Turtles change nesting patterns in response to climate change

University of Exeter

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

video: 

A green turtle returning to the sea after laying eggs

view more 

Credit: Mollie Rickwood

New research shows that turtles are responding to climate change by nesting earlier.

Researchers monitoring nesting green and loggerhead turtles in Cyprus have discovered they are returning to their regular nesting spots earlier each year to compensate for rising temperatures.

In sea turtles, temperature determines the biological sex of offspring, with more females born when it is warmer, as well as fewer successful hatchings when it gets too hot.

Turtles also have “natal philopatry”, which means they return to nest in the area where they themselves hatched.

A research team from the University of Exeter and the Society for the Protection of Turtles predicts – using three decades of data – that by 2100 there will be hardly any new loggerhead turtle offspring produced, unless the turtles counter the higher temperatures by moving their nesting season forward.

After placing temperature loggers into nests at night when the females are laying their eggs and retrieving them once the nest hatches, the researchers estimated that the turtles need to nest 0.5 days per year earlier to maintain the current sex ratio, and 0.7 days per year earlier to prevent egg hatching failures.

But their data showed that the loggerhead turtles are indeed already nesting earlier in the year, with returning females advancing the start of nesting by 0.78 days per year since 1993.

This means that at least for now, the turtles are doing enough to ensure their eggs continue to hatch by nesting earlier in more ideal temperatures.

Professor Annette Broderick said: “This is a bit of good news, as we’ve shown that these turtles are responding to the elevated temperatures brought about by climate change by shifting to cooler months to nest.

“There is no guarantee that they carry on doing this though – it’s very much dependent on how much the temperatures rises, and also what they are eating. If the timing of production in terms of where their food's coming from shifts, then they could start to be disconnected ecologically between where they forage and where they breed.”

The research team have also published a study using 31 years of data on over 600 individual green turtles nesting at the same beach in North Cyprus to see what influences when they start laying each year, and how we can explain the advancement we have seen over the past three decades.

The research team found that individual turtles were adjusting the timing of nesting based on sea temperature, laying eggs 6.47 days earlier for every 1°C increase in ocean temperature. They calculated that temperature accounted for around 30% of the advancement, with more experienced females and those laying more clutches also nesting earlier.

Lead author Mollie Rickwood, from the University of Exeter’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation, said: “To know if the advancement we see now will continue into the future, it is crucial to understand the combined effects of changes in, for example, the age structure of the population, and how individual turtles respond to environmental change.”

Dr Damla Beton, from the Society for Protection of Turtles (SPOT), added: “Although our turtles appear to be coping with current rising temperatures, it is unclear how long they may be able to do this before conditions in Cyprus are no longer suitable, but cooler locations in the Mediterranean may become available for them to nest.”

“Phenological shift mitigates predicted impacts of climate change on sea turtle offspring” is published in the journal Endangered Species Research.

“Individual plasticity in response to rising sea temperatures contributes to an advancement in green turtle nesting phenology” is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

---

Journal

Endangered Species Research

DOI

10.1098/rspb.2024.1809 

Article Title

Phenological shift mitigates predicted impacts of climate change on sea turtle offspring

Article Publication Date

20-Feb-2025

Loggerhead hatchlings emerging

Credit

Society for Protection of Turtles

A loggerhead turtle nesting

Credit

Mollie Rickwood

 

New research links grape consumption to improved muscle health in both men and women

Western New England University

Facebook

X
Email

A new study from Western New England University (WNE) has revealed that long-term grape consumption significantly impacts muscle health, with notable benefits for both men and women. The research, published in the journal Foods, suggests that a diet including grapes can modify gene expression in muscle, potentially offering a new nutritional strategy for maintaining muscle mass and function. 

Around 30 million tons of grapes are consumed every year, and their benefits extend beyond nutrition. Grapes have been shown to affect heart, kidney, skin, eye, and gastrointestinal health, among others. 

Key Findings 

The study found that daily grape consumption significantly alters muscle gene expression, with a more pronounced effect in females, ultimately bringing male and female muscle characteristics closer together at a metabolic level. Additionally, genes associated with lean muscle mass were elevated, while those linked to muscle degeneration were reduced, indicating improved muscle function. These findings suggest potential applications for age-related muscle loss, as 10-16% of elderly individuals experience sarcopenia or age-related muscle loss. The research highlights how a nutrigenomic approach, such as regular grape consumption, may complement traditional muscle maintenance strategies like exercise and high-protein diets.  

“This study provides compelling evidence that grapes have the potential to enhance muscle health at the genetic level,” said Dr. John Pezzuto, senior investigator of the study and professor and dean of pharmacy and health sciences at Western New England University. “Given their safety profile and widespread availability, it will be exciting to explore how quickly these changes can be observed in human trials.” 

Study Overview 

Nutrigenomics investigates how diet influences gene expression and how genetic variation impacts dietary responses. Grapes, rich in phytochemicals, exhibit potential disease-preventive properties through nutrigenomic mechanisms rather than direct chemical interactions. The research team investigated the impact of two servings of grapes per day on genetic expression patterns in muscle. As expected, male and female muscles showed major differences in control studies but, surprisingly, male and female muscles greatly converged into a single phenotype when provided with the grape diet.  

The DNA of a single species, including humans, does not greatly differ, individual by individual. Rather, a major factor that differentiates people, such as eye color for example, is largely driven by the expression of DNA, i.e., the phenotype.  

In the current study, it was made clear that ingestion of grapes changed the phenotypic gene expression of male and female muscle, but to a larger extent in females. This resulted in nearly all the measured metabolic parameters being the same. Based on the information that was deciphered from the expression of over 20,000 genes, male and female muscle converged to a common metabolic phenotype.  

Interestingly, expression of specific genes associated with good muscle health, e.g., lean muscle mass, were elevated, and expression genes associated with poor muscle health, e.g., muscle degeneration, were decreased.  

The researchers plan to further investigate the mechanisms behind these changes and the timeline for their effects. As nutrigenomics continues to evolve, this study paves the way for a new approach to muscle health that may benefit individuals across all age groups. 

About the WNE College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 

The Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CoPHS) is dedicated to advancing healthcare through innovative education, research, and community engagement. The CoPHS offers a range of degree programs, including the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS), Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT), and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). These programs prepare students to become knowledgeable and compassionate healthcare professionals through interdisciplinary learning, hands-on clinical experiences, and cutting-edge research. With a commitment to excellence in patient care and scientific discovery, the CoPHS fosters a collaborative environment that equips graduates to make meaningful contributions to the evolving healthcare landscape. Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, Western New England University provides a supportive academic community dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare. 

About WNE 

Western New England University (WNE) is a private, nationally ranked, comprehensive institution with a focus on preparing work-ready and world-ready graduates. Founded in 1919 in Springfield, Massachusetts as a division of Northeastern College, WNE’s 215-acre suburban campus serves more than 3,700 students, including over 2,500 full-time undergraduates. More than 47,000 alumni have earned degrees through its 90+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs at Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and School of Law. Students come from 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries. Of 45,104 living alumni, 30% remain within the region, residing in the four Western Massachusetts counties and northern Connecticut. 

WNE is classified among nationally ranked universities in US News and World Report, and among the Top 100 Undergraduate Engineering programs, and in the Doctoral/Professional Universities category in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.  

-30- 

---

Journal

Foods

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Long-Term Dietary Consumption of Grapes Alters Phenotypic Expression in Skeletal Muscle of Aged Male and Female Mice

Article Publication Date

18-Feb-2025

COI Statement

J.M.P. serves on the scientific advisory committee for the California Table Grape Commission. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.

 

Use of greener anesthesia protects patients and the environment

The study found it reduced dangerous emissions by 50% in one year without compromising on patient safety or outcomes

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

Globally, health care contributes significantly to overall carbon emissions. Emissions come from a variety of sources, including waste management, single use plastics, and those related to transportation and food service. In addition, 3% stem from inhaled agents used during anesthesia. 

A study performed at Michigan Medicine reveals that the use of less polluting inhaled anesthetic agents reduced harmful emissions by 50% in one year without impacting patient safety or outcomes.

“Tens of thousands of people undergo general anesthesia at Michigan Medicine every year. Inhaled anesthetics are a natural area to pursue reductions in emissions because, as greenhouse gases, they are so disproportionately bad for the environment,” said Douglas Colquhoun, M.B.Ch.B., assistant professor of anesthesiology at U-M Medical School.

“We’ve shown that small changes in our practice lead to big changes for the environment and, importantly, no changes for the patients.”

The findings culminate from The Green Anesthesia Initiative, launched at Michigan Medicine in March 2022 aimed to reduce the use of nitrous oxide, use less environmentally harmful inhaled fluorinated ethers, and increase the use of intravenous anesthetics.

The team compared the output of CO2 equivalents, traditionally used to measure the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment, as well as the amount of anesthetic used and patient outcomes such as post-surgery nausea and vomiting, pain scores, and unintended awareness and recall of the surgery.

As part of the initiative, the department encouraged providers to reduce the use of nitrous oxide (which is 270 times more potent than carbon dioxide at warming the environment), as well as increase the use of sevoflurane, the least environmentally harmful ether, instead of isoflurane.

These changes were associated with an average decrease of more than 14 kg per case in CO2 equivalents.

There were no changes in measured depth of anesthesia, pain scores, or postoperative nausea and vomiting.

“I think the important thing that we showed was that it is possible to significantly reduce the environmental impact of anesthesia. Even beyond the study period, we reduced our emissions by a huge amount in under three years.

“We did this while modernizing our care and improving safety for patients. This is a great example of where mindful choices, technology and education all come together to make care better for our patients – both directly in the OR and in the environment in which we all live,” said David Hovord, M.B. B.Chir, clinical assistant professor of anesthesiology.

“Our individual and team efforts to save the planet are essential. The carbon emissions reduction accomplishments of anesthesiology and support teams are a point of pride at Michigan Medicine, as they are a demonstration of creativity, persistence and teamwork,” said Tony Denton, Michigan Medicine's senior vice president and chief environmental, social and governance officer.

“These impressive results show that we can redesign our long standing approaches to care without compromising patient safety, quality and outcomes. This is a great example of what we can do to reduce environmental harm and improve public health across the communities and society we serve,” he said.

“We should all be proud and grateful for this important collaboration which emphasizes Michigan Medicine's daily commitment to continuous improvement, while finding new solutions that can save our planet and lives, simultaneously.”

Paper cited: “Environmental and patient safety outcomes of a health system Green Anesthesia Initiative: a retrospective observational cohort study,” Lancet Planetary Health, DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00331-0

---

Journal

The Lancet Planetary Health

DOI

10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00331-0 

 

Scientifically sniffing ancient Egyptian mummified bodies

American Chemical Society

Facebook

WeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

This mummy, on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, was scientifically sniffed to reveal insights into how it was preserved thousands of years ago.

view more 

Credit: Adapted from the Journal of the American Chemical Society 2025, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c15769

Have you ever wondered what a mummy smells like? According to research reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, it’s “woody,” “spicy,” and even “sweet.” Researchers analyzed the volatile compounds emitted from nine mummies spanning nearly 2000 years of Egyptian history and found that the scents still lingering today could tell us how the bodies were preserved — or how the person once lived — thousands of years ago.

“What truly surprised me was how individual the smells were, which indicated significant differences in the mummification processes and states of preservation,” enthuses Matija Strlič, a co-author of the study.

History stinks — literally! Because most historical objects are carefully preserved and enclosed inside display cases in museums, some people have the misconception that they’re odorless. But their scents can persist, and in the case of ancient Egyptian mummies, conservators describe those smells as pleasant. The ancient Egyptians took good care of their dead because it was believed that careful preparation of the body would allow the soul to successfully transition into the afterlife. The preservation process involved removing moisture and internal organs from the body, and using scented oils, resins and bitumen (a petroleum product) as embalming agents to impart a pleasant smell.

To delve more deeply into mummies’ purported smells, Strlič and colleagues, including researchers from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, investigated the scent profiles of nine mummies. Five came from storage, and four are currently on display at the museum. Of the mummies investigated, the oldest came from the New Kingdom, around 1500 BCE, and the most recent from the Byzantine Period, around 300-400 CE.

The researchers collected air around the remains by carefully inserting a tube between the base and lid of the coffin. Then they analyzed the samples using gas-chromatography-mass-spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O) and an eight-member trained sensory panel. They discovered that:

• The most frequent sensory notes describing the smells were “woody,” “spicy” and “sweet,” followed by “incense-like,” “stale” and “rancid.”
• There was no correlation between a mummy’s conservation state and its smell intensity. But the conservation state did reflect the overall composition of smells.
• The mummy with the strongest odor might have been the person with the highest social status in life, reflecting high-quality mummification practices.
• Mummies on display had higher concentrations of compounds carrying a scent, presumably because these compounds accumulate over time in their display cases.

The team classified the identified odor compounds from four possible origins: the mummification process, microbiological activity on the mummy, oils used for deterring pests, or synthetic pesticides used in conservation.

Celia Bembibre, a co-author of the study, adds, “The smells are part of the value of mummified bodies, and this knowledge is not available to museum visitors, who only see them behind display cases.”

The team is now working to reconstruct the smells based on their findings, so they can be presented in museums to enhance visitors’ understanding of mummies.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency as well as the National Science Centre of Poland.

###

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Registered journalists can subscribe to the ACS journalist news portal on EurekAlert! to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note: ACS does not conduct research but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Follow us: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

---

Journal

Journal of the American Chemical Society

DOI

10.1021/jacs.4c15769 

Article Title

“Ancient Egyptian Mummified Bodies: Cross-Disciplinary Analysis of Their Smell”

Article Publication Date

19-Feb-2025

Big birds like emus are technical innovators, according to University of Bristol researchers

EMU NO DOUG

University of Bristol

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

An emu which took part in the study

view more 

Credit: Fay Clark

Large birds – our closest relations to dinosaurs - are capable of technical innovation, by solving a physical task to gain access to food.

This is the first time scientists have been able to show that palaeognath birds such as emus and rheas can solve tricky problems.

In the study, published today in Scientific Reports, emus, which have previously been called the ‘world’s dumbest bird’ were able to create one new technique to access food (lining up a hole with a food chamber) and moved the hole in the most efficient direction towards food in 90% of cases. A male rhea used this technique but also created a second one, rotating the bolt in the middle of the wheel until the task fell apart.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Lead author Dr Fay Clark, from Bristol’s School of Psychological Science, explained: “A large body of research shows that crows and parrots are effective problem-solvers, and while scientists have recently taken interest in other birds like gulls and birds of prey, all of these birds belong to the same phylogenetic group, Neognathae.

“The problem? The more we study the same species repeatedly, the more we create an ‘echo chamber’ of knowledge and create a false impression that other species are less ‘intelligent’ but in reality they haven’t been studied to the same level.”

Working with three palaeognath species at a local zoo, they based their research on previous research using a rotating wheel that that had to be moved to align with a hole for a food reward. Each species - emus, rheas and ostriches - were given the test in ten sessions.

This particular set of ostriches did not innovate.

Dr Clark explained: “We classify palaeognath innovation as low level or simplistic – and it is certainly not as complex as the innovation we see in crows and parrots.

“However, it is still a very important finding.

“There were no reports of technical innovation in palaeognaths before our study, and there was a prevailing view that they are ‘dumb’ birds.

“Our research suggests that is not true and that technical innovation may have evolved far earlier in birds than previously thought.”

The team now plan on conducting more cognitive research on palaeognath birds. For fair comparison, the rotary task needs to be rolled out to other bird species to assess how they respond to the same problems, and how they try and solve them.

“The more we study palaeognath birds, the more we can understand the broader picture of bird cognition,” concluded Dr Clark.  “And because palaeognaths birds are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs, research might shed light on how dinosaurs behaved.”

 

Paper:

‘Palaeognath birds innovate to solve a novel foraging problem’ by  Jasmine Burdass, Annalise Kavanagh and Annabel King in Scientific Reports.

---

Journal

Scientific Reports

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Palaeognath birds innovate to solve a novel foraging problem

Article Publication Date

20-Feb-2025