<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p><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.</p>



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



<p>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. </p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p><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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>"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.</p>



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



<p>Breaking it all down, the conclusions of this study are pretty simple. </p>



<p><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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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. </p>



<p><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. </p>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>"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."</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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"><em>Forest Ecology and Management</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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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...

<p>The cosmos, and the building blocks of life, just got a little more complex. A team of scientists led by Professor Joaquin Vieira and graduate student Kedar Phadke from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a>, in partnership with Texas A&amp;M University, have discovered complex organic molecules in a galaxy 12 billion light-years from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-new-quasi-moon-will-stick-around-for-hundreds-of-years/">Earth</a>. This makes it the furthest galaxy to harbor these molecules known to date. </p>



<p>Their findings, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05998-6"><em>Nature</em></a>, open a new window into understanding the intricate chemical processes that took place in the early universe's first galaxies.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-discovery-was-made">How the discovery was made</h2>



<p>How did they make this astonishing discovery? The experts utilized the recently deployed James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), coupled with rigorous data analysis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This project started when I was in graduate school studying hard-to-detect, very distant galaxies obscured by dust," said Vieira.</p>



<p>The dust grains in these galaxies absorb and re-emit approximately half of the stellar radiation in the universe, rendering the infrared light from distant objects incredibly faint and often undetectable by ground-based telescopes.</p>



<p>In this mind-blowing research, the team took advantage of what they term "nature's magnifying glass," a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, to identify the building blocks of life.</p>



<p>"This magnification happens when two galaxies are almost perfectly aligned from the Earth’s point of view, and light from the background galaxy is warped and magnified by the foreground galaxy into a ring-like shape, known as an Einstein ring," explained Vieira.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-astronomers-were-focused-on">What the astronomers were focused on</h2>



<p>Their attention honed in on an object named SPT0418-47, initially discovered using the National Science Foundation's South Pole Telescope. This object had previously been classified as a dust-obscured galaxy, magnified by gravitational lensing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Located 12 billion light-years from Earth, SPT0418-47 hails from a period when the universe was a mere 10 percent of its present age or less than 1.5 billion years old. "Before having access to the combined power of gravitational lensing and the JWST, we could neither see nor spatially resolve the actual background galaxy through all of the dust," said Vieira.</p>



<p>Through analyzing spectroscopic data from the JWST, the team found signs of heavy elements within the obscured interstellar gas of SPT0418-47. This discovery hints that generations of stars, along with building blocks of life, have come and gone within the galaxy. </p>



<h2 id="h-jwst-once-again-proves-to-be-a-game-changer">JWST once again proves to be a game-changer</h2>



<p>The researchers identified a specific compound, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), a molecule found on Earth in substances like combustion engine exhaust or forest fire smoke. PAHs, made of carbon chains, are considered fundamental building blocks of life -- the earliest forms of life.</p>



<p>Graduate student Phadke shares his enthusiasm about the research: “What this research is telling us right now - and we are still learning - is that we can see all of the regions where these smaller dust grains are located – regions that we could never see before the JWST.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>The new spectroscopic data paints a vivid picture of the galaxy's atomic and molecular composition, giving us invaluable insights into galaxy formation, their lifecycle, and how they evolve.</p>



<h2 id="h-research-team-is-surprised-and-ready-for-the-next-step">Research team is surprised and ready for the next step</h2>



<p>The team was pleasantly surprised by the outcome of their research. “Detecting these complex organic molecules at such a vast distance is game-changing regarding future observations," said Vieira. "This work is just the first step, and we’re just now learning how to use it and learn its capabilities. We are very excited to see how this plays out.”</p>



<p>“It’s extremely cool that galaxies I discovered while writing my thesis would one day be observed by the JWST. I am grateful to the U.S. taxpayers, the NSF, and NASA for funding and supporting both the SPT and the JWST. Without these instruments, this discovery could have never been made.”</p>



<p>Vieira also serves as the director of the Center for AstroPhysical Surveys (CAPS), funded by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at Illinois, while Phadke is a CAPS graduate fellow.</p>



<p>This remarkable discovery, finding the building blocks of life 12 billion light years away, is a testament to the capabilities of the JWST, which is operated by the Space Telescope Science Institute under the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., and its management through NASA contract NAS 5-03127.</p>



<p>As we continue to explore the mysteries of the universe, the discovery of complex organic molecules in galaxies so incredibly distant reminds us of the importance of continued investment in space technology and research.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As the researchers continue to dissect the data gathered by the JWST, one can only wonder what other groundbreaking discoveries lie ahead. In the vast expanse of space, we've only just begun to scratch the surface.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-building-blocks-of-life">More about the building blocks of life</h2>



<p>Life as we know it relies on a few key molecular ingredients. These essential building blocks of life include water, amino acids, nucleic acids, and lipids, along with a variety of other organic compounds.</p>



<h3 id="h-water">Water</h3>



<p>Water is vital to all known forms of life, acting as a solvent in which many biochemical reactions take place. It helps in the transportation of nutrients and waste products between our body cells and the environment.</p>



<h3 id="h-amino-acids">Amino Acids</h3>



<p>Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are crucial to all biological structures and functions. Proteins are involved in nearly every function of a cell, including structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs.</p>



<h3 id="h-nucleic-acids">Nucleic Acids</h3>



<p>Nucleic acids, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid), hold the genetic information for all living organisms. DNA carries the instructions for the structure and functioning of all cells, while RNA helps to translate these instructions into proteins.</p>



<h3 id="h-lipids">Lipids</h3>



<p>Lipids, including fats and cholesterol, have several important roles. They provide energy, form the cell membrane, and contribute to the functioning of the nervous system. They also play a crucial role in hormone production.</p>



<h3 id="h-sugars-and-carbohydrates">Sugars and Carbohydrates&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Sugars, including simple sugars (monosaccharides) and complex sugars (polysaccharides), provide energy to cells and help to build structures like cell walls in plants.</p>



<h3 id="h-vitamins-and-minerals">Vitamins and Minerals</h3>



<p>Vitamins are organic compounds, and minerals are inorganic. Both types of nutrients are necessary for the body to function properly. They play a role in various biological processes, including cell development, digestion, and metabolism.</p>



<p>The mention of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the press release relates to the fact that these compounds are made up of carbon rings. Carbon is a fundamental element in all organic life, and PAHs, while not typically considered a building block of life, could possibly play a role in the formation of life due to their carbon-rich nature.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On Earth, PAHs can form through natural processes like forest fires or human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels. Their detection in a distant galaxy could suggest similar chemical processes occurring in extraterrestrial environments.</p>



<p>The discovery of such organic molecules and the building blocks of life in a galaxy far, far away might not directly imply life as we know it. Still, it does suggest that the universe might be more chemically diverse and conducive to life than we previously imagined.</p>



<p>—--</p>



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

Building blocks of life found in a galaxy 12 billion light years away

The cosmos, and the building blocks of life, just got...

<p>Global ecosystems are under threat, facing a rapidly escalating biodiversity crisis with an alarmingly increasing rate of species extinction. Until now, tracking this loss on a large scale has been an elusive goal, primarily hindered by infrastructure inadequacies. A new study published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.036"><em>Current Biology</em></a>, however, introduces a surprising solution: environmental DNA (eDNA) that has been unintentionally captured in filters of air quality monitoring stations around the world.</p>



<p>"One of the biggest challenges in biodiversity is monitoring at landscape scales - and our data suggest this could be addressed using the already existing networks of air quality monitoring stations," said Elizabeth Clare, a scholar at York University Toronto, Canada.</p>



<p>These stations, she highlights, have been managed by both public and private entities for decades, but the ecological value of the samples collected has been largely overlooked.</p>



<h2 id="h-accidental-edna-jackpot-discovered">Accidental eDNA jackpot discovered</h2>



<p>Andrew Brown from the <a href="https://www.npl.co.uk/">National Physical Laboratory</a> (NPL) backs this up, arguing that these established air quality networks are "potentially a huge untapped source of biodiversity data."</p>



<p>While these monitoring stations have a long-standing history, the techniques to extract and analyze eDNA from the air have only recently been developed. This game-changing methodology was initially introduced in two prior studies, which provided preliminary evidence of its potential to identify zoo species through air sampling.</p>



<p>James Allerton, also from NPL, recalls how these early findings ignited a spark of curiosity within his team. Intrigued by the possibility that air quality data filters could serve as valuable DNA collectors, they approached Littlefair and Clare for further collaboration.</p>



<h2 id="h-objective-of-the-study">Objective of the study</h2>



<p>Together with Nina Garrett from York University Toronto, Joanne Littlefair from Queen Mary University of London, and other researchers, the experts embarked on a novel research endeavor. The objective was to explore whether these filters, used primarily to monitor heavy metals and other pollutants, could capture airborne eDNA reflective of local flora and fauna biodiversity.</p>



<p>The pioneering investigation revealed a remarkable biodiversity record trapped within the filters of two monitoring stations in the UK. Extraction and amplification of DNA from these filters identified eDNA from over 180 various species - from plants and fungi to insects, mammals, birds, amphibians, and more.</p>



<p>The species list was extensive, featuring "charismatic species such as badgers, dormice, little owls, and smooth newts, species of special conservation interest such as hedgehogs and songbirds, trees including ash, linden, pine, willow, and oak, plants like yarrows, mallows, daisy, nettles, and grasses, arable crops such as wheat, soybean, and cabbage."</p>



<p>The researchers noted that longer sampling periods resulted in the identification of more vertebrate species, which suggests an increased visitation of mammals and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diving-birds-face-a-greater-risk-of-extinction/">birds</a> over time.</p>



<p>According to the study results, air quality monitoring networks have inadvertently been gathering standardized, large-scale biodiversity data for many years, though the ecological significance of these samples has been grossly underestimated.</p>



<h2 id="h-some-samples-are-decades-old">Some samples are decades old</h2>



<p>The longevity of these samples, which in some places have been stored for decades, implies that they already embody a time capsule of ecological data. The researchers propose that with minor modifications to current monitoring practices, these samples could be instrumental in monitoring terrestrial biodiversity on a massive scale.</p>



<p>James Allerton expressed his enthusiasm for this discovery: “The most important finding, to my mind, is the demonstration that aerosol samplers typically used in national networks for ambient air quality monitoring can also collect eDNA. One can infer that such networks...must have been inadvertently picking up eDNA from the very air we breathe.”</p>



<p>"The potential of this cannot be overstated. It could be an absolute gamechanger for tracking and monitoring biodiversity," said Littlefair.</p>



<h2 id="h-next-step-how-to-use-this-edna-data-treasure-trove">Next step – how to use this eDNA data treasure trove</h2>



<p>The team is now focused on preserving as many samples as possible with this newfound purpose. Although these samples have already been collected, the team emphasizes that a coordinated global effort will be needed to fully harness the wealth of biodiversity information they contain.</p>



<p>Notably, this discovery has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the world around us. Air pollution monitoring networks exist in nearly every country, both in the form of government-operated or privately-owned systems, and often a combination of both. If utilized effectively, these existing infrastructures could provide an unprecedented solution to the global challenge of measuring biodiversity at a large scale.</p>



<p>"Almost every country has some kind of air pollution monitoring system or network...This could solve a global problem of how to measure biodiversity at a massive scale," said Littlefair.</p>



<p>The team is highly motivated to proceed with their research, eager to unlock the full potential of these underappreciated samples. Their findings offer an exciting breakthrough in the fight against biodiversity loss, redefining our ability to monitor and understand the world's ecological health on an unprecedented scale.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, to realize this promise, the researchers insist on the urgent need for a collaborative international effort. This could potentially lead to a global paradigm shift in biodiversity monitoring and conservation, turning the tide on a looming ecological crisis.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-edna">More about eDNA</h2>



<p>Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is genetic material that is collected directly from environmental samples such as soil, sediment, water, or air, rather than from an individual organism.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Organisms constantly shed cells and genetic material into their environment in the form of skin, hair, feces, urine, and even just the process of breathing out. These traces can be collected and analyzed to detect the presence of the organism that shed them.</p>



<h3 id="h-new-uses-found-for-edna">New uses found for eDNA</h3>



<p>eDNA has gained significant attention in recent years due to its wide range of applications, particularly in biodiversity monitoring and ecology. It can be used to detect species presence in a non-invasive manner, without needing to physically capture or observe the organisms. This is especially useful in aquatic environments, where traditional sampling methods can be challenging and invasive.</p>



<p>Moreover, eDNA can be used to detect elusive or rare species that are difficult to find using traditional methods. For instance, it has been used to detect the presence of endangered or invasive species in various environments, providing critical information for conservation and management efforts.</p>



<p>In the field of paleoecology, eDNA from sediments has been used to reconstruct past biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate. It's also used in forensic science, agriculture, and in the search for new pharmaceuticals.</p>



<h3 id="h-tech-advances-brings-new-uses">Tech advances brings new uses</h3>



<p>Recent technological advancements, particularly in high-throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatics, have made it possible to not only detect the presence of specific organisms, but also to characterize entire communities of organisms from eDNA samples. This is often referred to as metabarcoding.</p>



<p>However, the field of eDNA research is still developing, and there are challenges and limitations to its use. These include issues with DNA degradation, contamination, the uneven distribution of eDNA in the environment, and the need for accurate reference databases to match eDNA sequences.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, eDNA holds great promise for advancing our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystems, particularly in the context of global environmental change.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-global-biodiversity-crisis">More about the global biodiversity crisis</h2>



<p>The term "biodiversity crisis" refers to the rapid, human-induced loss of plant and animal species at the global scale. This rate of loss is so high that it's often compared to the five mass extinction events in Earth's history, leading many scientists to refer to the current era as the sixth mass extinction.</p>



<p>Biodiversity, the variety of life in a particular habitat or on Earth as a whole, is critical to the health of ecosystems and human survival. It contributes to everything from food security and medical research to climate regulation and recreational benefits.</p>



<p>According to the United Nations' <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/global-assessment">Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services</a> released in 2019, around one million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. The report points to five main drivers of this biodiversity loss:</p>



<h3 id="h-changes-in-land-and-sea-use">Changes in land and sea use</h3>



<p>This includes deforestation for agriculture, logging, mining, and urban expansion, as well as damage to coral reefs from fishing.</p>



<h3 id="h-direct-exploitation-of-organisms">Direct exploitation of organisms</h3>



<p>Overfishing, overhunting, and illegal wildlife trade are major contributors to species decline.</p>



<h3 id="h-climate-change">Climate change</h3>



<p>Rising temperatures, sea level rise, increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, and ocean acidification all disrupt habitats and species survival.</p>



<h3 id="h-pollution">Pollution</h3>



<p>Pesticides, plastics, oil spills, heavy metals, and other pollutants can harm or kill various species.</p>



<h3 id="h-invasive-alien-species">Invasive alien species</h3>



<p>Non-native species can outcompete native species for resources, change habitats, or directly prey on native species.</p>



<p>Solving the biodiversity crisis will require addressing these drivers. This could include everything from stronger regulation and enforcement against illegal wildlife trade, to shifts in agriculture to reduce deforestation, to global action on climate change.</p>



<p>The consequences of inaction are dire. Biodiversity loss threatens food security, as fewer species mean fewer resources for human consumption. It also threatens the discovery of new medicines, as many are found by studying various species.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Biodiversity loss can lead to the collapse of ecosystems, which could increase the risk of natural disasters, negatively impact climate regulation, and reduce nature's recreational, cultural, and spiritual benefits.</p>



<p>It's important to note that while the situation is severe, it's not hopeless. Changes in policies, practices, and behaviors can protect and restore biodiversity. Numerous conservation efforts around the world are underway to address this issue, but it will take a global, concerted effort to effectively combat the biodiversity crisis.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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Vast amounts of eDNA captured in air quality monitoring stations

Global ecosystems are under threat, facing a rapidly escalating biodiversity...

<p>The diverse world of bees, a keystone group of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-patches-of-land-can-help-support-pollinators/">pollinators</a>, is under threat. Human-induced changes, such as habitat conversion, climate change, and pesticide usage, are reshaping the environment bees navigate. According to a new study by researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, these changes have a direct and indirect influence on bee communication, placing additional stress on already beleaguered colonies.</p>



<p>Different species of bees, like honeybees, bumblebees, and stingless bees, employ various communication strategies. These differences, the scientists have discovered, arise from the distinct habitats these bees inhabit and their unique social lifestyles, such as colony size and nesting habits.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned</h2>



<p>The team unveiled their findings in the latest issue of the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/"><em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</em></a> (PNAS), highlighting that human impacts are taking a toll on the world bees occupy. It's becoming more evident that these changes negatively affect bee communication.</p>



<p>For instance, they can alter the availability of food sources, disrupt social interactions among nestmates, and impair their cognitive functions.</p>



<p>The researchers argue that understanding how bees adapt their foraging and communication strategies to these threats is a burgeoning and urgent field in bee behavioral and conservation studies.</p>



<h2 id="h-bee-communication-is-very-distinct">Bee communication is very distinct</h2>



<p>Different bees employ distinct communication methods to exploit food sources. For example, honeybees are known for their waggle dance, while certain stingless bees use pheromone trails. However, it's still unclear why different bees employ different techniques to address the same challenge - finding food efficiently.</p>



<p>"We have synthesized the recent literature to explain how differences in ecology and sociality explain this variation," said Christoph Grueter from Bristol's School of Biological Sciences.</p>



<p>He further underscored the human-induced threats, noting, "It is known that anthropogenic effects, such as climate change, pesticides and habitat loss negatively affect social bees."</p>



<h2 id="h-remarkable-ingenuity-of-bees-also-noted-by-research-team">Remarkable ingenuity of bees also noted by research team</h2>



<p>Grueter also remarked that the analyzed research indicates the ingenuity of bees. "Different bees have found many different solutions to the problem of finding good food sources in an efficient way. Anthropogenic change has the potential to interfere with bee communication and behaviors that have helped bees be successful for millions of years might suddenly no longer be equally beneficial."</p>



<p>Given that communication behaviors are essential for colonies to exploit resources, it's crucial to understand how these changes affect them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Grueter and his team aim to conduct more research to determine how habitat loss, climate change, and pesticide usage influence communication behaviors in bees, emphasizing the need to protect these vital pollinators from further human-induced pressures.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-importance-of-bees">More about the importance of bees</h2>



<p>Bees, despite their small size, play an outsize role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. They are vital for pollination, a process that's indispensable for the reproduction of many plants, including a substantial portion of the world's crops.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As bees move from flower to flower in search of nectar, they facilitate the transfer of pollen, thus enabling fertilization. This process contributes to plant genetic diversity and ultimately leads to the production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts that make up a significant part of the human diet.</p>



<p>In addition, bees support the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants, which serve as food and habitat for various wildlife. The intricate web of life is heavily reliant on these buzzing insects. Without bees, we would lose a primary link in our food chain, leading to a cascading effect with severe implications for the biodiversity of our planet.</p>



<h2 id="h-bees-are-in-steep-population-decline-worldwide">Bees are in steep population decline worldwide&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Unfortunately, bees worldwide are experiencing population declines and colony collapses due to various human activities and climate change. The rise in global temperatures due to climate change can disrupt the synchronicity between bees and the blooming of plants.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As winters become shorter and warmer, plants may bloom earlier, potentially before bees have started their foraging season. This timing mismatch can have dire consequences for both bees and the plants that depend on their pollination.</p>



<h3 id="h-humans-mostly-to-blame">Humans mostly to blame</h3>



<p>Habitat loss and fragmentation is another significant threat to bees. As natural landscapes are cleared for agriculture or urban development, bees lose the diverse food sources they need for a healthy diet. The remaining habitats are often too fragmented to support large bee populations, leading to declines in their numbers.</p>



<p>Moreover, the widespread use of pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, in agriculture harms bees. These chemicals can kill bees directly or affect their navigation, foraging, and reproduction abilities, which contributes to colony collapse.</p>



<p>Parasites, diseases, and invasive species also threaten bees. The Varroa mite, for instance, is a significant problem for honeybees worldwide. The mite weakens bees and spreads viral diseases, causing a great deal of damage to colonies.</p>



<p>The detrimental effects of human activities and climate change on bees underline the need for conservation efforts to protect them. Some of these actions could involve creating wildflower-rich habitats, reducing the use of harmful pesticides, and improving agricultural practices to be more bee-friendly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Bees' role in supporting our ecosystems and food systems is crucial. Safeguarding them is not only an act of preserving biodiversity but also a matter of food security and sustainability.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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

Bee communication is hindered by human activity

The diverse world of bees, a keystone group of pollinators,...

<p>Living a long life has been associated with a variety of behaviors, such as healthy eating or regular exercise. However, according to a recent book written by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles (<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ikigai-h-ctor-garc-a/1127136457">Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life</a>), personality traits such as positivity and emotional awareness could also play a major role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-life-longevity-lifespan/">longevity</a>.</p>



<p>By analyzing previous research on longevity, García and Miralles found that the things that contribute to a long and healthy life are not limited to what we do physically.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-the-power-of-positivity">The power of positivity</h2>



<p>A 2012 study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.18632%2Faging.100456"><em>Aging</em></a><em> </em>that investigated the characteristics of nearly 250 centenarians based on self-reports and other peoples’ accounts of them<em> </em>has found that most of the people who live to be 100 or more have similar personality traits which may have helped increase their lifespan.</p>



<p>First, most of the study participants shared a positive attitude toward life, helping them prioritize peace and happiness. These people were characterized by others as optimistic, easygoing, and extroverted, and valued laughter as an important part of their daily lives.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-emotional-awareness-and-compassion">Emotional awareness and compassion&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In addition to having a positive outlook on life, centenarians were also found to be emotionally aware, and careful not to bottle up their emotions by making constant efforts to communicate how they feel to those around them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Expressing emotions in a healthy way can significantly benefit relationships, while social fitness – the act of closely examining the connections we value and resolve any issues that may arise in order to become a better friend and partner – has been <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-secret-to-happiness-heres-some-advice-from-the-longest-running-study-on-happiness-2017100512543">associated by scientists</a> to increased happiness and longevity.</p>



<p>“In other words, those who face challenges with a positive outlook and are able to manage their emotions are already well on their way toward longevity,” García and Miralles wrote<em>.</em></p>



<h2 id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed</h2>



<p>Although these two traits seem to be very common among centenarians, more research is needed to clarify whether they actually contribute to human longevity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We still need to find out what the cause-and-effect relationship is. We don’t know if we can change longevity by having a positive attitude, or if achieving longevity causes a positive attitude,” concluded Nir Barzilai, a professor of Medicine and Genetics at the <a href="https://www.einsteinmed.edu/">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a>.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-emotional-awareness">More about emotional awareness&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Emotional awareness refers to the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions and the emotions of others. This is an essential component of emotional intelligence, which is often cited as being just as, if not more, important than cognitive intelligence in determining success in various areas of life.</p>



<h3 id="h-key-aspects-of-emotional-awareness">Key aspects of emotional awareness&nbsp;</h3>



<h4 id="h-self-awareness">Self-awareness</h4>



<p>This is the ability to recognize one's own emotions as they occur. This includes understanding how these emotions influence thoughts, behaviors, and decision-making processes.</p>



<h4 id="h-emotional-literacy">Emotional literacy</h4>



<p>This is the ability to identify and properly label one's emotions. It involves a nuanced understanding of the range and complexity of emotional experiences.</p>



<h4 id="h-recognition-of-others-emotions">Recognition of others' emotions</h4>



<p>This is the ability to perceive and understand the emotions of others. This skill is closely related to empathy and is crucial in effective interpersonal communication.</p>



<h4 id="h-understanding-the-causes-and-consequences-of-emotions">Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions</h4>



<p>This involves recognizing what events, thoughts, or situations trigger certain emotions, as well as the potential effects of these emotions on behavior and cognition.</p>



<h4 id="h-emotional-regulation">Emotional regulation</h4>



<p>This is the ability to effectively manage and respond to an emotional experience in a way that is appropriate for the situation.</p>



<p>Developing emotional awareness can be beneficial in many areas of life. It can improve interpersonal relationships, enhance decision-making abilities, boost workplace performance, and promote mental health. It can also help to reduce the impact of negative emotions and stress.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Emotional awareness can be cultivated through practices such as mindfulness, introspection, journaling, therapy, and emotional intelligence training programs.</p>



<p>—-</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Positivity and emotional awareness can add years to your life

Living a long life has been associated with a variety...

<p>Researchers say industrial nations causing excessive CO2 emissions could end up paying a staggering $170 trillion in compensation or reparations by 2050. This is to help meet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-unleashing-ancient-zombie-viruses/">climate change</a> targets. That's close to $6 trillion annually. It's about seven percent of the yearly global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Low-emitting countries, having to speed up their decarbonization, would receive the money as compensation.</p>



<p>Climate-vulnerable countries experience losses and damages due to others' excessive CO2 emissions. Therefore, financial redress becomes crucial in international climate change negotiations. Last year's COP 27 talks in Egypt agreed to set up a Loss and Damage Fund for countries impacted by climate change.</p>



<h2 id="h-evidence-based-co2-compensation-scheme">Evidence-based CO2 compensation scheme</h2>



<p>Today, researchers, led by a University of Leeds academic, published a significant study. They examined how an evidence-based compensation scheme could operate across almost 170 countries.&nbsp;</p>



<p>An interactive website (<a href="https://goodlife.leeds.ac.uk/atmospheric-appropriation/">https://goodlife.leeds.ac.uk/atmospheric-appropriation/</a>) also accompanies the study. This site enables users to explore which countries could receive compensation and how much. Moreover, it shows which countries may need to pay.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This scheme is groundbreaking. It's the first to hold countries accountable for their historical excessive CO2 emissions. They must fund compensation as a result (see image <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/climate-compentation-graphic_credit-Andrew-Fanning-scaled.jpg">here</a>).</p>



<p>Dr Andrew Fanning, Visiting Research Fellow at the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>' Sustainability Research Institute, led the study. He's also Research &amp; Data Analysis Lead at Oxford's Doughnut Economics Action Lab.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-different-levels-of-compensation-outlined">Different levels of compensation outlined</h2>



<p>"For the world to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, all countries must urgently stop burning fossil fuels," Dr Fanning said. “But not all countries have contributed equally to this problem."</p>



<p>The study, titled “Compensation for atmospheric appropriation,” was published today in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01130-8"><em>Nature Sustainability</em></a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The research reveals significant figures. For example, the UK might have to pay $7.7 trillion for excessive CO2 emissions by 2050. This amount translates to nearly $3,500 per person annually until 2050. The US could have to pay $80 trillion in total, or more than $7,200 per person per year until 2050.</p>



<h2 id="h-innovative-system-for-assessing-losses">Innovative system for assessing losses</h2>



<p>Contrarily, India, a historically low carbon emitter, could receive compensation. The total could reach $57 trillion, or nearly $1,200 per person annually until 2050.</p>



<p>The compensation system is rooted in the idea that the atmosphere is a commons. It's a natural resource that everyone should use fairly and sustainably.</p>



<p>To assign a monetary value to the losses incurred by low-carbon emitting countries, the researchers first gathered the most recent global 'carbon budgets' from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). A carbon budget indicates how much carbon could be released into the atmosphere to meet a specific climate target. For example, to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Starting from 1960, that carbon budget equates to 1.8 trillion tons of CO2.</p>



<p>Next, the researchers calculated an equality-based 'fair share' of that total carbon budget for 168 countries. This was based on population size. They compared each country's fair share allocation against how much CO2 that country has released historically from 1960. Also, an ambitious scenario where it decarbonizes from current levels to 'net zero' by 2050.</p>



<p>Some countries were within their fair share allocation. Others, especially the industrialized nations of the global North, significantly overshot their allocation. This means they have used other countries' fair shares of the atmospheric commons. For instance, the UK has used 2.5 times its fair share, and the US more than four times its fair share. In contrast, India has used just under one quarter of its fair share.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-to-assign-a-monetary-value-to-excess-emissions">How to assign a monetary value to excess emissions</h2>



<p>Using carbon prices from the latest IPCC scenarios, the researchers managed to assign a monetary value to each country's excess emissions. They calculated this in a world that respects the 1.5-degree climate target.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The total amount came to $192 trillion (with a range of between $141 trillion and $298 trillion). The global North is responsible for 89 percent, or $170 trillion, and the remaining sum comes from high-emitting countries in the global South, such as oil-rich states like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.</p>



<p>This money, under the proposed scheme, would be divided among low carbon-emitting countries. The division is based on how much of their fair share allocation they stand to lose.</p>



<p>"We find 55 countries would sacrifice more than 75% of their fair shares, including most of sub-Saharan Africa and India," Dr Fanning noted. "Our results show this group of low-emitting countries would be entitled to receive an average compensation of $1,160 per capita per year, in a world that keeps global warming below 1.5 degrees."</p>



<p>Meanwhile, countries sacrificing less of their fair shares would be entitled to less compensation. The researchers found 13 countries that would lose less than 25 percent of their fair shares under their net-zero scenario. China falls under this category. It would be entitled to receive $280 per capita per year, on average.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-to-price-the-losses-from-low-emitting-countries">How to price the losses from low-emitting countries</h2>



<p>Professor Jason Hickel, from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), is a co-author of the study. He remarked, "Climate change reflects clear patterns of atmospheric colonization. Social movements and negotiators from the global South have long argued that countries producing excessive emissions owe compensation or reparations for climate-related damages."</p>



<p>These damages impact poorer countries disproportionately. These countries have contributed little or nothing to the crisis.</p>



<h2 id="h-atomospheric-appropriation-cost">"Atomospheric appropriation" cost</h2>



<p>"Our study focuses only on compensation owed for atmospheric appropriation," Professor Hickel continued. "This should be considered additional to broader questions about the costs of transition, adaptation, and damages."</p>



<p>He also highlighted class inequalities within nations. The wealthy classes with high consumption rates and disproportionate power over production and national policy hold much of the responsibility for excess emissions. According to Hickel, these individuals should bear the costs of compensation.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-inequality-of-co2-emissions-across-nations">More about the inequality of CO2 emissions across nations</h2>



<p>The effects of climate change are far-reaching and disproportionately impact nations across the globe. Interestingly, the inequities in CO2 emissions are a significant aspect of this. Here's more on the subject.</p>



<h3 id="h-historical-inequity">Historical Inequity</h3>



<p>Wealthy, industrialized nations have historically been responsible for a large portion of CO2 emissions. Countries like the US, UK, and those in the European Union industrialized early, using fossil fuels extensively, leading to large carbon footprints. Contrastingly, many developing nations have contributed far less to historical CO2 emissions.</p>



<h3 id="h-present-inequity">Present Inequity</h3>



<p>Even now, the per capita CO2 emissions differ widely between developed and developing nations. For instance, per capita emissions in the US and Australia are significantly higher than those in India or most African nations. Yet, these countries are often under international pressure to reduce their emissions, despite their lower contributions and ongoing development needs.</p>



<h3 id="h-climate-cost">Climate Cost</h3>



<p>The irony of climate change is that while the most significant contributors often face fewer immediate consequences, nations contributing the least to global emissions often bear the brunt of the effects. Developing countries in regions such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands face severe threats from rising sea levels, more intense droughts, heatwaves, and storms - despite having contributed minimal emissions.</p>



<h3 id="h-financial-burden">Financial Burden</h3>



<p>The cost of transitioning to cleaner energy sources is substantial, and the countries that most need to make these changes often have the fewest resources to do so. Moreover, they have to bear the costs of adapting to climate change - like building sea walls or developing drought-resistant crops.</p>



<h3 id="h-compensation-and-climate-justice">Compensation and Climate Justice</h3>



<p>Recognizing these inequities, there's a growing call for climate justice. The idea is that countries historically responsible for the majority of CO2 emissions should assist those now suffering from climate change's effects. This assistance can come in the form of compensation, technology transfer, or help in implementing green policies.</p>



<h3 id="h-consumption-vs-production-emissions">Consumption vs. Production Emissions</h3>



<p>An interesting point is the difference between emissions produced locally versus those tied to consumption. For instance, a wealthy country might import goods from a less developed nation. The emissions occur in the less developed nation, but it's essentially the wealthier nation's consumption driving them.</p>



<h3 id="h-inequality-within-nations">Inequality within Nations</h3>



<p>Besides the inequality between nations, there's a significant disparity within countries. Generally, wealthier individuals and households have much higher carbon footprints due to their consumption patterns and lifestyle than less affluent individuals. This fact highlights the importance of addressing inequality at all levels in the fight against climate change.</p>



<p>Climate change is a complex issue intertwined with historical inequities, economic disparities, and socio-political dynamics. Effectively addressing it requires recognizing these complexities and working towards comprehensive, fair solutions.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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

Industrialized countries owe roughly $170 trillion for CO2 emissions

Researchers say industrial nations causing excessive CO2 emissions could end...

<p>Earth's climate is indisputably heating up due to greenhouse gas emissions. This rise in temperature is causing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-becoming-more-difficult-to-predict/">weather</a> events that we can only classify as extreme and anomalous. But the challenge arises when we try to predict and analyze the impact of these anomalies.</p>



<p>According to researchers from the University of Florida, museum specimens could provide some answers. This unique approach was unveiled in a groundbreaking study, where the scientists used natural history specimens to highlight how unseasonably hot or cold days can extend the active time of moths and butterflies by nearly a month.</p>



<p>Robert Guralnick, the lead author and curator of biodiversity informatics at the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>, expressed surprise at these findings, saying, “The results are not at all what we expected.”</p>



<h2 id="h-study-produces-unexpected-results">Study produces unexpected results</h2>



<p>Conventionally, climate change studies focus on how average temperature rises impact ecosystems. As the temperature climbs, flora and fauna in a specific area become active earlier in the spring and delay their dormant phase until later in the fall.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Gradually, they adjust their habitats to survive in their most favorable climate conditions. However, erratic weather introduces an intricate layer to these patterns, generating unknown consequences that blur the scientists' vision of the future of global ecosystems.</p>



<p>Guralnick acknowledges the existing hints in scientific literature that weather anomalies may cumulatively affect ecosystems. Yet, he noted, “there wasn’t anything that directly addressed this question at a broad scale.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>This gap largely stems from the lack of sufficient data. While climate data collection has been consistent in many global regions for over a century, organism location and activity records remain elusive.</p>



<h2 id="h-digging-through-the-archives-of-natural-history-museums">Digging through the archives of natural history museums</h2>



<p>Natural history museums could offer a solution. Housing specimens for hundreds of years, these museums have now digitized their collections, making them accessible to the wider scientific community. However, digital museum records also bring their own set of challenges.</p>



<p>In 2022, Michael Belitz, co-author of this study, put together a dataset of moths and butterflies from museum collections. His goal was to provide a blueprint for other researchers who want to use similar data. This undertaking resulted in a comprehensive guide on collecting, organizing, and analyzing information from natural history specimens.</p>



<p>With this valuable tool, Belitz and his colleagues set out to detect anomalies in weather patterns. They focused on the eastern United States, analyzing records of 139 moth and butterfly species collected from the 1940s to the 2010s.</p>



<p>The findings were clear-cut: abnormal hot and cold weather has considerably modified insect activity, more so than the average global temperature increase over the past decades. The researchers noticed that the location and timing of extreme weather events affected insect response. In higher latitudes, warmer winter days prompted earlier spring activity in moths and butterflies. Unusually cold days, on the other hand, kept insects active longer across all latitudes, and the combination of extremely high and low temperatures had the strongest impact.</p>



<p>Elaborating on this, Guralnick explained, “If you have a succession of abnormally cold and warm days, it limits the ability of insects to function at peak performance. If cold doesn’t kill you, it slows you down, and it might force insects into a torpor. Insects can recover from the cold snaps pretty quickly and go on to have longer lifespans as a direct result of sudden temperature declines.”</p>



<h2 id="h-good-and-bad-of-extended-insect-activity">Good and bad of extended insect activity</h2>



<p>While extended insect activity might seem beneficial initially, co-author Lindsay Campbell, who studies mosquitos, highlights the potential downside. Longer or altered insect lifespans could lead to more opportunities for pathogen transmission.</p>



<p>She cites correlations between El Niño and rift valley fever outbreaks in East Africa. Anecdotal observations also link unusually warm or hot and dry springs, followed by a heavy precipitation event, to increased outbreaks. Campbell, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, warns about these potential repercussions.</p>



<p>Moreover, the stability of long-term ecosystems relies heavily on the synchronized activity of its components. Interestingly, plants may not respond to these extreme weather patterns the same way insects do. For instance, if moths and butterflies begin their activity too early, they might find plants that haven't yet produced leaves or flowers, wasting their energy in a fruitless quest for food.</p>



<p>Adding to this, the constant redefinition of 'extreme' brings another layer of uncertainty. Will insects be able to adapt to these changes quickly enough?</p>



<p>“As average temperature and climate variability increases, an organism’s resilience is going to drop precipitously,” Guralnick warned.&nbsp;</p>



<p>He stressed that the extreme events we witness today could become significantly more extreme in the future. At some point, organisms' capacity to buffer against these rapid changes will reach its limit, raising questions about the long-term impact on global ecosystems.</p>



<p>This intriguing study shines a light on a lesser-explored dimension of climate change impact, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between climate change and ecosystem dynamics.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It serves as a wake-up call for us to delve deeper into understanding and mitigating the effects of climate change on the world's ecosystems, making it abundantly clear that every organism, down to the smallest insect, plays a crucial role in the vast web of life on our planet.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-insects-and-climate-change">More about insects and climate change</h2>



<p>Climate change is a growing concern, and its impacts on insects are a crucial area of study due to the essential roles that insects play in the ecosystems, such as pollination, decomposition, and serving as a food source for other organisms.</p>



<p>Temperature is a major factor influencing the life cycles, behaviors, and geographic distributions of insects. A shift in climate could have multiple effects on insect activity and populations:</p>



<p>Changes in Distribution</p>



<p>Climate change can affect the geographic range of insects. As the world becomes warmer, insects that prefer cooler climates could move towards higher altitudes or latitudes, while those that thrive in warmer conditions might expand their range. Some species might even invade new areas where they weren't found before, potentially leading to new ecosystem interactions.</p>



<h3>Altered Life Cycles</h3>



<p>Warmer temperatures could speed up the life cycle of many insect species, leading to more generations each year. This acceleration could increase their population size if resources remain abundant. However, if these changes don't align with the availability of food sources, such as plants for herbivorous insects, the outcome could be detrimental for the insect populations.</p>



<h3 id="h-increased-pest-activity">Increased Pest Activity</h3>



<p>Certain pests, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and crop-damaging insects, could become more active with increasing temperatures. This could lead to higher risks of vector-borne diseases, like malaria or dengue, and increased crop losses, respectively.</p>



<h3 id="h-impacts-on-biodiversity">Impacts on Biodiversity</h3>



<p>Insects with limited geographic ranges or specialized diets could face extinction if they can't adapt to the changing climate or move to new habitats. The loss of these species could disrupt the delicate balance of ecosystems, with repercussions up the food chain.</p>



<h3 id="h-mismatched-phenology">Mismatched Phenology</h3>



<p>Phenology refers to the timing of biological events, such as flowering or insect activity. If climate change causes these events to fall out of sync—for instance, if insects emerge before their food plants have grown—they could face food shortages.</p>



<h3 id="h-increased-stress">Increased Stress</h3>



<p>Extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, or heatwaves, can pose direct threats to insect survival. They can also exacerbate other stresses, such as habitat loss and pollution.</p>



<p>Overall, while some insects might benefit from climate change, many could face significant challenges. Given their essential roles in ecosystems, changes in insect populations can have ripple effects across the food web and biodiversity, affecting the overall health of ecosystems and potentially human societies too. Further research is essential to better understand these impacts and to guide effective strategies for biodiversity conservation in the face of climate change.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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

Extreme weather has increased seasonal insect activity

Earth's climate is indisputably heating up due to greenhouse gas...

<p>Workplace burnout is increasingly widespread worldwide and has a detrimental effect on employee performance and well-being, as well as on the overall productivity of the organizations in which individuals experiencing burnout are embedded.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This phenomenon causes significant mental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/listening-music-exercise-fight-fatigue/">fatigue</a>, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (a state in which people feel disconnected from their bodies, emotions, and thoughts), and a decline in personal fulfillment. While a considerable amount of research has already explored the causes and mechanisms of burnout, the role of personal relationships has largely been overlooked.</p>



<p>Now, a study led by the <a href="https://www.hse.ru/en/">National Research University Higher School of Economics</a> (HSE University) in Moscow has argued that satisfaction in personal relationships can significantly impact the manifestation of workplace burnout syndrome, particularly in men.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-relationship-satisfaction">Relationship satisfaction</h2>



<p>To test this hypothesis, study author Ilya Bulgakov, a research fellow in Psychology at HSE, has administered a survey to 203 employees across a variety of Russian companies, who were asked the assess their satisfaction with personal relationships and the presence of burnout symptoms.</p>



<p>The investigation revealed that, as the level of marital satisfaction increased, the risk of workplace burnout decreased – a correlation found to be more pronounced in men. According to Bulgakov, these findings highlight existing disparities in social roles and stereotypes attributed to men and women, as well as variations in expectations related to marriage and career.</p>



<p>“For men, career success can often become a fundamental aspect of their identity and self-esteem. As a result, they may encounter greater pressure in the workplace and experience elevated stress levels while striving to fulfil their duties and meet expectations. In this context, marital satisfaction and feeling supported in one’s private life can become critical factors in preventing burnout among men,” Bulgakov explained.</p>



<h2 id="h-emotional-fatigue">Emotional fatigue</h2>



<p>For women experiencing burnout, depersonalization – characterized by a feeling of disconnectedness from colleagues and clients and a decrease in empathy and compassion – seems to play the most important role, while for men, the main burnout symptom is usually emotional fatigue from being overwhelmed with work-related requests and feeling incapable of managing them.</p>



<p>These differences are most likely linked to the different social expectations and roles imposed on women and men within the professional realm. For instance, in many cultures, women are expected to be empathic and nurturing, while men are seen as providers and protectors. Thus, women often experience pressure concerning the amount of emotional support they are expected to offer to colleagues and clients, leading to heightened stress and a tendency to dissociate from these responsibilities, ultimately leading to depersonalization.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On the other hand, men expected to have a high-level of responsibility linked to their perceived social roles can easily lead to emotional burnout. Fortunately, in their case, marital satisfaction was found to mitigate to a certain degree such symptoms.</p>



<h2 id="h-workplace-success">Workplace success</h2>



<p>The study also found that men who experience greater professional success tend to have higher levels of satisfaction in their personal relationships - a correlation that was not identified in women – suggesting that support in one’s personal life could play a greater role in facilitating workplace success for men compared to women.</p>



<p>“Individuals suffering from workplace burnout syndrome often struggle to disconnect from their work and therefore remain in a constant state of tension. Consequently, personal relationships serve as a means for them to escape the pressures of the career race, providing a source of satisfaction and support. Interestingly, this association has been observed only in men. This can perhaps be attributed to traditional social roles, where men are frequently assigned greater responsibility for attaining career success, leading to higher work-related pressure,” Bulgakov explained.</p>



<p>Better understanding the specific aspects of employee burnout could help organizations more efficiently manage stressful situations and enhance employee motivation. Since the way individuals construct and engage in both professional and personal relationships have major implications for their professional self-determination and the ways in which they cope with possible burnouts, taking into account the full complexity of these factors is crucial for avoiding damage to both individuals and organizations caused by burnout.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.17323/2312-5942-2023-13-1-145-160"><em>Organizational Psychology</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-workplace-burnout">More about workplace burnout&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Workplace burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion often linked with feelings of cynicism, detachment, and a sense of lack of accomplishment in the job. Burnout is not just everyday stress; it's a prolonged, consistent state that can lead to serious physical and mental health problems.</p>



<h3 id="h-common-symptoms-of-burnout">Common symptoms of burnout:</h3>



<h3 id="h-emotional-exhaustion">Emotional Exhaustion</h3>



<p>You feel drained, unable to cope, and tired all the time. You might struggle to get out of bed, even after rest, and feel devoid of energy.</p>



<h4 id="h-cynicism-and-detachment">Cynicism and Detachment</h4>



<p>You may start to lose interest in your work, or begin to feel negative, cynical, or indifferent about your tasks or coworkers. You may also feel disconnected and might start distancing yourself emotionally and physically from your work.</p>



<h4 id="h-lack-of-accomplishment">Lack of Accomplishment</h4>



<p>You may often feel unproductive or that your work doesn't matter, despite putting a lot of effort into your tasks.</p>



<h4 id="h-physical-symptoms">Physical Symptoms</h4>



<p>These can include things like headaches, stomachaches, appetite changes, and sleep disturbances.</p>



<h4 id="h-reduced-performance">Reduced Performance</h4>



<p>You might have trouble concentrating, make more mistakes than usual, or struggle to be creative.</p>



<p>Workplace burnout is typically the result of work-related pressures or stressors. These can include long hours or heavy workload, lack of control over your work, insufficient rewards for your efforts, or unfair treatment.</p>



<p>If you're experiencing workplace burnout, it's essential to seek support. This could include speaking to a supervisor or HR about the issues you're facing, seeking help from a mental health professional, or making lifestyle changes to manage stress and promote balance, such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and time for relaxation and social activities.</p>



<p>Employers also have a role to play in preventing and managing burnout. They can provide a supportive work environment, clear and fair job expectations, opportunities for career development, recognition for good work, and ensure work-life balance for their employees.</p>



<p>—-</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

For men, relationship satisfaction can prevent workplace burnout

Workplace burnout is increasingly widespread worldwide and has a detrimental...

<p><a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day">World Environment Day</a> 2023 has been commemorated annually on June 5 since 1973 under the <a href="https://www.unep.org/">United Nations Environment Programme</a> (UNEP). This occasion reminds us of the urgent need to take active measures against one of the most pressing global environmental challenges: plastic pollution.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The theme of World Environment Day 2023 is to #BeatPlasticPollution. This global movement demands not only the active participation of governments and businesses, but also the efforts of each individual.</p>



<h2 id="h-a-complex-problem">A complex problem</h2>



<p>The enormous volume of plastic produced each year stands at more than 400 million tons globally. A worrying fact is that about half of this plastic is designed for single-use, destined to be discarded after its brief life cycle.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Furthermore, less than a tenth of this plastic waste is recycled. A staggering estimated 19-23 million tons of this waste eventually finds its way into our lakes, rivers, and seas each year, a weight equating to roughly 2,200 Eiffel Towers combined.</p>



<p>Adding another layer to the complex problem of plastic pollution are microplastics. These are minute particles of plastic, up to 5mm in diameter, that permeate our food, water, and air. Recent studies suggest that an average individual ingests more than 50,000 such particles annually - a figure that significantly rises when we consider inhalation.</p>



<p>The pervasive presence of plastic, particularly single-use ones, poses an imminent threat to human health, biodiversity, and virtually all ecosystems, extending from mountain tops to the ocean floor. Discarded or burnt plastic releases toxins that are detrimental to both humans and wildlife.</p>



<h2 id="h-transformative-action-is-needed">Transformative action is needed</h2>



<p>The seriousness of this crisis highlights the importance of World Environment Day and the crucial need for transformative action from every corner of the globe. It's an urgent call for an accelerated transition towards a circular economy, which promotes recycling and reusing resources rather than continually producing new ones.</p>



<p>The necessity of this action is evident when we consider the impact of plastic pollution on climate change. Plastic is predominantly derived from oil and gas, both of which are fossil fuels. As such, the production of plastic directly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, thus intensifying the climate crisis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If we fail to intervene, emissions from plastic production alone could account for 19 percent of the total allowable emissions established by the Paris Agreement. The target of this treaty is to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040.</p>



<h2 id="h-urgent-action-is-needed">Urgent action is needed</h2>



<p>The potential consequences of inaction are catastrophic. Without necessary measures, air pollution could exceed safe guidelines by 50 percent within a decade. Additionally, plastic waste infiltrating aquatic ecosystems could nearly triple by 2040. To maintain global warming below 1.5°C this century, we must halve annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.</p>



<p>The need for urgent action is clear. Thankfully, the stage has been set for a global agreement to combat plastic pollution. Last year, a historic resolution was endorsed by 175 UN Member States to end plastic pollution and develop an international legally binding agreement by 2024. This resolution, the most significant environmental multilateral agreement since the Paris accord, promises to act as a safeguard for current and future generations to coexist with plastic, not be endangered by it.</p>



<h2 id="h-get-involved">Get involved&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The celebration of World Environment Day, this year hosted by Côte D'Ivoire, is more than a day of acknowledgment. It's a platform for public outreach, sparking discussions and inspiring actions among millions of people worldwide. By participating, we collectively signal our commitment to preserving our planet for future generations.</p>



<p>One effective way to participate is by joining the #BeatPlasticPollution movement through the official website of World Environment Day 2023. You can find a wealth of information about the issue, learn about the actions you can undertake to contribute to the solution, and access various resources to promote the movement on your social media. No action is too small.</p>



<h2 id="h-become-a-part-of-the-solution">Become a part of the solution&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The fight against plastic pollution presents an opportunity for us to transition from being a source of pollution to becoming part of the solution. A striking example of the extent of plastic pollution can be seen in places as remote as the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in our oceans, and Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. Despite their inaccessibility, these locations bear the scars of human activities, accumulating tiny pieces of plastic carried by air and water currents from miles away.</p>



<p>This alarming fact underscores the magnitude of the problem we are facing. To better grasp this global crisis visually, we invite you to explore an engaging report that showcases the depth of the garbage problem in our oceans. These interactive and visual stories offer a more nuanced understanding of this pressing issue.</p>



<p>With the available scientific knowledge and technological solutions, the time has come for governments, companies, and individuals to upscale and expedite actions to tackle this crisis. By transitioning to a circular economy, we can substantially reduce plastic pollution. This shift can cut the volume of plastics entering oceans by over 80 percent by 2040, decrease virgin plastic production by 55 per cent, save governments an estimated US$70 billion by 2040, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent, and even create 700,000 additional jobs, primarily in the global south.</p>



<p>This World Environment Day, as we mark half a century of its celebration, the stakes have never been higher. The urgency of our environmental challenges requires us all to participate in the movement to #BeatPlasticPollution. By working as a team, we can protect our environment and ensure a healthier future for all life on our planet.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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

World Environment Day 2023: #BeatPlasticPollution

World Environment Day 2023 has been commemorated annually on June...

Split,View,In,The,Mangrove,With,Tree,Above,Water,Surface

<p>Recently, countries all over the world have been struggling to meet their international climate commitments. Nature-based approaches, such as using the potential of mangroves, seagrasses, or salt marshes to sequester carbon provide a promising solution and could help nations significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, due to the complexity of calculating how much carbon wetlands and other coastal ecosystems can sequester and where to implement such strategies in order to maximize the co-benefits for the climate, economy, or flood risk reduction, major coastal countries, including the United States, have largely overlooked such “blue carbon strategies.”</p>



<p>Now, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> has quantified the value of Belize’s coastal mangrove forests in terms of how much carbon they can hold, what value they can add to fisheries and tourism, and what protection they can provide against coastal storms and other risks. Their findings could help chart a path to mitigate climate change, while also boosting the economy and making communities safer.</p>



<p>“The U.S. has one of the largest coastlines in the world, and extensive wetlands,” said study lead author&nbsp;Katie Arkema, a senior Earth scientist at the <a href="https://www.pnnl.gov/">Pacific Northwest National Laboratory</a>, who conducted this research during a fellowship at the&nbsp;<a href="https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/">Stanford Natural Capital Project</a>. “This paper offers an approach we could use for setting evidence-based climate resilience and economic development goals.”</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted</h2>



<p>Collaborating with an international team of scientists, as well as Belizean policymakers and stakeholders, Arkema and her colleagues quantified carbon storage and sequestration by using land cover data from Belize and field estimates from Mexico.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The experts also took into account factors such as coastal flood risk reduction, tourism, and fisheries co-benefits by modeling related services - such as lobster breeding grounds - provided by mangroves under current and future protection, and possible restoration scenarios at different locations.</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The analysis revealed that, in some regions, even small amounts of mangrove restoration could have significant benefits for both fisheries and tourism. However, since it takes some time for carbon stocks to accumulate in the soil and biomass, total organic carbon sequestration was found to be initially lower when restoring mangroves than when protecting already existing forests.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Moreover, the experts discovered that, as mangrove areas increase past a certain point, benefits other than carbon storage begin to decrease. Identifying such inflection points could help policymakers and stakeholders decide how to most effectively balance ecosystem protection with coastal development. At the same time, pinpointing the locations where blue carbon strategies could offer the greatest amounts of co-benefits could help bolster local support.</p>



<h2 id="h-belize-sets-new-targets">Belize sets new targets</h2>



<p>Based on these findings, Belizean policymakers pledged to protect an additional 46 miles of existing mangroves – thus bringing the national total protected area to 96 square miles – and to restore 15 square miles of mangroves by the end of this decade. If these targets will be met, the mangroves could store millions of tons of additional carbon, while also providing additional benefits, such as boosting lobster fisheries by up to 66 percent, generating mangrove tourism worth several million dollars annually, and reducing the risk of coastal hazards for at least 30 percent more people.</p>



<p>Since this approach addresses both climate and sustainable development goals, it can open new opportunities for financing nature-based solutions in other countries too. In the following months, the Natural Capital Project, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank will collaborate with 10 countries to help translating such nature-based approaches into policy and investment processes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Belize’s example, illustrating the practical ways nature’s many benefits can be spatially quantified and inform a country’s climate policy and investments, are now primed to be scaled around the world with development banks and country leaders,” concluded co-author&nbsp;Mary Ruckelshaus, the executive director of the Stanford Natural Capital Project.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal<em> </em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-02081-1"><em>Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</em></a>.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-mangroves">More about mangroves</h2>



<p>Mangroves are tropical trees and shrubs that grow in coastal and estuarine environments. They are an important part of the ecosystem because they help protect coastlines from storm surges, prevent erosion, and provide habitats for a variety of animal and plant species.</p>



<p>Mangroves have several interesting features that allow them to survive in saline, oxygen-poor environments.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 id="h-key-characteristics">Key characteristics:</h3>



<h4 id="h-salt-tolerance">Salt Tolerance</h4>



<p>Unlike most other types of trees, mangroves are able to tolerate and even thrive in saltwater. They have evolved several mechanisms to deal with high salt levels, including salt excretion through leaves and specialized root structures that limit the amount of salt taken up.</p>



<h4 id="h-specialized-root-systems">Specialized Root Systems</h4>



<p>Mangroves have unique root structures known as pneumatophores, which protrude from the water or soil and allow the trees to breathe in oxygen-poor environments. These roots also stabilize the trees in the loose, shifting sediments of the intertidal zone.</p>



<h4 id="h-tidal-adaptations">Tidal Adaptations</h4>



<p>Mangroves are well-adapted to living in intertidal zones, where water levels can fluctuate dramatically between high and low tides. Their roots help to trap sediments, which builds up the soil and allows the mangroves to keep pace with sea level rise.</p>



<p>There are about 80 different species of mangroves, and they're typically divided into two major types: the "true mangroves" and "mangrove associates." True mangroves are species that are exclusively found in mangrove habitats, while mangrove associates can be found in other environments as well.</p>



<p>Mangrove ecosystems are under threat worldwide due to a variety of factors, including coastal development, pollution, and climate change. Despite their ecological importance, mangrove forests have been cleared at an alarming rate. This not only destroys habitats for a multitude of species but also reduces the coastline's natural protection against storms and erosion. Consequently, efforts to conserve and restore mangrove habitats are vital for both local communities and global biodiversity.</p>



<p>—</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Restoring mangroves could help countries meet their climate goals

Recently, countries all over the world have been struggling to...

<p>The Antillean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracking-manatee-evolution-over-47-million-years/">manatee</a> (<em>Trichechus manatus</em>) is a currently endangered subspecies of the West Indian manatee, living in the waters off Belize and facing a variety of threats, such as habitat degradation and loss, poaching, pollution, and entanglement in fishing gear.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California, Santa Cruz</a> has found that, with the growth of tourism over the past three decades and subsequent increase in boat traffic, the local manatee population – consisting at the moment of about 1,000 specimens – is also facing a growing threat from boat strikes.</p>



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



<p>To quantify the impacts of increasing boat traffic on the manatee population, the researchers used 25 years of data on manatee strandings (injured or dead animals), six aerial surveys of the manatee population, and two decades of boat registration data.</p>



<p>The investigation revealed that, with increasingly more boats in the water, the number of manatee strandings has risen from one to four per year in the 1990s and early 2000s to 10 to 17 per year by the late 2100s. Strandings were more frequent in regions with high boat traffic, mangrove habitats, and high human population density.</p>



<p>“We knew that boat strikes were happening, but this study provides strong quantitative evidence of boat strikes as an increasing source of mortality for manatees in Belize, and it shows the areas where the risk is greatest,” said co-author Marm Kilpatrick, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz. “These findings provide a basis for conservation measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk.”</p>



<h2 id="h-conservation-efforts-are-needed">Conservation efforts are needed</h2>



<p>According to the researchers, conservation efforts should focus on decreasing the number of boats and their allowed speeds within areas of high manatee use, creating more protected areas with strict restrictions on boat traffic, including regions designated for non-motorized boating or restricted access, and implementing speed restrictions in shallow seagrass habitats.</p>



<p>“This work has been shared with policymakers in Belize and will contribute directly to conservation planning, including protecting key areas for manatees such as the Belize River Mouth and the Placencia Lagoon,” concluded lead author Celeshia Guy Galves, a scientist at the <a href="https://mission.cmaquarium.org/research-institute/">Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute</a> in Belize, who conducted this research as a graduate student in the&nbsp;<a href="https://csp.ucsc.edu/">Coastal Science and Policy Program</a>&nbsp;at UC Santa Cruz. The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/esr01247"><em>Endangered Species Research</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-boat-strikes">More about boat strikes</h2>



<p>Boat strikes refer to the collision of boats with marine life, such as whales, dolphins, manatees, turtles, and various types of fish. These incidents can result in injury or death to the marine animals and can damage boats as well.</p>



<p>Boat strikes are a significant conservation issue, especially for endangered or threatened species. They are a particularly significant problem in areas with heavy boat traffic, such as Florida's waterways where the manatee population is at risk, or busy shipping lanes where large whales might be present. They can be a significant source of mortality for some species.</p>



<p>There are a variety of methods being used to try to reduce the incidence of boat strikes. These include:</p>



<h3 id="h-education">Education</h3>



<p>Boat operators are often not aware of the presence of marine animals in their vicinity or the potential harm they can cause. Educational campaigns can help to raise awareness and change behavior.</p>



<h3 id="h-regulation">Regulation</h3>



<p>Speed limits in certain areas, especially those known to be inhabited by vulnerable species, can reduce the risk of boat strikes. Regulations may also limit the times or seasons when boats can operate in certain areas.</p>



<h3 id="h-technology">Technology</h3>



<p>There are technologies being developed to help boats detect the presence of marine life, such as sonar systems. Other innovations aim to make the animals more aware of approaching boats.</p>



<h3 id="h-design">Design</h3>



<p>Changes to boat design, such as propeller guards or hull shapes that are less likely to harm animals, can also reduce the risk.</p>



<p>Despite these efforts, boat strikes remain a significant conservation concern. As human activities in the marine environment continue to increase, it's likely that the issue of boat strikes will continue to receive attention from researchers, conservationists, and policymakers.</p>



<p>—-</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Boat strikes are a growing threat to manatees in Belize

The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus) is a currently endangered subspecies...

<p>Climate change is revealing secrets trapped within our planet's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-lakes-are-releasing-methane-from-melting-permafrost/">permafrost</a>. As the icy layers melt at an alarming rate, they are uncovering organisms thought to be extinct - ancient "zombie viruses" that have been perfectly preserved for thousands of years. Scientists are discovering that these long-dormant microbes still possess the potential to infect and spread.</p>



<p>As global warming accelerates, the permafrost is thawing increasingly fast, along with the potential for zombie viruses to become infectious again. This warning comes from an international team of researchers from Russia, Germany, and France. The team includes experts in genomics, microbiology, and geoscience, some of whom have been tracking these re-emerging zombie viruses for almost a decade. The findings were published earlier this year in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses"><em>Viruses</em></a>.</p>



<h2 id="h-early-warning-signs">Early warning signs</h2>



<h3 id="h-1918-influenza-virus">1918 Influenza virus</h3>



<p>One of the earliest signs of the viral resurrection came from a somewhat unexpected place. In the late 1990s, Swedish pathologist Dr. Johan V. Hultin found RNA of the 1918 Influenza virus in the lungs of an Inuit woman buried nearly 80 years prior in a mass grave of influenza victims near a remote village outside Brevig Mission, Alaska.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The discovery was possible because the permafrost had preserved enough RNA from the virus to enable researchers to sequence the entire 1918 strain's genome. But this victory was a double-edged sword, heralding the potential for other diseases long frozen in the ice to re-emerge in our modern world.</p>



<h3 id="h-two-giant-viruses-emerge-in-siberia">Two giant viruses emerge in Siberia</h3>



<p>Another zombie virus, Pithovirus sibericum, was discovered 100 feet beneath the Siberian permafrost in 2014. This ancient virus is so gigantic that it can be seen under an ordinary high school-style light microscope.&nbsp;</p>



<p>French scientists from the <a href="https://www.univ-amu.fr/en">University of Aix-Marseille</a> managed to resurrect the 30,000-year-old P. sibericum by exposing amoebas to the virus. "This is the first time we've seen a virus that's still infectious after this length of time," said ProfessorJean-Michel Claverie.</p>



<p>While P. sibericum does not pose an immediate threat to humans or animals, its re-emergence serves as a stark warning. The scientists noted the ease with which these new viruses were isolated, suggesting that infectious particles of many other viruses specific to various hosts — including humans and animals — probably remain abundant in ancient permafrost.</p>



<p>Mollivirus sibericum, another giant virus, was found alongside P. sibericum in the same 30,000-year-old Siberian permafrost samples. Though not a direct threat to humans or animals, the proximity of these two giant viruses left scientists concerned about the potential treasure trove of pathogens that the permafrost might be hiding. </p>



<p>"We cannot rule out that distant viruses of ancient Siberian human (or animal) populations could reemerge as Arctic permafrost layers melt and/or are disrupted by industrial activities," the researchers warned in their 2015 study.</p>



<h3 id="h-the-return-of-smallpox">The return of smallpox</h3>



<p>Smallpox was eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980. However, in 2004, French and Russian scientists discovered traces of smallpox in an icy 300-year-old Siberian mummy, frozen in the tundra of Russia's Sakha Republic.</p>



<p>The chilling discovery can be traced back to the late 17th to early 18th centuries when the Siberian region was gripped by a severe smallpox outbreak. This mummy was discovered in a mass grave, a hastily arranged burial site from that era, preserved perfectly in the permafrost. Notably, this burial was unusual, as it contained not one but five frozen mummies, all believed to be victims of the same smallpox outbreak.</p>



<h2 id="h-climate-change-and-an-unclear-future">Climate change and an unclear future</h2>



<p>For the authors of the new paper in the journal <em>Viruses</em>, this discovery of the 2004 smallpox virus serves as a grim example of the potential threat thawing permafrost may pose. "Probably for safety/regulatory reasons, there were not follow-up studies attempting to "revive" these viruses (fortunately)."</p>



<p>However, the lack of attempts to reanimate these viruses does not discount the possibility that they might revive on their own, given the right conditions. Permafrost is melting at unprecedented rates, potentially setting the stage for ancient pathogens to return. "Very few studies have been published on this subject," said the researchers.</p>



<p>While these zombie viruses may not pose an immediate threat, their re-emergence is a stark reminder of the potential health risks associated with climate change. As scientists continue to study these ancient pathogens, they underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the profound impacts of global warming on our planet's frozen frontiers.</p>



<p>—-</p>



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

Climate change is unleashing ancient "zombie viruses" as ice layers melt

Climate change is revealing secrets trapped within our planet's permafrost....

<p>Scientists have long wondered why some people succeed in living very long lives without requiring extensive medical treatments. Now, by studying 176 healthy Japanese centenarians, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> has found that the combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses of these individuals is quite unique and significantly contributes to their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/certain-stress-boost-longevity/">longevity</a>.</p>



<p>“We are always eager to find out why some people live extremely long lives. Previous research has shown that the intestinal bacteria of old Japanese citizens produce brand new molecules that make them resistant to pathogenic – that is, disease-promoting – microorganisms. And if their intestines are better protected against infection, well, then that is probably one of the things that cause them to live longer than others,” said lead author Joachim Johansen, a postdoctoral fellow in Disease Systems Biology at Copenhagen.</p>



<p>While the beneficial role of the vast community of bacteria constituting our gut microbiome has already been extensively studied, less attention has been given to the billion of viruses in our intestines that infect bacterial cells.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-optimizing-the-gut-microbiome">Optimizing the gut microbiome&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In the new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01370-6"><em>Nature Microbiology</em></a>, researchers used an algorithm to map the composition of the participants’ microbiomes. The experts found great biological diversity in both bacteria and bacterial viruses, a feature which they believe to be associated with a healthy gut microbiome that provides efficient protection against aging related diseases.</p>



<p>“We want to understand the dynamics of the intestinal flora. How do the different kinds of bacteria and viruses interact? How can we engineer a microbiome that can help us live healthy, long lives? Are some bacteria better than others? Using the algorithm, we are able to describe the balance between viruses and bacteria,” said senior author Simon Rasmussen, an associate professor of Bioinformatics at Copenhagen.</p>



<p>According to Rasmussen, better understanding this balance could help scientists optimize the gut microbiome in order to increase the organism’s resilience against disease.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“We have learned that if a virus pays a bacterium a visit, it may actually strengthen the bacterium. The viruses we found in the healthy Japanese centenarians contained extra genes that could boost the bacteria. We learned that they were able to boost the transformation of specific molecules in the intestines, which might serve to stabilize the intestinal flora and counteract inflammation,” Johansen explained.</p>



<p>“If you discover bacteria and viruses that have a positive effect on the human intestinal flora, the obvious next step is to find out whether only some or all of us have them. If we are able to get these bacteria and their viruses to move in with the people who do not have them, more people could benefit from them. If we know why viruses and intestinal bacteria are a good match, it will be a lot easier for us to change something that actually affects our health,” Rasmussen concluded.</p>



<h2 id="h-more-about-intestinal-bacteria">More about intestinal bacteria&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Intestinal bacteria, also referred to as gut microbiota, are a complex community of microorganisms that reside in your digestive tract, specifically in the large intestine. These microbes include not only bacteria, but also viruses, fungi, and other types of microbes. They play a vital role in health and disease.</p>



<h3 id="h-diversity">Diversity</h3>



<p>There are estimated to be over 1,000 species of bacteria in the human gut, each with a wide range of functions. These bacteria can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful. The balance and diversity of these bacteria can greatly affect our health.</p>



<h3 id="h-digestion">Digestion</h3>



<p>These microbes help break down food and absorb nutrients, including the digestion of complex carbohydrates, producing short-chain fatty acids and vitamins like K and B, which the body cannot make on its own.</p>



<h3 id="h-immune-system">Immune System</h3>



<p>The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the development and function of the immune system. They help regulate immune responses, protecting against pathogens and maintaining tolerance to harmless microbes and food antigens.</p>



<h3 id="h-brain-gut-axis">Brain-Gut Axis</h3>



<p>Recent research has found that the gut microbiota can also influence the brain and behavior, in what is often referred to as the "gut-brain axis." This communication happens through multiple pathways that include the immune system, tryptophan metabolism, and the production of short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites.</p>



<h3 id="h-dysbiosis-and-health-conditions">Dysbiosis and Health Conditions</h3>



<p>Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance or disruption in the gut microbiota. This has been linked to several health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.</p>



<h3 id="h-probiotics-and-prebiotics">Probiotics and Prebiotics</h3>



<p>Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something harmful, but your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called "good" or "friendly" bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are types of dietary fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. This can help the gut bacteria produce nutrients for your gut cells, lead to better digestive health, and enhance the immune system.</p>



<p>—</p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com"><em>Andrei Ionescu</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>



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

Intestinal bacteria could help you live a very long life

Scientists have long wondered why some people succeed in living...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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



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



<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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."</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified <em>Eospermatopteris</em>, 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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em>Current Biology</em>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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



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



<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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?</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>Sources:</strong> <em>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.</em></p>



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



<p><strong>1. Is acid rain completely gone?</strong> 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.</p>



<p><strong>2. How long did solving take?</strong> 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.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>5. Could acid rain return?</strong> 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.</p>



<p><strong>6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"?</strong> 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></p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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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https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>



<p></p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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. </p>



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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



<p>-----</p>

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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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>-----</p>



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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...

<p>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. </p>



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



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



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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).</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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>.</p>

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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?</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: ACS Reactions</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

How does salt makes things taste better?

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>'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)."</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

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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<p>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.</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>"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."</p>



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



<p><em>Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



<p>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."</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



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



<p>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;</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>"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;</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Goddard</em></p>



<p><em>Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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<p>Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how  Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.</p>



<p>According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. </p>



<p><em>Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;</em></p>



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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