Household energy costs do not hit everyone equally. Some families spend a much larger share of their income keeping the lights and heat on, and that strain adds up over time.



A large national analysis looked at what happens when homes install rooftop solar, and the results point to real relief. The picture is nuanced, and the numbers tell an important story.



<a href="https://emp.lbl.gov/people/sydney-forrester" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sydney P. Forrester</a> of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (<a href="https://www.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LBL</a>) led the analysis. The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48967-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> helps separate hopeful claims from what the data actually show.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-panels-and-energy-burden">Solar panels and energy burden</h2>



The term <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/16.%20How%20high%20are%20household%20energy%20burdens_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy burden</a> refers to the share of a household’s gross income that goes to energy bills like electricity, gas, and heating fuel. 



By definition, a high burden begins above 6 percent of income, while a severe burden begins above 10 percent.



Those thresholds matter because a high or severe burden often forces tradeoffs that affect comfort, health, and stability. When energy takes too big a slice of income, it can crowd out essentials and reduce options.



Policymakers use this metric to track equity and target support to households under pressure. Clear definitions help programs focus on the people who need help most.



Cutting energy burden is not only about saving money. It is also about reducing the risk that families have to ration heat or power during unsafe conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-researchers-found">What the researchers found</h2>



The new study examined roughly 500,000 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-every-home-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. households</a> that adopted rooftop solar. It found that the median energy burden fell from 3.3 percent to 2.6 percent across adopters.



The authors put it plainly, “rooftop solar reduces energy burden across a majority of adopters during our study period from a median of 3.3% to 2.6%,” wrote Forrester. That is a national view, not a single city snapshot.



Low income and moderate income households also saw declines. Median burden dropped from 7.7 percent to 6.2 percent for low income households, and from 4.1 percent to 3.3 percent for moderate income households.



The share of low income households facing high or severe burden fell from 67 percent to 52 percent after adoption. For moderate income households, the share fell from 21 percent to 13 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-panel-results-differ">Solar panel results differ</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-panels-are-1000-times-more-powerful-with-new-tech-breakthrough/">Solar</a> does not play out the same way in every region. The study reports larger average reductions in the West, smaller in the Midwest and Northeast, and increases for the median household in the South due to cheaper electricity that limits bill reductions.



Income levels shape outcomes as well. When energy already costs a high share of income, even moderate bill cuts can matter a lot.



Heating fuel type also influences results. Homes that rely on propane or fuel oil have higher burdens that solar cannot fully offset because those fuels are not displaced by on site generation.



Weather, housing stock, and local tariffs round out the picture. Those details explain why two similar systems in different places can yield very different financial outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loans-leases-and-the-fine-print">Loans, leases, and the fine print</h2>



There is a difference between what the utility bill shows and what the full budget feels like. The study compared bill savings alone to net savings after including off bill costs like loan or lease payments and incentives.



On bills alone, the median customer saved about 1,987 dollars per year. After counting loans or leases, the median net savings was about 691 dollars per year.



That gap is not a trick, it reflects financing and incentive structures. It also shows why simple bill comparisons can overstate what households actually keep.



The ownership model matters. Lease customers, on average, saw slightly larger percentage point burden reductions than loan financed owners, but they tended to start with higher burdens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-household-savings-from-solar-panels">Household savings from solar panels</h2>



Solar helps many households, but it is not a magic switch. You still need to look at total costs, incentives, and how your utility credits excess generation through <a href="https://seia.org/net-metering/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">net metering</a> if it applies in your area.



Comparing quotes from vetted installers can lower upfront costs and clarify long term terms. Transparent proposals make it easier to choose a system size and financing plan that fits your usage.



If your home uses natural gas, fuel oil, or propane for heat, solar will not touch those costs directly. You might see bill relief on electricity but still face high heating expenses in winter.



Pairing solar with weatherization and efficient electric heating can change the math. Insulation, air sealing, and heat pumps lower total energy needs, which lowers burden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-policy-and-equity-angles">Policy and equity angles</h2>



“Policymakers at the federal and state level have begun to incorporate energy burden into equity goals and program evaluations,” wrote Forrester. That framing reflects a shift toward measuring whether programs reduce strain on households.



Results in the South underline a key point. Where electricity is cheap, solar may not reduce bills enough to cover financing costs in the short term, even if burdens remain relatively low.



For households with very high burdens, solar may help but not solve the problem. Pairing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-cells-made-from-moon-dust-work-incredibly-well-providing-hope-for-lunar-colonies/">solar</a> incentives with weatherization and targeted bill assistance can bring burdens below 6 percent.



Data like these help agencies set realistic goals. They also help identify groups that need tailored support, such as households heated by fuel oil or propane.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-panels-and-the-future">Solar panels and the future</h2>



The analysis used modeled hourly household loads tied to real homes, which allows coverage of many places but adds uncertainty. That approach is standard when metered data are not available at the needed scale.



Tariff assumptions reflect 2021 conditions and may differ from more recent rate reforms in some states. Changing compensation structures for exported solar can shift household outcomes.



Income estimates came from 2021 data to match the study period. That choice captures the right year for burden calculations but can differ from income at the time of adoption.



Future studies can track newer tariffs, time of use rates, and evolving incentive designs. They can also follow households over time to see how savings hold up across years.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48967-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Solar panels save families an average of $2,000 a year, according to a new study

Household energy costs do not hit everyone equally. Some families spend a much larger share of their income keeping the lights and heat on, and that strain adds up over time. A large national analysis looked at what happens when homes install rooftop solar, and the results point to real relief. The picture is nuanced, and the numbers tell an important story. Sydney P. Forrester of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) led the analysis. The work helps separate hopeful claims from what the data actually show. Solar...

As Greenland’s massive ice sheet continues to melt, it’s not just raising sea levels. The melting ice is also stirring up the ocean in ways that may be feeding tiny organisms at the base of the marine food chain.



The study behind this discovery comes from a team of scientists at <a href="https://www.sjsu.edu/">San José State University</a>, working in partnership with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 



Using powerful supercomputers and an advanced ocean simulation tool, the experts have shown how runoff from Greenland’s ice sheet may be helping <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/spectacular-phytoplankton-bloom-in-the-north-atlantic/">phytoplankton</a> thrive. These tiny, plantlike organisms are critical to life in the ocean - and to the planet’s climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-ice-is-feeding-the-ocean">Melting ice is feeding the ocean</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-lake-explodes-under-greenland-ice-creating-a-massive-crater-harder-glacier/">Greenland’s ice sheet</a>, which is over a mile thick in places, is losing around 293 billion tons of ice each year. In the summer, meltwater pours into the sea at astonishing rates. 



From the base of Jakobshavn Glacier (also known as Sermeq Kujalleq), more than 300,000 gallons of fresh water enter the ocean every second.



This freshwater doesn’t just disappear. It creates a plume that rises up through the saltwater, and as it does, it appears to carry nutrients from deep in the ocean toward the surface. 



Scientists have long suspected that this upwelling may help feed phytoplankton, especially during the summer when surface nutrients run low.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-phytoplankton">The role of phytoplankton </h2>



Phytoplankton play a big role in Earth’s systems. They absorb carbon dioxide and form the base of the food web for everything from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-krill-keep-time-in-a-world-of-endless-days-or-nights/">krill</a> to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humpback-whales-now-migrate-weeks-early-signaling-big-ocean-changes/">whales</a>. Despite being microscopic, they’re essential to marine ecosystems across the globe.



NASA satellite data has shown a 57% increase in phytoplankton growth in the Arctic between 1998 and 2018. 



The timing of this growth spike led researchers to think glacial melt might be part of the reason. But proving it has been difficult, especially in Greenland’s remote, iceberg-filled fjords.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-hidden-ocean-world">A hidden ocean world</h2>



Dustin Carroll is an oceanographer at San José State University who is also affiliated with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.



“We were faced with this classic problem of trying to understand a system that is so remote and buried beneath ice,” said Carroll. “We needed a gem of a computer model to help.”



The model came in the form of ECCO-Darwin, a tool developed at JPL and MIT. It’s been described as a virtual ocean laboratory. 



This tool pulls together decades of data - billions of measurements from satellites and ocean instruments - to simulate how water, heat, salt, nutrients, and life interact across the globe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meltwater-and-phytoplankton-growth">Meltwater and phytoplankton growth</h2>



Michael Wood, a computational oceanographer at San José State University, noted that simulating how biology, chemistry, and physics interact in just one corner of Greenland’s 27,000-mile coastline is an enormous mathematical challenge. 



Wood said that to break it down, they built a "model within a model within a model" to zoom in on the details of the fjord at the foot of the glacier.



The calculations, run on NASA’s supercomputers in Silicon Valley, showed that glacial meltwater could increase summer phytoplankton growth by 15 to 40% in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-fjords-show-signs-of-struggle-in-a-warming-world/">fjord</a> they studied.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-ice-more-impact">More ice, more impact</h2>



It’s too soon to say exactly what this means for Greenland’s marine ecosystems, but it’s clear that changes in the ice are driving changes in the water.



“Melt on the Greenland ice sheet is projected to accelerate in coming decades, affecting everything from sea level and land vegetation to the saltiness of coastal waters,” Carroll said.



“We reconstructed what’s happening in one key system, but there’s more than 250 such glaciers around Greenland.” The team plans to expand their simulations to other coastal areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



The researchers also looked at how these changes affect the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellites-reveal-how-oceans-absorb-carbon-in-unprecedented-detail/">ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide</a>. In the fjord, meltwater makes the seawater less able to dissolve carbon. 



But that loss seems to be canceled out by the larger phytoplankton blooms, which take in more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.



“We didn’t build these tools for one specific application,” said Wood. “Our approach is applicable to any region, from the Texas Gulf to Alaska. Like a Swiss Army knife, we can apply it to lots of different scenarios.”



Image Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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How Greenland’s melting ice fuels ocean life

As Greenland’s massive ice sheet continues to melt, it’s not...

For flowering plants, the choice of a visiting insect or bird can be a matter of evolutionary life or death. A recent study reveals that even brief mismatches between when flowers bloom and when pollinators arrive can flip the direction of natural selection, favoring one floral form one week and a different form the next.



The work, led by biologist Liedson Carneiro from <a href="https://www.etsu.edu/ehome/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">East Tennessee State University</a>, shows how fast these “rules” can change inside a single <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-blooming-92-days-earlier-due-to-climate-change/">flowering season</a> - and hints at what may lie ahead in a warming world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-bees-no-seeds">No bees, no seeds</h2>



The team focused on an oil-producing vine - nicknamed the Amazonvine - that climbs through Brazil’s dry <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-have-strategies-to-survive-in-nutrient-poor-soils/">tropical forests</a>. The vine cannot self-pollinate; it relies on specialized oil-collecting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-do-not-learn-to-be-cooperative-it-is-in-their-genes/">bees</a> that grasp the petals, extend their legs, and scrape off nutrient-rich floral oils. 



Those fingerprints - tiny scrapes on the petal surface - let researchers track exactly which flowers were visited and when.



The fieldwork took place in Parque Nacional do Catimbau, Pernambuco, during the species’ 2020 flowering season. Two snapshots were taken: an early census during the vine’s normal bloom peak and a second one four weeks later.



The contrast was stark. At the first visit more than 100 flowers were open, yet bee traffic was nearly absent. By the second survey, pollinator activity had surged. Ninety-four percent of late-blooming flowers bore the telltale scrape marks, compared with just 7.5 percent at peak bloom.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-flip-flower-priorities">Bees flip flower priorities</h2>



Because flowers leave seeds only if they receive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollen-alters-cloud-formation-and-changes-weather-patterns/">pollen</a>, the researchers could link each plant’s “fitness” to its floral display. 



During the quiet early period, vines with the largest blossoms set the most fruit: bees apparently chose the biggest targets on their rare visits.



A month later, the tables turned. With bees everywhere, plants bearing smaller flowers now produced more seeds. When every blossom attracted attention, the value of extra-large petals evaporated; large flowers may even have cost the plant energy that could have gone into seed production.



Statistical models showed the relationship between flower size and fitness did not merely weaken - it actually reversed direction between the two censuses. 



Averaged over the entire season, the contradictory pulses canceled each other, leaving only weak overall selection on blossom size.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-in-real-time"><a></a>Evolution in real time</h2>



The results matter because they confirm that evolutionary pressures can flip within weeks, not millennia.



“Our findings show that even within a single flowering season, temporal mismatches between plants and pollinators can shift how traits like flower size relate to reproductive success,” Carneiro said.



“These short-term dynamics may influence <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolutions-many-solutions-nature-finds-multiple-paths-to-success/">evolutionary outcomes</a>, help maintain trait diversity, and prevent rapid trait change in plant populations.”



That diversity can be a long-term boon, giving populations a preexisting mix of shapes and strategies to weather future shifts. But it also means conservationists cannot assume pollination patterns seen on one date will hold the following month - let alone the following year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-disrupts-pollinator-timing">Climate disrupts pollinator timing</h2>



Much discussion of plant-pollinator mismatches focuses on year-to-year effects: warming springs coax flowers to open earlier, while migrating hummingbirds and overwintering bees may lag behind.



The new study adds another layer of concern. In regions where rainfall, temperature, or day length fluctuate sharply over a few weeks, the “sweet spot” of overlap can shrink even inside one season.



If climate change makes those swings more extreme - stronger droughts, heavier downpours, hotter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/">heatwaves</a> - then the brief windows of perfect synchronization could become rarer.



In the Brazilian vine, peak bloom arrived before most bees became active. In other species, pollinators might appear before nectar flows. Either way, the study illustrates that a plant’s evolutionary trajectory can hinge on such timing errors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-insights-for-conservation">Timing insights for conservation</h2>



The research also highlights the value of detailed field observation. By sampling the same population twice, the scientists captured a live-action picture of selection that would have been invisible in a single survey. 



For ecologists monitoring threatened habitats, revisiting plots through the season could reveal hidden stresses - or hidden resilience.



In practical terms, knowing how selection fluctuates could guide which genotypes to conserve or propagate in restoration projects.



If climate change is likely to lengthen dry spells, for example, managers might favor individuals whose floral schedules naturally lags behind the average, ensuring flowers and bees still meet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-and-flowers-misaligned">Bees and flowers misaligned</h2>



Plant-pollinator partnerships are often portrayed as timeless mutualisms, but they are, in fact, dynamic negotiations subject to abrupt renegotiation.



The new work from northeastern Brazil delivers a clear message: evolution does not wait for the next <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lessons-from-the-ice-age-how-climate-change-reshapes-plant-life/">Ice Age</a>. It is happening now, blossom by blossom, as flowers and their faithful couriers dance to a rhythm increasingly disrupted by a changing climate.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aob/advance-article/doi/10.1093/aob/mcaf126/8222357?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annals of Botany</a>.



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When bees arrive late, flowers may vanish

For flowering plants, the choice of a visiting insect or...

A hidden lake beneath the Greenland ice sheet at Harder Glacier suddenly burst from deep beneath the ice. The water exploded upwards, cracked the thick ice above, and shot out across the surface.



In just ten days, the lake released 23.8 billion gallons (90 million cubic meters) of water. That’s the equivalent of nine hours of Niagara Falls water pressure running at full force. 



The result? An 270 foot (85-meter) deep crater formed, stretching across 0.77 square miles (2 square kilometers) of ice.



And that was just the start.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-ice-sheets-the-basics">Understanding ice sheets - the basics</h2>



The Greenland ice sheet is one of the most massive bodies of ice on Earth, second only to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-rivers-beneath-antarctic-ice-reshape-sea-level-predictions/">Antarctica</a>. It covers roughly 80% of Greenland’s surface and holds enough frozen water to raise global sea levels by about 23 feet (7 meters) if it melted entirely. 



What’s alarming is that it's shifting, melting, and breaking down faster than scientists once expected. Warm ocean currents gnaw at it from below, while rising air temperatures accelerate melting from above.



The meltwater from Greenland is already contributing significantly to sea level rise, with rates that have more than doubled over the last few decades.



The freshwater flowing into the North Atlantic is also disrupting ocean circulation patterns, including the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slowing-ocean-currents-could-dry-out-the-tropics/">AMOC</a>), which helps regulate the climate from the equator to Europe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenland-ice-shattered-after-lake-burst">Greenland ice shattered after lake burst</h2>



Farther downstream, researchers saw something even more shocking. A patch of once-smooth ice now looked like a war zone. 



Deep cracks split the surface. Ice blocks, as tall as a five-story building 82 feet (25 meters), stood torn from the ground.



Water had scoured the area clean. The flood had carved through about 2.3 square miles - twice the size of New York’s Central Park.



Dr. Jade Bowling from <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lancaster University</a>, who led the study, was stunned when she first saw the data. 



“When we first saw this, because it was so unexpected, we thought there was an issue with our data. However, as we went deeper into our analysis, it became clear that what we were observing was the aftermath of a huge flood of water escaping from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drones-reveal-hidden-details-about-greenlands-melting-ice/">underneath the ice</a>.”



The study appeared in&nbsp;Nature Geoscience. It sheds light on how little we truly know about the watery world beneath Greenland’s ice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-surged-upward-through-solid-ice">Water surged upward through solid ice</h2>



Normally, scientists expect meltwater to flow down from the surface to the bottom of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-discovery-transforms-sea-level-predictions/">ice</a> sheet. This flood flipped that idea. 



Water traveled upward. It smashed through frozen layers as it forced its way out. This kind of movement wasn’t in any model.



And the location? Even stranger. Models said the ice bed there should’ve been frozen solid. But the lake still drained. The team thinks pressure cracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-fossil-tundra-discovery-stuns-and-worries-scientists-sea-level-rise/">the ice bed</a> itself, opening a path for the water to shoot upward.



“The existence of subglacial lakes beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet is still a relatively recent discovery and, as our study shows, there is still much we don’t know about how they evolve and how they can impact on the ice sheet system,” Dr. Bowling explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-greenland-ice-and-lake-bursts">Monitoring Greenland ice and lake bursts</h2>



To catch all this, the team turned to satellites. They used high-res 3D maps from the <a href="https://www.pgc.umn.edu/data/arcticdem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ArcticDEM</a> project. All of the data was combined from ESA’s <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/CryoSat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CryoSat</a>, Sentinel-1 and -2, and NASA’s <a href="https://icesat-2.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICESat-2</a>. Without this satellite view, they wouldn’t have known the event even happened.



“This research demonstrates the unique value of long-term satellite measurements of Earth’s polar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/speed-of-greenland-ice-melt-confirmed-to-be-rapidly-increasing-climate-change/">ice sheets</a> which, due to their vast size, would otherwise be impossible to monitor,” noted Professor Mal McMillan.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Greenland_Harder-Glacier_subglacial-meltwater-eruption_ESA_1big.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Greenland_Harder-Glacier_subglacial-meltwater-eruption_ESA_1s.webp" alt="Harder Glacier in northern Greenland imaged by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission in 2024. Credit: ESA" class="wp-image-1980647"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Harder Glacier in northern Greenland imaged by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission in 2024. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ESA</figcaption></figure>



“Satellites represent an essential tool for monitoring the impacts of climate change, and provide critical information to build realistic models of how our planet may change in the future. This is something that all of us depend upon for building societal resilience and mitigating the impacts of climate change.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenland-lake-and-climate-models">Greenland lake and climate models</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-is-warming-and-melting-much-faster-than-rest-of-world/">Climate models</a> didn’t see this coming. They didn’t expect frozen beds to fracture. They didn’t predict water flowing upward. But it happened. And if melt events like this become more common, we need better models.



Surface melt is increasing as the planet warms. More meltwater could end up stored beneath the ice. More pressure could build. More cracks could form. More explosive floods could follow.



“Given the control that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-glacial-outburst-observed-in-greenland-for-the-first-time/">subglacial hydrology</a> has on the dynamics of the ice sheet, it is critical that we continue to improve our understanding of these hidden, and poorly understood, hydrological processes,” co-author Dr. Amber Leeson warned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-effort-required">Global effort required</h2>



This wasn’t one lab’s discovery. Scientists from the U.K., Europe, and the U.S. worked together. The U.K. Natural Environment Research Council, ESA, and <a href="https://www.ukri.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UKRI</a> funded the work.



“This discovery is remarkable, and we’re proud that our Science for Society 4D Greenland project has played a key role in making it possible,” noted ESA’s Diego Fernandez.



“This result adds to the body of knowledge we are establishing through the <a href="https://eo4society.esa.int/communities/scientists/esa-polar-science-cluster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA Polar Science Cluster</a> on how the Arctic is changing in response to increased warming," he stated.



Fernandez remarked that gaining insight into the Arctic's hydrology is crucial for understanding the ways in which it is changing, and for predicting how the ice sheet will contribute to global sea-level rise in a warming climate.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-greenland-lake-bursts">Future Greenland lake bursts</h2>



The ice sheet isn’t just melting. It’s breaking apart in ways we didn’t expect. Meltwater isn’t always calm. It can rip through solid ice and upend what we think we know.



Greenland just gave us a warning. We need to listen.



<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://youtu.be/Q3DlWjPMDlQ?si=Utyigs5CJTeKTmGv
</div></figure>



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01746-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Hidden lake explodes under the Greenland ice sheet, creating a massive crater

A hidden lake beneath the Greenland ice sheet at Harder...

For years, scientists have puzzled over a strange patch of the Southern Ocean that glowed turquoise in satellite images. This region, often obscured by clouds and sea ice, stood out for its brightness - but the usual suspects didn’t fully explain it. 



Coccolithophores, the microscopic algae known for their shiny calcium carbonate shells, are typically responsible for such optical effects. But they thrive in warmer waters, and this area was far too cold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bright-signals-in-the-southern-ocean">Bright signals in the Southern Ocean </h2>



Back in the early 2000s, researchers from <a href="https://www.bigelow.org/">Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences</a> identified a band around Antarctica called the Great Calcite Belt. 



The band was full of coccolithophores and known for its high levels of particulate inorganic carbon. Satellite data showed their shells were clearly responsible for the bright signals in that zone.



Yet farther south, another bright area appeared - just as reflective, but without an obvious cause. For years, scientists couldn’t explain it. Cloud cover, rough seas, and ice made it hard to observe directly.



Now, researchers have identified the likely source: a different kind of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-plankton-play-a-big-role-in-the-global-carbon-cycle/">plankton</a> altogether. Silica-rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/spectacular-phytoplankton-bloom-in-the-north-atlantic/">diatoms</a>, which build dense, reflective structures known as frustules, may be lighting up this part of the ocean.



“This work takes a broad brush to understand the biological and geochemical dynamics of this far-flung body of water in ways that haven’t been previously possible,” said study lead author Barney Balch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-the-ship-to-the-southern-ocean">From the ship to the Southern Ocean</h2>



That discovery came from a research cruise aboard the R/V Roger Revelle. The team sailed from Hawaii down to 60°S latitude, stopping at key points to gather data on water color, calcification rates, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-oxygen-discovery-deep-ocean-no-photosynthesis-baffles-scientists/">photosynthesis</a>, and concentrations of both inorganic carbon and silica.



“Satellites only see the top several meters of the ocean, but we were able to drill down with multiple measurements at multiple depths,” said Balch. “We’ve never had such a complete suite of integrated measurements through the water column in this part of the ocean.”



The scientists also tracked the movement of eddies - spiraling currents that bring water from deeper regions up toward the surface. 



Along the way, they measured both calcium carbonate and silica. These minerals both reflect light and also play a big role in how carbon gets stored in the ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explaining-the-reflective-glow">Explaining the reflective glow</h2>



By combining biogeochemical data, optical measurements, and microscopic imaging, the team mapped how the plankton community changes moving south. In the warmer, layered waters of the subtropics, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-phytoplankton-that-feed-ocean-life-are-rapidly-disappearing/">dinoflagellates</a> dominated. 



In the Great Calcite Belt, coccolithophores took over. But in the cold, silica-rich waters south of the Polar Front, diatoms became the main players.



“This combination of complementary methods provides a ‘smoking gun" that the high levels of reflectance scientists have observed in satellite images south of the calcite belt can be explained by frustules," said Balch.



These frustules, built by diatoms, reflect light in much the same way as coccolithophore shells - though it takes many more of them to produce the same optical effect. Their dense concentration in this region helps explain the brightness satellites have picked up for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprise-discovery-in-cold-waters">Surprise discovery in cold waters</h2>



Even more unexpectedly, the researchers also found signs of coccolithophores in these colder waters. While not dominant, they were present.



“Surprisingly, though, the team also observed small concentrations of inorganic carbon, some amount of calcification happening - a first - and visual evidence of coccolithophores in the far southern waters,” Balch said.



That discovery suggests coccolithophores might tolerate colder conditions more than previously thought. It’s also possible that eddies act as a delivery system, bringing small populations northward into the Great Calcite Belt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-carbon-and-satellites">Rethinking carbon and satellites</h2>



These findings matter far beyond the Southern Ocean. This region is one of the planet’s most important <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellites-reveal-how-oceans-absorb-carbon-in-unprecedented-detail/">carbon sinks</a>. Understanding which organisms live where - and how they appear in satellite imagery - helps scientists build better <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-models-underestimate-sea-ice-melt-and-global-warming/">climate models</a> and more accurate ocean-monitoring tools.



Right now, satellite algorithms often struggle to distinguish between coccolithophores and diatoms. That could lead to misreadings of carbon activity and marine biology in key areas.



“We’re expanding our view of where coccolithophores live and finally beginning to understand the patterns we see in satellite images of this part of the ocean we rarely get to go to,” Balch said. “There’s nothing like measuring something multiple ways to tell a more complete story.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GB008457">Global Biogeochemical Cycles</a>.



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Southern Ocean mystery: Satellites reveal a strange glow

For years, scientists have puzzled over a strange patch of...

Great white sharks almost didn’t make it. Around 25,000 years ago, with sea levels 130 feet lower than they are today, the oceans shrank. 



Much of the oceanic habitat white sharks relied on disappeared under massive glaciers. What was left became a tight squeeze for one of the world’s top predators.



White sharks survived - but just barely. And how they bounced back still puzzles scientists today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happened-to-great-white-sharks">What happened to great white sharks?</h2>



A new genetic study sheds light on that history. The work reveals that great whites were once reduced to a single, mixed population in the southern Indo-Pacific. Then, around 7,000 years ago, that group began splitting into smaller, isolated populations. 



Today, there are three genetically distinct populations of white sharks: one around Australia and South Africa, one in the North Atlantic, and one in the North Pacific. They are widespread, but still scarce.



Study co-author Gavin Naylor is director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>.



“There are probably about 20,000 individuals globally,” said Naylor. “There are more fruit flies in any given city than there are great white sharks in the entire world.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-mystery-of-white-sharks">Genetic mystery of white sharks </h2>



Back when glaciers covered huge parts of the planet, sea levels dropped drastically. This left white sharks boxed into limited areas with shrinking access to food and breeding grounds. 



As apex predators, they were already few in number. When space got tight, their numbers plummeted even further.



Something odd happened when the climate warmed. Sea levels rose, and white sharks rebounded. Yet when scientists tried to understand the genetic changes during this rebound, they found something that didn’t add up.



The researchers expected to find evidence of philopatry - a breeding pattern in which females return to the same location to reproduce. 



This behavior had previously helped explain why nuclear DNA (inherited from both parents) appears nearly identical across white shark populations, while mitochondrial DNA (passed down only from mothers) shows striking variation.



But when Naylor and his team searched for signs of philopatry using the largest dataset of white shark DNA to date, it didn’t hold up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-white-shark-dna-doesn-t-make-sense">White shark DNA doesn’t make sense</h2>



The story starts in 2001. A research team analyzed DNA from white sharks in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. They saw that while nuclear DNA was similar, mitochondrial DNA - passed down only from mothers - showed clear differences between regions.



The results suggested that male sharks roamed freely and spread their genes, while females stayed close to home when it came time to breed. That would explain why mitochondrial DNA looked more isolated and unique, while nuclear DNA looked more mixed.



The theory made sense and held up for years. But no one had done a full test on great whitesharks - until now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-data-same-genetic-mystery">New data, same genetic mystery</h2>



In 2012, the Florida team began sequencing the white shark genome using samples collected from across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. They analyzed both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA.



What they found matched older patterns: nuclear DNA was consistent across regions, but mitochondrial DNA showed sharp regional differences.



To test if philopatry was causing this, the team looked at the nuclear DNA from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-whale-sharks-grow-slower-yet-larger-than-males/">female sharks</a>. If females returned to the same location to breed, a subtle signal should show up in that data too.



“But that wasn’t reflected in the nuclear data at all,” Naylor said. So, the experts ran simulations to see if 10,000 years - roughly the time since the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/">last Ice Age</a> - was enough for philopatry to drive the changes seen in the mitochondrial DNA. Turns out, it wasn’t.



Next, the team considered reproductive skew - the possibility that only a few female white sharks were producing most of the next generation. This has been seen in species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decoding-secret-language-of-meerkats/">meerkats</a> and some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/">fish</a>, but the explanation didn't fit for great white sharks. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-natural-selection-is-an-unlikely-cause">Natural selection is an unlikely cause</h2>



The team also considered natural selection. Maybe specific versions of mitochondrial DNA helped some sharks survive better than others. 



That would mean any slight difference in a mitochondrial sequence could be deadly, weeding out variation and locking each population into its own genetic path. It’s possible, but unlikely.



For selection to be that powerful in such small populations, the pressure would have to be overwhelming. If it is the causative agent, the selective force would have to be brutally lethal, explained Naylor. 



“If you collect enough mass in a concentrated space, say on the order of a black hole, the otherwise benign force of gravity becomes powerful enough to devour light."



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifes-rules-natural-selection-change-significantly-often-daphnia/">Natural selection</a>, in this case, would need to act like that - destroying any slight deviation from the favored mitochondrial type before it had a chance to spread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mystery-remains-unsolved">The mystery remains unsolved</h2>



White sharks still keep much of their history hidden beneath the surface. The mitochondrial mystery remains. 



None of the known explanations - philopatry, reproductive skew, or natural selection - fully accounts for the genetic disconnect. "The honest scientific answer is we have no idea,” Naylor said.



There’s a lot to learn. But with more data, scientists hope to finally piece together how these rare and powerful animals survived near-extinction and bounced back.



“These white sharks come along, get a nice blubbery sausage. They fatten up, they breed, and then they move off around the ocean,” Naylor said. That part, at least, is clear. The rest is still out there - waiting to be found.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2507931122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Great white sharks survived the Ice Age - but it changed them forever

Great white sharks almost didn’t make it. Around 25,000 years...

Volcanic eruptions are known to blast heat and ash into the sky but, oddly, they can also cool the planet. Now, scientists have found fresh evidence of this effect hidden in Antarctic ice.&nbsp;



A new analysis of polar ice cores detected signals from five major volcanic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-a-volcano-be-stopped-before-it-erupts-to-give-ample-warning-to-citizens/">eruptions</a> that occurred in the 13th century. It turns out that, while volcanoes burn hot in the moment, their lasting impact can be chilling.



Jihong Cole-Dai, lead author of the study, is an expert in the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics at <a href="https://www.sdstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Dakota State University</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-volcanic-eruptions-affect-the-climate">How volcanic eruptions affect the climate</h2>



When a volcano erupts, it emits particles and gases into the atmosphere. These substances do not just vanish. They alter the properties of the atmosphere, including the critical energy balance, which is the equilibrium between the incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared rays.



One of the most important gases released during volcanic eruptions is sulfur dioxide. In the atmosphere, it reacts with water to form tiny droplets called sulfate aerosols. They scatter the incoming sunlight away from the Earth, reducing the solar energy that reaches its surface.&nbsp;



This can lead to temporary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-cooling-wont-be-a-quick-fix-for-the-state-of-our-oceans/">global cooling</a>. That is why volcanoes are seen as powerful agents of natural climate change. Records of past climatic shifts and volcanic eruptions help scientists understand this volcano-climate connection.



So, how do we uncover these ancient eruptions and their climatic footprints? The answers lie buried in ice. That is where the frozen archives of the polar regions come in, offering a timeline of global volcanic history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-cores-reveal-five-volcanic-eruptions">Ice cores reveal five volcanic eruptions</h2>



Volcanic particles can spread globally through atmospheric circulation. When they fall to the ground in polar regions, they get stuck in the snow. As the snow piles up, year after year, these particles become buried.&nbsp;



Over time, the snow compacts into ice. This forms distinct layers called strata, which preserve these particles.



The five volcanic eruptions identified in the study were classified as Large or Very Large, depending on the amount of sulfate they deposited. Large eruptions deposited 914 to 2,740 ounces of sulfate per square mile, while deposits from Very Large eruptions exceeded 2,741 ounces per square mile.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eruptions-with-a-strong-cooling-effect">Eruptions with a strong cooling effect</h2>



The study showed that the strongest volcanic eruption signal appeared in 1259. This matches the massive 1257 Samalas eruption in Indonesia. Because volcanic aerosols from tropical eruptions take time to travel to the poles, the ice core signal can appear one to two years after the eruption itself.



The unusually high sulfate levels found in the ice indicate that these eruptions likely had a strong cooling effect. Only the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377027322002190" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samalas eruption</a> has been definitively linked to a specific volcano. The remaining four eruptions remain unattributed, and identifying their sources could help clarify their climate impact.



But it was not just one volcanic eruption shaking up the climate. What stood out was how close together these events occurred.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-rare-cluster-cooled-the-earth">A rare cluster cooled the Earth</h2>



The scientists also got an idea about the timing of the eruptions. Surprisingly, four of the five eruptions happened just a decade apart, suggesting a rare burst of volcanic activity.



This kind of decadal pacing of large eruptions is unusual. Even the 19th century, with eruptions like Tambora (1815) and Krakatau (1883), did not have such closely spaced events.



In the ice cores, the sulfate signals lasted between two and four years, depending on snowfall rates and sampling resolution. In some cases, slower <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snowfall-drops-in-hindu-kush-himalayas-water-crisis-may-follow/">snowfall</a> and shifting particles stretched these signals even further.



Volcanic particles can only last in the atmosphere for up to two or three years. But in this case, since a cluster of eruptions happened, the cooling effects were compounded, which led to lasting climate changes.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-13th-century-matters-nbsp">Why the 13th century matters&nbsp;</h2>



Researchers analyzed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europes-oldest-ice-core-reveals-12000-years-of-climate-change/">ice cores</a>, cylindrical ice samples drilled out of ice sheets or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-glaciers-unleashed-floods-that-reshaped-the-planet/">glaciers</a>, from both Antarctica and Greenland, to confirm the scale of these ancient eruptions. They measured the levels of sulfur compounds, such as sulfates and sulfuric acid, which are the fingerprints of past eruptions.



The ice core records show that the 13th century had the highest frequency of massive eruptions in the past 1,000 years. This makes it a key period for understanding the past climate changes due to natural phenomena and how they compare with the modern climate changes due to human influence.



These findings highlight how natural forces can drive major shifts in the climate. By studying past events, scientists gain valuable context for understanding today's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/">climate changes</a> and what might lie ahead.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/6/661" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atmosphere</a>. 



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How volcanic eruptions cooled the planet 800 years ago

Volcanic eruptions are known to blast heat and ash into...

Arctic rivers are sending a warning. Climate change is changing the type of nitrogen they carry. This shift matters because marine life depends on a specific form of nitrogen to survive.



A new study led by Bridger J. Ruyle at<a href="https://engineering.nyu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> NYU Tandon</a> reveals what’s going wrong. His team tracked the six largest Arctic rivers for 20 years. What they found: these rivers now deliver much less of the usable, inorganic nitrogen. Instead, they carry more of the harder-to-use, organic kind.



"This is a red flag for the Arctic," said Ruyle. "Rapid changes in river nitrogen chemistry could completely transform how these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-climate-will-permanently-change-by-2050-scientists-warn/">marine</a> ecosystems function."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-rivers-have-less-useful-nitrogen">Arctic rivers have less useful nitrogen</h2>



From 2003 to 2023, Ruyle and his team measured nitrogen in rivers like the Ob’, Lena, Mackenzie, and Yukon. These rivers used to deliver enough inorganic nitrogen to feed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-winters-are-starting-to-look-more-like-spring/">coastal</a> food webs. Now, not so much.



They found that the amount of inorganic nitrogen (DIN) is dropping. At the same time, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is rising. But organic nitrogen isn’t as helpful. Marine organisms struggle to use it.



The mix is shifting. In four of the six rivers, DON now dominates the nitrogen flow. That’s a problem for organisms that rely on nutrients that are easy to absorb and process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-permafrost-thaw-and-arctic-nitrogen">Permafrost thaw and Arctic nitrogen</h2>



Permafrost is thawing. That’s one major reason behind the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-fjords-show-signs-of-struggle-in-a-warming-world/">change</a>. When frozen ground melts, it releases more organic matter. Rivers pick it up, but this process seems to suppress the delivery of inorganic nitrogen.



Models show that rivers in areas with thawing permafrost tend to carry more dissolved organic nitrogen and less inorganic nitrogen. That means the warming Arctic is feeding marine systems with the wrong kind of nitrogen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heavy-rain-adds-more-organic-nitrogen">Heavy rain adds more organic nitrogen</h2>



It’s not just heat. Extreme rain matters too. The study found that heavy rainfall days - not just total rainfall - increased nitrogen loads. These intense events now make up 24% to 42% of yearly rainfall across the six river basins.



As climate change continues, extreme rain will likely become more common. That will push even more nitrogen into rivers. But again, it's mostly the organic type that rises.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-nitrogen-levels-change-each-year">Arctic nitrogen levels change each year</h2>



Some years, rivers discharge more water. Those years usually see higher organic nitrogen levels. Inorganic nitrogen, on the other hand, doesn’t follow the same pattern.



In the Ob’ River, fires also played a role. As the amount of land burned decreased between 2007 and 2013, so did DIN. 



Wildfires can temporarily spike nitrogen levels, especially nitrate, but their long-term effect is unpredictable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-land-and-soil-affect-nitrogen-flow">Land and soil affect nitrogen flow</h2>



Rivers that flow through wetlands and cultivated land carry more nitrogen overall. These features, along with the amount of thawed permafrost, explain why nitrogen levels vary between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-fuels-dangerous-methane-feedback-loop/">rivers</a>.



Soils with long histories of warming show more variability in the kind of nitrogen they export. These areas may lose more inorganic nitrogen due to denitrification or other microbial processes.



Ruyle studies how environmental change affects water. That includes Arctic rivers and also urban drinking water.



"Whether we're looking at PFAS contamination in drinking water or nitrogen cycling in Arctic rivers, the common thread is understanding how environmental changes propagate through water systems," Ruyle explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study </h2>



While the total amount of nitrogen flowing into the Arctic Ocean remains steady, levels of inorganic nitrogen are falling. That means marine life, especially species at the bottom of the food web, might struggle.



"This work demonstrates why we need to think about water quality and climate change as fundamentally linked challenges," Ruyle said. "As climate change intensifies, we must understand these interconnections to protect both human health and ecosystem integrity."



Indigenous communities depend on these ecosystems. Less available nitrogen means weaker food webs. That could affect the fish, mammals, and people that rely on them.



The Arctic is heating up quickly. As permafrost thaws and storms intensify, Arctic rivers are already reflecting the strain - and they could become even more disrupted as climate change accelerates.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GB008639" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Biogeochemical Cycles</a>.



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Warming rivers are starving the Arctic Ocean of usable nitrogen

Arctic rivers are sending a warning. Climate change is changing...

A sprawling colony of brain coral (Mussismilia hispida) rings the main island of the Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge off the northern coast of São Paulo. A new study reveals that this coral colony stores more than 20 tons of carbon every year.



Marine biologists from the <a href="https://portal.unifesp.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of São Paulo</a> (UNIFESP) conducted five years of painstaking work that combined underwater surveys, seabed sonar, and hospital-grade CT scans of coral skeletons.



These numbers are thought-provoking: the carbon held in these corals is equivalent to the emissions produced by burning roughly 85,600 gallons of gasoline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scanning-coral-for-climate-clues">Scanning coral for climate clues</h2>



“We wanted to understand the growth of brain coral, but it’s very difficult to cut the skeleton in a way that allows this measurement to be made," said Luiz de Souza Oliveira, the first author of the study. "So we did CT scans, in which it’s possible to observe the so-called annual growth bands.” 



By analyzing dozens of three-dimensional images captured between 2018 and 2023, Oliveira and his colleagues could count yearly bands - much like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-show-amazon-rainfall-is-getting-more-extreme/">tree rings</a> - and calculate how much calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) the colonies add each season.



Scaled up to the whole island, that translates into about 170 tons of new CaCO₃ a year. Because carbonate contains <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-ocean-holds-carbon-hidden-mechanisms-revealed/">carbon</a>, the team estimated how much is locked in minerals before it can become atmospheric CO₂.



Crucially, the researchers also needed to know how much of the island’s seafloor the coral actually covers. That task fell to co-author Mónica Andrade da Silva, who used side-scan sonar to map the benthic landscape and calculate the total footprint of Mussismilia around Alcatrazes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-growth-in-cool-waters">Unexpected growth in cool waters</h2>



“The growth rate of the corals was higher than we expected, similar to that of corals in tropical regions,” said Guilherme Henrique Pereira Filho, who supervised the work and runs the Marine Ecology and Conservation Laboratory at UNIFESP.



Scientists often label subtropical reefs in the South Atlantic “marginal” because cooler water, lower light, and frequent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cyclones-impact-coral-reefs-as-far-as-1000-kilometers-away/">storms</a> push corals close to their physiological limits.



Yet the Alcatrazes colonies are piling on skeletal mass as fast as their tropical counterparts, which raises an intriguing puzzle: why do they not build towering reef frameworks like those in Abrolhos or Fernando de Noronha?



One idea is simply that they have not had time. Geological records suggest that Mussismilia may have spread into these latitudes only two or three millennia ago. 



Another possibility is mechanical. The same storms that occasionally topple entire colonies might prevent long-term accretion of large reef mounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-corals-as-carbon-storage">Corals as carbon storage</h2>



The Alcatrazes Refuge protects more than 40 at-risk species and helps reduce fishing pressure on overexploited stocks. The new study argues that it should also be valued as a blue carbon sink.



In tropical reef belts, intense biological respiration can make coral systems net emitters of CO₂. In subtropical waters, however, photosynthetic macroalgae cloak much of the rock while the corals themselves are smaller and more scattered. This balance may tip the whole ecosystem into negative-emission territory.



Moreover, corals sequester carbon in the most durable way imaginable: as mineral. Once locked into CaCO₃, carbon can stay out of circulation for centuries. That’s far longer than the organic carbon held by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-seaweed-day-2025-saving-the-oceans-sustainable-powerhouse/">seaweeds</a> or mangroves, which cycles back into the air as plant matter decomposes.



“Society tends to value an area like Alcatrazes mostly for what it’s protecting from fishing. However, this environment may be providing another essential service in a context where tons of carbon are emitted every day through the burning of fossil fuels,” Pereira Filho said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-in-coral-science">Next steps in coral science</h2>



The team found nearby sediments rich in carbonate from broken coral skeletons and mollusk shells. Those grains settle onto the seabed and can persist there for millennia, further enhancing the refuge’s carbon vault.



With new funding from FAPESP, Pereira Filho’s group plans to investigate other carbonate-forming organisms along the São Paulo coast. They hope to assemble a comprehensive ledger of how much carbon Brazil’s subtropical shelf quietly stores each year.



The work, the researchers argue, could inform both conservation priorities and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-mitigation-strategies-may-be-endangering-biodiversity/">climate mitigation strategies</a> - showing that, in the global effort to balance the carbon books, even a single species of brain coral can make a difference measured in tons.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141113625002752?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Environmental Research</a>.



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Brain corals are quietly storing massive amounts of carbon

A sprawling colony of brain coral (Mussismilia hispida) rings the...

Urbanization may seem harmless at first glance. Yet beneath the pavement and concrete lies a growing crisis. A new study from the <a href="https://sheffield.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sheffield</a> reports that urban areas support 43 percent fewer pollinating insect species. These losses have consequences for both ecosystems and crop yields.



Researchers sampled allotment sites across Sheffield, Leeds, and Leicester. These plots varied in proximity to city centers. The closer they were to concrete-heavy areas, the fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-bee-day-2025-protecting-the-pollinators-that-feed-the-world/">pollinators</a> they supported. Insect abundance and richness fell sharply in built-up zones.



Bees often dominate the conversation. But this study highlights that moths and hoverflies also matter. These two groups of pollinating insects showed higher sensitivity to urbanization than bees. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-some-insect-pollinators-struggle">Why some insect pollinators struggle</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-are-disappearing-and-its-bad-news-for-plants/">Bees</a> tend to persist in urban areas due to their simpler needs. They depend mainly on flowers for both adult and larval food. Urban greenspaces often provide these resources in abundance. 



Social bees, like honeybees and bumblebees, show strong adaptability because of their generalist foraging behaviour and long flight ranges.



Moths and hoverflies, in contrast, need diverse resources. Many hoverflies breed in stagnant water or rely on prey for their larvae. Moths require tree cover for daytime roosting and specific plants for their caterpillars. These features are often lacking in urban environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-help-insect-pollinators-survive">Trees help insect pollinators survive</h2>



The study confirmed that habitat type shapes pollinator survival. Semi-natural habitats supported all three major insect groups, but tree canopy cover had a uniquely strong effect on moths. Moth species richness and abundance rose significantly with increasing tree cover.



Gardens, however, had no consistent effect. Although common in cities, their quality varies widely. Many gardens include lawns, paving, or ornamental plants not suitable for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-dangers-threaten-the-survival-of-bees-and-pollinators/">pollinators</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-layout-influences-insect-declines">Urban layout influences insect declines</h2>



Urban landscapes form a mosaic of impervious surfaces, fragmented greenspaces, and isolated habitats. These patterns influence how different pollinators respond. 



Hoverflies and moths saw the steepest declines in areas with high impervious surface cover.



For every 10 percent increase in concrete or tarmac, species richness dropped by up to 7.5 percent. 



These declines occurred across different scales - within 250, 500, and 1,000 meters of the sampling sites. The loss of moth and hoverfly abundance was especially strong at closer ranges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollinators-do-more-than-pollinate">Pollinators do more than pollinate</h2>



Pollination is just one part of the ecological role these insects play. Hoverfly larvae, for instance, prey on crop pests like aphids. 



Moths help recycle nutrients through their feeding and contribute to food chains. Birds and bats feed on them, linking lower and higher levels of the ecosystem.



The loss of moths and hoverflies doesn’t only threaten pollination. It weakens entire ecosystems. Without them, pest control declines. Nutrient cycling slows. Predators struggle to find food.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-redesigning-cities-for-insects">Redesigning cities for insects</h2>



To reverse this trend, cities must do more than plant flowers. They must support a variety of habitats. Increasing tree cover, preserving semi-natural green areas, and reducing fragmentation can help. 



The study urges planners and policymakers to consider the varied needs of pollinator groups.



“All pollinating insects struggle to find suitable food and habitat in cities,” said study co-author Stuart Campbell. “The greater sensitivity of hoverflies and moths to urbanization might be due to their ecological requirements.



“All of these species need flowers to feed on, but moths also require tree and shrub canopies, and food plants for their caterpillars, while many hoverflies require stagnant water to breed."



"These are all habitat characteristics that can be much harder to find in more heavily built up areas, and we will need to consider these features in order to conserve such a diverse group of insects for future generations.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-and-hoverflies-need-attention">Moths and hoverflies need attention</h2>



Study lead author Emilie Ellis noted that the scale of the threat to many pollinator <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinator-decline-is-a-direct-threat-to-food-security/">species</a> remains relatively unknown due to a global focus on bees. 



"However moths and hoverflies are just as important for our ecosystems, and our results show they may be particularly vulnerable in urban habitats,” said Ellis. 



Understanding insect needs can help protect them. Cities must consider more than floral density. Structural vegetation like trees and complex ground cover matter too. So do aquatic features and undisturbed soils.



Urbanization affects insect pollinators in complex ways. While bees survive on city flowers, moths and hoverflies face harsher challenges. 



This study highlights the urgent need for diverse, well-structured greenspaces. Pollinators don’t all need the same things. But all need us to pay attention.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0102" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



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Urbanization causes massive decline in insect pollinators

Urbanization may seem harmless at first glance. Yet beneath the...

When earthquakes strike underwater, tsunamis often follow. But what happens when a massive landslide collapses into the sea? This can be a hazardous event that occurs without warning and generates a tsunami that radiates outwards, endangering coastal regions and offshore islands. 



On April 21, 2007, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ais%C3%A9n_Fjord" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aysén fjord</a> region in Chile, triggering massive landslides. These generated a destructive tsunami that killed ten people and wiped out several salmon farms located in the fjord.



This event offered scientists a rare opportunity to test and validate tsunami simulation models in a real-world fjord scenario.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-investigating-the-massive-2007-tsunami">Investigating the massive 2007 tsunami</h2>



To understand what happened that day, researchers turned to two advanced simulation tools: <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1463500316300920" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NHWAVE</a> and FUNWAVE-TVD. These tools simulate how water behaves when disturbed by sudden movements like landslides.



By applying these simulations to the Aysén event, scientists were able to understand the mechanics behind the landslide-generated tsunami better. 



NHWAVE simulated how the waves were generated and moved across the fjord. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002980182302454X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FUNWAVE-TVD</a> focused on what happened as the waves travelled further out.



Results showed that landslide volume and internal friction angle significantly influenced wave heights. Even minor tweaks to volume estimates led to drastically different results.



The tsunami marked a shift in coastal risk awareness in Chile. It showed that tsunamis are not only caused by earthquakes, but also by landslides above sea level, called subaerial landslides. That realization now plays a crucial role in how experts assess risks and plan for the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-landslide-tsunamis">Predicting landslide tsunamis</h2>



Landslide-triggered tsunamis come with a unique set of challenges. Historically, scientists have relied on shallow water theory, which assumes that tsunami wavelengths are much longer than the water depth.



In such scenarios, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/650-foot-mega-tsunami-sends-seismic-waves-around-world-dickson-fjord-swot-mission/">wave dispersion</a>, a phenomenon where different parts of waves move at different speeds, can be ignored. 



Here, wave speed depends only on water depth. However, landslide-generated waves do not follow that rule.



These waves tend to be shorter in length and travel through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sea-life-is-more-connected-than-we-ever-realized/">deep water</a>, making dispersion a critical factor. 



That means their speed depends not only on water depth but also on the wavelength itself. This is where things get complicated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modeling-landslide-generated-tsunamis">Modeling landslide-generated tsunamis</h2>



Modelling landslide-generated tsunamis is challenging due to computational costs. Therefore, researchers often use higher-order Boussinesq-type wave equations (BWEs) instead of simpler shallow-water approaches. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0029801898000195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BWEs</a> are a set of equations that help model wave behavior in complex situations.



BWEs are often helpful in two-layer systems, where the underwater landslide and the water above are treated as separate layers. These methods are far more accurate, but also demanding in terms of time and resources.



As a result, researchers often face a trade-off between model accuracy and processing time. So, how can we stay one step ahead of these unpredictable waves?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-landslide-tsunamis">Predicting landslide tsunamis</h2>



With better early warning systems in mind, researchers are now turning to data-driven and hybrid models. Many studies have explored the landslide-generated tsunami behavior in fjords or lakes. 



One such study used the Lagrangian <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1367578897000230" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nonlinear model</a>, a type of model that tracks water particle motion and can accurately predict coastal flooding. 



Another one developed a tsunami early warning system for the island of Crete in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin (<a href="https://egi.utah.edu/eastern-mediterranean-basin-synthesis-i-01407/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EMB</a>). The researchers used data from 12 underwater pressure sensors. 



By combining real-time data with predictive models through data assimilation, the system could forecast <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-detect-major-earthquakes-months-in-advance/">earthquake</a>- or landslide-generated tsunamis. 



The results show that these types of studies can predict the amplitude and arrival time of tsunamis with impressive accuracy. 



Researchers also used SWASH models, idealized bathymetric profiles, and combined neural networks and statistical regression to develop predictive tools.&nbsp;



Three-dimensional granular flow models have successfully simulated the entire landslide-to-tsunami process in lake environments.&nbsp;



Across the board, these efforts point to the same need: we need tailored models and high-resolution data to understand these complex events. And if there is one place where all these forces collide, it is Chile’s Patagonian fjords.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-patagonian-fault-zone">Patagonian fault zone</h2>



The Patagonian fjord region is particularly vulnerable to tsunamis due to the combined effects of landslides, earthquakes, and ice calving, all of which can lead to tsunamis.



In the Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0040195195000666" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LOFZ</a>) of Chile, instrumental and historical data remain limited. But scientists have observed that seismic swarms occur repeatedly in this area, generating landslides and subsequent tsunamis.



Take November 21, 1927. A magnitude 7.1  earthquake occurred 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Aysén Fjord. Two other significant events were the Aysén earthquake that took place on April 21, 2007 and the Chaitén volcano eruption that occurred in 2008. 



Between January 23 and mid-June 2007, over 7,200 seismic events were recorded by a local seismic network. Its associated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drone-swarms-help-combat-forest-fires-natural-disasters/">swarms</a> provided an excellent opportunity to study the seismotectonic structure. However, Chile is not the only region with steep slopes and seismic hazards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slopes-landslides-and-tsunamis">Slopes, landslides, and tsunamis</h2>



In southern Chile, particularly south of the junction of three tectonic plates (called the triple junction), tsunamigenic geohazards remain poorly studied. This is mainly due to the lack of enough geophysical data and the inaccessibility of the area.



Chile is geologically significant because it includes more than half of the subduction zone along South America's western margin. 



In addition, over 42 percent of Chile's mainland coastline consists of Patagonian fjords, making the region uniquely suited to studies of landslide-generated tsunamis.



Southern Chile is not alone. In regions like eastern Canada and western Norway, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-fjords-show-signs-of-struggle-in-a-warming-world/">fjords</a> were formed by frequent ice ages or Pleistocene glaciations. 



These processes have created steep slopes that make the areas prone to landslides which can, in turn, trigger tsunamis.



And when these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-fifth-force-of-nature-subatomic-particles-are-defying-the-laws-of-physics/">natural forces</a> coincide with deep water, the result can be massive and fast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-waves-leave-clues-behind">Giant waves leave clues behind</h2>



Avalanches, landslides and rockfalls in steep mountain regions often trigger tsunamis that can be highly destructive. 



These waves can reach heights of several hundred meters, unlike earthquake-generated tsunamis. In 1948, a landslide-generated tsunami in Lituya Bay, Alaska, reached up to 524 meters (1,720 feet).



Landslide-generated tsunamis often recur in the same area. In Lituya Bay alone, historical records show several significant events. These recurring disasters remind us that landslide-generated tsunamis are not rare. 



Understanding these unique hazards is important for disaster planning and for improving early warning systems.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-964X/5/2/19#B14-coasts-05-00019" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coasts</a>.



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How a massive landslide triggered a deadly tsunami in 2007

When earthquakes strike underwater, tsunamis often follow. But what happens...

About 56 million years ago, Earth slipped into the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a sudden global warming pulse that pushed temperatures up by at least 5°C (9°F). In the badlands of what is now Wyoming, one mid-sized predator, Dissacus praenuntius, found itself confronting a landscape in flux.



A new study led by <a href="https://www.newark.rutgers.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rutgers University</a> suggests the animal’s solution was unexpected: when prey became scarce, it started crunching bones.



“What happened during the PETM very much mirrors what's happening today and what will happen in the future,” said Andrew Schwartz, the Rutgers anthropology doctoral student who led the research.



The work combines field excavations in the Bighorn Basin with a forensic technique called dental microwear texture analysis (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128155998000071" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DMTA</a>). 



By reading microscopic pits and scratches on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tooth-enamel-analysis-suggests-early-eurasians-were-multiple-species-paranthropus-robustus/">fossil teeth</a>, the team reconstructed what the animal was chewing in the weeks before it died; tougher, deeper marks usually point to hard items such as bone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dissacus-praenuntius-ate-bones">Dissacus praenuntius ate bones</h2>



Dissacus praenuntius was roughly the size of a modern coyote and, at first glance, looked like a lanky wolf. But it walked on tiny hooves and belonged to an archaic lineage known as mesonychids.



“They looked superficially like wolves with oversized heads,” Schwartz said, describing them as super weird mammals "Their teeth were kind of like hyenas. But they had little tiny hooves on each of their toes.”



Before the planet heated up, DMTA shows the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bastetodon-fearsome-predator-was-once-king-of-the-ancient-egyptian-forests/">predator</a> had a diet which resembled that of today’s cheetahs: mostly soft but sinewy meat. Once the PETM began, everything changed.



“We found that their dental microwear looked more like that of lions and hyenas,” Schwartz said. “That suggests they were eating more brittle food, which were probably bones, because their usual prey was smaller or less available.”



The microwear evidence dovetails with other signs of environmental stress. Earlier work has shown many mammal species shrank <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleocene%E2%80%93Eocene_Thermal_Maximum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">during the PETM</a>, and Dissacus appears to have followed that trend - smaller bodies need less food.



While scientists once blamed this shrinkage solely on heat, the new findings strengthen the case that limited nutrition was a major driver.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptability-drove-survival-success">Adaptability drove survival success</h2>



“One of the best ways to know what's going to happen in the future is to look back at the past,” Schwartz said. “How did animals change? How did ecosystems respond?”



For Schwartz, the PETM offers a natural experiment on how warming reshapes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-reveal-a-toxic-threat-to-arctic-food-webs/">food webs</a>. The lesson, he argues, is that dietary flexibility can make or break a species.



“In the short term, it’s great to be the best at what you do,” he said. “But in the long term, it’s risky. Generalists, meaning animals that are good at a lot of things, are more likely to survive when the environment changes.”



That principle is visible today. “We already see this happening,” Schwartz said. “In my earlier research, jackals in Africa started eating more bones and insects over time, probably because of habitat loss and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-the-largest-threat-to-u-s-endangered-species/">climate stress</a>.”



Pandas, koalas, and other extreme specialists lack that wiggle room and could therefore be more vulnerable as habitats fragment or shift.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wyoming-s-ancient-badlands">Wyoming’s ancient badlands</h2>



To trace Dissacus praenuntius through time, the team zeroed in on the Bighorn Basin, one of the rare places where sedimentary layers preserve an almost year-by-year record across the PETM. 



Field crews collected dozens of jaws and isolated teeth from successive strata, then scanned their chewing surfaces under high-resolution confocal microscopes.



Sophisticated software converted the textures into numerical values capturing roughness, complexity, and orientation - clues to the animal’s final meals.



Professor Robert Scott, a co-author on the paper, notes that DMTA is revolutionizing paleontology because it captures dietary snapshots just weeks or months before death, unlike isotope analyses that average years.



The method revealed a clear pattern: before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-global-warming-event-sheds-light-on-earths-future/">thermal maximum</a>, tooth surfaces carried long, shallow scratches characteristic of slicing flesh; during and after, they showed deeper pits and gouges typical of bone fragmentation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dissacus-praenuntius-faded-away">Dissacus praenuntius faded away</h2>



Despite this adaptive flair for bones, Dissacus praenuntius did not make it through the next 15 million years. Bigger, better-equipped carnivores eventually displaced it, and the shifting vegetation of post-PETM North America favored more agile hunters.



Still, its bone-crunching episode underscores how rapidly predators can recalibrate their behavior when climate jolts prey supply.



Schwartz hopes insights like these will aid modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildlife-conservation-can-help-stabilize-the-climate/">conservation biology</a> by spotlighting which species could be climate winners or losers.



The study also signals the importance of preserving continuous fossil sites: without the Bighorn Basin’s layered rocks, the dietary flip would have remained invisible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-fossils-global-lessons">Local fossils, global lessons</h2>



Schwartz traces his fascination with fossils to childhood trips along New Jersey’s waterways with his father, an amateur collector. Now close to completing his Ph.D., he is eager to show the broader public how deep time research can illuminate future challenges.



&nbsp;“If I see a kid in a museum looking at a dinosaur, I say, ‘Hey, I’m a paleontologist. You can do this, too.’”



That encouragement matters because, as Earth barrels toward PETM-like CO₂ levels, society will need scientists who can decode past crises to steer us through the next one. 



The tale of a jackal-sized mammal gnawing harder fare in a hothouse world is more than a curiosity; it is a mirror held up to our own warming century. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031018225003748?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology</a>



Image Credit: ДиБгд, CC BY 4.0 &lt;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons



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Ancient predator had a gut-wrenching strategy for adapting to climate shock

About 56 million years ago, Earth slipped into the Paleocene-Eocene...

We talk a lot about plastic pollution. We picture oceans full of bottles and fish swimming through bags. But plastic isn't just an environmental problem - it's becoming a health problem too. And most people don’t know it.



A new Lancet Health Policy review calls for change by highlighting how plastics harm people - not just the planet. The authors argue that human health must be a central focus as the UN finalizes its global plastics treaty.



The review also introduces a new <a href="https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution/session-5.2">project</a>, the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, which will track how plastic affects our bodies at every stage of its life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-start-at-the-factory">Health risks start at the factory</h2>



Plastic starts causing harm long before it reaches <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/landfills-emit-exorbitant-amount-methane-into-atmosphere/">landfills</a>. The damage begins during production. Plastics are not just an environmental issue - they are a profound public health concern.



Factories release dangerous particles and chemicals like PM2.5, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. These float into the air and settle into the lungs of workers and nearby residents. Many people breathe these every day without knowing.



One of the biggest issues is that no one is sure what’s in all this plastic. Many of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-dust-is-making-indoor-air-more-polluted-than-outside/">chemicals</a> used don’t show up in public records. Scientists don’t know what they do to the human body. That’s a big issue when plastic use is growing fast and shows no sign of slowing down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-s-toxic-second-life">Plastic’s toxic second life</h2>



When a plastic bag or bottle is tossed out, it often doesn’t get recycled. In many places, it’s burned in open fires. Around 57 percent of unmanaged plastic waste ends up this way, releasing harmful smoke and adding to air pollution in low- and middle-income countries.



Burning plastic releases toxic smoke. People nearby breathe that in, especially children and older adults. This kind of exposure builds up over time. It can trigger lung diseases, heart problems, and more.



Plastic also becomes a disease carrier. Mosquitoes lay eggs in containers, and harmful microbes grow on plastic surfaces. Both spread illness. Add poor waste systems, and the problem gets worse quickly. You’re not just dealing with garbage - you’re dealing with public health emergencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastic-exposure-is-a-health-concern">Microplastic exposure is a health concern</h2>



Microplastics are plastic bits smaller than a grain of rice. You can’t see them, but they’re almost everywhere - in food, water, and even inside people.



“Microplastics have been reported in human tissues and body fluids, and while further research is needed to understand the relationship with potential health impacts, a precautionary approach is warranted,” the authors note.



That means we shouldn't wait for perfect proof. If <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-think-their-biotech-breakthrough-could-end-plastic-waste-forever/">microplastics</a> are showing up in blood or organs, we should act now. Waiting could mean letting the problem grow.



Researchers are racing to find out what microplastics do inside the body. Do they inflame tissues? Do they mess with hormones? No one knows for sure yet. But early signs say we should take this seriously.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-the-health-impacts-of-plastic">Tracking the health impacts of plastic</h2>



To make sense of the data, the&nbsp;Lancet&nbsp;team has launched a tracking system: the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics.



The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, inspired by the Health and Climate Change Countdown, will track key indicators showing how plastics and their chemicals affect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-from-plastic-bottles-raises-your-blood-pressure/">human health</a> throughout their entire life cycle.



In short, it will follow how plastic affects people from factory to trash heap. The first full report comes out in 2026. Until then, the team will collect health data linked to plastic exposure, use, and waste. They want to give world leaders a tool to act - not just guess.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-treaty-must-protect-human-health">Plastic treaty must protect human health</h2>



We’re close to having a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-treaty-is-a-historic-opportunity-to-stop-a-human-health-crisis/">global agreement</a> on plastic, but it won’t be effective if it overlooks human health. 



The message is clear. Plastic isn’t just a beach problem. It’s in our food, our lungs, and maybe even our bloodstream. The new treaty must address plastic like the emergency it is.



"Plastics are a grave, growing, and under-recognized danger to human and planetary health," the experts wrote.



"Plastics cause disease and death from infancy to old age and are responsible for health-related economic losses exceeding US$1·5 trillion annually. These impacts fall disproportionately upon low-income and at-risk populations."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01447-3/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet</a>.



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Plastic pollution is harming our health, not just the planet

We talk a lot about plastic pollution. We picture oceans...

<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=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.



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



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.



The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.



The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.



The full study was recently published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<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=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.



Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.



Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents". In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively. MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.



MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization. The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.



Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.



A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.



This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.



PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.



In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.



As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.



The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.



For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.



The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.



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MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a>



Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<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=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



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



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter 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://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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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



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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 how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



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.

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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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.

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



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.

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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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.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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