Across cosmic history, powerful forces have shaped matter into the intricate structures that define the universe. From the earliest moments after the Big Bang to the present-day cosmic web, the distribution of galaxies, clusters, and filaments has evolved in ways largely consistent with Einstein’s theory of gravity. 



However, new research suggests that the universe's large-scale structure has developed in an unexpected way - becoming "messier and more complicated" over time.



Led by Joshua Kim and Mathew Madhavacheril from the University of Pennsylvania, along with collaborators from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the study reveals that the distribution of matter in the cosmos is less clumpy than expected.



The findings add a new layer of complexity to our understanding of how the universe has grown over the past 13.8 billion years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-cosmic-history">Studying cosmic history</h2>



To probe the structure of the universe across time, the research team combined two powerful datasets: the final data release from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (<a href="https://act.princeton.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACT</a>) and the first-year results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (<a href="https://www.desi.lbl.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DESI</a>). 



By merging these complementary sources, they created a unique, multidimensional view of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mapping-the-universe-may-reveal-secrets-of-dark-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic evolution</a>.



“Our work cross-correlated two types of datasets from complementary, but very distinct, surveys. What we found was that, for the most part, the story of structure formation is remarkably consistent with the predictions from Einstein's gravity,” explained Madhavacheril.



“We did see a hint for a small discrepancy in the amount of expected clumpiness in recent epochs, around four billion years ago, which could be interesting to pursue.”



By integrating these two sources of data, the team effectively layered snapshots of the universe taken at different epochs, much like stacking transparencies of ancient cosmic photographs over more recent ones. 



This method allowed them to observe changes in the distribution of matter over billions of years, revealing surprising new details about the way <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic structures</a> have formed and evolved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-picture-of-the-universe-in-its-infancy">A picture of the universe in its infancy </h2>



One of the key components of this research relies on ACT’s data, which provides a glimpse into the early universe through a faint remnant of the Big Bang known as the Cosmic Microwave Background (<a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Cosmic_Microwave_Background_CMB_radiation#:~:text=The%20Cosmic%20Microwave%20Background%20(CMB,shockwave'%20of%20the%20Big%20Bang." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CMB</a>). 



This radiation, which has been traveling through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dead-stars-reveal-the-hidden-physics-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space</a> for nearly 14 billion years, offers an unparalleled view of the universe when it was just 380,000 years old.



“ACT, covering approximately 23% of the sky, paints a picture of the universe's infancy by using a distant, faint light that's been traveling since the Big Bang,” said Kim.



“Formally, this light is called the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), but we sometimes just call it the universe's baby picture because it's a snapshot of when it was around 380,000 years old.”



The journey of this ancient light has not been a straight one. As it traveled through space, the CMB was distorted by the gravitational pull of massive cosmic structures such as galaxy clusters. 



This phenomenon, known as gravitational lensing, alters the path of the CMB photons in much the same way that a pair of spectacles distorts the view of an image. 



By analyzing these distortions, cosmologists can infer valuable information about the large-scale structure of the universe, including how matter is distributed across cosmic time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-the-universe-s-structure-with-galaxies">Tracing the universe's structure with galaxies</h2>



While ACT provides insight into the early universe, DESI offers a more recent perspective by mapping the three-dimensional distribution of galaxies across vast stretches of space. 



Located at the <a href="https://kpno.noirlab.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kitt Peak National Observatory</a> in Arizona and operated by <a href="https://www.lbl.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a>, DESI is specifically designed to study the arrangement of luminous red galaxies (LRGs), which serve as cosmic landmarks.



“The LRGs from DESI are like a more recent picture of the universe, showing us how galaxies are distributed at varying distances. It’s a powerful way to see how structures have evolved from the CMB map to where galaxies stand today,” explained Kim.



By mapping the positions of millions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unknown-factors-are-accelerating-the-expansion-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>, DESI provides a precise record of how matter has spread out over the past several billion years.



When combined with the lensing data from ACT, this creates an unprecedented overlap between early and late-universe observations, allowing researchers to directly compare how structures have changed over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-ct-scan-of-the-universe">Cosmic CT scan of the universe</h2>



One of the most exciting aspects of this research is its ability to function like a&nbsp;cosmic CT scan, providing a layered view of the universe’s structure at different points in time. 



By examining the way matter has clumped together across cosmic history, the team was able to track the influence of gravity over billions of years.



“This process is like a cosmic CT scan, where we can look through different slices of cosmic history and track how matter clumped together at different epochs. It gives us a direct look into how the gravitational influence of matter changed over billions of years,” said Madhavacheril.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clumpiness-of-the-universe-s-structure">Clumpiness of the universe's structure</h2>



Despite overall agreement with established models, the researchers identified a small but notable discrepancy. The expected level of clumpiness, a measure of how matter is distributed in the universe, appears to be slightly lower than predicted in the later epochs of cosmic history.



This discrepancy is captured by a key metric known as&nbsp;Sigma 8 (σ8), which quantifies the amplitude of matter density fluctuations. A lower-than-expected value of σ8 suggests that cosmic structures may not have formed in complete accordance with early-universe predictions.



“This slight disagreement with expectations isn’t strong enough to suggest new physics conclusively - it’s still possible that this deviation is purely by chance,” said Kim.



However, if this deviation turns out to be real and not a statistical anomaly, it could point to unknown physical processes influencing the way <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-could-explain-the-rapid-expansion-of-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic structures</a> form and evolve. 



One leading hypothesis is that&nbsp;dark energy, the mysterious force responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe, may be affecting structure formation in ways that current models do not fully capture.



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



While this research from the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Pennsylvania</a> raises new questions about cosmic evolution, upcoming projects promise to refine these measurements with even greater precision. 



The&nbsp;<a href="https://simonsobservatory.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Simons Observatory</a>, a next-generation telescope currently under development, will provide more detailed observations of the CMB and its lensing effects, helping scientists determine whether the observed discrepancy is real or simply a fluctuation within expected parameters.



By combining increasingly powerful observational tools with sophisticated theoretical models, researchers hope to gain a deeper understanding of how the universe’s large-scale structure has developed over billions of years. 



Whether this study ultimately confirms existing models or points toward new physics, it represents an important step toward unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos.



As scientists continue to push the boundaries of our understanding, one thing remains clear - the story of the universe’s evolution is far from over. Each new discovery brings us closer to answering some of the biggest questions in cosmology, revealing the intricate and ever-changing nature of the cosmos.



The study is published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1475-7516/2024/12/022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP)</a>&nbsp;and on the preprint server&nbsp;<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.04607" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arXiv</a>.



Image Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain



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Powerful forces have made the structure of the universe very "messy"

Across cosmic history, powerful forces have shaped matter into the intricate structures that define the universe. From the earliest moments after the Big Bang to the present-day cosmic web, the distribution of galaxies, clusters, and filaments has evolved in ways largely consistent with Einstein’s theory of gravity. However, new research suggests that the universe's large-scale structure has developed in an unexpected way - becoming "messier and more complicated" over time. Led by Joshua Kim and Mathew Madhavacheril from the University of Pennsylvania, along with collaborators from Lawrence...

<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> scientists have ranked 2017 as the second hottest year on record. The experts explained that in 2016, which holds the record as the hottest year in history, an El Niño event pushed temperatures higher. In 2017, however, temperatures broke records without the help of an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-ice-shelves/">El Niño</a>.

March of 2017 was particularly exceptional. According to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “This marked the first time the monthly temperature departure from average surpassed 1.8°F (1.0°C) in the absence of an El Niño episode in the tropical Pacific Ocean.”

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, which includes both El Nino and La Niña, causes global changes in temperatures and rainfall levels. El Niño results in warmer sea surface and atmospheric temperatures, while La Niña events leave the ocean and air colder than usual.

Greenhouse gas emissions are also affecting temperatures, and global warming has raised temperatures an average of 1 degree Celsius since the late 19th century. Since 2001, the planet has experienced 17 out of the 18 hottest years since record-keeping began in 1880.

Gavin A. Schmidt is the director of <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/">NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a>, which conducted the study.

“Individual ranking of years is not necessarily the most important thing,” Schmidt told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a>. “What we’re seeing is an increasing string of years of temperatures more than 1 degree above the pre-industrial era. And we’re not going to go back.”

Scientists are linking an abnormally warm February, in particular, to climate change. And the experts are saying that Earth’s changing environment is also to blame for the extent of the damaging hurricanes and wildfires that struck the United States in 2017.

“Despite colder than average temperatures in any one part of the world, temperatures over the planet as a whole continue the rapid warming trend we’ve seen over the last 40 years,” said Schmidt.

More details on the study by NASA can be found on their Global Climate Change <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2671/long-term-warming-trend-continued-in-2017-nasa-noaa/">website</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2017 was the second hottest year on record

NASA scientists have ranked 2017 as the second hottest year...

One of the world's most active volcanoes is threatening to erupt in the Philippines on the island of Luzon. Mount Mayon began showing signs of awakening over the weekend, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has elevated the volcano alert to level 3. With lava spilling down the side of the mountain and thick clouds of ash shooting into the sky, the experts continue to monitor the strength and potential danger of the event. 

Chief volcanologist Renato Solidum described the current activity of Mount Mayon as a “non-explosive magmatic eruption.” Solidum explained that volcanic activity over the next few hours will determine whether the alert will be upgraded to a level 4, which would significantly expand the danger zone.

Solidum said that three steam-driven eruptions may have dislodged solidified lava, allowing <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/lava-flow-from-the-kilauea-volcano-in-hawaii/">lava</a> to start gushing out. He told the Associated Press, “Lava has flowed out of the volcano's crater already, but it's just starting. It's a non-explosive eruption. We have to verify tomorrow if it will flow continuously.”

PHIVOLCS warned on Sunday that the bright glow in the crater signifies the growth of a new lava dome, and that “the evacuation zone should be enforced due to the dangers of falling rocks, landslides or a collapse of the dome.”

Mount Mayon is located along the Ring of Fire, a volatile region of the Pacific Ocean basin which contains 75 percent of the world's volcanoes and has hosted over 80 percent of the worst earthquakes in history. 

Mayon has erupted 47 times over the last 500 years. According to PHIVOLCS, the next explosive eruption could occur “within weeks or even days.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Philippines volcano starts spewing lava, prompts evacuations

One of the world's most active volcanoes is threatening to...

The battle against climate change and the Trump administration have always been at odds. Since taking office just under one year ago, President Trump has quickly undermined, erased, and reversed as many climate change mitigation policies as possible.

Trump withdrew the United States from the landmark Paris Climate Accord, suggested that the solution to cold winter weather was a little bit of “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-trump-tweets/">good old global warming</a>,” and has publicly promised to revive the coal and fossil fuels industry.

But now, a new report conducted by the<a href="https://envirodatagov.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Part-3-Changing-the-Digital-Climate.pdf"> Environmental Data and Governance Initiative</a> (EDGI) details how many federal websites have removed any mentions of climate change and renewable energy throughout the first year of Trump’s presidency. 

The EDGI is a collaborative effort between academics and non-profits whose aim is to make government data openly available, and the agency monitors federal websites in order to record any changes made. 

The report, released this week, reveals a dramatic shift in how federal agencies discuss climate change, often removing the mention of greenhouse gas emissions and altering tone and verbiage across different web pages.

It’s something the EDGI calls “science cleansing,” and it’s a tactic that doesn’t fix the problems of global warming but, instead, just confuses the issue. 

“We have found substantial shifts in whether and how the topic of climate change and efforts to mitigate and adapt to its consequences are discussed across a range of federal agencies’ websites,” the report reads. 

Some of the key findings include the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency’s</a> removal and overhaul of its climate change websites, the subject of climate change being left out of issues on the White House website, and renewable energies being downplayed on many websites. 

The EDGI is committed to holding the Trump administration accountable and is working to make the public is aware of these changes in messaging regarding the urgent issue of climate change.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

All mention of climate change removed from federal websites

The battle against climate change and the Trump administration have...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-sheet-florida-coastline/">we’ve reported</a>, warming temperatures have caused extensive glacial melting, which has in turn caused sea levels to begin to rise. But as a glacier melts and fills with water, it becomes much heavier, which has had an unexpected consequence on the seafloor.

Now, a new study has found that melting ice sheets and glaciers are weighing down on the ocean floor and causing it to sink. As a result, the global sea level has risen even more than scientists had accounted for.

According to the report, ocean basins have sunk an average of .004 inches per year over the past 20 years, and so the ocean itself is .08 inches deeper. These tiny inches add up when applied to the massive size of the Earth’s oceans. 

Using a newly designed mathematical equation called the “elastic sea level equation,” researchers found that they have been underestimating sea level rise by as much as 8 percent.

The research was published online in the journal Geophysical Research Levels.

The scientists say that satellite assessments are no longer the best way to measure sea level changes. Instead, they say, the sinking seafloor needs to be accounted for "either based on modeled estimates of ocean mass change, as was done in this study, or using more direct observations.”

This is not the first time events triggered by climate change have altered the Earth’s crust. According to a report by the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/09/hurricane-harvey-deformed-the-earths-crust-around-houston/538866/">Atlantic</a>, Hurricane Harvey dropped so much rain on Texas that the ground actually sunk .8 inches.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The weight of melting glaciers is causing the ocean floor to sink

As we’ve reported, warming temperatures have caused extensive glacial melting,...

Tens of millions of people have found themselves in the path of Winter Storm Grayson, one of the most powerful winter storms in the country's history. The blizzard dumped freezing rain, sleet, and snow in the Southeast on Wednesday before charging up the coast and becoming more destructive along its way.

Thousands of fights have been cancelled and over 75,000 people have lost power in 11 states. The Northeast is getting slammed with snow and winds are gusting up to as high as 76 miles per hour as the storm continues to strengthen off the coast.

The system blasted past Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina on Wednesday, leaving behind the first measurable snowfall that Tallahassee has seen in 28 years. Charleston received 3 hours of freezing rain followed by enough snow to nearly break a snowfall record from 1989.

When the storm arrived in New England on Thursday, near hurricane-force winds caused high-tide flooding in and around Boston. According to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>, the tide gauge at Boston Harbor hit 15.1 feet, an impact that has not occurred in almost 40 years.

Overall, about 30 coastal communities in Massachusetts experienced coastal flooding, according to <a href="https://weather.com/">The Weather Channel</a>. Streets, cars, and homes were submerged in icy water, with reports of cars stranded and some even floating down the streets. 

The storm was upgraded to a bomb cyclone after the pressure dropped an astounding 53 millibars in 21 hours, according to the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a>. This designation is given to any storm that experiences a drop in pressure of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.

Currently, there are 55 million people under winter alerts. In the Northeast, hurricane force wind gusts are predicted this evening and major coastal flooding is possible.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Historic bomb cyclone winter storm charges up the east coast

Tens of millions of people have found themselves in the...

In response to recent cold weather, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-trump-tweets/">tweeted</a> that that we “could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming.”  There are many fallacies in that little tweet.  

First it’s implied that climate change could be a good thing for some.  In the long run, there will be evolutionary winners and losers but it’s unlikely that humans as a species will benefit.  The humans who will suffer the most from climate change are also likely to be the poorest people living in the poorest countries.  The rich of course will have the means to move or invest in personal infrastructures to allay the negative impacts of climate change.  Those living in rich countries can hope that their nations likewise will invest in infrastructures such as dams to protect their citizens.  That may seem a distant hope in face of the catastrophes hurricanes have caused in the US but compared to the horrors of poorer Haiti, we’ve done relatively well.  

Secondly and more to the point, the president is implying that climate change/global warming is a hoax because the weather is cold now.  This is obviously wrong.  There were many places during the last ice age that were untouched by glaciers but no one doubts it was colder on average than today.  There is a problem in understanding climate change stemming often from hype and hype on both sides of the debate.  

My partner Erin studied conservation biology at a rather good school in New York.  Erin told me recently about footage of a male polar bear eating a baby polar bear.  The photo was used as evidence for the bear’s hunger and it was implied, the bear was hungry due to climate change.  The problem as Erin’s professor pointed out is that male polar bears have eaten babies for a long time.  Male polar bears have exhibited infanticide behavior occasionally for as long as people have observed them.  There are also photos everywhere of bears on tiny pieces of ice or dying of starvation; the internet’s full of these images.  By itself, a picture of a starving polar bear means nothing.  The arctic is and has always been a hard place to live.  Hundreds of muskox have died in a single winter because ice covered vegetation and they couldn’t eat but this doesn’t suggest a global problem.  

I’m not saying climate change isn’t a real problem.  I’m suggesting the problem is incredibly complex and oversimplifying it risks alienating large amounts of people.  You shouldn’t expect one hot summer or one cold winter to indicate an overall trend.  The earth’s been around for 4.6 billion years or so, you shouldn’t expect weather in the short term to be very useful in predicting large changes.  A lot of the data climate scientists use is things like ice core drillings from Antarctica where atmospheric gases over centuries can be analyzed.  Things like long term pollen distribution can be useful as well or growth rings on redwoods.  These are things that have been correlated to current weather and levels of carbon in the atmosphere.  

Weather is the temperature, wind, precipitation, etc. in the short term.  Climate is the same thing in the longer term, influenced by atmosphere, the tilt and wobble of earth, ground cover, etc.  The claim of climate change is that the earth’s climate is gradually changing, long term averages not short term weather is shifting.  The second claim is that this shift is being caused or boosted by human activity.  Most scientists agree these two things are true.  There isn’t as much consensus as to exactly what this will mean.  It’s likely that the weather will be more erratic; more hurricanes are likely the new norm.  Places like Tucson where I’m currently living or California are likely to have more droughts.  This doesn’t mean every drought or forest fire is definitively caused by climate change.  

The climate feedback of the earth reacting to human actions is very complex but the data that we’re causing problems is sound.  We know with certainty that carbon in the atmosphere has been rising due largely to burning of fossil fuels but also other smaller scale burning.  Deforestation and destruction of marine environments also plays an impact.  With less organisms to uptake carbon more is in the air.  The rise of carbon is jagged, showing in the northern hemisphere less input in the summer when plants are using carbon.  The same pattern for different months is evident in the southern hemisphere as well.  

The important thing to consider when it comes to climate change is the scale.  We should think in terms of a geological time scale, not a normal short term scale of human history.  It will be the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren that stand to lose the most from ‘global warming’.        

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Donald and the difference between climate and weather

In response to recent cold weather, President Donald Trump tweeted...

In response to cold temperatures on the east coast, President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that the area could use some “global warming.”  

“In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year's Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against," <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/946531657229701120">Trump tweeted</a>. "Bundle up!"

Trump’s thoughts on global warming have always been clear, having called it an <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/408977616926830592?lang=en">“expensive hoax”</a> back in 2013. Earlier this year, he announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, calling it a bad deal for Americans.

The problem is that Trump, like many climate change deniers, is confused about the basic science, ignoring overall trends by just looking at daily weather reports.

Global warming refers instead to a general pattern of increasing ocean and global temperatures overall. According to the <a href="https://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO), 2016 was in fact the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2016-hottest-year-record/">hottest year</a> on record.

And that is just one part of the equation, as climate change also includes drastic changes in weather (both hot and cold temperatures), increases in precipitation, and more active hurricane seasons. 

Climate change is wide-reaching, and a cold winter day does not simply disprove the extensive research backing its existence.

Arctic ice sheet melt, changes in marine and terrestrial ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution levels and precipitation all point to how climate change is impacting the planet. 

President Trump’s opinions that climate change appear to be a costly gimmick, where the United States will lose money and his feelings that a brisk cold snap needs some “global warming,” are wholly off the mark. 

In fact, ignoring climate change actually costs taxpayers significantly more money in damages.

“The Government Accountability Office released a report in October that said the US government has spent more than $350 billion over the past decade in response to extreme weather and fire events and estimated that the US would incur far higher costs as the years progress if global emission rates don't go down,” Dan Merica of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a> reported. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

East Coast needs a little “global warming,” Trump tweets

In response to cold temperatures on the east coast, President...

A record-breaking storm dumped over 5 feet of snow in Erie, Pennsylvania, between Sunday and Tuesday, and there is more snow in the forecast. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shape-lake-ontario-snowstorms/">lake-effect</a> snowstorm buried the city in 62.9 inches of snow, and that total is expected to approach 70 inches by the time the system moves out of the area.

Erie’s all-time daily snowfall record of 20 inches, which was set in 1956, was broken on Christmas Day when 34 inches of snow fell. The two-day snowfall total of 58.5 inches was the most ever recorded in the entire state of Pennsylvania, according to the <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a>.

Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper signed a declaration of disaster emergency on Tuesday. As crews worked to clear the main roads, the fresh snow piled up in the streets right behind them. David Mulvihill, the city’s director of public works, said that dozens of vehicles had been abandoned in the streets.

On Facebook, the Erie Police Department wrote, “Roads are dangerous and impassable. This is an incredible amount of snow that we're trying to move and we appreciate resident cooperation. Residents should stay off of City of Erie streets until it stops snowing, and we can get the roads open.”

Lake-effect snow occurs when a cold air mass moves over a warmer lake. Water vapor is pulled up into the colder air above and produces snowfall which is blown to shore. 

The city of Erie currently remains under a Lake Effect Snow Warning issued by the National Weather Service until 4:00 PM. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: Samantha Moore, pictured: Andrew Bargh

Lake-effect storm buries Erie, Pennsylvania in 5 feet of snow

A record-breaking storm dumped over 5 feet of snow in...

Chinese officials have approved an emissions trading system (ETS) in an effort to drastically reduce the country's carbon emissions. China has vowed to reach a peak in carbon emissions by 2030. By launching what will be the world's largest carbon market, experts say this goal can be reached.

As the biggest contributor to carbon emissions, stricter regulations on fossil fuels in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strategies-air-pollution-china/">China</a> will have a major impact on the world's overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Each power plant will be allowed only a certain amount of emissions, a limit that will gradually decline. Those sites that manage to stay below their allotted usage can sell their excess permits. 

The ETS will initially target 1,700 stationary sources in China's power sector, which contribute around 39 percent of the country's total emissions. The program will ultimately be extended to include seven other branches of industry as well, including iron and steel and civil aviation.

While the plans for the trading system were first drafted in 2015, the concept has been under review by the Chinese government for over ten years. When the program is fully implemented by 2020, it is projected to cover 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) President Fred Krupp said that the new carbon market will put China in a great position to keep its Paris Agreement pledge to peak carbon emissions by 2030, and he pointed out that this “more ambitious target" will make it possible for China's emissions to peak well before then.

“The world has never before seen a climate program on this scale,” said Krupp. “It is important that the world’s largest emitter should lead on climate, and that is precisely what China is doing by launching its national emissions trading system. China has stepped up its climate leadership dramatically in recent years, and is now increasingly seen as filling the leadership void left by the U.S.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

China to launch a trading system to reduce CO2 emissions

Chinese officials have approved an emissions trading system (ETS) in...

The world's second largest mining company has conducted a review of 21 industry associations and their positions on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-conference-fossil-fuels/">climate</a> and energy policies. As a result, B.H.P. Billiton has released a <a href="https://www.bhp.com/media-and-insights/news-releases/2017/12/bhp-releases-industry-association-review">report</a> announcing its plans to withdraw from the World Coal Association (WCA).

The report states that were “seven material differences in position” with the WCA, and also with the The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and The United States Chamber of Commerce. While B.H.P. says it will remain a member of the MCA, the company has set forth plans to formally communicate the differences in opinion and will “request that the MCA refrain from policy activity or advocacy in these areas.”

B.H.P. will further investigate the nature of the differences between itself and The Chamber of Commerce while considering the future of its membership. In addition, the group will notify the World Coal Association of their intent to exit, and will invite responses from the organization before making a final decision on March 31, 2018.

B.H.P.’s Chief External Affairs Officer Geoff Healy said that the publication of this report demonstrates the company's support for action on climate change and commitment to transparency.

“Active participation within industry associations is an opportunity for BHP to improve its own performance and to support industry as a whole in making a positive contribution,” said Healy.

“This review makes clear the principles for our ongoing participation in industry bodies. While we won’t always agree with our industry associations, we will continue to call out material differences where they exist and we will take action where necessary, as we have done today.

B.H.P. says it will continue to be straightforward with investors, governments, and civil society on the company’s stance on climate and energy policy. The group will also continue to communicate their environmental standards to industry associations, and hopes to positively influence ethical investments in the future.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Major coal company leaves industry group over climate change

The world's second largest mining company has conducted a review...

According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/18/trump-drop-climate-change-national-security-strategy">new reports</a>, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to drop climate change from the list of global threats in his National Security Strategy.

Instead of regulating emissions, Trump plans to put more of an emphasis on fossil fuels, coal, and economic development. 

Trump’s announcement earlier this year to remove the United States from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a> means that the U.S. is now the only country not participating in the global climate agreement.  But Trump argues that the focus should instead be put on American workers. 

Now, in a new release to be presented later today, Trump will announce his new defense strategy and the removal of climate change from the list of National Security Threats. 

President Obama worked hard to make great strides toward mitigating climate change, but Trump maintains that other threats deserve priority.

Any mention of climate change by Trump is linked to economic development rather than keeping warming temperatures in check.  

“'U.S. leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth, energy agenda that is detrimental to U.S. economic and energy security interests,” reads a draft of the new defense strategy obtained by the <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2017/12/15/trump-admin-to-remove-climate-change-from-list-of-national-security-threats/">Federalist</a>. “'Given future global energy demand, much of the developing world will require fossil fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their economies and lift their people out of poverty.” 

This is the exact opposite stance that other global leaders are making. 

Trump feels that an emphasis on clean energy and policy regulations will unfairly disadvantage manufacturing jobs and general job growth in the United States. 

However, as the last few years have proven, clean energy jobs could create an unprecedented <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/economy/solar-jobs-us-coal/index.html">economic boom</a>. 

Time will tell if global policy combating climate change will outweigh or influence the United State’s stance on climate change and if the clean energy sector can grow and perhaps compete with fossil fuels. 

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By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump will remove climate change from National Security Strategy

According to new reports, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to...

The latest Republican tax reform bill recently passed through the Senate, and President Trump is slated to sign it by the end of December. The bill has been fraught with controversy, including the haphazard way it was presented to the Senate with, as one <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/01/politics/senate-tax-bill-vote-uncertainty/index.html">CNN</a> report put it, “handwriting alterations on to the document -- up until just hours before the final vote.” 

The new tax plan has the potential to sever many tax incentives for renewable energy, slowing down the momentum of U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-solar-panels-appealing/">clean energy</a> industries. 

A new <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/climate/tax-overhaul-energy-wind-solar.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&amp;smid=nytcore-ipad-share">New York Times</a> report details the damaging effect the new tax plan would have on renewable energies, drying up all incentives for wind and solar companies while shifting support back to coal and gas. 

Renewable energies have been gained momentum over the past decade. By 2016, nearly 15 percent of all electricity in the United States was supplied by renewable energy, according to numbers released by the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&amp;t=3">U.S Energy Information Administration</a>. 

The new tax bill specifically targets previous tax cuts and incentives for renewables.

According to the New York Times, the bill would limit tax credits for wind farms and allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. 

The bill also removes the generous tax credit afforded to those who decide to purchase an electric car which could adversely affect electric vehicle companies. 

The good news is that even with the proposed tax breaks for oil and coal and the steep competition and monopolies that renewable energies face, renewables simply aren’t going anywhere soon. 

The bill could effectively slow renewables, but many companies working with wind and solar had plans to be self-sufficient (without subsidies) as early as 2020. 

“In the long run, we think wind and solar will become cheap enough to compete without subsidies,” Amy Grace, renewables analyst at <a href="https://about.bnef.com/">Bloomberg New Energy Finance</a>, told the New York Times. “But in the short term, those tax credits have been important.”

Only time will tell the lasting effects of the new tax reform bill, but as climate change progresses the need for green energy alternatives becomes more and more crucial, and this bill could slow or halt the substantial progress that has already been made. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

New tax reform bill could slow momentum of renewable energies

The latest Republican tax reform bill recently passed through the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day 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;



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.



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;



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. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...