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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

With the winter holidays upon us, 28% of Americans say they are experiencing more stress related to the holiday season than they did last year, according to new findings from the American Psychiatric Association (APA).&nbsp;



While the specific causes of this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-eats-away-our-brains-cognitive-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress</a> vary, three stood out in particular: 46% of respondents are anxious about affording holiday gifts, 47% mention grieving a loss or missing someone, and 35% highlight challenging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parent-children-relationships-are-key-to-lifelong-well-being/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">family relationships</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-happy-and-hectic-time">A happy and hectic time</h2>



“The holiday season can be both a happy and stressful time of year in part due to expectations to spend time with family and friends, navigate family conflicts and uphold important traditions,” said Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr,, APA’s chief executive officer.&nbsp;



“At this hectic time of year, it is important that people take care of their mental health, especially in communities whose members feel disproportionately burdened or excluded from what is traditionally considered the holiday season.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-caused-by-financial-worries-and-politics-nbsp">Stress caused by financial worries and politics&nbsp;</h2>



Financial worries appear especially pronounced among younger adults. More than half of those aged 18 to 34 (54%) reported being “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the cost of presents, compared to 38% of adults aged 65 and older.



Despite the fact that 2024 is an election year, only 23% of respondents expressed unease about talking politics or current events with family - mirroring the percentage from 2023.&nbsp;



Opinions split along party lines: 30% of Democrats voiced concern about political discussions at holiday gatherings, while 21% of Republicans and 17% of Independents felt the same. 



The APA <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-public-opinion-polls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Healthy Minds Monthly Poll</a> was conducted by <a href="https://morningconsult.com/?ref=brandata.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Morning Consult</a> on November 16–17, 2024, with 2,201 adults taking part.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-holiday-stress-is-normal">Holiday stress is normal</h2>



“Although there are several different holidays we celebrate in December, many of us share the same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-and-anxiety-the-mental-health-impacts-of-wildfires/">anxiety</a> and excitement about preparing for them,” said APA President Ramaswamy Viswanathan.&nbsp;



“Holiday stress is normal, and as psychiatrists, we understand that the social determinants of mental health can and do influence the experience of the winter holidays.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mixed-bag-of-emotions">Mixed bag of emotions</h2>



The poll also reveals moments of positivity during the holidays. Specifically:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>41% of the participants said they anticipate seeing family and friends</li>



<li>24% look forward to enjoying good food</li>



<li>8% plan to take time off</li>



<li>8% are excited about giving and receiving gifts</li>
</ul>



This survey marks the APA’s fourth consecutive year examining holiday-related mental health. Over time, affording gifts and meals have consistently ranked among the top concerns.&nbsp;



Thirty-six percent of respondents reported feeling “very anxious” or “somewhat anxious” about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-lockdowns-weakened-our-immune-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a> this year - a 3% rise from 2023 - marking the second straight year of growing pandemic-related worries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-the-strain-of-holiday-expectations-nbsp">Reducing the strain of holiday expectations&nbsp;</h2>



Marketa M. Wills, APA CEO and Medical Director, highlights the importance of focusing on the deeper meaning of the holidays - spending quality time with loved ones.&nbsp;



“For many, the holidays bring about mixed feelings, from joy to worry to grief,” said Wills.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-health-crisis-half-of-the-worlds-population-will-be-affected-by-age-75/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mental health</a> is often tested over the winter holidays and it’s important to remember that although finding the perfect gift or preparing the favorite feast is gratifying, we can find meaning in the season by spending time with the people who mean the most to us.”



Human connection provides a sense of belonging and emotional support, which can help alleviate the strain of holiday expectations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-true-meaning-of-the-holidays">The true meaning of the holidays</h2>



Dr. Evans noted that, even though the holidays may increase stress levels, they can also be an opportunity.&nbsp;



“Psychological science tells us that setting aside time to strengthen our relationships and engage in traditions can benefit our physical, mental and emotional well-being, which can prepare us to better manage stress year-round,” said Evans.



Whether through heartfelt conversations, shared traditions, or simply being present, nurturing these relationships reminds us that the true value of the holiday season lies in the bonds we share, not in the material aspects of celebration.



Ultimately, prioritizing meaningful connections over perfection in our holiday plans can lead to a more fulfilling experience.



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Holiday stress is higher this year compared to 2023

With the winter holidays upon us, 28% of Americans say...

A recent study from Colorado State University (CSU) provides compelling evidence that climate change can influence the frequency of earthquakes. The research adds to a growing body of work suggesting that shifts in climate can directly impact the seismic cycle.



The study focused on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado, where an active fault runs along the western edge of the range. Researchers discovered that during the last ice age, the weight of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-half-of-the-worlds-glaciers-could-disappear-by-2100/">glaciers</a> suppressed fault activity.&nbsp;



However, as the ice melted, the fault experienced increased slip, indicating that earthquake activity along such faults could rise in response to glacial retreat.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a> is happening at a rate that is orders of magnitude faster than we see in the geologic record,” said first author Cece Hurtado, who conducted the study as part of her master’s thesis at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>.&nbsp;



“We see this in the rapid mountain glacial retreats in Alaska, the Himalayas and the Alps. In many of these regions, there are also active tectonics, and this work demonstrates that as climate change alters ice and water loads, tectonically active areas might see more frequent fault movements and earthquakes due to rapidly changing stress conditions."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-climate-and-earthquake-activity">Linking climate and earthquake activity</h2>



While it’s well established that tectonic changes influence climate - for example, through mountain uplift altering atmospheric circulation and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-increasingly-unpredictable-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a> - research linking climate shifts to tectonic activity is still rare.&nbsp;



The CSU study is among the few that show how climate change can directly impact seismic processes.



“We’ve been able to model these processes for a while, but it’s hard to find examples in nature,” said Sean Gallen, an associate professor of geosciences at CSU and the senior author of the study. “This is compelling evidence. It suggests that the atmosphere and the solid Earth have tight connections that we can measure in the field.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-closer-look-at-the-sangre-de-cristo-fault">A closer look at the Sangre de Cristo fault</h2>



The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, once blanketed by glaciers during the last ice age, provided an ideal setting for studying the relationship between glacial retreat and fault activity.&nbsp;



Using remote sensing and field data, researchers reconstructed the extent of ancient glaciers and calculated the weight these ice masses exerted on the fault. They then measured how much the fault had displaced over time.



The analysis revealed that fault slip rates have been five times faster since the glaciers melted compared to the period when the region was glaciated. This acceleration suggests that as the glaciers melted, the fault experienced a “rebound,” catching up to the background tectonic rate of movement.



“It’s basically like a small lever that’s tweaking the rate at which the fault moves, but that long-term rate is set by the background rate of the tectonic processes,” Gallen explained.



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



The findings have significant implications for understanding what drives earthquake activity and for assessing seismic risks in areas experiencing rapid glacial retreat or significant water loss.



“This work implies that the repeat time isn’t necessarily going to be periodic,” Gallen said. “You can have periods of time where you have a bunch of earthquakes in quick succession and a lot of time where you don’t have any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthquakes-have-long-lasting-impacts-on-forests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earthquakes</a>.”



The study’s results may help refine models used to reconstruct prehistoric seismic records and estimate the recurrence intervals of active faults. By factoring in hydrologic processes, such as glacial retreat, over geologic time, seismologists can improve hazard assessments for tectonically active regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacial-retreat-and-earthquake-activity">Glacial retreat and earthquake activity </h2>



The research was grounded in a public database of high-resolution elevation data, which served as the foundation for understanding the fault’s displacement.&nbsp;



Hurtado and Gallen also conducted field surveys using high-precision GPS instruments to supplement the elevation data and measure fault displacement. The timing of fault movement was determined based on the age of sediment deposits near the fault.



The researchers noted that the Sangre de Cristo Mountains offered a unique opportunity to study the interplay between glacial retreat and tectonics. The range is part of the Rio Grande rift, which has a known background slip rate, providing a baseline for comparison.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-climate-and-tectonic-systems">Earth’s climate and tectonic systems</h2>



As glaciers continue to retreat rapidly in regions such as Alaska, the Himalayas, and the Alps, the CSU team’s findings serve as a preview of how other glacier-adjacent faults might respond to a warming climate.&nbsp;



The study highlights the interconnectedness of the Earth’s climate and tectonic systems, highlighting the potential for climate-driven changes to increase seismic activity in tectonically active areas.



By shedding light on this relationship, the researchers hope to deepen understanding of seismic hazards and encourage further study of how climate change shapes the Earth’s dynamic systems. “This is a crucial step in understanding how climate and tectonics interact,” Hurtado concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G52661.1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>.



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Earthquake activity will increase due to glacial retreat

A recent study from Colorado State University (CSU) provides compelling...

NASA has released its final goals and objectives for low Earth orbit, laying out a long-term plan to expand microgravity science, technology, and exploration in a way that benefits everyone. 



This new framework, called NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy, was developed following extensive input from a broad range of industry, academic, international, and governmental stakeholders.



“As we near the retirement of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-international-space-station-celebrates-its-25th-anniversary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Space Station</a> in 2030, these objectives are a pivotal next step in solidifying U.S. leadership in space,” said <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. 



“Our consultation with industry, academia, and international partners has helped refine a visionary roadmap for our future in low Earth orbit, which will be enabled by a continuous human presence.”



“Together, we are ensuring that the benefits of exploring space continue to grow - advancing science, innovation, and opportunities for all, while preparing for humanity’s next giant leap of exploring the moon, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-mars-became-uninhabitable-after-being-life-supporting-ocean-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mars</a> and beyond.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-generation-of-nasa-space-infrastructure">The next generation of NASA space infrastructure</h2>



Early in 2024, NASA began formulating an initial set of goals and objectives specific to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microgravity-causes-big-problems-with-human-gene-expression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microgravity</a> environment in low Earth orbit (LEO). The agency engaged its workforce, government partners, private industry, universities, global space agencies, and the public to gather feedback. 



After receiving and reviewing more than 1,800 comments - plus hosting two workshops - NASA made key adjustments to align its goals more closely with the needs of its collaborators.



The final plan, known as the Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy, consists of 13 goals and 44 objectives spanning seven core areas.



These areas include commercial low Earth orbit infrastructure; operations; science; research and technology development for exploration; international cooperation; workforce development and STEM engagement; and public engagement.



These focal points highlight the aim of fostering broader economic opportunities, sustaining valuable partnerships, and guiding NASA toward a sustainable, next-generation presence in low Earth orbit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maintaining-human-presence-in-low-earth-orbit">Maintaining human presence in low Earth orbit</h2>



NASA’s initiatives in low Earth orbit directly support its broader ambitions for exploration beyond Earth. 



The unique microgravity conditions of LEO provide a cost-effective environment for testing new technologies and conducting research essential to future human missions deeper into the solar system.



Because so much of the journey to the moon and Mars will take place under microgravity, maintaining human presence in LEO allows for critical human research, essential system tests, and the retention of operational skills vital for exploration.



“These finalized objectives represent a clear path forward as NASA transitions from the International Space Station to a new era of commercial space stations,” said Robyn Gatens, director of the International Space Station and acting director of commercial spaceflight. 



“Low Earth orbit will remain a hub for scientific discovery, technological advancement, and international cooperation, while making strategic investments in a commercial space ecosystem that benefits not just NASA, but the entire space community.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sustaining-a-workforce-proficient-in-microgravity">Sustaining a workforce proficient in microgravity</h2>



One key part of NASA’s strategy is to ensure an unbroken cadence of human spaceflight in low Earth orbit. 



The transition from the International Space Station to multiple commercial space stations will require uninterrupted crewed missions, enabling NASA to continue mitigating risks for planned human voyages to Mars.



Sustaining a skilled workforce proficient in microgravity operations is also a top priority, as is the ongoing collection of vital data on human health under extended microgravity conditions.



The final set of goals and objectives stresses the necessity of diverse service providers and regular flight opportunities, promoting a dynamic marketplace in LEO. 



This means NASA can rely on different commercial partners to deliver cost-effective solutions and robust competition, supporting both agency missions and the needs of a growing space economy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-successful-model-of-the-iss">The successful model of the ISS </h2>



The released plan emphasizes the continuing importance of working with international partners and consulting with private industry. This spirit of cooperation mirrors the successful model of the International Space Station, which has proven that robust partnerships drive innovation and lower costs. 



NASA’s new LEO strategy, therefore, aims to build on these cooperative foundations, expanding scientific and economic returns for a global audience of researchers and entrepreneurs.



“Collaboration and consultation remain a cornerstone of our low Earth orbit strategy,” said John Keefe, director of cross-agency strategy integration at NASA. 



“The objectives we’ve established will help NASA craft a work plan that ensures NASA is positioned to meet current and future needs and prioritizes the development of critical capabilities for low Earth orbit.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-giant-leaps-for-humanity">The next giant leaps for humanity</h2>



As NASA sets its sights on the moon, Mars, and beyond, the final goals and objectives for low Earth orbit promise to strengthen the agency’s role in an expanding and vibrant orbital ecosystem. 



By defining a comprehensive framework and partnering with industry, academia, and global space agencies, NASA aims to maintain continuous human presence in LEO, advance cutting-edge research in microgravity, and nurture the commercial opportunities that arise from new space station platforms.



By leveraging these partnerships and sustaining a well-coordinated approach to low Earth orbit microgravity research, NASA will move closer to achieving the breakthroughs required for humanity’s next giant leaps - both in Earth’s orbit and throughout the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/interstellar-tunnel-found-that-connects-our-solar-system-to-other-stars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar system</a>.



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How NASA plans to keep people in space after the ISS is gone

NASA has released its final goals and objectives for low...

Tiny plastic fragments have turned up inside human beings, and it has rattled more than a few nerves. Nobody expects to find plastic in their blood or buried in important tissues, but recent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624005971?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> has done exactly that.



These miniscule particles, often smaller than a grain of sand, have appeared in places once thought safe from contamination.



This poses some uncomfortable questions about the implications for long-term health and whether anyone has been paying attention to this hidden hazard that has been present in the environment for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-infiltration-of-plastic-into-human-tissues">The infiltration of plastic into human tissues</h2>



Scientists have identified <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">micro- and nanoplastics</a> (MNPs) in human lungs, gut, reproductive organs, and skin, where they can stick around for far longer than most people would imagine.



Their presence has now been detected in blood, too, making it clear that these tiny, synthetic particles move through our bodies in surprising ways. They do not simply pass through and exit without causing harm, as was once thought. 



Instead, they take up residence. They linger, and they may be associated with some serious health issues.



This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624005971?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>, led by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bVDTB_gAAAAJ&amp;hl=zh-CN" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Yating Luo</a> at the School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, and a team of specialists, has revealed an unsettling new source of environmental exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-links-to-diseases">Potential links to diseases</h2>



Other researchers have begun piecing together how MNPs might be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624003182" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">involved in a range of health problems</a>.



Studies have linked them to heart and blood vessel conditions, like atherosclerosis and thrombosis, as well as to intestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease.



Some work even connects them to changes in reproductive systems and the risk of conditions like cervical cancer. Nobody wants to consider <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-carry-toxic-chemicals-that-are-easily-absorbed-by-skin/">plastic dust</a> as a potential player in such serious illnesses, but the evidence is mounting.



Dr. Luo, lead author of the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624005971?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, which was published in Environment International, highlighted that the research strongly indicates MNPs are more than environmental contaminants - they are entering human tissues and may pose significant health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-these-particles-break-through-barriers">How these particles break through barriers</h2>



Laboratory tests have <a href="https://particleandfibretoxicology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12989-020-00358-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shown</a> that these particles can cross protective hurdles, including the body’s natural filters. For example, the blood-brain barrier has long been thought of as a sturdy shield, but these tiny plastic pieces may pass through it.



This could set the stage for neurological issues. Researchers suspect that if these minute fragments of plastic move along the gut-brain axis, they may influence how nerve cells work. Early evidence suggests they might play a role in some degenerative conditions that affect the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wider-implications-for-public-health">Wider implications for public health</h2>



Plastic pollution is not something that stays outside in the ocean or piled up at landfills. Studies show that even remote corners of the planet have tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surging-plastic-levels-found-in-the-north-pacific-garbage-patch/">plastic fragments</a> floating in the air. People breathe them in, ingest them through food and water, and may even absorb them through the skin.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28812686/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Tamara Galloway</a>, a leading expert on microplastics from the University of Exeter, emphasized that this study further supports the increasing evidence of microplastics being widespread in human tissues.



It is not just a problem for one region or for certain groups. It is a global phenomenon that affects everyone, everywhere. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-people-should-pay-attention">Why people should pay attention</h2>



Plastics have found their way into everyday life in a multitude of forms - containers, packaging, clothing, personal care products. As these items break down, tiny plastic fibers and fragments spread through land, water, and air. They turn up in fish and shellfish, which then end up <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b01517" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on dinner plates</a>.



Waste management <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34492918/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">practices</a> in some places, such as open burning, add more plastic particles to the environment and harm people who live nearby.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-plastic-use-and-environmental-regulations">Rethinking plastic use and environmental regulations</h2>



There is growing pressure on governments to enforce stricter rules around plastic manufacturing, recycling, and disposal. A shift to responsible materials and less reliance on single-use plastics could help slow the spread of these particles in future.



Public health agencies may need to update guidelines to consider tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-plastic-pollution-lurks-beneath-the-surface-of-rivers/">plastic fragments as contaminants</a>. If MNPs are linked to certain diseases, official policies may need to reflect that. Health professionals might soon discuss plastic exposure as they do other known factors like poor air quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-comes-next-in-the-search-for-answers">What comes next in the search for answers</h2>



Scientists need to measure the full extent of the problem. More long-term <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34492918/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> could show exactly how much plastic accumulates in human tissues and pinpoint how these particles alter cells and organs at a microscopic level.



Researchers are developing new technology to track these fragments and understand how they behave inside the body. Improved tools might help uncover the chemical reactions triggered by plastic fragments. With that information, they could figure out why certain tissues are more at risk than others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-ways-to-reduce-the-danger">Finding ways to reduce the danger</h2>



None of this is a reason to give up the fight against plastic pollution. People can reduce their own exposure by avoiding products that shed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-able-to-travel-thousands-of-miles-because-of-their-shape/">plastic fibers</a>, pushing for cleaner water sources, and supporting brands that move away from plastic use.



Communities that suffer from poor waste management can advocate for better facilities, cleaner streets, and safer disposal methods.



Officials can encourage companies to design products with health and the environment in mind. Better filters and barriers could help keep these particles out of water supplies and the foods people rely on every day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-reason-to-stay-informed">A reason to stay informed</h2>



Nobody likes to think about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-migrate-from-the-gut-to-other-organs/">foreign particles</a> building up in their body. For many, this may spark frustration or fear. The good news is that awareness can help drive action. If people know that these small bits of plastic may affect their health, they might push for meaningful changes.



More funding, better research, and stricter oversight may keep these hidden threats in check. As scientists learn more, the public can stay informed and join conversations that shape future policies.



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Tiny plastic bits are now found hiding deep inside the human body

Tiny plastic fragments have turned up inside human beings, and...

Cosmic rays are high-speed particles that move through space and crash into our atmosphere from every direction. These energetic particles, mostly atomic nuclei stripped of their electrons, have puzzled scientists for decades.



They hit Earth from different places with a wide range of energies. Some arrive at moderate levels, while others carry so much punch that researchers use special detectors stretching over vast areas to understand their true nature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-rays-above-5-eev">Cosmic rays above 5 EeV</h2>



Particles carrying more than about five <a href="https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wenpart1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exa-electronvolts</a> (EeV) of energy stand out because they mark a turning point. 



At lower energies, cosmic rays often show a smoother distribution, and are strongly influenced by magnetic fields in our own galaxy.



Once they cross the 5 EeV threshold, however, their behavior and properties change. They begin to show patterns that cannot be explained by local sources alone. 



Instead of originating mostly from within the Milky Way, they appear to come from distant corners of the cosmos that lie far beyond our familiar galactic neighborhood.



Studies indicate that at these energies, called <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.05974" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the ankle region</a>, the usual mixture of mostly light nuclei, like protons, gradually gives way to heavier particles that are less scrambled by <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013pss5.book..641B/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galactic magnetic fields</a>.



According to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan-Biteau" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jonathan Biteau</a>, from the Academic Institute of France's <a href="https://www.auger.org/collaboration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pierre Auger Collaboration</a>, this energy range represents a step into a more revealing territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-signs-in-the-data">Observing signs in the data</h2>



Changes in the large-scale patterns of cosmic rays <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-rays-help-archaeologists-determine-age-discoveries-prehistoric-settlements/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seen across the sky</a> start to stand out and offer clues to their sources. 



This is where the cosmic ray story moves beyond a random spray of particles and hints at something else: extragalactic origins with distinct characteristics.



"Cosmic rays begin to reveal their secrets at energies above 5 EeV," said Biteau.



Measurements gathered over many years at facilities like the Pierre Auger Observatory show that once energies climb past this point, a pattern emerges in the shape of the energy spectrum.



Distinct features, known as the ankle near 5 EeV, the instep at about 15 EeV, and the toe around 45 EeV, mark noticeable shifts in the composition of the flux.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-to-sources-of-cosmic-rays">Clues to sources of cosmic rays</h2>



Observations <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.06486" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicate</a> that heavier nuclei start dominating the picture at higher energies. These changes tell researchers that different acceleration processes and astrophysical environments might be at play.



As energies increase, the sky coverage reveals that some directions supply more cosmic rays than others. This nonuniformity, known as anisotropy, has become more apparent.



Over the past decade, scientists have reported that the pattern of cosmic-ray arrival directions changes in a way that strongly suggests extragalactic sources. 



<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aan4338" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> shows a large-scale anisotropy above a few EeV rising to a significance of about 7 σ above 8 EeV.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one-step-closer">One step closer</h2>



Pinpointing the birthplaces of these high-energy particles has proved challenging, but scientists continue to gather clues. 



As cosmic rays push into these higher energy realms, they are less scattered by magnetic fields, making it easier to identify their original directions.



Emerging <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1612.07155" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> supports the idea that many of these ultra-high-energy rays are launched by extragalactic sources like star-forming galaxies or other intense astrophysical sites.



The data hint that active regions far beyond our galaxy could be connected to the observed arrival patterns.



Researchers also notice that certain sky regions, like those associated with clusters of nearby galaxies, line up better with the arrival directions than a purely uniform spread would allow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifts-in-cosmic-rays-composition">Shifts in cosmic rays' composition</h2>



Stepping above 5 EeV not only shines a light on extragalactic origins but also shows that the “stuff” hitting us at these energies is different.



Instead of mostly light nuclei like hydrogen and helium, many cosmic rays are heavier, involving atoms like carbon or oxygen.



This suggests that whatever "engines" are producing them, they must either selectively accelerate heavier particles or conditions in their environment alter the mix by the time they reach Earth.



The surprising scarcity of lighter elements runs counter to earlier guesses and requires fresh thinking from theorists.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-holds-the-key-to-their-birthplaces">What holds the key to their birthplaces?</h2>



As these rays travel huge distances, their paths bend slightly in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/powerful-magnetic-fields-may-be-key-features-of-black-holes/">magnetic fields</a> along the way. Even tiny bends can shuffle their directions enough to complicate efforts to pinpoint sources.



To address this, scientists model how nuclei of different masses respond to magnetic fields. If the rays still show a pattern that points to certain neighborhoods in space, that strengthens the argument that those regions contain the engines fueling these incredible energies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-single-culprit-yet">No single culprit yet</h2>



Many questions remain. Some experts suggest star-forming galaxies as prime suspects since these environments can host energetic events that might whip particles up to extreme energies.



Others consider whether active galactic nuclei, powered by <a href="https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/S/Supermassive+Black+Hole" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black holes</a>, might do the trick.



Current evidence favors the idea that star-forming galaxies provide a better match to the observed patterns than other candidates, but that does not slam the door on other possibilities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-theory-and-observations">Bridging theory and observations</h2>



The unusual composition and the changing patterns seen above 5 EeV push theorists to re-examine old ideas. 



Traditional models that relied on smooth distributions of particle energies and the presence of light nuclei are under pressure.



New models must explain the sharp transitions, the heavy nuclei, and the hints of extragalactic origins. As measurements improve, scientists hope to confirm or refute certain types of sources. 



If future data link cosmic rays more closely to certain types of galaxies or astrophysical conditions, it would be a major step forward in understanding how the universe’s most energetic particles are made.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-upgrades-and-the-future">Ongoing upgrades and the future</h2>



As detectors improve and more data are collected, the community expects to refine the energy calibration, measure more showers, and achieve better accuracy. Each improvement adds detail to this cosmic jigsaw puzzle.



If a tighter correlation with certain galaxy groups emerges, that could finally close in on the actual sources. Until then, each new measurement, each new analysis, and each new insight keeps the hunt alive.



The research paper was published in the <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.102.062005" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Journals</a>.



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Strange, high-energy cosmic rays: Did something outside our galaxy send them here?

Cosmic rays are high-speed particles that move through space and...

Humanity faces an urgent need for change to prevent biodiversity loss and the continued destruction of our planet. The UN biodiversity expert panel's latest "transformative change" report highlights the dire need for radical societal shifts.



Released Wednesday by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the report calls for immediate action to address overconsumption, wealth concentration, and humanity's growing disconnection from nature.



"It is not just governments. It is not just business. It is not just civil society. It is all of us. We all need to work together," said Arun Agrawal, one of the report’s lead authors.



While transformative action may seem challenging, the report emphasizes that it is achievable. Here’s a closer look at three inspiring examples of successful transformations from around the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reviving-marine-ecosystems-os-minarzos-model">Reviving marine ecosystems: "Os Minarzos" model</h2>



In 2002, Spain suffered a severe ecological disaster when the Prestige oil tanker broke apart, spilling massive amounts of oil into the Atlantic Ocean. 



This environmental catastrophe devastated Galicia's coastline, causing significant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-light-sustains-biodiversity-over-millions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> loss and severely affecting marine life and the livelihoods of local fishing communities.



In response, the communities in Galicia decided to adopt a new approach to marine reserve management, called the "Os Minarzos" model.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-of-the-model">Advantages of the model</h2>



This innovative strategy brought together fishers, scientists, and local authorities to collaboratively restore and protect the marine ecosystem. 



The model emphasized sustainable fishing practices, scientific guidance, and community involvement - promoting cooperation among all stakeholders.



Although the transition faced challenges, including initial disagreements and tensions, the initiative became a long-term success. 



Over time, the "Os Minarzos" model led to healthier marine ecosystems, improved fishing practices, and increased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-solutions-for-the-climate-and-biodiversity-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>. Local fishers also experienced higher incomes, while trust and cooperation within the community strengthened significantly.



The model’s impact extended far beyond Galicia. It inspired international guidelines for sustainable marine management and influenced networks of over 20 million fishers across Europe and the Americas. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-technology-to-prevent-biodiversity-loss">Technology to prevent biodiversity loss</h2>



In China, the Ant Forest mobile application has become a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-biodiversity-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-attainable-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">powerful tool</a> for promoting eco-friendly habits and environmental restoration. 



Launched in 2016, this innovative app encourages users to adopt sustainable behaviors, such as walking or cycling instead of driving, and cutting down on plastic and paper usage. 



For every eco-friendly action, users earn "green energy points" in the app, which accumulate to grow a virtual tree. Each virtual tree is then matched with the planting of a real tree.



The initiative has made a significant impact. Since its inception, Ant Forest has planted an astounding 548 million trees across 13 provinces in China. This reforestation effort not only helps combat climate change but also addresses environmental degradation in vulnerable areas.



Beyond its environmental benefits, the project has also provided economic opportunities. It has created jobs in eco-agriculture and ecotourism, particularly in rural regions struggling with environmental challenges. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-led-conservation">Community-led conservation</h2>



The <a href="https://www.nashulai.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nashulai Maasai Conservancy</a> in Kenya is a pioneering example of how traditional knowledge and community engagement can drive effective <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation</a>. 



This initiative blends the wisdom of indigenous practices with modern approaches to tackle multiple challenges, including species protection, income generation, and climate change mitigation.



The conservancy adopts a holistic strategy by establishing community-managed protected areas. These areas not only safeguard wildlife and combat biodiversity loss but also involve local communities in activities like river cleaning and tree planting. 



Such efforts improve environmental health while addressing the needs of the people living in the region.



This collaborative approach has transformed Nashulai into a thriving habitat where both humans and wildlife coexist harmoniously. By empowering local communities and integrating ecological restoration with socio-economic benefits, Nashulai exemplifies how conservation can work in harmony with human development.



"Over a very short period of time, biodiversity reappeared," said Karen O’Brien, another lead author of the report. "The power of community, again and again in our examples, is important."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-biodiversity-loss">Addressing biodiversity loss</h2>



The <a href="https://www.un.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UN</a> report highlights the interconnectedness of ecological, social, and economic challenges - offering a blueprint for action.



Addressing biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse requires collective effort. "It is all of us. We all need to work together," said Agrawal.



These stories from Galicia, China, and Kenya show that transformation is not only possible but can yield tangible benefits. 



Whether through community-driven conservation, innovative technology, or collaborative governance, humanity has the tools to make a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-tracking-is-crucial-for-preserving-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">difference</a>. The question is whether or not we will rise to the challenge.



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UN report calls for global change to stop biodiversity loss

Humanity faces an urgent need for change to prevent biodiversity...

Mars,Inner,Structure.,Elements,Of,This,Image,Furnished,By,Nasa

A fresh look inside Mars suggests that what lurks far beneath its dusty surface might change how we think about water on the Red Planet.



Evidence emerging from <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409983121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that liquid water is sequestered deep under the Red Planet's surface, locked in cracks and pores.



Scientists say there could be enough of it to blanket the entire planet under about a mile of ocean. This revelation challenges the old assumption that most of Mars water vanished into space billions of years ago.



Instead, a substantial portion of it may never have left at all -- remaining present deep underground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subterranean-secrets">Subterranean secrets</h2>



Deep beneath the barren landscape, seismic readings gathered by NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/insight" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">InSight mission</a> support the idea of an immense, hidden reservoir. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>, and <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC San Diego</a> honed in on signals from Mars's quakes, meteor strikes, and volcanic murmurs to map what lies below.



By interpreting how these waves traveled through different layers, the team found that the presence of water-soaked rock best explains the data.



The <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/12/scientists-discover-oceans-worth-of-liquid-water-on-mars-and-a-potential-home-for-alien-life-but-theres-one-big-catch/">findings</a> suggest that liquid is trapped in tiny fissures deep underground. According to Manga, a hidden water supply far below the Martian surface is hardly an inhospitable zone.



“I don't see why [the underground water] is not a habitable environment,” said <a href="https://eps.berkeley.edu/people/michael-manga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Manga</a>, a professor of earth and planetary science at UC Berkeley.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mars-water-and-potential-for-life">Mars water and potential for life</h2>



No direct biosignatures have ever emerged from Mars, yet the notion of a suitable habitat underground tempts the imagination. 



Organisms on Earth survive at crushing depths and in pitch-black caverns. Similar conditions might exist beneath Mars’s crust.



“We haven't found any evidence for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insights-alien-life-mars-water-sulfur-discovered-gained-studying-extreme-life-earth/">life on Mars</a>, but at least we have identified a place that should, in principle, be able to sustain life,” Manga explained.



Even so, confirming anything alive down there is a tall order, and any future attempt to reach these elusive waters would stretch engineering know-how to its limit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-drilling-and-tough-odds">Deep drilling and tough odds</h2>



Though the newfound reservoir might hold riches of scientific interest, it also resides at depths of about 7 to 13 miles (11 to 21 kilometers). 



On Earth, drilling down that far is beyond current engineering capabilities. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/06/china-begins-drilling-one-of-worlds-deepest-holes-in-hunt-for-discoveries-deep-inside-the-earth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kola Superdeep Borehole</a> in Russia, the deepest hole ever created by humans, reached just over 7.6 miles (12 kilometers).



Tapping the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-has-a-water-reservoir-two-miles-deep-enough-to-fill-earths-red-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martian water supply</a>, which sits deeper, looks virtually impossible with the technology we have today. 



This puts a damper on visions of settlers using these waters as a resource anytime soon. Mars may be water-rich underground, but those riches are locked away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-the-past">Clues from the past</h2>



Long ago, Mars likely resembled a wetter place. Orbital imaging and rover missions have <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-confirms-evidence-that-liquid-water-flows-on-todays-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">revealed</a> surface features that point to a time when rivers and lakes carved out the terrain. 



Geological evidence indicates that liquid water helped <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freya-castle-rock-with-black-and-white-stripes-found-on-mars-has-nasa-excited/">form certain minerals</a>.



Scientists have struggled to explain what happened when Mars lost its thick atmosphere, which once prevented surface water from vaporizing into space. 



These new findings hint that large portions of the planet’s original water supply did not vanish entirely. Instead, it may have seeped deep into the planet's crust, remaining there ever since.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-window-into-martian-history">Window into Martian history</h2>



Wright, who contributed to understanding Mars’s current water distribution, stressed the significance of knowing how much and where liquid exists today.&nbsp;



“Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the climate, surface and interior. 



A useful starting point is to identify where water is and how much is there,” said <a href="https://vwright.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vashan Wright</a>, assistant professor at UC San Diego’s <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a>.



Peering into this underground reservoir offers a rare glimpse into ancient processes that shaped the Red Planet. It may explain why Mars shifted from a wet environment to a cold, dry world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-on-mars-and-future-study">Water on Mars and future study</h2>



The InSight mission, which ended in 2022, recorded seismic activity long enough to provide a wealth of clues about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-gravity-map-exposes-ancient-structures-and-volcanic-activity/">Mars’s structure</a>. Its readings have now sparked a different perspective on where the Red Planet stashed its water.



Reaching and analyzing these underground stores remain a distant dream, but simply knowing they exist changes how scientists think about Mars as a potentially habitable place. 



Perhaps the mysteries of these deep waters will inspire novel tools and missions in future.



Until then, human curiosity and imagination will keep this buried reservoir near the top of must-explore questions as we continue to study the planet’s past and puzzle over its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-may-have-finally-discovered-life-on-mars/">potential for supporting life</a>.



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Buried water found on Mars sparks new hopes and headaches

A fresh look inside Mars suggests that what lurks far...

Have you ever wondered how malignancies like cancer grow, evolve, and, most importantly, how we can stop them? The answer may be hidden within the microscopic world of our cells.



This year, the World Health Organization has reported that cancer afflicted over 20 million people and claimed nearly 10 million lives. The search for an effective cure is a race against time, and two bright minds from Texas A&amp;M University have brought us a step closer to the finish line.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environment-around-cancer-cells">Environment around cancer cells</h2>



Graduate students Samere Zade and Ting-Ching Wang from <a href="https://www.tamu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M University</a>, working under the guidance of the Lele Lab, have uncovered valuable insights into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-the-next-frontier-in-cancer-treatment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer’s progression</a>.



The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, reveals how the stiffening of a tumor cell’s environment influences the structure and function of its nucleus. This offers a new perspective on why cancer cells proliferate so aggressively.



“Cancer has proven to be a difficult disease to treat. It is extremely complex, and the molecular mechanisms that enable tumor progression are not understood,” explained Dr. Tanmay Lele, a joint faculty member in biomedical and chemical engineering. 



“Our findings shed new light into how the stiffening of tumor tissue can promote tumor cell proliferation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stiffness-and-cancer-cell-proliferation">Stiffness and cancer cell proliferation</h2>



The study highlights how tumor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-cooking-oils-in-your-diet-may-be-linked-to-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cells</a> respond to stiff surroundings. The nuclear lamina, which is like a support structure for the cell's nucleus, becomes smoother and tighter when the cell interacts with a stiff environment. 



This happens because the cell spreads out on the rigid surface, causing changes in the nucleus's structure.



As a result, a specific protein called yes-associated protein (YAP) moves into the nucleus. YAP plays a crucial role in controlling how cells multiply. Once inside the nucleus, YAP activates processes that make the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/molecular-fingerprints-could-be-key-to-early-cancer-detection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a> cells grow and divide more rapidly, contributing to the aggressive spread of the tumor.



“The ability of stiff matrices to influence nuclear tension and regulate YAP localization could help explain how tumors become more aggressive and perhaps even resistant to treatment in stiffened tissues,” said Zade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structural-integrity-of-the-cell-nucleus">Structural integrity of the cell nucleus</h2>



This discovery expands on earlier research by the Lele Lab, which showed that the cell nucleus acts similarly to a liquid droplet. Just like a droplet maintains its shape due to surface tension, the nucleus relies on a protein called lamin A/C in its nuclear lamina to preserve its structural integrity.



In the new study, researchers found that lamin A/C not only helps maintain the nucleus shape but also plays a key role in regulating cancer cell <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simple-lifestyle-changes-could-prevent-half-of-all-cancer-deaths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">growth</a>.



When lamin A/C levels are reduced, it disrupts the ability of the yes-associated protein (YAP) to move into the nucleus. 



Since YAP is responsible for promoting cell multiplication, this reduction in lamin A/C limits YAP activity in the nucleus, slowing down the rapid proliferation of cancer cells. This finding suggests that lamin A/C could be a potential target for cancer treatments.



“The protein lamin A/C plays a key role here - reducing it made cells less responsive to environmental stiffness, particularly affecting the localization of a key regulatory protein (YAP) to the nucleus,” Zade explained.



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



The implications of this research extend beyond academic understanding. By uncovering how matrix stiffness drives nuclear changes and regulates pathways like YAP signaling, the findings open the door to innovative cancer treatments.



“Uncovering how matrix stiffness drives nuclear changes and regulates key pathways, like YAP signaling, opens the door to developing therapies that target these mechanical pathways,” said Zade. 



“Drugs or treatments could be designed to soften the tumor environment, disrupting the physical cues that help cancer cells thrive. Lamin A/C and related nuclear mechanics could become targets for cancer treatments.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



The <a href="https://lelelab.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lele Lab</a> plans to expand its research by investigating the extent to which these findings apply to tumors derived from patients. This step could bridge the gap between lab-based discoveries and practical treatments, bringing hope to millions affected by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ketogenic-diet-may-help-the-body-kill-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a>.



This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, and the National Science Foundation. The Texas A&amp;M Engineering Experiment Station administered the funding, highlighting the institution’s commitment to innovative cancer research.



Through their meticulous study of nuclear mechanics and tumor stiffness, the researchers at the Lele Lab have paved the way for new avenues in cancer treatment. 



The findings highlight the importance of targeting the physical microenvironment of cancer cells, offering a fresh perspective in the fight against one of humanity’s most challenging diseases.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-54577-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Microscopic discovery reveals how cancer cells grow faster

Have you ever wondered how malignancies like cancer grow, evolve,...

Ever thought that saving trees was as simple as stopping deforestation? Think again. A new study from Ecuador's Amazon reveals a more complicated story, where the survival of trees depends on a delicate dance between plants and animals - and this dance is falling apart.



Research from the Universidad de las Américas (UDLA) in Ecuador, led by Dr. Juan Ernesto Guevara-Andino and Dr. María-José Endara, has revealed some startling numbers.



About 14% of tree species in the Ecuadorian Amazon are critically endangered, while almost half (47%) could go extinct if things don't change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-with-smaller-fruits">Trees with smaller fruits</h2>



Size matters in the Amazon, but not in the way you'd expect. Trees with smaller fruits are having an especially tough time. These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-than-one-third-of-the-worlds-trees-face-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> rely on specific animals to spread their seeds, and those animals are becoming harder to find.



It's like a restaurant losing its delivery drivers - the food's ready to go, but there's no way to get it where it needs to be.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-to-amazonian-trees">Threats to Amazonian trees</h2>



While most of us think of logging when we hear about threats to the Amazon, the reality is far more complex.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-largest-living-organism-consists-of-47000-trees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trees</a> don't live in isolation - they are part of a community that includes insects, birds, and mammals. Each species plays its role, whether it's pollinating flowers or spreading seeds.



"Thus, our results highlight the importance of incorporating meaningful ecological traits in extinction risk estimates, such as those related to reproduction and life history strategies," explained Dr. Endara.



Her words point to a crucial fact: we can't save trees without understanding their relationships with other species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protected-areas-not-as-safe-as-we-thought">Protected areas: Not as safe as we thought</h2>



One may think trees in protected areas would be safe. However, the study found otherwise. Even in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador's crown jewel of conservation, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/resilient-trees-can-help-safeguard-cities-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees are in trouble</a>.



"For example, we found that some endemic tree species populations are experiencing high levels of threat by deforestation inside the Yasuní National Park, the biggest and most iconic protected area in the Ecuadorian Amazon," noted Dr. Guevara-Andino.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-approach-to-protecting-amazon-trees">New approach to protecting Amazon trees</h2>



The old way of protecting trees mainly focused on stopping deforestation. But this study shows we need to think bigger. 



We need to protect not just the trees, but the entire system that they are part of - including the animals that help them reproduce and spread.



This means conservation plans need to consider things like which animals disperse each tree's seeds, how different species depend on each other, and what happens when one species disappears from the system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-ecuador">Looking beyond Ecuador</h2>



What's happening in Ecuador isn't just Ecuador's problem. The <a href="https://www.udla.cl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UDLA</a> study gives us clues about what might be happening in other rainforests around the world. 



When we lose one species, it affects many others - like pulling one thread and watching a whole sweater unravel.



The good news is that understanding these connections gives us new ways to help. By protecting both trees and the animals they depend on, we have a better chance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-relocating-in-a-race-against-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">keeping these forests alive</a> for future generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-the-amazon-s-trees">Saving the Amazon's trees</h2>



The numbers from this study - 14% critically endangered tree species and and 47% threatened - should wake us up.



But they also point the way forward. We can't just focus on stopping chainsaws. We need to protect the whole forest community - from the smallest pollinator to the largest seed-dispersing animal.



The path ahead isn't simple, but it's clear. To save the Amazon's trees, we need to think about forests differently. They're not just collections of trees - they're complex communities where every species plays a vital role. And just like any community, they are stronger when all of their members are healthy and present.



The research does more than just raise alarms. It shows us that saving trees means saving relationships - between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-have-an-amazing-ability-to-adapt-to-new-climates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a> and animals, between species and their environment, and ultimately, between humans and nature. The question now is whether we'll act on this knowledge in time to make a difference.



The trees of Ecuador's Amazon face many threats, but perhaps the biggest one is our own limited understanding of how forests really work. This study helps fix that problem. Now it's up to us to use this knowledge to protect not just the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-greening-predicting-the-cooling-effects-of-trees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a>, but the entire web of life they're part of.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10606" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plants People Planet</a>.



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Amazon trees are critically endangered, even in protected areas

Ever thought that saving trees was as simple as stopping...

For many decades, scientists have documented how burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases that trap heat near Earth’s surface, driving a gradual - but consistent - warming trend.&nbsp;



Recently, however, the world has experienced an extraordinary surge in temperatures, catapulting the climate system into uncharted territory and confounding some of the best climate models available.&nbsp;



This abrupt, persistent streak of unprecedented warmth over the past two years has shattered temperature records, raising urgent questions: Why is it so much hotter than expected right now, and does it signal a more profound transformation underway?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-remarkable-and-persistent-heat-surge">A remarkable and persistent heat surge</h2>



After decades of steadily rising temperatures, 2023 saw a dramatic jump in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mapping-2024s-record-heat-unveiling-earths-climate-danger-zones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global heat</a> - enough for it to become the hottest year in recorded history. But the extraordinary nature of this uptick did not stop there.&nbsp;



By 2024, average sea-surface and air temperatures had shot up again, setting new records that far exceeded previous benchmarks.&nbsp;



According to the <a href="https://wmo.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Meteorological Organization</a>, the temperature anomalies between June 2023 and September 2024 were so far beyond typical year-to-year variability that experts called it an “unprecedented streak,” with 2024 now on track to be the warmest year ever documented.



“Warming in 2023 was head-and-shoulders above any other year, and 2024 will be as well,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of the <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a>. "I wish I knew why, but I don’t. We’re still in the process of assessing what happened and if we are seeing a shift in how the climate system operates.”



While all scientists agree that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reach-another-all-time-high/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse gases</a> from fossil fuel use remain the primary driver of Earth’s overall warming trend, they are still debating how to explain this short-term explosion in global temperatures.&nbsp;



Changes in cloud patterns, air pollution, and the planet’s capacity to store carbon are among the suspected contributors, but experts believe it may take at least another year or two to fully untangle the puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncharted-territory-in-climate-records">“Uncharted territory” in climate records</h2>



Climate specialists characterize the past two years as pushing the planet “well into uncharted territory,” a phrase used by Richard Allan, a climate scientist from the University of Reading in the UK.&nbsp;



The magnitude of recent warming has tested established climate models, placing it, according to climatologist Sonia Seneviratne at ETH Zurich, “at the limit of what we would expect based on existing climate models.”&nbsp;



At the same time, Seneviratne emphasized that rising fossil fuel emissions make long-term warming trends wholly unsurprising.



So how is it that temperatures became so anomalous? Early theories focus on how natural climate variability has intersected with human-driven warming.&nbsp;



One factor is the unusually strong shift from a rare, three-year La Niña - which generally cools the planet by sending additional heat into the deep oceans - to a warming El Niño event that started in mid-2023, releasing stored energy back into the atmosphere.&nbsp;



While this helps explain some portion of the spike, temperatures remained persistently high even after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-event-may-push-earth-towards-its-hottest-year-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Niño</a> peaked in January.



“It is difficult to explain this at the moment,” said Robert Vautard, a member of the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC). “We lack a bit of perspective. If temperatures do not drop more sharply in 2025, we will really have to ask ourselves questions about the cause.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-factors-contributing-to-the-heat-surge">Factors contributing to the heat surge</h2>



Amid these extraordinary conditions, scientists have zeroed in on multiple theories that go beyond El Niño.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifts-in-airborne-pollution">Shifts in airborne pollution</h3>



A global shift to cleaner shipping fuels around 2020 might have slashed emissions of sulfur compounds that ordinarily create reflective, mirror-like clouds in shipping lanes.&nbsp;



With fewer sulfur aerosols, more sunlight could be reaching the Earth’s surface, potentially accelerating warming.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reduction-in-low-lying-clouds-nbsp">Reduction in low-lying clouds&nbsp;</h3>



A peer-reviewed study proposed that a global decline in low-lying clouds might have allowed extra solar radiation to heat the surface, but establishing consistent data across the planet remains challenging.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-weakening-of-carbon-sinks-nbsp">Weakening of carbon sinks&nbsp;</h3>



Forests and oceans, traditionally known to absorb much of humanity’s carbon emissions, showed signs of stress in 2023. Scientists described this as an “unprecedented weakening” of Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sinks</a>, suggesting the planet’s ability to store CO₂ might be faltering.&nbsp;



If sinks become less effective at capturing carbon, warming could speed up beyond current estimates.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-tundra-emissions-nbsp">Arctic tundra emissions&nbsp;</h3>



In December, the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> reported that Arctic tundra, which has locked away carbon dioxide for millennia, has begun releasing more CO₂ than it captures.&nbsp;



Such a shift, scientists warn, might tip the balance of the global carbon cycle, further feeding into accelerated warming.



None of these hypotheses alone fully accounts for the heat surge, prompting climate experts to suspect the convergence of multiple factors.&nbsp;



“We cannot exclude that some other factors also further amplified the temperatures... the verdict is still out,” said Seneviratne.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-at-odds-with-climate-models">At odds with climate models</h2>



Climate models, which have reliably simulated broad, decades-long warming trends, appear to have underestimated just how extreme and enduring this recent heat streak would be.&nbsp;



“What occurred was at the limit of what we would expect based on existing climate models,” Seneviratne said. Some experts worry that if any key feedbacks or phenomena were missing from these models, the planet could be approaching a threshold of more profound, potentially less reversible changes.



Johan Rockström, director of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>, voiced concerns about rapidly warming oceans, which have long served as massive heat and carbon sinks.&nbsp;



“Oceans are warming at a rate scientists cannot fully explain,” he said last month. “Could this be a first sign of a planet starting to show a loss of resilience? We cannot exclude it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-warning-for-what-may-lie-ahead">A warning for what may lie ahead</h2>



Record-high temperatures in 2023 and 2024 offer a stark reminder of the fragility of Earth’s climate system.&nbsp;



Although some interplay of El Niño, cloud cover, and carbon sink changes may explain part of the observed heat, the fundamental driver remains human emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels.&nbsp;



Even if the dramatic peak fades in coming months, the possibility persists that Earth’s temperature baseline has permanently ratcheted up, edging us closer to thresholds that portend more dangerous extremes.



For many climate experts, these heat surges serve as yet another clarion call to reduce emissions swiftly, to develop robust adaptation strategies, and to keep monitoring the climate system’s every nuance. 



If the current anomalies hint at hidden processes at work - like a weakening Arctic tundra sink or oceanic shifts - policy decisions made now to cut emissions and preserve resilience could become all the more consequential.



Vautard emphasized that if the climate doesn’t cool off more sharply in 2025, it would prompt scientists to reevaluate their assumptions about the interplay of natural and human-driven factors - perhaps indicating a more profound shift in how our climate operates.&nbsp;



In this uncertain scenario, building deeper scientific understanding becomes ever more urgent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-resilience-against-future-heat-surges">Building resilience against future heat surges</h2>



Although the short-term temperature surge has challenged existing forecasts, the broader climate consensus remains intact: Earth is warming at an alarming rate, primarily due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.&nbsp;



This abrupt heat wave may be a harbinger of future extremes, or possibly just a short-lived but jarring deviation from expected patterns.&nbsp;



Determining which is the case will likely require another year or two of data, plus renewed efforts to bolster climate observation networks, refine models, and capture nuanced processes in the oceans, atmosphere, and polar regions.



No matter the final explanation, the world’s experience over the last two years underscores the climate’s capacity to surprise - sometimes by margins that drastically shift our sense of what is “normal.”&nbsp;



For policymakers, this event highlights both the urgency of emission cuts and the importance of resilience-building measures against more frequent or severe heat surges.&nbsp;



For scientists, the anomaly reveals how much is still left to learn about the planet’s complex interplay of feedbacks and stresses.



“We’re still in the process of assessing what happened and if we are seeing a shift in how the climate system operates,” Schmidt said.&nbsp;



Whether this remarkable episode proves to be a short detour or a glimpse of a new reality, it adds fresh impetus to the effort to better predict, manage, and mitigate the precarious path Earth is on.



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Puzzling heat surge pushes Earth’s climate to new extremes

For many decades, scientists have documented how burning fossil fuels...

Tea,Bag,Pulled,From,Hot,Tea,Cup

You might think of tea as a comforting, soothing ritual. But, scientists at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have made a startling discovery -- infusing tea through commercial tea bags might be releasing billions of nanoplastics and microplastics into your cup.



Recent research from the Mutagenesis Group in the UAB Department of Genetics and Microbiology highlights how polymer-based tea bags release microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPLs) during brewing.



For the first time, the study has shown that these particles can be absorbed by human intestinal cells, potentially entering the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-source-of-plastics-in-tea-bags">Source of plastics in tea bags</h2>



Food packaging is a leading contributor to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-steadily-increasing-in-freshwater-environments/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">micro and nanoplastic pollution</a>. Humans are primarily exposed to these particles through inhalation and ingestion. 



This new study focuses on the significant release of MNPLs from commercially available tea bags when used to prepare an infusion.



The researchers discovered alarming levels of contamination:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Polypropylene released around 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nanometers. </li>



<li>Cellulose released 135 million particles per milliliter, averaging 244 nanometers. </li>



<li>Nylon-6&nbsp;released&nbsp;8.18 million particles per milliliter, averaging 138.4 nanometers.</li>
</ul>



These findings underline the importance of identifying and reducing plastic exposure through everyday items, like tea bags.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-analyzing-plastic-particles-in-tea-bags">Analyzing plastic particles in tea bags</h2>



To characterize these particles, the researchers employed advanced analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-nanotechnology-is-fighting-microplastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nanoparticle</a> tracking analysis (NTA).



These methods allowed the team to examine the structure, size, and behavior of the particles in detail.



"We have managed to innovatively characterize these pollutants with a set of cutting-edge techniques, which is a very important tool to advance research on their possible impacts on human health," explained <a href="https://www.uab.cat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UAB</a> researcher Alba Garcia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-benefits-of-tea">Health benefits of tea</h2>



For starters, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-tea-every-day-proven-to-delay-biological-aging-in-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tea is packed with antioxidants</a>, which help your body fight off harmful free radicals. These antioxidants can reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and certain cancers. 



Plus, different types of tea, like green, black, and oolong, have unique compounds that support brain health, potentially improving focus and reducing the chances of developing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-a-brain-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions like Alzheimer's</a>. 



Sipping on a cup of tea can be a simple way to boost your overall health and keep your mind sharp.



Another great perk of drinking tea is that it can help with relaxation and stress relief. Herbal teas like chamomile and peppermint are well-known for their calming effects, making them perfect for unwinding after a long day. 



Even caffeinated teas, when enjoyed in moderation, can provide a gentle energy boost without the jitters that coffee might cause. 



Additionally, tea can aid in digestion and promote a healthy metabolism, which is beneficial if you're looking to maintain or lose weight. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-risks-from-plastics-in-tea">Human risks from plastics in tea</h2>



For the first time, the team explored how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-infiltrating-the-human-body-even-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MNPLs</a> interact with human intestinal cells. To achieve this, they stained the particles to track their movement and exposed them to various types of intestinal cells in the lab. 



The study revealed that mucus-producing intestinal cells absorbed the highest amount of these plastic particles from tea bags.



This was a significant finding because these cells play a protective role in the gut. Even more alarming was the observation that some particles managed to penetrate the cell nucleus, the part of the cell where genetic material is stored and regulated.



This discovery raises serious concerns about the long-term health effects of MNPL exposure. If these particles can reach the nucleus, they may interfere with cellular functions or genetic processes, potentially causing harmful outcomes over time.



The researchers also noted that intestinal mucus played a key role in helping the particles enter the cells. This finding suggests that individuals with frequent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-trigger-cloud-formation-and-alter-weather-patterns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exposure to MNPLs</a> - such as those from food or drink packaging - could face cumulative risks.



Chronic exposure might lead to widespread impacts on health, emphasizing the need for further research and preventive measures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calls-for-regulation-and-policy-changes">Calls for regulation and policy changes</h2>



The findings emphasize the urgent need for regulatory measures to minimize <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-is-everywhere-even-in-newborns-and-getting-worse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MNPL contamination</a> in food packaging. 



"It is critical to develop standardized test methods to assess MNPLs contamination released from plastic food contact materials and to formulate regulatory policies to effectively mitigate and minimize this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-in-the-tissue-and-skeletons-of-corals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contamination</a>," noted Alba Garcia and her team.



"As the use of plastic in food packaging continues to increase, it is vital to address MNPLs contamination to ensure food safety and protect public health."



This research on contamination in tea bags highlights the pressing need to prioritize food safety in the face of rising plastic use. 



By understanding and addressing microplastic and nanoplastic contamination, we can work toward protecting public health and the environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-informed-choices-about-products">Making informed choices about products</h2>



This study sheds light on a hidden source of plastic pollution that affects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hotspots-of-microplastic-pollution-found-in-the-north-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">everyday life</a>. As tea drinkers worldwide sip from polymer-based tea bags, they may unknowingly expose themselves to billions of plastic particles.



The implications for human health are alarming, but this research offers a critical foundation for future studies and regulations.



Making informed choices about the products we use and supporting policies aimed at reducing plastic pollution are essential steps toward ensuring a safer, healthier future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653524026377?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chemosphere</a>.



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Tea bags release millions of plastic particles during brewing

You might think of tea as a comforting, soothing ritual....

Plastic waste continues to stress communities worldwide. Many people watch the steady build-up of plastic litter and worry about what the future may hold. 



Scientists are now looking at advanced materials that may turn this problems into opportunities.



Recent research, published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, highlights a special catalyst that helps transform plastic into useful products and releases hydrogen as a bonus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-refining-the-catalyst-material">Refining the catalyst material</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-plastic-pollution-has-become-a-global-crisis/">Plastic pollution</a> is a stubborn challenge that refuses to go away. Transforming waste plastic into hydrogen and other useful things may seem out of reach, but a group of researchers has now shown that it does not have to be this way.



They have worked on a cadmium sulfide (CdS) photocatalyst that, through a careful process, can break down plastic and also boost hydrogen production. These findings come from research led by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=R_L1j9MAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Kaveh Edalati</a> at <a href="https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyushu University</a> in Japan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shaping-cadmium-sulfide-for-bigger-results">Shaping cadmium sulfide for bigger results</h2>



The CdS photocatalyst in this study is an important new invention. The team introduced sulfur vacancies, small gaps that serve as active sites, and guided the CdS structure into a stable hexagonal phase. This led to a strong increase in hydrogen output.



According to the authors, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-hydrogen-energy-production-just-got-a-lot-easier/">hydrogen production</a> increased 23 fold when compared with what is seen using standard CdS. 



By managing these sulfur vacancies, the catalyst gains more places where reactions can occur. This makes it work harder and produce more hydrogen without the need for other chemical helpers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-trash-to-treasure">From trash to treasure</h2>



The idea of turning plastic bottles or other everyday plastic items into a source of hydrogen might seem odd, but these researchers have now shown that it can be done. 



This new CdS catalyst not only encourages hydrogen production, it can also break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic, into something more valuable.



PET is found in countless bottles and containers, and getting rid of it responsibly has proved difficult. Now, there is a sense that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/">unwanted plastic</a> can become a resource instead of ending up in landfills or oceans.



By building on this understanding, researchers hint at the power of materials science to affect broader environmental issues. 



They show that small changes in a catalyst’s design can mean big changes in its performance. This might inspire other ideas, including materials that make recycling more productive and less complicated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facing-global-plastic-pollution-head-on">Facing global plastic pollution head-on</h2>



Plastic production has increased at a staggering rate over the past several decades. 



<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> show that more than 8 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced since large-scale manufacturing took off in the mid-20th century, and most of it still lingers in our environment.



Vast amounts of waste float in the oceans, wash up on shorelines, and break down into microplastics that can enter food chains. 



This accumulation threatens wildlife, contaminates ecosystems, and undermines the health of communities worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-human-side-of-the-plastic-problem">The human side of the plastic problem</h2>



People sometimes think that plastic pollution is just about large pieces of litter. Yet microplastics, tiny fragments that form when plastic breaks down, have been found nearly everywhere.



Researchers have identified them in Arctic ice, in remote mountain ranges, and even <a href="https://www.aamc.org/news/microplastics-are-inside-us-all-what-does-mean-our-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in the human body</a>. 



Their presence stirs unease because their effects on human health remain unclear, and no one wants to find out the hard way. The sheer scale of plastic contamination makes this a truly global concern.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-cleaning-up-the-mess">Who is cleaning up the mess?</h2>



Many organizations have stepped in to address plastic pollution. One well-known example is <a href="https://theoceancleanup.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ocean Cleanup</a>, which aims to rid the oceans of floating plastic using large-scale cleaning systems.



Others, like the <a href="https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plastic Pollution Coalition</a>, bring together nonprofits, businesses, and individuals to push for systemic change. 



Local groups organize beach cleanups and recycling drives, raising awareness and inspiring positive action. These efforts underscore that people are not powerless, even though the problem is vast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-policy-and-responsibility-on-a-global-scale">Policy and responsibility on a global scale</h2>



Not all countries respond to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-plants-endangered-by-plastic-pollution-and-flooding/">plastic pollution</a> in the same way. Some lead the charge by banning single-use plastics, encouraging circular economies, or imposing hefty fees for plastic bags.



Nations like Kenya enforce strict bans on the use of plastic bags, significantly reducing pollution on their streets and in their fields.



Meanwhile, some other regions lag behind, with weak regulations or poor waste management systems that allow plastic trash to accumulate. Different approaches highlight that change is possible, but not everyone pulls their weight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examples-of-positive-moves">Examples of positive moves</h2>



The European Union has introduced policies to cut plastic waste by banning certain single-use plastics and setting ambitious recycling targets.



In Southeast Asia, countries like Vietnam and Thailand are exploring new laws to cut back on the use of plastic bags and containers. 



Such steps reflect a growing acknowledgment that the world needs to move away from the throwaway culture and toward more sustainable, long-term solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-and-missed-opportunities">Challenges and missed opportunities</h2>



In some places, lack of enforcement, corruption, or limited infrastructure frustrates progress. Even where good laws exist, poor implementation can leave them toothless.



A few global economic powers continue to export their plastic waste to developing countries that are ill-equipped to handle it, thereby shifting the burden rather than dealing with the problem. 



This approach can worsen pollution in vulnerable areas and breed resentment among communities struggling to protect their environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-toward-a-cleaner-future">Looking toward a cleaner future</h2>



Solving plastic pollution will likely require a combination of smarter product design, better <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tidal-wave-of-trash-waste-leakage-is-an-environmental-disaster/">waste management</a>, and more responsible consumer behavior. 



Innovations like the CdS catalyst can help nudge societies in a productive direction, turning plastic into something more useful.



People can support organizations working on the ground, encourage their leaders to adopt stricter policies, and pressure companies to use greener materials.



“We’re basically living in a plastic world,” said <a href="https://engineering.uga.edu/jenna-jambeck-named-2024-sec-professor-of-the-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Jenna Jambeck</a>, an environmental engineer at the University of Georgia and co-author of a widely-cited study on plastic waste. If that world is going to clean itself up, everyone has to play a part.



The full study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1385894724102215" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chemical Engineering Journal</a>.



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Could this breakthrough finally solve the plastic crisis?

Plastic waste continues to stress communities worldwide. Many people watch...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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