big potential</h2>



The Purdue University team has been studying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-soil-sequesters-carbon-from-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clay minerals</a> for more than 30 years. Over time, they’ve unraveled important details about how these tiny particles behave.



Cliff Johnston is lead researcher and professor of agronomy in the College of Agriculture and Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences in the College of Science at Purdue University.



"Clay minerals have an exceptionally high surface area," he said. "One tablespoon of clay has approximately the same surface area as an American football field."



"Most of this surface area is found in the internal pores of the clay. Over decades of research, we have found that these internal pores have polar and nonpolar regions."



Engineers can design clays that selectively absorb CO₂ by leveraging the molecule’s preference for nonpolar regions compared to water’s preference for polar regions.



The focus of the study is a group of clays called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-mars-missing-atmosphere-hiding-in-plain-sight/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smectites</a>, which are some of the most common nanomaterials found in nature. Their vast surface area and tiny size make them ideal candidates for environmental applications, especially for capturing gases like carbon dioxide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-on-past-experience">Building on past experience</h2>



In previous research, the team examined how clays absorb <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-can-make-other-pollutants-more-toxic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toxic pollutants</a> from water. "Our prior work focused on absorption of toxic organic pollutants on clay minerals from aqueous solution," noted Johnston.



"We found that certain types of smectites have hydrophobic surfaces and can sorb significant levels of hydrophobic contaminants, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, one of the most toxic organic compounds known."



Dioxins, often the result of combustion and industrial activities, are harmful pollutants found at many Superfund cleanup sites. The success of clay-based materials in capturing such toxins gave the researchers confidence to apply similar methods to absorb gases like carbon dioxide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clay-s-surprising-benefits">Clay's surprising benefits</h2>



Until recently, most efforts to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-system-captures-carbon-dioxide-directly-from-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capture carbon dioxide</a> focused on high-tech materials like zeolites, metal-organic frameworks, and solid amine-based sorbents. For instance, Climeworks’ Orca facility in Iceland uses amine-based technology to pull carbon dioxide from the air.



However, clay minerals were often overlooked. They seemed too ordinary. This new study changes that perspective.



The team focused on a specific type of smectite called saponite. They explored how saponite manages carbon dioxide and water vapor - both of which compete for space in the clay’s tiny pores. 



Instead of heating the clay to boost its absorption ability, the researchers took a different route. They studied the effect of humidity.



The experts found that saponite has a strong attraction to carbon dioxide when humidity is low. This behavior was confirmed using advanced spectroscopic and gravimetric techniques.



This is the first time that researchers have shown how a clay mineral can absorb both carbon dioxide and water vapor at conditions close to what we experience in everyday life - ambient concentrations of carbon dioxide and room temperature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tackling-the-climate-crisis">Tackling the climate crisis</h2>



The implications of this discovery are promising. With clay being abundant and inexpensive, it could offer a scalable way to capture carbon dioxide from the air.



People could use it to cut <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-emissions-weaken-carbon-storage-in-the-southern-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> from factories or store carbon dioxide underground, keeping it out of the atmosphere long-term.



This idea isn’t just theoretical. Johnston has already written nearly 200 papers, many of which explore how soil minerals interact with pollutants and gases. This extensive background adds weight to the new findings.



In a world looking for cost-effective and scalable solutions to the climate crisis, tiny clay particles might just have a very big role to play.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c01210" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Journal of Physical Chemistry C</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Clay may be a simple solution to tackle carbon pollution

Clay, one of Earth’s most common nanomaterials, might soon play...

Astronomers have recently identified the brightest, longest-lasting stellar explosions ever seen. These colossal flares, produced when heavyweight stars stray too close to gigantic black holes, outshine even the most powerful supernovae.



Experts at the <a href="https://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawaiʻi’s Institute for Astronomy</a> have named the phenomenon “extreme nuclear transients,” or ENTs, because they erupt from galactic centers where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-map-of-supermassive-black-holes-unveiled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black holes</a> reside.



Each flare occurs after a star at least three times heavier than the Sun is ripped apart by tidal forces. The shredded material spirals inward, releasing energy that can be detected across billions of light-years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brighter-than-anything-seen-before">Brighter than anything seen before</h2>



“We’ve observed stars getting ripped apart as tidal disruption events for over a decade, but these ENTs are different beasts, reaching brightnesses nearly ten times more than what we typically see,” said Jason Hinkle, who completed the analysis during his doctoral work.



“Not only are ENTs far brighter than normal tidal disruption events, but they remain luminous for years, far surpassing the energy output of even the brightest known <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-cosmic-rays-from-supernova-sparked-rapid-earth-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> explosions,” he said.



The most radiant example, Gaia18cdj, unleashed twenty-five times the energy of the record-holding supernova. In practical terms, a single ENT can emit the light of one hundred Suns every year it endures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distinct-family-of-cosmic-cataclysms">Distinct family of cosmic cataclysms</h2>



Hinkle first spotted the oddities while combing through alerts from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a>’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farewell-to-gaia-the-spacecraft-that-mapped-the-milky-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gaia</a> mission. That survey flags any object whose brightness changes, but it does not explain why.



“Gaia doesn’t tell you what a transient is, just that something changed in brightness,” said Hinkle. “But when I saw these smooth, long-lived flares from the centers of distant galaxies, I knew we were looking at something unusual.”



Those hints set off a global follow-up campaign. Observations came from the <a href="https://atlas.fallingstar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawaiʻi’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System</a>, the W. M. Keck Observatory atop Maunakea, and telescopes on several continents.



Because each flare unfolds over years rather than weeks, patience proved essential. While the work progressed, a third event with nearly identical traits appeared in data from the <a href="https://www.ztf.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zwicky Transient Facility</a> and was reported by two independent teams. 



The match confirmed that the stellar explosions inducted from black holes form a distinct family of cosmic cataclysms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-black-holes-explode-stars">Why black holes explode stars</h2>



Supernova explosions cannot account for the energies involved. Even the mightiest supernova releases only a fraction of an ENT’s light.



Ordinary black hole feeding episodes also look different, flashing on and off in chaotic bursts. ENTs, by contrast, brighten smoothly and then fade at a slow, steady pace.



These features point to a specific process: a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-star-redefines-our-understanding-of-stellar-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">massive star</a>’s gradual demolition and subsequent accretion onto a supermassive black hole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glimpses-of-ancient-galaxies">Glimpses of ancient galaxies</h2>



Benjamin Shappee is the co-author of the analysis and an associate professor at the Institute for Astronomy.



“ENTs provide a valuable new tool for studying massive black holes in distant galaxies. Because they're so bright, we can see them across vast cosmic distances - and in astronomy, looking far away means looking back in time,” said Shappee.



“By observing these prolonged flares, we gain insights into black hole growth when the universe was half its current age when galaxies were happening places - forming stars and feeding their supermassive black holes ten times more vigorously than they do today.”



The rarity of these blasts adds to their value. An ENT is at least ten million times less common than a supernova, so spotting even a handful offers a unique probe of galactic cores during earlier cosmic eras.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feeding-habits-of-massive-black-holes">Feeding habits of massive black holes</h2>



Future observatories promise to discover more such events. The <a href="https://rubinobservatory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a>, scheduled to begin full operations soon, will scan the entire visible sky every few nights and alert astronomers to any fresh ENT candidates.



<a href="https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope</a>, working from orbit, will supply prolonged infrared coverage, crucial for tracking the cool tails of these events.



Continuous monitoring will reveal how often massive stars wander into fatal orbits, and how quickly the resulting explosions feed the lurking black holes.



“These ENTs don’t just mark the dramatic end of a massive star’s life. They illuminate the processes responsible for growing the largest black holes in the universe,” Hinkle said.



Each detection, therefore, serves two purposes: recording a stellar demise and exposing the feeding habits of black holes that weigh millions to billions of solar masses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-cosmic-chaos-unfold">Watching cosmic chaos unfold</h2>



As survey cameras widen their reach, astronomers expect to uncover dozens - perhaps hundreds - of extreme nuclear transients throughout the observable universe.



Every new burst will stretch for years, giving scientists ample time to gather spectra, measure temperatures, and watch the gradual dimming.



Together, those observations will clarify how energy flows from infalling gas to outgoing radiation and how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infrared-images-reveal-how-black-holes-affect-the-space-around-them/">gala</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infrared-images-reveal-how-black-holes-affect-the-space-around-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">c</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infrared-images-reveal-how-black-holes-affect-the-space-around-them/">tic nuclei</a> evolve over cosmic time.



In the meantime, the three extreme nuclear transients already cataloged stand as the brightest, most enduring explosions on record. 



The ENTs testify to forces powerful enough to dismantle giant stars, leading to explosions that black holes convert into blinding light. And they hint that the deepest reaches of space still hold bigger surprises than anything yet imagined.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0074" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



Image Credit: University of Hawaiʻi



-----



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



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



-----

Black holes create the brightest stellar explosions ever recorded

Astronomers have recently identified the brightest, longest-lasting stellar explosions ever...

In a quiet corner of a museum, behind glass or inside drawers, sit creatures long departed from the wild. A bird collected from a soot-covered forest in the early 1900s. A fish caught from a river that no longer runs clear. These specimens, once seen mainly as records of biodiversity, are now being reinterpreted. 



The specimens carry the fingerprint of the environments from which they came. This includes not just the climate and ecology but also the pollution, hidden in feathers, scales, bones and skin.



A recent study has highlighted this unexpected role. The researchers discovered that preserved plants and animals in natural history museums serve as powerful tools for understanding pollution over time. 



These preserved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-pushes-back-reptile-evolution-by-40-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">organisms</a> hold clues about environmental contamination, and offer a rare glimpse into ecosystems that existed more than two centuries ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-museum-specimens-and-pollution-data">Museum specimens and pollution data</h2>



We treat pollution as a modern issue. Smog, chemical waste and microplastics dominate headlines today. But the environmental degradation caused by industry and human expansion stretches back much further. 



The problem is that monitoring systems did not exist in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-modern-fossils-will-be-the-most-surprising-to-future-explorers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">past</a>. That means we do not have continuous data on how pollution levels have changed or how they impacted communities.



“We often lack the historical pollution data needed to understand the links between environmental contamination and long-term health effects, such as cancer, asthma, cognitive disorders and premature birth,” said Dr. DuBay, assistant professor of biology at <a href="https://www.uta.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UT Arlington</a> and lead author of the study.



“By leveraging museum specimens, we can reconstruct environmental conditions from over a century ago and assess how pollution has impacted different communities.”



This historical gap limits our ability to connect environmental data with public health trends. Knowing when certain pollutants appeared or peaked could provide critical context for rising disease rates, childhood asthma or even regional disparities in birth outcomes. 



That is why museum collections are so valuable. They allow researchers to go back in time using biology as a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/34-million-year-old-snake-fossil-hibernophis-breithaupti-changes-our-understanding-of-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">record-keeper</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-record-of-shifting-pollution-levels">A record of shifting pollution levels</h2>



Dr. DuBay and his team have shown that biological specimens contain more than DNA or taxonomy. These samples preserve traces of airborne and waterborne pollutants. 



The researchers analyzed items such as feathers and fish tissues and discovered that they still carry metals and particulates from their original environments, even if they were collected more than 100 years ago.



Before the rise of environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-anadoluvius-turkae-suggests-humans-originated-in-europe-not-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">science</a>, no one thought to measure mercury in fish or airborne lead in birds. But the creatures that lived through those times did absorb such substances. By studying the specimens now, scientists can reconstruct long-term pollution timelines.



One compelling case involved two field sparrow specimens from the U.S. Rust Belt. One was collected in 1906, the other in 1996. 



The 1906 bird had visible black carbon deposits, the result of coal-based pollution. In contrast, the 1996 bird had clean feathers, showing how pollution levels had changed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-patterns-of-chronic-illness">Patterns of chronic illness</h2>



DuBay and his colleagues believe these museum archives can do more than map trends. They can help link historical pollution exposure to human health outcomes. 



If researchers compare pollution levels in specimens to local medical records, they might reveal patterns of chronic illness, cognitive issues or premature births that are tied to environmental exposures.



“We’ve always had gaps in historical pollution data,” said DuBay. “These specimens offer a new way to fill those gaps and better understand how pollutants persist in the environment.”



This line of inquiry adds depth to both environmental and medical studies. It could explain why certain communities experienced health disparities for decades. It could also expose how long certain pollutants linger in an ecosystem even after being banned or regulated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-specimens-for-pollution-analysis">Specimens for pollution analysis</h2>



Of course, turning a 19th-century bird or fish into a source of chemical data is not easy. These specimens were not originally collected for pollution analysis. 



Many were part of projects that documented species distributions, or collected for museums and educational displays. This makes the data uneven. Some regions are well-represented, while others have few or no samples.



Also, the techniques required to detect trace pollutants in feathers, bones or scales can be highly advanced. Some even risk damaging the original specimen. That is a heavy cost when dealing with irreplaceable archives. 



Scientists must strike a balance between extracting useful data and preserving the sample’s integrity.



Still, the field is advancing. Less invasive methods are being developed. And interdisciplinary teams are working together to share techniques, data and insights.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-specimens-reveal-pollution-s-impacts">Specimens reveal pollution’s impacts</h2>



Despite these challenges, the authors of the study believe there is vast, untapped potential. Natural history museums can serve as long-term archives of human impact on the planet. They are no longer just about biodiversity. They are about environmental change.



“This study underscores the importance of natural history collections - not just for understanding biodiversity, but for examining environmental changes over time,” said DuBay. “By studying these specimens, we can improve our understanding of pollution trends and their broader impacts.”



In a way, these specimens offer a bridge between the past and present. They let us ask: What was in the air when this bird lived? What was present in this fish’s river? The answers could reshape how we view the legacy of industrialization, regulation and recovery.



As researchers continue unlocking the secrets of these long-preserved organisms, one thing becomes clear: the past still speaks. We just need to know where to listen.



Experts from the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>, University of Chicago, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and <a href="https://www.yale.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale University</a> also contributed to the research.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2403781122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Museum specimens preserve traces of pollution from centuries ago

In a quiet corner of a museum, behind glass or...

Even with all the training and computing power in the world, artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT still fall short in one surprising area: understanding a simple flower. A new study shows that AI can't grasp the idea of a flower the way a human can.



The study, led by researchers at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ohio State University</a>, explains why. Most large language models (LLMs) that power AI are trained on language alone and sometimes images. That limits how they experience the world.



“A large language model can’t smell a rose, touch the petals of a daisy or walk through a field of wildflowers,” said Qihui Xu, the study’s lead author and postdoctoral researcher in psychology. 



“Without those sensory and motor experiences, it can’t truly represent what a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-blooming-92-days-earlier-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flower</a> is in all its richness. The same is true of some other human concepts.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-ai-capture-emotion">Can AI capture emotion?</h2>



The team compared how humans and LLMs represent the meaning of 4,442 words. These words covered a wide range, from objects like “flower” and “hoof” to ideas like “humorous” and “swing.”



The researchers tested two families of models - GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 from OpenAI, and PaLM and Gemini from Google. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-struggles-to-interpret-human-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humans and AIs</a> were compared on two main measures.



The first, called the Glasgow Norms, asked people to rate words based on nine qualities. These included how emotionally arousing a word is, how concrete it is, and how easy it is to imagine it. For example, how strongly does “flower” stir emotions? How clearly can you picture it?



The second measure, called the Lancaster Norms, focused on sensory and motor experiences. Participants rated how much each word involved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-brain-region-that-connects-all-the-senses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">senses</a> like touch, smell, and sight, and motor actions like moving the hands or torso.



The individuals were asked how much the senses of smell and touch were involved in experiencing a flower.



The researchers then compared how closely human ratings aligned with AI ratings. They checked if AIs and humans agreed on which words were more emotionally charged, more imageable, or more tied to senses and actions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-lacks-the-human-experience">AI lacks the human experience </h2>



The results were telling. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-ai-models-pose-an-existential-threat-to-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI models</a> did quite well on words that didn’t involve sensory or motor information. Abstract concepts were easier for them to grasp.



But for words rooted in the physical world - those involving sights, smells, touches, and movements - AI fell behind.



“From the intense aroma of a flower, the vivid silky touch when we caress petals, to the profound joy evoked, human representation of ‘flower’ binds these diverse experiences and interactions into a coherent category,” noted the researchers.



Language alone, the study found, isn’t enough. “Language by itself can’t fully recover conceptual representation in all its richness,” Xu said.



Even though AIs can come close to human-like understanding for some concepts, the way they learn is very different.



“They obtain what they know by consuming vast amounts of text - orders of magnitude larger than what a human is exposed to in their entire lifetimes - and still can’t quite capture some concepts the way humans do,” Xu said. “The human experience is far richer than words alone can hold.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-will-ai-catch-up">Will AI catch up?</h2>



There’s hope that AI will improve. The study found that LLMs trained with images along with text were better at grasping visual concepts than text-only models.



Xu said future models might get even closer to human understanding when they can interact more with the physical world. “When future LLMs are augmented with sensor data and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robosapiens-ai-project-making-industrial-robots-more-free-thinking-adaptable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">robotics</a>, they may be able to actively make inferences about and act upon the physical world."



For now, though, a flower remains something uniquely human that AI does not experience. "If AI construes the world in a fundamentally different way from humans, it could affect how it interacts with us,” said Xu.



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



While machines are improving at handling language and images, they still lack something essential - the richness of real-world experience.



This deep connection to the senses shapes how people understand the world. It’s not just about describing things, but about living them. As the study shows, these experiences bind our concepts together in ways that text-based models cannot match.



Even as technology advances, these small but profound moments remind us of what it truly means to be human - and why the richness of lived experience remains beyond the reach of machines.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02203-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Why AI can't truly understand a flower

Even with all the training and computing power in the...

It’s a common belief that the more sweets you eat, the more you’ll crave them. But recent research suggests that’s not necessarily true. A new study shows that eating more sugary foods doesn’t make you like sweetness any more - or any less - than you already do.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wageningen University</a> in the Netherlands investigated whether changing the amount of sweet foods in your diet could shift your preference for sweetness.



Over six months, participants were assigned diets with different levels of sweet-tasting foods. Surprisingly, no matter how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-average-american-consumes-80-pounds-of-sugar-per-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sugar</a> they consumed, their preference for sweetness stayed exactly the same.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sweet-foods-and-calorie-intake">Sweet foods and calorie intake</h2>



Dr. Kees de Graaf is an emeritus professor in sensory science and eating behavior at Wageningen University.



"We also found that diets with lower or higher dietary sweetness were not associated with changes in energy consumption or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-weight-impacts-cerebral-blood-flow-and-brain-function/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">body weight</a>,” said Dr. de Graaf.



“Even though many people believe that sweet foods promote higher energy intake, our study showed that sweetness alone isn’t to blame for taking in too many calories.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-approach-to-studying-sweetness">A new approach to studying sweetness</h2>



Most earlier research looked only at short-term effects - sometimes lasting just a day. “Most studies examining the effects of repeated exposure to sweet taste on the liking, or preference, for sweetness have been short-term, covering periods up to one day,” said Dr. de Graaf.



“Without consistent data on the longer-term effects, the basic question of whether or not sweetness preferences are modifiable has been unanswered.”



To fill that gap, the Wageningen team designed a longer, more rigorous trial. They used a validated method for measuring sweet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-surprising-amount-of-adults-like-intensely-sour-flavors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taste preferences</a>, focusing on specially developed foods and drinks that were not part of the main diet. 



Importantly, the study followed a preregistered, ethics-approved protocol, with strict adherence throughout.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-study-looked-like">What the study looked like</h2>



The study involved about 180 volunteers who were divided into three groups. Each group received diets that were mostly sweet, less sweet, or a balanced mix of both. 



Every two weeks, participants got packages of food and drinks designed to make up about half of their daily meals. They also received daily menu plans for guidance but could decide how much or how little to eat.



The researchers carefully categorized foods based on their sweetness, using a database from a previous study of 500 commonly eaten Dutch foods. 



Sweet products included jam, milk chocolate, sweetened dairy, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sugary-drinks-linked-to-millions-of-diabetes-and-heart-disease-cases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sugar-sweetened drinks</a>. Non-sweet items included ham, cheese, peanut butter, hummus, salted popcorn, and sparkling water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-preferences-were-measured">How preferences were measured</h2>



Each participant’s preference for sweet tastes was measured at several points: before the study started, twice during the diet, immediately after the diet ended, and again one and four months later. 



The researchers also collected data on participants’ total energy and nutrient intake, body weight, body composition, and blood markers related to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-diabetes-rate-has-doubled-reaching-over-800-million/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diabetes</a> and cardiovascular disease, such as glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels.



To avoid bias, the foods and drinks provided to each group were matched in terms of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Participants were also randomized based on similar ages, genders, and body weights.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-sweets-less-sweets-same-cravings">More sweets, less sweets - same cravings</h2>



Over six months, the group eating less sweet foods didn’t show a decreased preference for sweet tastes. The group eating more sweet foods didn’t develop a stronger craving either. It seems that preferences for sweetness cannot be unlearned.



Eating different amounts of sweet foods had no impact on body weight, energy intake, or biomarkers for disease risk. When the study ended, participants’ eating habits naturally returned to baseline within one to four months.



“This is one of the first studies to measure and adjust sweetness across the whole <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-healthy-diet-your-secret-weapon-against-aging-and-dementia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diet</a> within a realistic range of what people actually consume,” said Dr. de Graaf.



“This matters because some people avoid sweet-tasting foods, believing that regular exposure will increase their preference for sweetness - but our results show that’s not the case.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shaping-healthy-eating-patterns">Shaping healthy eating patterns</h2>



While this study focused on adults, the researchers are interested in seeing if the results hold for children. 



Taste preferences and eating habits may still be more flexible at younger ages, and understanding that could help shape healthier eating patterns early in life.



The research was presented by doctoral fellow Eva Čad at NUTRITION 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held in Orlando.



The findings are detailed in a <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en/newsarticle/preference-for-sweet-cannot-be-easily-unlearned.htm#:~:text=A%20large%2Dscale%20Wageningen%20study,to%20like%20sweet%20flavours%20more.">press release</a> by the Wageningen University.



-----



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



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



-----

Eating sugary foods does not boost your sweet tooth

It’s a common belief that the more sweets you eat,...

A recent deep look into the universe has captured a rare moment when certain young galaxies ignited their very first major burst of stars. By watching this cosmic flashback, astronomers have pinpointed the era when structures much like the Milky Way formed and began to shine.



The discovery opens a new window into how galaxies grow from faint clouds into the grand spirals that fill today’s skies.



Researchers from <a href="https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rutgers University–New Brunswick</a>, working with partners across multiple institutions, analyzed a remarkable class of ancient objects called Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs). These objects sit roughly 12 billion light-years away during the period known as Cosmic Noon.



The team combined specialized images from the ODIN survey - captured with the <a href="https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/ctio/victor-blanco-4m-telescope/decam/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dark Energy Camera</a> in Chile - with machine-learning tools to sift out key details of each galaxy’s life story.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxies-blaze-with-young-stars">Galaxies blaze with young stars</h2>



LAEs blaze because young, hot <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-captures-a-young-stars-jet-colliding-with-space-dust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a> flood them with ultraviolet radiation. As the universe stretches, that radiation lengthens into visible Lyman alpha light, turning every LAE into a beacon that modern telescopes can see.



“LAEs have been identified as progenitors of typical present-day galaxies like our own Milky Way,” said lead author Nicole Firestone, a research fellow at Rutgers. 



“Now that we know when they first formed their stars, we have discovered our own galaxy’s ‘origin story,’ unlocking one of the mysteries of creation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-starting-point-for-galaxies">A starting point for galaxies </h2>



The project builds on earlier work led by Professor Eric Gawiser, who showed that LAEs should mature into galaxies resembling the Milky Way.



Yet one puzzle lingered: Did astronomers need to look even farther back to see those systems take their first breath?



“Until now, it remained an open question whether we had looked far enough back in time to find the starting points for the Milky Way and galaxies like it,” Gawiser said. “Now we know the answer to that question is yes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decoding-cosmic-light-with-ai">Decoding cosmic light with AI</h2>



To reach that verdict, the scientists drew on ODIN’s narrow-band views, covering one hundred square degrees of southern sky. LAEs pop out in those frames because they appear far brighter in a single narrow wavelength than in ordinary colors visible to human eyes.



The team then applied an algorithm - created at Rutgers by Gawiser and former student Kartheik Iyer - that reconstructs how quickly each galaxy has forged stars through time.



“For the very first time, we have been able to definitively show that most LAEs are experiencing their first major starburst at the time of observation and only have very young stars,” Firestone said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earliest-stages-of-the-milky-way">Earliest stages of the Milky Way </h2>



Cosmic Noon spans roughly two to three billion years after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-the-big-bang-theory-is-correct-what-exactly-happened/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Bang</a>, when galaxy building hit top speed. 



By targeting this era, the researchers caught LAEs at the exact moment gas collapsed into their first stellar generations.



The analysis indicates that ninety-five percent of the sample sits at peak production, rapidly turning raw hydrogen into newborn stars. That timing implies the Milky Way formed and lit up during the same interval, offering a direct glimpse of its earliest stages.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-galaxies-first-formed">How galaxies first formed</h2>



Knowing that LAEs are genuine youngsters answers a fundamental problem in cosmic evolution. If the galaxies had been older systems reigniting, their light would tell a very different story about how spiral disks assemble and how long star-forming gas can linger.



By confirming their youth, the study narrows down theories on how galaxies collect matter, how fast they grow, and how soon they settle into well-defined shapes.



“This discovery helps us understand what our own Milky Way galaxy looked like when it first started forming stars,” Gawiser said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-map-for-future-telescopes"><a></a>A map for future telescopes</h2>



The Rutgers results arrive just as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sombrero-galaxys-turbulent-past-unveiled-by-webb-telescope/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> begins to spot even fainter LAEs farther back in time. 



Webb’s infrared vision will extend the family tree, linking these Cosmic Noon beacons to dimmer conditions from an even earlier dawn.



By comparing star-formation rates across those epochs, astronomers hope to trace the entire arc from the universe’s first sparks to the structured spiral arms we see overhead now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-the-star-catalog">Expanding the star catalog</h2>



Beyond Webb, upcoming surveys with ground-based giants such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory promise to add color, motion, and chemical fingerprints to the LAE story.



Each new dataset will refine models of how gas cools, how metals enrich fresh generations of stars, and how small galaxies merge into larger ones.



Machine learning methods similar to those pioneered by the Rutgers group will be essential for sorting through the torrent of observations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tomorrow-s-view-of-the-cosmos">Tomorrow's view of the cosmos</h2>



For the moment, the study marks a milestone. By catching LAEs in their first blaze of activity, researchers have identified the era when galaxies like the Milky Way formed and began to sparkle.



That single insight reshapes timelines for galaxy evolution, sets tighter constraints on cosmological models, and gives scientists a touchstone for future exploration.



As instruments grow sharper and computer tools grow smarter, the faint glimmers of Cosmic Noon will continue to illuminate the universe’s earliest chapters, guiding us toward a fuller account of how every star, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-planets-formed-in-the-harsh-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet</a>, and patch of sky first came to be.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adbf8c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Brightest era of the universe reveals how the Milky Way formed

A recent deep look into the universe has captured a...

Modern science continues to expand our influence over nature. From growing lab-made meat to editing DNA, the line between natural and engineered is becoming thinner. One of the latest advancements pushes that line even further with a genetic switch that controls plant traits.



Researchers at Colorado State University have made a significant leap by developing a genetic tool that can control traits in fully grown plants. This marks the first successful use of a synthetic “toggle switch” in a complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-future-climate-conditions-will-transform-plant-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a> system.



The study showcases a way to switch specific plant genes on or off using an external signal. The implications are enormous. It hints at the possibility of growing plants that ripen on demand, endure climate extremes, or produce more nutritious crops.



Unlike earlier tools used only in single-celled organisms, this switch works in multicellular plants. This unlocks a realm of possibilities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-gene-switch-for-plants">A gene switch for plants</h2>



Synthetic biology borrows ideas from electronics. Just like a circuit uses switches to control lights or computers, DNA circuits can control gene behavior. 



Scientists design synthetic DNA segments and insert them into organisms to behave like tiny logic circuits. These circuits can regulate how genes function, depending on the signals they receive.



This is exactly what the <a href="https://www.colostate.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a> team accomplished. Their tool acts like a switchboard. When triggered by a signal, it can turn certain genes on or off inside a living <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a>. 



Until now, genetic toggle switches had only worked in simple bacteria. Applying this approach to a plant, which is a much more complex and multicellular organism, had never been done.



This ambitious project was led by Professor June Medford from the Department of Biology and Professor Ashok Prasad from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Their collaboration blends deep biological knowledge with precise engineering expertise.



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



Professor Medford believes the switch has strong potential in agriculture. If farmers could control when fruit ripens or when plants grow, food systems could become more efficient and less wasteful. She sees the tool as a platform to regulate many traits in plants.



“The multicellular nature of a plant - their roots, tissues, vegetative and reproductive organs - makes it a complex challenge that we are finally able to overcome,” she said. “This work is a promising initial step to programing plants to do all sorts of useful things that were not possible before.”



This complexity is what made the breakthrough so important. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-finally-learn-what-makes-plants-roots-grow-faster-and-stronger-autophagy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plants</a> have layers of tissue, multiple types of cells, and interact with their environment constantly. Getting a synthetic switch to function properly across all parts of a mature plant required years of innovation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-and-testing-the-plant-switch">Building and testing the plant switch</h2>



To build the switch, the team began by synthesizing specific parts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a> DNA. Then, using mathematical modeling, they tested combinations of genes in silico, on the computer. 



This modeling allowed the researchers to simulate how different genetic switches might behave before conducting live experiments. After refining the best candidates, they inserted the selected sequences into real plants.



For 12 days, the experts observed how the genes responded to external cues. The results were promising. Genes activated or deactivated just as the models had predicted. This helped prove that complex plant systems could be engineered in a programmable, predictable way.



Professor Medford explained the importance of combining biology with computation. “As biologists, we understand biology really well, and we partner with folks like professor Prasad and his team who are experts at developing the algorithms - this allows us to find the key signals amid the noise."



“This project is a true marriage between quantitative research and mathematical modeling to predictably engineer a plant’s abilities for any number of needs. Our work also opens the possibility that in the future, genetic circuitry design like this could be automated through machine learning speeding the process.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-switching-functions-across-the-entire-plant">Switching functions across the entire plant</h2>



The most impressive part of the study was the tool’s reach. It did not just work in one part of the plant. The researchers showed that it could regulate shoots, roots, and cells at various stages of development. This kind of system-wide control is essential if the technology is to be used outside the lab.



Such flexibility means that this switch could help manage plant growth, resistance to stress, or even how plants use water. It is a major step forward for programmable biology.



The collaboration between Medford’s biology team and Prasad’s modeling group proved essential. Engineering plant responses is not easy, but it becomes manageable when guided by data and prediction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-plant-switch-can-help-crops-survive">The plant switch can help crops survive</h2>



According to Professor Prasad, the new tool has potential far beyond basic experiments. If developed further, it could help plants grow better under changing climate conditions or produce more reliable yields in challenging environments.



“In the face of unpredictable and unseasonable climates farmers could control the state of their crops by turning ‘on’ a switch that promotes drought tolerance. Or one that helps plants like pumpkins grow earlier in the season and then retain size and nutrition,” Prasad said. 



“The applications for this breakthrough are nearly endless for humanity and the environment.”



This kind of control could support food security and sustainability. If plants can be tailored in real time, farms could adapt faster to droughts, heatwaves, or pests. 



The possibilities also stretch beyond food. Custom-designed plants could help in medicine, materials science, or even space farming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-genetic-engineering">Future of genetic engineering</h2>



The CSU team’s work is a foundation. It is still early, but their success proves that programming a plant’s internal machinery is now possible. More research will improve the toggle’s reliability, response time, and adaptability across species.



This tool does not replace traditional breeding or genetic editing. It adds a new layer. A layer where genetic traits are no longer fixed but can be activated as needed.



From modeling DNA on computers to watching real plants change in real time with a genetic switch, this research represents a major milestone in synthetic biology. It opens a door to living plant systems that think, respond, and adapt, all on command.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssynbio.4c00777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Synthetic Biology</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

New 'toggle switch' lets plants ripen on command

Modern science continues to expand our influence over nature. From...

Evolution is often thought of as a slow, creeping process. But when it comes to octopuses and squids, it seems nature works in quick, sharp bursts.



Over the last 500 million years, nearly all the evolutionary changes in these creatures have happened during short periods when new species appeared.



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Auckland</a> studied these remarkable animals, offering fresh evidence for an idea that’s stirred debate for decades. 



The concept, known as punctuated equilibrium, was first introduced in the 1970s by paleontologists Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge. Instead of slow, gradual changes, this theory suggests that evolution typically moves in sudden jumps, with long stretches of calm in between.



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



Researchers in the University of Auckland’s Department of Physics took a new approach to studying evolution. 



The team refined a probabilistic model and used BEAST 2, a powerful software tool for building evolutionary trees, to track how species changed over time. 



The experts applied their method to cephalopods, a group that includes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/octopuses-could-dominate-earth-if-humans-vanish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">octopuses</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/octopus-and-squid-senses-linked-to-human-brain-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">squids</a>, cuttlefish, and vampire squids. 



By examining traits such as shell shapes, the number of tentacles, and fin structures, the researchers found that gradual evolution played only a “trivial role.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-paced-evolution-unveiled">Fast-paced evolution unveiled</h2>



The team also studied the evolution of Indo-European languages and ancient enzymes involved in genetic coding. According to the analysis, these too evolved in sudden, dramatic leaps that the researchers refer to as "saltative branching."



The idea of saltative branching highlights a shift in how scientists think about evolution. It captures the idea that these rapid changes occur precisely when new species split off from the family tree. 



Instead of a steady march, evolution - at least for cephalopods and other systems studied - seems to move in energetic, unpredictable bursts. It’s a reminder that nature often rewrites its own rules, and sometimes all at once.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-language-life-and-leaps">Language, life, and leaps</h2>



The study extended beyond biology. The evolution of Indo-European languages revealed a similar pattern of fast paced change. 



The findings support the “hybrid theory,” which suggests that these languages originated south of the Caucasus Mountains before spreading northward.



Even aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases - enzymes that trace back to life’s beginnings - show signs of evolving in quick bursts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-theory-gains-momentum">A theory gains momentum</h2>



For decades, punctuated equilibrium has sparked discussion and debate. It’s been applied to bacteria, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaurs-were-going-strong-when-the-deadly-asteroid-struck/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dinosaurs</a>, cancer, and even human culture. But questions about its general validity have lingered.



Niles Eldredge, curator emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, weighed in on the research. In an email to the authors of the study, Eldredge expressed optimism that this research might finally sway the skeptics.



“The new research may serve as a ‘tipping point’ for acceptance of the theory, which has remained controversial for decades,” he said.



Eldredge added that over the past 50 years, the concept has been used broadly but doubts about its widespread applicability remained. 



Now, with the help of advanced mathematical techniques, the new study shows that rapid evolutionary changes almost always align with the appearance of new species. The paper, he said, “removes all doubt.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-rapid-evolution-means-for-science">What rapid evolution means for science</h2>



The idea that evolution can happen in fast paced bursts opens new doors for how scientists think about life’s history. It suggests that sudden environmental changes, genetic shifts, or even random chance could trigger these leaps, reshaping species in a relatively short time.



This challenges the long-held view of evolution as a steady, gradual climb. Instead, it points to a landscape full of sudden turns and quick adaptations. 



For researchers, it means looking closer at the moments when species first appear, as these may hold the real action in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jellyfish-eyes-catch-a-glimpse-of-evolutionary-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolutionary history</a>.



The study also hints at how life might respond to today’s rapid changes in the environment. If evolution can move quickly when needed, it raises both hope and questions about how species will adapt to the pressures of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yeast-evolution-reveals-limits-to-surviving-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a> and habitat loss.



For now, the study of octopuses and squids adds another layer to our understanding of evolution - one that shows nature’s ability to move in quick, surprising steps when the time is right.



The research was published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0182" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Octopuses and squids defy the slow pace of evolution

Evolution is often thought of as a slow, creeping process....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



—–



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



—–



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



—–

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



-----



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



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



-----

Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



-----



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



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



-----

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

News coming your way