Overnight Earthquake Hits Greek Island of Evia, No Major Damage
The tremor was the largest so far in a series of earthquakes in the area this past weekend, but specialists say they're optimistic that there won't be a significantly bigger one in the coming hours or days. In 2023 there was another earthquake of 5.1 magnitude in the same region and scientists says that the area can't give much stronger tremors than that.
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Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Ocean Warming Throws Angelshark Mating Out Of Sync
As seas heat up, female angelsharks are prioritizing survival over reproduction, leaving their male ... More counterparts waiting alone at breeding sites. getty In the warming waters of the Canary Islands, female angelsharks are making a difficult choice: either skip the mating season, or risk overheating. New research reveals that rising ocean temperatures are disrupting the natural mating patterns of these Critically Endangered sharks, potentially jeopardizing the future of the species. The study, led by scientists from Lancaster University and the Angel Shark Project: Canary Islands, used acoustic tracking to monitor the movements of more than 100 individual angelsharks between 2018 and 2023. Over those five years, researchers consistently found both males and females gathering in the La Graciosa Marine Reserve off Lanzarote each November and December. But 2022 broke the pattern. It was in this year that an extreme marine heatwave pushed sea surface temperatures above 74.8°F (23.8°C), with conditions staying hotter than 72.5°F (22.5°C) nearly three times longer than usual. This heatwave overlapped with the angelsharks' entire breeding season, which typically kicks off in late autumn when waters are cooler. The result? While male presence peaked on schedule, female sightings were scarce. In fact, females largely abandoned the species' traditional mating grounds, and the data showed a strong link between female angelshark activity and cooler water, suggesting that 72.5°F (22.5°C) may be close to their upper thermal limit. Dr David Jacoby, Principal Investigator from Lancaster University, likened these marine heatwaves to 'wildfires of the ocean,' with far-reaching impacts that are only beginning to be understood. Why does this matter? Angelsharks, like most sharks, are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature depends on the surrounding water. Unlike males, who seemed determined to find a mate regardless of conditions, females may be more sensitive to temperature spikes due to the energy demands of reproduction. Carrying and developing young requires a lot of metabolic regulation, and excess heat may push their physiology past a safe threshold. Faced with the choice between reproduction and self-preservation… the females appear to be choosing the latter. Jacoby noted that the observed behavioral differences between sexes during extreme temperature events could have serious implications for the species, and lead author of the study Dr. Lucy Mead, a researcher at ZSL's Institute of Zoology and Lancaster University, agreed: 'The fact that environmental extremes are driving differing male and female arrival times at coastal mating sites is of particular concern for this Critically Endangered species.' Squatina squatina, commonly known as the angelshark, is a Critically Endangered species of shark ... More that looks more like a ray due to its flattened body and broad pectoral fins. It's a bottom-dwelling species once commonly found along the northeast Atlantic coast, from Scandinavia to northwest Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea. Today, it's vanished from much of its former range. getty The Canary Islands represent one of the last strongholds for angelsharks ( Squatina squatina ), which were once widespread across European coasts but have now vanished from much of their former range. Here, adults and juveniles are still regularly seen, and the species has become a flagship for the local diving tourism industry. But even in this refuge, sightings are becoming less reliable. In just a few years, the number of hot days in the region has steadily increased from 30 days above 72.5°F (22.5°C) in 2019 to 85 such days in 2022. These elevated temperatures now extend well into what used to be the cooler season, narrowing the window when mating can safely occur. 'Our concern is that key areas may become inhospitable for females,' Mead said. 'These findings have important implications for how we conserve this highly threatened species in a warming world.' The team believes conservation strategies must begin factoring in these behavioral shifts, especially as climate extremes become more frequent and severe. And co-lead Eva Meyers from the Leibniz Institute stressed that this research underscores why long-term monitoring of critical habitats like the Canary Islands is so vital. 'These findings are a reminder of how climate extremes are already reshaping the behaviour of threatened marine species,' Meyers stressed, calling for more urgent protection of these areas, not only for angelsharks but for the broader marine ecosystems they support. Angelsharks are ambush predators that help maintain balance in coastal food webs, so if their populations collapse, the effects could ripple outward in unpredictable ways. 'It's important to understand how changes in the ocean's physicochemical conditions can affect the [all] species that inhabit coastal ecosystems,' agreed Dr. David Jiménez Alvarado of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 'These environmental shifts may alter the habitat use and behaviour of key predatory species that play a crucial role in maintaining trophic balance. Since many of these species are already globally threatened, studying how climate-related stressors impact their ecological function is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies.' For threatened marine species like the angelshark, which are already teetering on the brink, even small shifts in behavior can have large consequences. As the world focuses on land-based climate impacts, it's easy to overlook what's happening beneath the waves. But the ocean is warming too — and quickly. The choices angelsharks are making now, between mating and survival, reflect a sinister truth: marine life is adapting… but not always in ways that ensure its future. If we're serious about conserving ocean biodiversity, we need to pay attention to these warning signs and act before more species are pushed past their limits.
New York Times
8 hours ago
- New York Times
North Carolina's Bogs Have a Dirty Secret, and That's a Good Thing
Depending on how it's treated, this North Carolina soil can be a blessing or a curse. In its natural state, the soggy, spongy soil known as peat stores exceptional amounts of planet-warming carbon. Peatlands cover only about 3 percent of land on Earth, but they sock away twice as much carbon as all the world's forests put together. They also offer protection from wildfires, floods and drought, and support rare species. But decades ago, in peatlands across North Carolina, people dug ditches to drain the waterlogged earth, often to fell old-growth trees or plant new ones for timber. As peat dries, its virtues turn upside down. The soil itself becomes highly flammable. Even without burning, drained peat starts to emit the carbon it once stored, converting a climate solution into a climate problem. The land no longer soaks up floodwaters. And in times of drought, there's little water for the ecosystem to fall back on. Now, nonprofit, state, federal and private sector scientists and engineers have teamed up on what amounts to a series of giant plumbing projects. They are coaxing water to stay on the land to restore moisture to the peat. Tell Us About Solutions Where You Live Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
NHS on the hunt for ‘precision-matched' blood donors
The NHS is searching for blood donors with rare blood types so it can ensure patients in need can receive 'precision-matched' blood. Scientists have tested tens of thousands of blood donors to see if they have rare blood types in a UK-first. The blood from donors with rare blood types will be collected and frozen so it can be used to help other people with the same type of blood. It will also be available should the donor be in a situation where they themselves need a blood transfusion. The new drive to find precision-matched blood donors comes to help people who are at risk of blood transfusion side effects. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said that blood matching is 'vital' due to the complexity of blood groups – there are 362 known blood types. So far its scientists have DNA-tested the blood types of 77,000 donors as part of a research project. This is the first time that blood types have been DNA tested in the UK at-scale, NHSBT said. Dozens of rare blood donors have been identified during the process and it is hoped the number will rise to hundreds. This means that blood from these donors can be used as 'personalised, precision-matched transfusion' for those in need. This can help avoid severe transfusion reactions – where the body sees the transfused blood as 'foreign' and rejects it. People who are particularly at risk of these reactions are those who regularly receive blood donations including those with sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia. Experts hailed the project as the 'first major step' towards rolling out precision-matched blood more widely. Dr Gail Miflin, chief medical officer at NHSBT, said: 'Taking these 77,000 donors and testing their blood to such a precise level has been an incredible undertaking and will work to significantly change the way we issue blood – especially to those patients at higher risk of transfusion related reactions. 'We will be able to match to an increasing number of blood groups, ensuring that patients have blood that is most similar to their own and reducing the risk of any reactions. It is an example of just how we are driving innovation which can radically improve patient outcomes.' NHSBT's genomics programme director, Kate Downes, added: 'This inventory of blood will enhance our capacity to find units with rare blood groups for difficult to match patients as well as provide better matched units for patients who have an increased risk of transfusion reactions, aiding us in our mission to save and improve even more lives. 'This genotyping is a first major step towards rolling out precision matched blood more widely, which would be a landmark change in how blood is matched.'
