EMOTIONAL PLAGUE=FASCISM

Study: Online support for extremist groups Boogaloo, IS evolved in similar ways


A mathematical equation can help explain how extremist movements evolve on the Internet, and researchers say it could help to limit how groups as diverse as the Boogaloos and IS grow. Photo by Neil Johnson/George Washington University

May 19 (UPI) -- New analysis suggests online support for extremists groups, including the Boogaloos and the Islamic State, or IS, emerges and evolves in similar ways.

For the study, published Wednesday in the journal Scientific Reports, scientists looked at the mathematical patterns that defined early support for the Boogaloos, a far right group implicated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol in January.

Scientists found online support for the Boogaloos looked like a lot like the emergence of IS.

"This study helps provide a better understanding of the emergence of extremist movements in the U.S. and worldwide," lead author Neil Johnson, professor of physics at George Washington University, said in a news release.

RELATED Researchers offer nuanced method of studying climate-society interactions

"By identifying hidden common patterns in what seem to be completely unrelated movements, topped with a rigorous mathematical description of how they develop, our findings could help social media platforms disrupt the growth of such extremist groups," Johnson said.

The Boogaloos are an extremist libertarian group that describes itself as a "militia." The anti-government group claims to be preparing for a civil war. Factions of the movement also subscribe to white supremacist and neo-Nazi ideology.

By contrast, members of IS, which has been categorized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, advocate for a radicalized form of Islamic theocracy. The group is responsible for dozens of violent terrorist attacks across the globe.

RELATED For more equitable cities, researchers say to keep social networks intact

Despite their differences in ideology and origins, the evolution of online support for the two groups followed the same shockwave mathematical equation.

Because online extremism can manifest itself in real world violence, some policy makers suggest more must be done to curb the growth of extremist groups on social media platforms.

Traditionally, social media companies have tried to limit the growth of extremist groups through aggressive content moderation and the promotion of users providing counter messaging, but the authors of the latest study suggest these methods have significant limitations.

RELATED Technology, social media help law enforcement track down Capitol rioters

The good news, researchers say, is that because the growth of online extremism follows uniform patterns, a one-size-fits-most approach -- if well-designed -- could be used to thwart all sorts of extremist groups.

"One key aspect we identified is how these extremist groups assemble and combine into communities, a quality we call their 'collective chemistry'," said study co-author Yonatan Lupu, an associate professor of political science at George Washington.

"Despite the sociological and ideological differences in these groups, they share a similar collective chemistry in terms of how communities grow. This knowledge is key to identifying how to slow them down or even prevent them from forming in the first place," Lupu said.

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Lego unveils 'Everyone is Awesome' 

set to celebrate Pride Month 

Lego Vice President of Design Matt Ashton shows the LGBTQ-themed set. Photo courtesy Lego

May 20 (UPI) -- Toymaker Lego announced Thursday that it will start selling its first LGBTQ-themed set next month, in recognition of Pride Month.

The 11-figure set, called "Everyone is Awesome," was inspired by the rainbow flag and Lego bodies that include different hairstyles and shapes.

The set will go on sale June 1.

"I wanted to create a model that symbolizes inclusivity and celebrates everyone, no matter how they identify or who they love," Lego Vice President of Design Matthew Ashton said in a statement. "Everyone is unique, and with a little more love, acceptance and understanding in the world, we can all feel more free to be our true Awesome selves.

"This model shows that we care and that we truly believe 'Everyone is awesome.'"

We're super excited to reveal our new set - LEGO Everyone is Awesome! Because we celebrate every LEGO builder ❤️ #LEGO #EveryoneIsAwesome pic.twitter.com/J7KSz3zWik— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) May 20, 2021

The figures are part of a 346-piece model and will be made available on Lego's website and Lego-branded stores.

"I am fortunate to be a part of a proud, supportive and passionate community of colleagues and fans," Ashton added. "We share a love for creativity and self-expression through Lego bricks and this set is a way to show my gratitude."

Ashton has developed multiple sets over his 20 years at the company and was executive producer of The Lego Movie in 2014.

Cyclist dive-bombed by hawk on California road



May 21 (UPI) -- A California cyclist captured video of his close encounter with a hawk that dive-bombed at his head while he was riding.

Kevin Mahan, chief photographer for KSEE-TV/KGPE-TV, said he was riding near Temperance Avenue and Highway 180 in Clovis when he noticed some birds overhead.

"As I'm going, I notice there's a few birds in the air, and I don't think much of it, I just put my head down and keep pedaling," Mahan told the station. "All of a sudden, I hear a 'tic tic.'"

Mahan's helmet camera captured the hawk coming within inches of him, appearing to try to grab the camera from the top of his head.

"I didn't realize how big and sharp those were until I did the screengrab," Mahan said. "I was like, 'Holy cow, that could have been a lot worse than it was.'"

Mahan described the incident as a "hawkward encounter" in a YouTube post.

Mahan said members of local cycling groups on social media told him they had encountered the same bird in the same area. He said one friend reported being dive-bombed by the hawk four times.

Newly discovered flower mimics the smell of rotting insects to trap coffin flies



A one-of-its-kind flower species in Greece mimics the smell of rotting insects to attract and trap flies in order use their pollination services. Photo by T. Rupp, B. Oelschlägel, K. Rabitsch et al.\

May 21 (UPI) -- Scientists have uncovered the deceptive pollination tactics of a first-of-its-kind flower that mimics the scent of decaying insects to attract and entrap so-called coffin flies.

Flies from the genus Megaselia don't like to eat rotting flesh -- instead, they mate atop and lay their eggs inside decaying insect corpses.

Over millions of years, the flower Aristolochia microstoma -- described Friday in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution -- evolved foul-smelling flowers.

The novel flower isn't carnivorous, though. Rather, it traps flies to utilize their pollination services.

RELATED Amber fossil proves Cretaceous beetle ate pollen of flowering plants

Once trapped inside the putrid scented petals, the coffin flies pollinate the female organs before being coated in pollen by the male organs.

"Here we show that the flowers of A. microstoma emit an unusual mix of volatiles that includes alkylpyrazines, which are otherwise rarely produced by flowering plants," co-author Stefan Dötterl said in press release.

"Our results suggest that this is the first known case of a flower that tricks pollinators by smelling like dead and rotting insects rather than vertebrate carrion," said Dötterl, professor and head of the plant ecology group at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg in Austria.

RELATED Insect diversity boosts longterm stability of crop pollination services

A small minority of plants -- 4 to 6 percent -- are pollinated under false pretenses, using appearance or scent to advertise an absent award to pollinators.

Many orchids use deceptive pollination, as do many members of the genus Aristolochia.

"Aristolochia contains over 550 species around the world, especially in the tropics and subtropics," study co-author Christoph Neinhuis said in the release.

RELATED Full-bellied fossil suggests flies were active pollinators 47 million years ago

"They are mostly woody vines and herbaceous perennials with striking, complex flowers that temporarily imprison their visitors to get pollinated," said Neinhuis, a professor and cultivator of one of the largest Aristolochia collections in the world at Dresden University of Technology's Botanical Garden.

Small hairs inside the petals of Aristolochia flowers guide trapped insects toward the sexual organs. On their way down, pollen from the insect is deposited onto the female organs.

The presence of the trapped insect causes the stamen to ripen and release pollen to be carried elsewhere. After pollination, the hairs whither and the insect can escape.

To lure flies and other insects, Aristolochia give off the scent of rotting carrion and other fetid fragrances. But while the petals of Aristolochia flowers are often big and showy, A. microstoma, which is native to Greece, boasts small, brown flowers.

For the study, scientists collected 240 arthropods that became trapped inside the petals of the unusual Greek flower.

Researchers found flies from four families, as well as centipedes and springtails. Many of the captured flies were species known to frequent foul-smelling flowers.

Using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, researchers analyzed the compounds A. microstoma uses to emit such a pungent smell.

Scientists identified 16 compounds, including several nitrogen- and sulfur-bearing volatile molecules. Several of the compounds featured oligosulfides, a molecule commonly used by Aristolochia flowers to replicate the smell of rancid meat.

Researchers also identified the presence of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, which conjures the scent of rice or roasted peanuts.

The molecule, which is known to emanate from decomposing beetles and rodent urine, is rare among flower fragrances.

"Earlier studies had suggested that A. microstoma might be pollinated by leaf litter-dwelling insects such as ants, because of the orientation and position of the flowers," said Dötterl.

"But here we show that this isn't correct: instead, the main pollinators are Megaselia coffin flies. As their name suggests, these flies feed on carrion, on which they lay their eggs and which serves as food for the larvae, which is why they are often used as evidence in forensic medicine," he said.

400-year-old English coin found by archaeologists in Maryland

May 21 (UPI) -- A Maryland museum said archaeologists searching for the location of an early English settlement uncovered a rare clue: a silver coin dating from the 17th century.

Travis Parno, director of research and collections at the Historic St. Mary's City museum, said archaeologists working to locate the original site of St. Mary's Fort, one of the earliest English settlements in North America, found the silver coin bearing the image of King Charles I.

"It didn't exactly have the date printed on it, but it was pretty much the next best thing," Parno told CNN. "It had a maker's mark that was only used in 1633 and 1634, so it might as well have had the date printed on it, to be honest."

Parno said the team has now identified the location of the fort, which was first settled around the same time the coin was minted.

"At this point, we've got a confluence of data that says this is without a doubt, the remains of St. Mary's Fort," Parno said. "The coin definitely helped. It was kind of like the cherry on top."

Parno said the coin was an unusual find, as goods, services and land were more often purchased at the time using tobacco.

Excavation efforts at the site of the fort are ongoing.

Israeli archaeologists discover rare ancient oil lamp

(7 images)

The Israel Antiquities Authority said Wednesday that archaeologists recently found a rare ancient bronze oil lamp in the City of David National Park in Israel. Here's a look at the discovery.

Photos by Debbie Hill


Archeologist Ari Levy holds a rare bronze oil lamp, from the Roman Period 70 CE, discovered during excavations in the City of David's Pilgrimage Road by the Israel Antiquities Authority on Wednesday in East Jerusalem. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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The half grotesque face lamp was intentionally buried for luck and is a common Roman artistic motif, similar to the theatrical mask, with a handle like the Acanthus plant. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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An overview of excavations in the City of David National Park. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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Workers for the Israel Antiquities Authority dig in the City of David's Pilgrimage Road. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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The building the lamp was found in may be linked to the protection of the Siloam Pool, the City of David's primary water source. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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Archaeologists Ari Levy and Yuval Baruch said the lamp, discovered in the foundations of a building along the City of David's Pilgrimage Road, was intentionally placed there to bring good fortune to people who lived there. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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"Foundation deposits were prevalent in the ancient world, and were intended for luck, and to ensure the continued existence of the building and its occupants," Baruch and Levy added. "And they were usually buried under the floors of buildings or foundations." Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
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Israeli archaeologists uncover rare, ancient bronze lamp shaped like a face

Baruch said only a few such lamps have been found before, and the one they found is the first of its kind in Jerusalem.

Archaeologist Ari Levy holds a rare bronze oil lamp on Wednesday that was discovered during excavations in the City of David's Pilgrimage Road in East Jerusalem. The lamp was intentionally buried for good luck and is a common Roman artistic motif, similar to the theatrical mask. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo

May 5 (UPI) -- Archaeologists in Israel said Wednesday they recently found a rare, ancient bronze oil lamp in the City of David National Park that dates back to the first and second centuries.

The Israel Antiquities Authority said the discovery of the lamp, which it says was intended to provide good fortune, was found during an excavation along the City of David's Pilgrimage Road. The bronze oil lamp is shaped like a face cut in half.

The excavation was conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority, in the Jerusalem Walls City of David National Park.

Archaeologists Ari Levy and Yuval Baruch said the lamp, discovered in the foundations of a building on the road, was intentionally placed there to bring good fortune to people who lived there.

RELATED Scientists find 110 ancient tombs from 3 different Egypt civilizations

"The offering of this lamp may attest to the importance of the building, which may have been linked to the protection of the Siloam Pool, the city's primary water source," Levy and Baruch said in a statement.

At its creation, the lamp was poured into a sculpted mold that was shaped like half a face belonging to a bearded man with a "grotesque" appearance, the researchers said. The tip is shaped like a crescent moon and the handle like the Acanthus plant.

The lamp's decoration is reminiscent of a common Roman artistic motif, similar to a theatrical mask.

RELATED Dig uncovers 'Lost Golden City'; largest ancient city ever found in Egypt

"Foundation deposits were prevalent in the ancient world, and were intended for luck, and to ensure the continued existence of the building and its occupants," Baruch and Levy added. "And they were usually buried under the floors of buildings or foundations."

"The building where the lamp was discovered was built directly on top of the Pilgrimage Road at the end of the Second Temple period. The construction of such a massive structure in the period after the destruction of Jewish Jerusalem demonstrates the importance of the area even after the destruction of the Second Temple."

Baruch said only a few such lamps have been found before, and the one they found is the first of its kind in Jerusalem.

RELATED Mummies of ancient Egyptian royalty to parade through streets of Cairo

A BLOODY CRIME SAID THIS BOOK LOVER

We will rebuild: Gaza’s largest bookshop destroyed by Israeli air strikes

Samir Mansour Library bookshop was destroyed on Tuesday, prompting outrage from book lovers around the world

The company behind one of Gaza’s largest and most well-known bookshops vowed to rebuild after it was demolished by an Israeli air strike on Tuesday, sparking outcry from Palestinians and abroad.

Samir Mansour Library was destroyed in a strike that hit a building next to the Islamic University on Al Thalatiny Street in Gaza City.

Books were buried under rubble, while others were covered so thickly with dust that their titles could not be read.

The Israeli military said it was destroying Hamas tunnels in the operation.

The shop was established in 2008 and held thousands of books from all genres for sale. Despite having "library" in its name, it does not lend books.

But it was part of a publishing house that gave voice to Palestinian poets, children’s writers, novelists and academics, some of whom decried its destruction on social media and at the scene of the air strike.

“We are condemning the destruction of our library,” Shereen Al A’ka, public relations officer at Samir Mansour publishing house, told The National.

"We are so sad because the library is not only walls, it is memories and friends for all ages.

“This library is an old dream for its owner. He worked hard to build it for years."

The books may be under rubble, but that will not stop us

Nada Abu Mideen

As Gazans struggled to take in the loss, book lovers from further afield sprang into action, offering to donate books or raise money.

“I choked up when I saw the pictures of the destruction of the bookshop on social media,” said writer Nada Abu Mideen, 29.

“This place encouraged and supported me always.”

Ms Abu Mideen has two books published by Samir Mansour. One of them, Mazaj Morsal, covers Gaza after the 2014 war. The library printed about 1,000 copies of the book.

“After we survived the 2014 war, me and my friend decided to write about our survival, our challenges and resilience,” she said.

Ms Abu Mideen said the bombing would not stop her efforts to shine a light on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

“The books may be under rubble but that will not stop us. We will keep writing to show the world that we deserve life,” she said.

Fighting between Gaza militants and Israel has lasted for 10 days so far.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said 241 Palestinians have died and 7,802 have been wounded. In Israel, 12 people have been killed.

The government said about 1,620 rockets have been fired towards its territory by militants in Gaza.

The UN’s humanitarian agency said almost 450 buildings in the enclave have been destroyed or badly damaged, including six hospitals.

It said more than 52,000 Palestinians have been displaced since the start of the conflict.

Dr Ameen Wafi, a lecturer in literature at Gaza’s Islamic University, said the air strike was “unforgiveable”.

“To destroy a bookshop means one thing: that the occupier doesn’t believe in humanitarian values because the message of libraries is so clear over the world,” Dr Wafi said.

“Those actions are un-humanitarian and immoral. One of the most important tools for scientific renaissance is creating and building libraries.

"The mission of those libraries is so clear. It’s educational, cultural and awareness missions for people. It is one of the ways civilisations form."

Amira Nassar, 26, said the sight of the books on the ground made her weep.

“I called the library and ordered a number of books a couple of days ago, and they told me they would deliver the book after the escalation is over,” Ms Nassar said.

“I couldn’t imagine that I would pass through the area and find rubble instead of the library."

But Ms Al A’ka said the work of the bookshop is not over.

“We are disappointed. We lost a lot of valuable books under the rubble," she said. "The books are like our family members but we will not stop.

“We will take time, for sure, but we will not stop trying.”


Updated: May 20, 2021 

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WORSE OFF THAN YOU

CHILDREN IN GAZA SAVE A PET FISH 

FROM THE RUBBLE

Study: Earth's vegetation is changing faster than it has in 18,000 years


Researchers, pictured collecting core samples in St. Paul, Alaska, compared pollen grains from core and mire samples in order to determine the historical effects of climate change on vegetation. Photo by Jack Williams

May 20 (UPI) -- Climate change is rapidly altering the planet's vegetation. In fact, new research -- published Thursday in the journal Science -- suggests Earth's vegetation is changing faster today than it has in the last 18,000 years.

Over the last few decades, hundreds of studies have looked at the effects of climate change on various ecosystems

Climate scientists, ecologists and others have worked together to gauge the influence of rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns on greening in the Arctic and forest composition in the Amazon.

Few studies, however, have examined the effects of climate change on vegetation with as a broad lens as the new one, according to the researchers.

For the latest study, researchers used ancient pollen grains to quantify the pace at which Earth's global plant communities have changed through the millennia.

"We analyzed a network of over 1,000 fossil pollen records worldwide -- the largest such analysis to date," study co-author Jack Williams, a researcher and professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin, told UPI in an email.

"These fossil pollen records are retrieved from sediment cores taken from lakes and mires, and they provide continual records of vegetation history going back thousands of years," said Williams, a professor at the University of Wisconsin.

Scientists can identify the plant groups from which different fossilized pollen grains originated.

By surveying the distribution of different types of pollen grains across a variety of excavation sites, researchers can quantify changes in plant abundances and distributions over space and time.

"For this paper, we calculated a rate-of-change metric that is calculated for each site individually, then averaged across sites in a region," Williams said. "This metric basically sums up all the changes in abundance for individual taxa, and so is an index of community-level -- or ecosystem-level -- change."

Pollen grains from the uppermost sediment layers of cores sourced from lake beds around the world showed the pace of vegetation change has been accelerating over the last 3,000 years.

The data suggests modern plant communities are changing faster than they were 18,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, as plants colonized newly thawed territory.

In addition to confirming the disruptive effects of human-caused climate change, the latest research suggests -- as several other studies have shown -- humans have been altering the planet's ecosystems for a few thousand years.

"I was definitely surprised that the acceleration in rates of vegetation change between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago was detectable on all continents, despite very different histories in land use and climate change," Williams said.

"This needs further exploration, but is definitely contributes to an exciting new wave of research looking at how ecosystems were affected by early human societies worldwide," he said.

In followup studies, scientists said they hope to determine whether changes in land-use patterns by early human societies might explain the dramatic shifts that began between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago.

"We are also particularly interested in looking at the climatic and human drivers of vegetation changes in the tropics, given the importance of these ecosystems for storing carbon and protecting biodiversity," Williams said.

Humans significantly altered biodiversity on islands, study shows

A research team on Tenerife takes sediment cores containing pollen, which revealed the effects of more recent human colonization of the island. Photo by José María Fernández Palacios/University of Bayreuth


April 30 (UPI) -- An international team of researchers found that humans have significantly altered biodiversity on colonized islands in the past 1,500 years, according to a study published Friday in the journal Science.

By analyzing 27 fossil pollen sequences encompassing 5,000 years from islands across the world, scientists quantified the rates of change in vegetation composition before and after human arrival.

According to the analysis, there were faster rates of turnover on islands colonized in the past 1,500 years than for those colonized earlier.

Professor Dr. Manuel Steinbauer of the University of Bayreuth and Dr. Sandra Naogue of the University of Southampton extracted, dated and identified pollen from wind-pollinated plants deposited in the sediment of lakes and bogs.

The islands chosen for the study were never connected to the mainland, researchers said.

"For each of the 27 islands, our study shows how vegetation composition has changed over the last 5,000 years. Humans' colonization of the previously undisturbed islands falls within this period. We can therefore trace how natural systems change as a result of human arrival," said study co-author Steinbauer.

"This transformation from a natural to a human-dominated system can only be observed on islands. On continents, humans have been extensively changing ecological systems for a very long time. What a natural ecosystem would look like here, we can often no longer tell," Steinbauer said.

On 24 of the 27 islands studied, the arrival of humans marked a significant change in vegetation, especially on islands colonized in the past 1,500 years.

For those colonized earlier, the turnover was less pronounced.

The researchers attribute this difference with an increase in agricultural technology and its associated effects on biodiversity.

"The results of the study highlight the extensive changes we humans are causing in ecological systems. The change in pollen composition in our study mainly reflects human land use over millennia," Steinbauer said.

"With the beginning of the industrial age, human-induced transformation of ecological systems has accelerated even further. Adding to this, ecological systems are now additionally affected by human-induced climate change," he said.

Wildlife biodiversity is a boon

to human health, seafood nutrition


New research shows that when land is more developed and fragmented, as well as less biodiverse, species that are more efficient at spreading disease tend to proliferate. Photo by Cary Institute Photo Archive

April 5 (UPI) -- Biodiversity provides human health benefits on the land and in the water, according to a pair of newly published studies.

Previous studies have highlighted many of the ways biodiversity offers indirect benefits to human health -- by encouraging pollination, for example. But new research suggests biodiversity also provides direct health benefits by keeping humans from getting sick.

According to one new study, published Monday in the journal PNAS, biodiversity helps minimize the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks.

"There's a persistent myth that wild areas with high levels of biodiversity are hotspots for disease," lead study author Felicia Keesing said in a press release.

"More animal diversity must equal more dangerous pathogens. But this turns out to be wrong. Biodiversity isn't a threat to us, it's actually protecting us from the species most likely to make us sick," said Keesing, a professor at Bard College and visiting scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

Diseases like COVID-19, SARS and Ebola all emerged in animal populations before making the jump to humans. But they are just a few of millions of viruses circulating among animal populations, most of which will never infect a single human.

To better understand the origins of zoonotic diseases, scientists surveyed scientific literature and found certain species and ecosystems are more likely to produce and pass along zoonotic diseases to humans.

RELATED Peatland conservation may prevent new diseases from jumping to humans

"Research is mounting that species that thrive in developed and degraded landscapes are often much more efficient at harboring pathogens and transmitting them to people," said co-author Rick Ostfeld, disease ecologist at the Cary Institute.

"In less-disturbed landscapes with more animal diversity, these risky reservoirs are less abundant and biodiversity has a protective effect," Ostfeld said.

The research showed animals that live fast and die young -- investing lots of evolutionary capital into reproduction, but so much into adaptive immune systems -- are more likely to pass novel diseases along to humans and other animals.

RELATED Land use changes could increase risk of disease outbreaks

These types of animals tend do well -- or at least better than others -- in degraded ecosystems, which may explain why researchers found animals credited with the spread of zoonotic diseases were less likely to be species of conservation concern.

"When we erode biodiversity, we favor species that are more likely to be zoonotic hosts, increasing our risk of spillover events," Ostfeld said. "Managing this risk will require a better understanding of how things like habitat conversion, climate change and over-harvesting affect zoonotic hosts -- and how restoring biodiversity to degraded areas might reduce their abundance."

Researchers suggest efforts to prevent -- as well as to predict and prepare for -- the next spillover event should focus less on particular species and more on groups of animals and the habitats where they are mostly likely to congregate.

"Restoration of biodiversity is an important frontier in the management of zoonotic disease risk. Those pathogens that do spill over to infect humans -- zoonotic pathogens -- often proliferate as a result of human impacts," Keesing said. "As we rebuild our communities after COVID-19, we need to have firmly in mind that one of our best strategies to prevent future pandemics is to protect, preserve, and restore biodiversity."

In a separate study, published Monday in the journal PNAS, researchers at Yale University looked at the effects of biodiversity on seafood nutrition.

The Yale analysis showed seafood sourced from biodiverse ecosystems features higher levels of nutrients -- including vitamins, minerals and fatty acids -- than seafood from areas of the ocean that have been degraded by overfishing, pollution and climate change.

"What we found is that biodiversity is crucial to human health," co-author Joey Bernhardt, an ecologist and postdoctoral fellow at Yale, said in a press release.

Though there is much scientists still don't understand about COVID-19, a mounting body of research suggests diet is intimately linked with the body's immune system.

The latest research suggests even calories from the same types of food aren't always equal, and the findings could have significant implications for coastal communities that consume lots of seafood.

For the study, researchers analyzed 7,245 nutrient samples from 801 marine and freshwater fin fish and invertebrates. While protein content was similar among different seafood sources, scientists found significant variation in the concentrations of calcium, iron and fatty acids.

Fish and invertebrates from biodiverse ecosystems featured a more robust supply of micronutrients.

"While we have known that biodiversity on land is important for benefits such as forest production, this study provides new evidence that the benefits of biodiversity in oceans and freshwaters are as great as on land," Bernhardt said.

"Ecological concepts of biodiversity can deepen our understanding of nature's benefits to people and unite sustainability goals for biodiversity and human well-being," Bernhardt said.

Study: Recovery from human-caused biodiversity declines to take millions of years

   

 

It took at least 12 million years for biodiversity levels to recover in the wake of the asteroid impact that killed off the dinosaurs -- and researchers say recovering from losses caused by humanity could take even longer. Photo by Pixabay/CC

May 21 (UPI) -- Imperiled by climate change, deforestation, hunting, pollution and other human-caused disruptions, Earth's biodiversity continues to decline across the globe.

To estimate how long it might take for the planet's biota to recover, scientists analyzed the pace of speciation in the wake of the extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

The analysis, published Friday in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, suggests that even if humans disappeared tomorrow, it will take several million years for the planet's biodiversity to recover.

Though dinosaurs were the only major animal group to be wiped out completely, the asteroid impact responsible for the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event also put a dent in the diversity of mammals, reptiles, insects and more.

In total, scientists estimate the event extinguished more than three-fourths of all species on Earth.

To quantify the losses precipitated by the extinction event, as well as the rate of recovery in its aftermath, researchers focused on freshwater biota.

More specifically, scientists analyzed 3,387 fossil and living snail species living in Europe over past 200 million years.

RELATED Wildlife biodiversity is a boon to human health, seafood nutrition

The dataset allowed researchers to estimate the rates at which species disappear and new species emerge.

Though the analysis showed freshwater biota losses during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event were greater than previously estimated, the rate of biodiversity decline is dwarfed by today's losses.

Using modern data on extinctions among freshwater species, scientists estimated that by 2120, nearly a third of all freshwater species will have disappeared.

RELATED Climate change, biodiversity loss the top concerns in UNESCO survey

"Losing species entails changes in species communities and, in the long run, this affects entire ecosystems," lead study author Thomas Neubauer said in a press release.

"We rely on functioning freshwater environments to sustain human health, nutrition and fresh water supply," said Neubauer, a postdoctoral researcher at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands.

The asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs lasted a matter of seconds, but the climatic and ecological impacts were long lasting.

The latest fossil analysis suggests extinction rates remained elevated for nearly 5 million years. It was 12 million years before biodiversity levels recovered and ecological balance was restored.

The destructive activities of humans remain ongoing, the researchers point out.

"Even if our impact on the world's biota stops today, the extinction rate will likely stay high for an extended period of time," Neubauer said.

"Considering that the current biodiversity crisis advances much faster than the mass extinction event 66 million years ago, the recovery period may be even longer. Despite our short existence on Earth, we have assured that the effects of our actions will outlast us by millions of years," Neubauer said.