Floating photovoltaics (FPV), or “floatovoltaics,” are spreading across water bodies worldwide. From California’s vineyards to China’s massive energy projects, these solar systems glide atop irrigation ponds, reservoirs, and wastewater treatment plants. 



They produce clean energy without consuming precious land, a seemingly perfect solution in a space-constrained world.



But the water beneath these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-entire-countries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panels</a> isn’t empty. It teems with life. Birds drift, dive, nest, and hunt in these waters. As FPV systems expand, they introduce a new dynamic to these habitats - and nobody knows yet what the consequences might be.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-floating-solar-and-bird-habitats">Floating solar and bird habitats</h2>



A recent study from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Davis</a>, published in the journal Nature Water, raises a vital question: Can renewable energy and wildlife coexist without collateral damage? The researchers, part of the UC Davis Wild Energy Center, are among the first to examine how waterbirds respond to FPV systems.



“That’s why it’s so important to understand how waterbirds are going to respond to floating solar and if there is the possibility for conservation concessions at new floating solar facilities,” said Elliott Steele, a postdoctoral scholar with the UC Davis Wild Energy Center within the Energy and Efficiency Institute.



Steele’s words are urgent. Bird populations are plummeting. Habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and avian influenza have combined into a perfect storm of threats. If floating solar disrupts waterbird behavior, it could exacerbate an already dire situation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-responses-to-floating-solar-systems">Bird responses to floating solar systems</h2>



Imagine a black-crowned night heron standing motionless on a solar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-every-home-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panel</a> before dawn. Below, cormorants dart through the water, jostling for a place to perch. A black phoebe builds a nest beneath the panels, sheltered but close to human-made structures.



These are not imagined scenes. During their fieldwork, the UC Davis researchers observed all these behaviors. Birds are not just interacting with FPV systems — they are adapting to them, sometimes in unexpected ways.



“Our team has been documenting such a diversity of bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floridas-waterbirds-expert-divers-with-bold-hunting-techniques/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behavior</a> with floating PV, so we immediately knew this was a very important interaction, especially given the precipitous decline in waterbird numbers globally,” said senior author and UC Davis Professor Rebecca R. Hernandez.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-and-risks-of-floating-solar">Benefits and risks of floating solar</h2>



Renewable energy projects have not always considered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-americas-birds-scientists-declare-a-full-on-emergency-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a>. Now, as FPV systems expand, researchers are determined not to repeat past mistakes. The UC Davis team identified five areas demanding urgent study.



First, the researchers are exploring how waterbirds interact with FPV structures, questioning whether these birds use the solar panels as nesting sites, hunting perches, or safe resting places.



In addition, they are investigating the direct and indirect effects of FPV systems on waterbirds. While a panel may provide shelter to one species, it may simultaneously deter another.



The team is considering how conservation strategies can be tailored to specific sites, regions, and seasons, recognizing that bird populations vary significantly in their behaviors and needs.



Furthermore, they are examining how best to design monitoring systems at FPV sites. Should they rely on cameras, sensors, or traditional bird counts to collect data effectively?



The researchers are also assessing the potential for pollutants to be released from FPV systems. If such contamination occurs, they aim to determine what can be done to mitigate the risks to aquatic and avian life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-renewable-energy-design">Rethinking renewable energy design</h2>



Study co-author Emma Forester is a Ph.D. candidate with the UC Davis Land, Air and Water Resources department and the Wild Energy Center.



“There are some things we wished we’d known before other kinds of renewable energy were developed,” said Forester.



“While we’re at this critical threshold of renewable energy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-panels-are-1000-times-more-powerful-with-new-tech-breakthrough/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">development</a>, we want to put more thought into the design that can benefit birds and other wildlife as we go forward.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-balancing-act-energy-vs-ecology">The balancing act: Energy vs. ecology</h2>



Floating solar systems present a compelling case for water conservation. They can reduce evaporation by shading the water surface, an added benefit in drought-prone areas. But there’s a catch.



While some birds, like the black-crowned night heron, seem to thrive on the panels, others might not. Researchers observed birds using FPV systems in various ways - nesting, perching, feeding - but the long-term impacts remain unclear.



And then there’s pollution. Solar panels are not inert objects. As they age, they can degrade, releasing chemicals into the water. What happens to the fish, algae or the birds? These questions linger, unanswered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-for-wildlife">Designing for wildlife</h2>



To ensure that FPV systems are truly green, wildlife considerations must be integrated from the start. 



Hernandez and her team emphasize that waterbirds are ideal subjects for these studies. They occupy both the water and the air, making them sensitive indicators of environmental change.



But there’s a deeper challenge. Conservation strategies that work in California may fail in Florida. Solutions for herons may not suit cormorants. Customization is key.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-at-stake">What’s at stake</h2>



Floating solar may be new, but the questions it raises are not. When energy projects collide with nature, unintended consequences often follow. As renewable energy scales up, researchers must consider not just the panels but the ecosystems they disrupt.



Floating solar has enormous potential. But without rigorous, long-term studies, that potential could come at a steep ecological cost. For now, the researchers at UC Davis are watching the waterbirds - and hoping the world will pay attention.



The study, funded by the <a href="https://uckeepresearching.org/california-climate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Climate Action Seed Grant</a>, <a href="https://www.enelgreenpower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enel Green Power</a>, and several U.S. government agencies, is a starting point. 



The research team includes scientists from UC Davis, the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Geological Survey</a>, the <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Central Florida</a>, <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lancaster University</a>, and <a href="https://www.enelgreenpower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enel Green Power</a> in Italy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-025-00429-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Water.</a>



Image Credit: Rebecca R. Hernandez, UC Davis.



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Floating solar panels affect bird habitats in unexpected ways

Floating photovoltaics (FPV), or “floatovoltaics,” are spreading across water bodies worldwide. From California’s vineyards to China’s massive energy projects, these solar systems glide atop irrigation ponds, reservoirs, and wastewater treatment plants. They produce clean energy without consuming precious land, a seemingly perfect solution in a space-constrained world. But the water beneath these panels isn’t empty. It teems with life. Birds drift, dive, nest, and hunt in these waters. As FPV systems expand, they introduce a new dynamic to these habitats - and nobody knows yet what the...

A newly published study paints a grim picture for amphibians in the Upper Paraguay River Basin, which includes the vast Pantanal wetlands and surrounding areas. The researchers predict that the region may lose almost all suitable habitats for toads, frogs, and tree frogs by 2100. 



The findings emerge from a collaboration between researchers from Brazil and Switzerland, who combined species distribution data with climate modeling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-amphibians-will-lose-their-habitats">Most amphibians will lose their habitats</h2>



The experts cross-referenced locations of amphibian species with two greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (one optimistic, one pessimistic). The team concluded that more than 80% of amphibian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amphibians-are-being-pushed-beyond-their-heat-limits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> in the Upper Paraguay River Basin would lose suitable habitats.



In the optimistic scenario, 99.87% of the basin would experience local extinctions, and in the pessimistic one, this figure rises to 99.99% of the region, according to lead author Matheus Oliveira Neves of the <a href="http://www.ufmt.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of Mato Grosso</a> (UFMT).&nbsp;



With these numbers, there is scant room left for doubt: amphibian biodiversity in the Pantanal and nearby zones appears to be on a steep and accelerating decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-protection-falls-short">Current protection falls short</h2>



The researchers also found that existing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protected-areas-slow-down-biodiversity-loss-but-they-cant-reverse-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protected areas</a> - integral conservation units - cover only 5.85% of the territory, and within those reserves, less than 5% of amphibians’ geographical ranges are effectively safeguarded. 



“Fully protected conservation units are currently doing very little to protect amphibian species in the Pantanal,” said Brazilian researcher Mario Ribeiro Moura, who coordinated the project while at the <a href="https://www.ib.unicamp.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institute of Biology of the State University of Campinas</a> (IB-UNICAMP). Moura is now a professor at the <a href="https://www.ufpb.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of Paraíba</a> (UFPB).



The international community, alarmed by the accelerating loss of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-light-sustains-biodiversity-over-millions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>, recently called for 30% of Earth’s surface to be set aside in protected areas by 2030. Moura notes that right now, this coverage stands at just 17%, including both conservation units and indigenous lands.&nbsp;



He and his team argue for the creation of new protection zones and enlargement of existing ones, focusing on regions that modeling indicates will remain relatively hospitable to amphibians as climate change advances.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-divergent-climate-futures">Two divergent climate futures</h2>



The research used future climate projections from the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC). In one model, an optimistic scenario keeps emissions at current levels, leading to an estimated 2 °C increase by 2100.&nbsp;



In a more pessimistic model, emissions continue to rise, potentially pushing the temperature up by 4 °C by century’s end.&nbsp;



For the Upper Paraguay River Basin - including parts of Paraguay and Bolivia - the difference between these scenarios translates into a near-total collapse (99.87% or 99.99%, respectively) of viable amphibian habitats.



The team relied on more than 4,000 records for 74 amphibian species native to the basin. These species encompass a wide range of frogs, toads, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-frogs-live-in-trees-but-lay-eggs-on-the-ground/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree frogs</a> that are highly dependent on moisture and aquatic environments - features that climate change, habitat conversion, and other human impacts are making increasingly rare or degraded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-few-viable-refuges-in-the-future">Few viable refuges in the future</h2>



Even in the best-case scenario, the study suggests that the most likely refuges for amphibians occur near Cuiabá in northern Mato Grosso, on the edge of the Cerrado savannah, and in the southeast near Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul state.&nbsp;



Some southwestern areas near the Paraguayan Chaco may remain viable as well. However, these spots represent only a fraction of the Upper Paraguay River Basin.



The researchers also found that among the protected areas currently established, hardly any harbor an amphibian diversity above the baseline.&nbsp;



While a small number of protected zones may actually see unexpected gains in species, the authors caution that the net picture is one of overall loss.&nbsp;



“In summary, only 13.7% of the current protected areas in the Upper Paraguay River Basin have the potential to host more or lose fewer species in at least one future scenario. Most of these areas are indigenous lands,” noted Moura.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-habitats-for-amphibians">Protecting habitats for amphibians </h2>



Moura and colleagues advocate for a combination of new conservation areas, expanded existing reserves, and changes in land use practices that limit the destruction of aquatic ecosystems. They further stress the magnitude of the climate challenge.&nbsp;



“While the Paris Agreement aimed to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 °C by the end of the century, we already reached that level in 2024,” Moura said.&nbsp;



In his opinion, the global economic model remains deeply entwined with fossil fuel consumption, and without “radical” mitigation steps, both biodiversity and human society face profound risks.



For the amphibians of the Upper Paraguay River Basin - creatures that rely on stable, humid environments - time is running out.&nbsp;



The results indicate that if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, nearly all of the watery niches they need could vanish, drastically shrinking populations and possibly setting the stage for mass regional extinctions. 



On the other hand, through determined conservation policy and aggressive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate action</a>, it may still be possible to give these species a chance to survive and thrive well beyond this century.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14846" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



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99% habitat loss: The dire future of amphibians in the Pantanal

A newly published study paints a grim picture for amphibians...

Humans are having a highly detrimental impact on biodiversity worldwide. Not only is the number of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing.&nbsp;



These are the findings of a study by the <a href="https://www.eawag.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology</a> (Eawag).



“It is one of the largest syntheses of the human impacts on biodiversity ever conducted worldwide,” said Florian Altermatt, a professor of aquatic ecology at the University of Zurich and head of a research group at Eawag.



Many previous studies have addressed the threat of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species loss</a>. Yet most such efforts focused on particular ecosystems, a single human activity, or localized conditions, making it challenging to draw broad conclusions. 



This new study attempts an unprecedented synthesis: it compares nearly 50,000 sites around the world subject to human influence with an equal number of reference sites that remain relatively untouched. 



By covering terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments and targeting everything from microbes and fungi to larger organisms such as fish, birds, and mammals, the researchers provide a uniquely comprehensive snapshot of biodiversity challenges across the globe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-pressures-on-ecosystems">Human pressures on ecosystems</h2>



The project examines the five principal human activities that affect biodiversity: habitat modification, direct exploitation (e.g., hunting or fishing), climate change, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-air-pollution-forms-may-help-us-prevent-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution</a>, and invasive species.&nbsp;



“We analyzed the effects of the five main human impacts on biodiversity: habitat changes, direct exploitation such as hunting or fishing, climate change, pollution and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/growing-threat-of-invasive-species-requires-immediate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">invasive species</a>," said lead author François Keck, a scientist at Eawag.



"Our findings show that all five factors have a strong impact on biodiversity worldwide, in all groups of organisms and in all ecosystems."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-species-numbers-at-impacted-sites">Species numbers at impacted sites </h2>



One clear outcome is that species numbers at impacted sites were nearly 20% lower than at unaffected ones. 



Vertebrates such as reptiles, amphibians, and mammals stand out for their major declines, likely because they typically have smaller population sizes and can vanish more readily.



However, beyond just the loss of species, the researchers also documented considerable shifts in the types of species that persist under human pressure.&nbsp;



“It’s not just the number of species that is declining,” Keck noted. “Human pressure is also changing the composition of species communities.”&nbsp;



That means even if the overall number of species remains the same at a site, the functions those species perform might be different, leading to potential disruptions in ecosystem services and stability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drastic-changes-from-human-pressure">Drastic changes from human pressure</h2>



Environmental pollution and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/koalas-face-critical-threats-from-disease-and-habitat-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat loss</a> emerged from the study as especially damaging. Habitat modification frequently involves stark, abrupt transformations of a region - for example, clearing forests or converting grasslands to farmland.&nbsp;



Pollution introduces hazardous substances into the ecosystem, including everything from oil spills to agricultural pesticides. These drastic changes can weaken or kill resident organisms.



In contrast, climate change - though likely a major long-term threat - did not stand out as prominently within the timeframe of data analyzed, which Altermatt attributes to potential time lags. “However, it is likely that the full extent of its impact cannot yet be verified today,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-homogenization-or-collapse">Homogenization - or collapse?</h2>



Another important finding concerns the degree of similarity among different species communities (often termed “homogenization”). Large-scale farming tends to homogenize landscapes, making ecological communities more uniform.&nbsp;



But the study also uncovered cases where communities grew more dissimilar from one another, particularly in severely impacted locations.



“The human influence that we find is sometimes so strong that there are even signs that could indicate a complete collapse of the species communities,” Altermatt explained. Such changes might reflect temporary upheavals in biodiversity that could herald further declines.



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



One critical lesson from this study is that measuring biodiversity strictly by counting species may overlook significant community-level changes.&nbsp;



A site could hold the same number of species as before, yet the particular species present could shift in ways detrimental to essential ecosystem services - like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-are-disappearing-and-its-bad-news-for-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollination</a>, soil stability, or water purification.



The magnitude and universality of the findings “provide clear indications of which human influences are having the greatest impact on biodiversity,” Keck said. “This also shows what goals need to be set if these trends are to be reversed.”



Though every region and ecosystem experiences different pressures, the authors hope the results offer a sort of benchmark. Policymakers, conservationists, and land managers could lean on these large-scale insights as they devise more localized strategies to safeguard biodiversity.&nbsp;



For instance, focusing on preserving or restoring specific habitats, curbing pollution, or carefully managing invasive species might bring tangible benefits more swiftly than previously realized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-alter-ecosystems-worldwide">Humans alter ecosystems worldwide</h2>



Ultimately, the study emphasizes that humans are altering the face of ecosystems worldwide - not just through outright loss of species, but also by reshaping the composition of those that remain. 



The authors warn that these changes can reverberate throughout ecosystems, undermining everything from pollinator networks to fisheries. 



As the scientists emphasize, the next step is to use these insights to inform meaningful action on behalf of the countless species that still share our planet.



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Human pressure is changing biodiversity faster than we realize

Humans are having a highly detrimental impact on biodiversity worldwide....

An international research team deployed the unmanned submarine named 'Ran' beneath thick Antarctic ice. After that, things got weird. 



They captured the first detailed maps of a glacier’s underside, revealing vital clues about future sea level rise. 



They programmed ‘Ran’ to dive into the Dotson ice shelf cavity in West Antarctica and scan the ice with advanced sonar. 



Over 27 days, it traveled more than 1,000 kilometers under the glacier and reached 17 kilometers into the cavity. Previously, the team had used satellite data and ice cores to observe how glaciers change over time. 



"By navigating the submersible into the cavity, we were able to get high resolution maps of the ice underside," says lead author Anna Wåhlin, Professor of Oceanography at the <a href="https://www.gu.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Gothenburg</a>.



"It’s a bit like seeing the back of the moon.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-dotson-ice-shelf-melt">Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf melt</h2>



The Dotson Ice Shelf in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-ice-loss-increases-snowfall-over-west-antarctica/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Antarctica</a> is a significant player in the discussion about future sea levels. 



Far from being flat, passive expanses of ice, these shelves are dynamic, evolving entities. They're thick bodies of glacial ice sustained by land-based glaciers. 



Uniquely, these ice shelves float atop the sea -- and beneath them are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-meteorites-vanish-in-antarctica-due-to-melting-ice/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice shelf cavities</a>.



One such cavity was the focus of Ran's recent mission - a survey that has unlocked new secrets about the structures and melting patterns of these ice shelves. 



The Dotson Ice Shelf, in particular, plays a crucial role in the West Antarctic ice sheet's overall stability and potential future sea level rise due to its size and location.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-lurks-beneath-antarctica-s-ice">What lurks beneath Antarctica's ice</h2>



The glacial exploration yielded expected results: the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/this-natural-process-is-making-antarcticas-ice-melt-faster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice melted faster</a> where strong underwater currents erode its base. 



But what was surprising was the irregularity of the base itself. 



Instead of the smooth surface expected, the underwater landscape was reminiscent of peaks, valleys, plateaus and formations akin to sand dunes.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Antarctica_Dotson-ice-shelf_mystery-shapes_credit-UGothenburg_2m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Antarctica_Dotson-ice-shelf_mystery-shapes_credit-UGothenburg_2s.webp" alt="Never before seen &quot;swirls and scoops&quot; map the meltwater's journey as it flows beneath the ice (Credit: Filip Stedt/ University of Gothenburg)" class="wp-image-1963348"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Never before seen "swirls and scoops" map the meltwater's journey as it flows beneath the ice. Click to enlarge. Credit: Filip Stedt/ University of Gothenburg</figcaption></figure>



The team believes these features may have been sculpted by flowing water under the influence of Earth’s rotation. 



This unexpected discovery has challenged previous scientific assumptions, sparking new questions about the complex mechanisms of glacier melting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-perspective-on-antarctic-melt">Unique perspective on Antarctic melt</h2>



"By navigating the submersible into the cavity, we were able to get high-resolution maps of the ice underside. It's a bit like seeing the back of the moon for the first time," said lead author Anna Wåhlin, Professor of Oceanography at the <a href="https://www.gu.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Gothenburg</a> in Sweden.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Antarctica_RAN-AUV_operational-details_illustration_UGothenburg_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Antarctica_RAN-AUV_operational-details_illustration_UGothenburg_1s.webp" alt="The autonomous underwater vehicle Ran was programmed to perform missions under the ice shelf. An advanced multibeam sonar was used to map the base of the ice at a distance of about 50 meters. Credit: Anna Wåhlin/Science Advances" class="wp-image-1963354"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The autonomous underwater vehicle Ran was programmed to perform missions under the ice shelf. An advanced multibeam sonar was used to map the base of the ice at a distance of about 50 meters. Click to enlarge. Credit: Anna Wåhlin/Science Advances</figcaption></figure>



This exploration was part of the <a href="https://thwaitesglacier.org/projects/tarsan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TARSAN project</a>, a collaborative endeavor studying the atmospheric and oceanic processes influencing the behavior of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doomsday-glacier-seems-to-have-lost-its-ability-to-recover/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thwaites "doomsday glacier"</a> and Dotson Ice Shelves.



While the project expected to gather data, the spectacle they discovered was beyond their wildest dreams.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cracks-swirls-and-patterns">Cracks, swirls and patterns</h2>



Upon receiving the first images from beneath the ice shelf, the researchers were thrilled yet baffled. 



The textures and patterns they saw were unexpected, resembling works of art more than naturally occurring formations. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Antarctica_Dotson-ice-shelf_mystery-shapes_credit-UGothenburg_3m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Antarctica_Dotson-ice-shelf_mystery-shapes_credit-UGothenburg_3s.webp" alt="Under the east side of the Dotson Ice Shelf, the water has eroded several layers of ice into structures (Credit: Filip Stedt/ University of Gothenburg)" class="wp-image-1963350"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Under the east side of the Dotson Ice Shelf, the water has eroded several layers of ice into structures. Click to enlarge. Credit: Filip Stedt/ University of Gothenburg</figcaption></figure>



Intrigued by these findings, the team brainstormed to understand the forces behind them.



As they delved deeper, they found a series of firsts - a glimpse, for the first time, into the processes that melt the underside of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-threat-lurking-in-antarcticas-ice-shelves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice shelves</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-antarctic-ice-shelves">Melting Antarctic ice shelves</h2>



While these ice shelves floating on the sea may not directly affect sea levels when they melt, the repercussions are more indirect. 



As these ice shelves melt, the land-based <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/peru-has-lost-over-half-of-its-glaciers-in-six-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a> they feed flow faster and destabilize, leading to a rise in sea levels.



The newly uncovered data will significantly help ice modelers reduce the uncertainties in future sea level predictions.



Despite a wealth of new discoveries, the exploration also revealed numerous processes still left to understand in future expeditions. 



Existing models could not explain the complex patterns discovered. Continued collaborative study, combining remote sensing with oceanographic field data, is needed to understand the changes taking place.



"For us, it's not just a new discovery, but also a wake-up call that many previous assumptions about melting of glacier undersides are falling short," elucidates Prof Wåhlin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-antarctic-ice-melt">Future of Antarctic ice melt</h2>



The research expedition planned to repeat the survey in January 2024, eager to document any changes. Unfortunately, the team could only complete one dive before Ran disappeared under the ice.



"Although we got valuable data back, we did not get all we had hoped for," said Prof Wåhlin. 



Despite the setback, the team remains optimistic and hopeful of continuing this crucial research.



In the midst of the climate crisis, every bit of insight matters. As we unravel the mysteries of these icy landscapes, we inch closer to understanding our planet's future. 



This important and disturbing research from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of East Anglia</a> and the University of Gothenburg is leading the way, and we anxiously anticipate their next expedition into the unknown.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn9188" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Strange Antarctic ice formations, never seen by humans, leave scientists baffled

An international research team deployed the unmanned submarine named 'Ran'...

Intact forests once absorbed 7.8 billion tonnes of CO₂ each year, about one-fifth of global emissions. Today, their reliability is fading. Climate change, deforestation, and land degradation now threaten this vast carbon sink.



A new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (<a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PIK</a>) raises alarms. The experts warn that relying on forests to deliver consistent carbon removal is no longer a safe bet.



Worse still, most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-are-struggling-to-keep-pace-with-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate strategies</a> still assume forests will expand and stay resilient.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dangerous-gamble-with-carbon-storage">Dangerous gamble with carbon storage</h2>



Michael G. Windisch, the lead author of the study, highlights the growing risk. 



“Our climate strategies bet on forests not only remaining intact, but even expanding,” he said. But with rising wildfires and Amazon deforestation, this is a fragile assumption.



Forests are vulnerable to pests, disease, drought, and other climate-driven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-undisturbed-forests-support-greater-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changes</a>. If these threats intensify, forests may begin to release more carbon than they store. That would wipe out years of progress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-risks-of-depending-on-forests">The risks of depending on forests</h2>



The study outlines three key risks. First, we depend on existing forests to stay intact. Second, we rely on them to keep removing carbon each year. Furthermore, we plan to increase forest cover for future carbon removal. If any part fails, the whole plan collapses.



This is why the researchers stress caution. Immediate action is essential to prevent forest disturbances from derailing climate goals. Postponing action by just five years can double the mitigation cost and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effort</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-models-confirm-forest-risks">Climate models confirm forest risks </h2>



The researchers used REMIND-MAgPIE, a climate and land-use model, along with the LPJmL vegetation model. They introduced disturbance rates - events like pest outbreaks, fire, and wind damage - into their scenarios.



Their findings? Even low disturbance rates drastically affect outcomes. Myopic policy responses that delay action lead to steeper emission cuts and higher costs. 



The models show that a five-year delay doubles the pressure on all sectors, especially energy and land use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-costs-soar-as-forest-sinks-shrink">Climate costs soar as forest sinks shrink</h2>



Under immediate action, the carbon price by 2050 rises to $327 per tonne. But with delay, that shoots up to $483. GDP losses also increase from 2.4 to 2.7 percent.



The energy sector suffers more in myopic scenarios. Renewables must scale up much faster. Fossil fuel use must fall more steeply. The industry and transport sectors, especially, bear heavier burdens.



Negative emissions technologies like BECCS and DACCS become essential. But delayed action means building them faster and larger, increasing pressure on land and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-forests-rose-again-after-the-planets-most-extreme-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">budgets</a>.



In delayed scenarios, land demand for mitigation jumps to 563 million hectares - larger than the European Union. That’s 149 million hectares more than if action were taken immediately.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-need-surveillance-not-assumptions">Forests need surveillance, not assumptions</h2>



Many global climate models ignore natural disturbances or assume forests react positively to rising CO₂. But evidence shows otherwise. Phosphorus limits and shifting ecosystems reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/older-forests-do-not-necessarily-store-more-carbon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forests</a>’ ability to absorb carbon.



Some models also underestimate human impact, assuming forest lands are quickly and efficiently reused. In reality, land speculation and mismanagement delay recovery.



“Forests are not an infinite resource,” Florian Humpenöder warns. He urges immediate monitoring and realistic projections. Only then can we act fast when carbon sinks weaken.



The study also shows that myopic responses to small disturbances demand more effort than immediate responses to double those disturbances. Every delay becomes costlier than we expect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-can-t-solve-the-climate-crisis">Forests can't solve the climate crisis </h2>



“We must act immediately to safeguard the carbon stored in forests,” said Windisch. Without foresight, future generations may inherit a climate plan full of gaps.



“Alongside protecting forests, it is essential to promote sustainable land use practices,” added study co-author Alexander Popp. This includes conserving biodiversity and avoiding reckless land expansion.



Forests are crucial - but they can’t solve the climate crisis alone. The study leaves no room for wishful thinking. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-play-an-overlooked-role-in-the-climate-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forests</a> will face more stress in the future. Assuming otherwise puts climate goals at risk.



Instead of hoping forests remain stable, policies must adjust. Immediate, coordinated action across all sectors can still deliver on the Paris targets - but the window is closing.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57607-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Forests can no longer carry the climate burden alone

Intact forests once absorbed 7.8 billion tonnes of CO₂ each...

Marine ecosystems in the deep ocean show little sign of recovery even decades after experimental mining, according to new research that raises major concerns about the long-term impact of future seabed mining operations.



Published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08921-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>, the study examined a deep-sea mining test site in the North Pacific that was first disturbed in 1979. Forty-four years later, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-ocean-day-a-unified-approach-to-protect-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> in that area remains lower than in nearby untouched regions.&nbsp;



The research team, which returned to the site in 2023 and 2024, worked in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a vast abyssal plain about halfway between Hawaii and Mexico.&nbsp;



Situated 5,000 meters below the ocean surface, this deep seabed region holds rich reserves of polymetallic nodules - potato-sized mineral lumps containing metals like cobalt, nickel, and manganese, all crucial for clean energy technologies.



The study was led by scientists at the <a href="https://noc.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Oceanography Center</a> in Southampton and involved a consortium of British institutions, including the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum</a>, the <a href="https://www.bgs.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Geological Survey</a>, <a href="https://www.hw.ac.uk/">Heriot-Watt University</a>, and several universities.&nbsp;



Together, the experts form <a href="https://smartexccz.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SMARTEX</a> (Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental Impact), a project funded by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-recovery-from-deep-sea-mining-nbsp">Long recovery from deep-sea mining&nbsp;</h2>



The original mining test involved a mechanical seabed rake that stripped nodules from a 14-meter-wide path. Despite the small scale and brief duration of the experiment, the site still bears visible scars.&nbsp;



Areas stripped of nodules and track marks from the mining machine are clearly evident. The surrounding biological communities have yet to fully rebound.



“To tackle the crucial question of recovery from deep-sea mining, we need first to look to the past and use old mining tests to help understand long-term impacts,” said Professor Daniel Jones, the study’s lead author. 



“Forty four years later, the mining tracks themselves look very similar to when they were first made, with an 8-meter-wide strip of seabed cleared of nodules and two large furrows in the seafloor where the machine passed.”&nbsp;



“The numbers of many animals were reduced within the tracks but we did see some of the first signs of biological recovery.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-that-clings-to-nodules">Life that clings to nodules</h2>



The Clarion–Clipperton Zone covers over six million square kilometres - 25 times the size of the UK - and holds an estimated 21 billion tons of nodules. These nodules are essential to the deep-sea ecosystem, offering a rare hard surface for life to cling to in an otherwise sediment-heavy environment.&nbsp;



“These nodules are potato-sized mineral deposits that have built up in layers over thousands of years. Mining companies want to mine these for critical metals like cobalt and nickel,” said Mark Hartl, a marine ecotoxicologist from Heriot-Watt University and co-author of the study.



“But there are so many unanswered questions. For example, we know the nodules produce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-known-galaxy-contains-surprising-oxygen-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxygen</a>. If they’re removed, will that reduce the amount of oxygen in the deep sea and affect the organisms that live there?”



“What is the effect of animal exposure to metal-containing sediment plumes churned up during the mining process? These are some of the questions we’re trying to answer.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-impacts-of-deep-sea-mining-nbsp">Biological impacts of deep-sea mining&nbsp;</h2>



Hartl’s work focused on the biological effects of sediment exposure. He developed new methods to evaluate whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sea-mining-forms-dust-clouds-that-devastate-marine-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mining</a> damages DNA in deep-sea fish. 



“This has never been done before,” said Hartl. “So we had no baseline data to compare any effects of mining against. We are currently optimising tests for other signs of stress applicable to the deep sea.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recovery-may-be-measured-in-centuries">Recovery may be measured in centuries</h2>



The deep sea’s slow pace of life is one reason recovery is so limited. Many organisms grow slowly, reproduce infrequently, or are adapted to highly specific habitats.&nbsp;



“General ecological theory will predict that following disturbance, any ecosystem will go through a series of successional stages of recolonization and growth," said Adrian Glover of the Natural History Museum.



"However, until this study, we had no idea of the timescales of this critical process in the deep-sea mining regions, or how different parts of the community respond in different ways.” 



“Our results don’t provide an answer to whether deep-sea mining is societally acceptable, but they do provide the data needed to make better informed policy decisions such as the creation and refinement of protected regions and how we would monitor future impacts,” Glover added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-question-of-future-trade-offs">A question of future trade-offs</h2>



The <a href="https://www.isa.org.jm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Seabed Authority</a> (ISA), the organization responsible for managing mineral-related activity in international waters, currently maintains a moratorium on commercial deep-sea mining. It is still developing a legal and environmental framework to guide future exploitation, and the SMARTEX research may influence how those guidelines take shape.



In their paper, the scientists note that mining operations are expected to cause “immediate impacts” to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seafloor-relic-uncovers-earths-ancient-mysteries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seafloor</a> habitats. Collector vehicles will remove nodules, compact sediments, and stir up sediment plumes that may travel beyond mining sites. These plumes, they argue, could have “significant impacts on ecosystems” well outside the directly affected zones.



While proponents of deep-sea mining argue that it could provide critical materials for a net-zero future, the study underscores that such gains may come at a long-term ecological cost. The scars of the past, still visible and measurable after 44 years, may well be a preview of the risks ahead.



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Deep-sea mining impacts marine life for decades

Marine ecosystems in the deep ocean show little sign of...

Animals have long navigated nature’s challenges, but mountain roads bring a fresh level of peril. These paved strips stretch deeper into wild corners, cutting across habitats once safely out of reach.



Mountains, once celebrated for their rugged isolation, now host busy highways and higher traffic volumes. Many endangered or vulnerable mammals listed by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (<a href="https://iucn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN</a>) are turning up as roadkill, a term for animals fatally hit by vehicles in these craggy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cities-are-largely-unprepared-for-the-effects-of-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regions</a>.



​Professor Aliza le Roux, a professor in the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the <a href="https://www.ufs.ac.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Free State</a>, examined patterns of collisions in elevated landscapes.​



She collaborated with other researchers to explore why species like African wild dogs, lions, and elephants are often lost on twisting roads high above sea level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountain-roads-invade-wild-habitats">Mountain roads invade wild habitats</h2>



Mountains in regions around the globe were once free from major traffic. Now, expansions in road infrastructure have placed creatures in harm’s way. 



The researchers note that high elevations, above roughly 6,560 feet, can harbor near threatened or vulnerable animals that become casualties on winding routes.



Steep slopes and sudden weather changes do not help anyone on these roads. It is tough for drivers and wildlife to see each other in time to avoid collisions. This leads to unexpected hazards for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-birds-get-road-rage-when-exposed-to-traffic-noise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> already struggling to survive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-roads-cutting-through-habitats">Roads cutting through habitats</h2>



Amphibians appear to be hit most often in mountainous terrain, while mammals are struck more in lower zones. 



Yet those same mammals at high elevations face a greater extinction <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risk</a> because many are already on watch lists for population declines. The concern is that collisions remove individuals from breeding populations that cannot easily replenish themselves.&nbsp;



One global <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/geb.13375" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">assessment</a> warned of serious outcomes for certain mammals when roads cut through their habitats. The study highlighted animal fatalities on mountain peaks.



“We identified four populations among the 70 species in the target group that could become extinct in 50 years if observed roadkill levels persist,” stated <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Clara-Grilo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Clara Grilo</a>.



Dr. Grilo is a principal researcher in conservation biology at BIOPOLIS who has published over 100 studies on the effects of road networks on birds and mammals, such as behavior, relative abundance, mortality, genetic structure and extinction risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mounting-collision-risks">Mounting collision risks </h2>



Big birds, including some eagles and vultures, have also suffered. They can fail to gain enough flight height to clear vehicles along narrow turns. 



A single collision might eliminate a breeding adult from a small, isolated population, further weakening a species’ chances for long-term survival.



Motorists also face real risks if large animals cross suddenly. Elephants, lions, and big antelope species can do serious damage to vehicles, placing people in danger and forcing emergency responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-missing-data-for-mountain-road-collisions">Missing data for mountain road collisions</h2>



Some areas of Africa and other continents do not collect consistent data on wildlife collisions. Researchers often rely on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-increases-the-risk-of-hypertension/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roadside</a> surveys that capture only brief snapshots. 



This patchy approach misses detailed seasonal trends, making it difficult to pinpoint best solutions for engineers and policymakers.



A lack of large-scale, systematic monitoring hampers efforts to identify hotspots. More investment in studies is needed, especially in central and western Africa, to understand which roads demand the most urgent intervention.



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



Better-planned routes could reduce these accidents. Roads placed away from crucial migration paths or built with safe crossing structures can lower wildlife deaths. 



In many regions, alerting drivers through improved signage and enforcing slower speeds where threatened species roam also helps.



Some experts suggest new technology and fresh ideas for wildlife-friendly design. Yet these efforts require funding and cooperation between governments, road planners, and research institutions. Many animals thrive if given the space and safety to move freely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-guarding-wildlife-from-traffic-hazards">Guarding wildlife from traffic hazards </h2>



Mountain road impacts remind us that nature does not end where pavement begins. When expanding infrastructure, it is vital to account for local species’ needs. 



This balanced approach preserves biodiversity and promotes healthier connections between people and wildlife.



Many countries are taking steps to guard wild populations against traffic hazards. Effective plans often emerge when ecologists, engineers, and community leaders join forces to create solutions that serve both sides.



The study is published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/geb.13375" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Ecology and Biogeography</a>.



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Mountain roads are deadly for endangered animals

Animals have long navigated nature’s challenges, but mountain roads bring...

Many people think of Antarctica as an unchanging mass of ice. Scientists, however, know that its hidden underbelly is active and unpredictable. 



A new investigation that was based on 34 million years of data suggests that we would be wise to take note of these dynamic phenomena as <a href="https://blogs.egu.eu/divisions/cr/2021/02/19/subglacial-hydrology-for-dummies-water-water-everywhere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subglacial water</a> movements may reshape our understanding of future sea-level <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-did-sea-levels-rise-after-the-last-ice-age-alarming-new-clues-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changes</a>.



“Many studies say the past is an analogue of what might happen in the future,” said Anna-Mireilla Hayden, a PhD candidate from the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Waterloo</a>, and first author of the study. She noted that ignoring the invisible waterways under the ice could lead to big surprises.



Hayden worked alongside Dr. Tyler Pelle from <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scripps Institute of Oceanography</a> in the U.S., and other experts, to understand how these secret river systems evolve over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subglacial-rivers-shape-antarctica-s-ice">Subglacial rivers shape Antarctica's ice</h2>



Antarctica is more than just a block of ice. Beneath its frozen surface, water travels through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarcticas-hidden-ice-dynamics-will-redefine-sea-level-projections/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">channels</a> deep below the ice sheet. The subglacial water moves with a force that scientists have rarely factored into the usual models of sea-level change.



The researchers focused on the <a href="https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/gaz/display_name.cfm?gaz_id=2505" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aurora Subglacial Basin</a> which, if fully melted, might push global sea levels up by about 13 feet (4 meters).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-flow-data-and-sea-level-predictions">Water flow data and sea-level predictions</h2>



Scientists already knew that warm ocean waters can melt floating ice shelves from below. However, the recent findings indicate that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water flow</a> at the base of the ice adds another layer of complexity to the story.



“It’s important that scientists who model ice sheets account for hydrology because it could reduce uncertainty in estimates of sea-level rise,” said Hayden.



The group noticed that underground rivers have shifted repeatedly, and have influenced how and where the ice might thin or break.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-impact-and-ice-shelf-melting">Ocean impact and ice shelf melting</h2>



The shape and path of these subglacial networks matter because they can channel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fresh water</a> into the sea at sensitive spots. When cold, fresh water pours out at certain areas beneath ice shelves, it can disrupt the usual ocean patterns and speed up local <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1235798" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice thinning</a>.



Climate experts have often focused on air temperatures or large-scale currents in their models. Fresh water cycling under the ice is now emerging as a hidden factor that could make existing estimates of sea-level rise less certain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-call-for-global-awareness">A call for global awareness</h2>



“It’s critical that projections of sea-level rise include as much relevant information as possible so that the world can take appropriate measures to lessen the devastation to global coastal communities,” said Dr. Christine Dow, a professor at the University of Waterloo.



Dr. Dow pointed out that these findings underscore how fragile the balance really is under Antarctica’s frozen surface. Her team does not expect the ice sheet to give way overnight, but shifts under the glaciers can make them more prone to breaking off faster.



With coastal areas around the globe already facing erosion and higher flooding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-coastal-cities-around-the-world-could-disappear-under-rising-seas-by-2100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risks</a>, the science community sees this as a reminder that small tweaks in the environment can yield very large consequences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasts-need-subglacial-water-insights">Forecasts need subglacial water insights</h2>



Going forward, experts suggest that any attempts to forecast future sea levels take these long-buried waterways into account. Models that leave out the subglacial picture could be missing critical pieces of how glaciers might evolve as temperatures warm.



The researchers say further work is needed to track how the flow beneath the ice might accelerate or change direction in the next few decades. Understanding these rivers could help refine local and global strategies for coastal planning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-past-reveals-about-the-future">What the past reveals about the future</h2>



The study showed that subglacial drainage systems, which influence sea level, have never stayed in one configuration for long. As the climate shifted over millions of years, so did the routes and volumes of meltwater flowing beneath the ice.



During a period known as the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/eocene-oligocene-boundary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eocene-Oligocene Boundary</a>, 34 million years ago, long underground rivers carried high volumes of water under thick ice. 



Surprisingly, the predicted drainage patterns for 2100 under extreme warming closely resemble those ancient conditions, even though they are derived from opposite climate extremes



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57700-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Hidden rivers beneath Antarctic ice reshape sea-level predictions

Many people think of Antarctica as an unchanging mass of...

California,Wildflower,Super,Bloom,In,Carrizo,Plain,National,Monument,-

Flowers are more than just a sign of spring - they’re part of a natural rhythm shaped by light, temperature, and rainfall. Scientists are now studying that rhythm to better understand how our planet is changing.



A recent study has shown that wildflowers in California can be tracked from above using aircraft and space-based tools. 



The technology, originally designed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>), picks up subtle changes in color that occur during a plant’s life cycle.



These findings could offer a new way for farmers and natural-resource managers to monitor the health and timing of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-of-life-created-for-flowering-plants-using-400-million-specimens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flowering plants</a>, which are essential to ecosystems and agriculture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-seasonal-plant-life">Monitoring seasonal plant life</h2>



Scientists from the <a href="https://umd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland-College Park</a> and NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> teamed up to test how remote sensing could capture large-scale flowering patterns.



They surveyed thousands of acres of protected land using a high-tech tool called an imaging spectrometer. 



Built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the instrument was mounted on a plane and scanned the land below as the plane flew along.



It recorded light in hundreds of narrow wavelength bands, far beyond what the human eye can see. This allowed it to map out the extent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-blooming-92-days-earlier-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blooming</a> and fading flowers over several months.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wildflowers_monitoring_imaging-spectrometer_airplane_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/wildflowers_monitoring_imaging-spectrometer_airplane_nasa_1s.webp" alt="In this illustration, an imaging spectrometer aboard a research plane measures sunlight reflecting off California coastal scrub. In the data cube below, the top panel shows the true-color view of the area. Lower panels depict the spectral fingerprint for every point in the image, capturing the visible range of light (blue, green, and red wavelengths) to the near-infrared (NIR) and beyond. Spatial resolution is around 16 feet (5 meters). Credit: NASA" class="wp-image-1963384"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In this illustration, an imaging spectrometer aboard a research plane measures sunlight reflecting off California coastal scrub. In the data cube below, the top panel shows the true-color view of the area. Lower panels depict the spectral fingerprint for every point in the image, capturing the visible range of light (blue, green, and red wavelengths) to the near-infrared (NIR) and beyond. Spatial resolution is around 16 feet (5 meters). Click to enlarge Credit: NASA</figcaption></figure>



It was the first time the instrument had been deployed to track vegetation steadily through the growing season, making this a "first-of-a-kind study,” according to David Schimel, a research scientist at JPL.



The study of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-butterfly-migration-sparked-by-a-surge-in-vegetation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vegetation</a> in relation to seasons is known as phenology and it is important to botanists and agriculturalists alike. From wildflowers to crops, most flowering plants are triggered by shifts in weather and daylight length. 



In addition, scientists are increasingly focused on this connection to monitor how ecosystems respond to warmer temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-flowers-are-hard-to-track">Why flowers are hard to track</h2>



Field surveys and time-lapse photography have long been used to monitor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildflowers-are-self-fertilizing-to-deal-with-a-lack-of-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildflower</a> life histories. But those methods only offer a limited view.



“One challenge is that, compared to leaves or other parts of a plant, flowers can be pretty ephemeral,” said Yoseline Angel, a scientist from the University of Maryland-College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “They may last only a few weeks.”



That fleeting nature makes it tough to gather reliable data, especially across large areas. Angel and her team turned to one of the most distinct traits of flowers - their color - as a way to study the timing of blooming from the sky.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-behind-flower-color">Science behind flower color</h2>



The bright colors of flowers come from pigments that fall into three main groups. Carotenoids and betalains create yellow, orange, and red tones. Anthocyanins are behind the deep reds, purples, and blues. 



These pigments absorb and reflect light in unique ways, creating a “spectral fingerprint.” Using spectrometers, researchers can therefore scan light patterns to identify plants and even track changes as they grow and bloom. 



These tools have been used for decades to study Earth and other planets, but now they’re being fine-tuned to observe the seasonal changes in flowering plants.



In 2022, a spectrometer called <a href="https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AVIRIS-NG</a> (Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer – Next Generation) flew over two nature preserves in Santa Barbara County: the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve and the Sedgwick Reserve.



Among the native plants monitored were Coreopsis gigantea and Artemisia californica. The scans ran from February to June.



The team developed a method to differentiate the flower signals from soil, leaves, and shadows. In doing so, they captured 97% of the spectral differences among those features and were able to pinpoint flowering stages with 80% accuracy.



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



This method could one day help track flowering plants across the globe. 



Since flowers make up nearly 90% of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-plant-species-remain-unphotographed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant species</a> on land, this kind of remote sensing could support a wide range of work - from ecology to food production.



A key goal, Angel noted, is to support farmers and land managers who rely on flowering plants - along with the insects and pollinators that depend on them. These plants are vital for producing fruits, nuts, cotton, and even many medicines.



She’s now applying the same technique to data from <a href="https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EMIT</a> (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation), another NASA instrument that operates from the International Space Station.



While EMIT’s main purpose is to study mineral dust in dry regions, it can also detect plant pigments. 



By combining this space-based data with weather and environmental information, researchers may one day be able to predict events like <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/poppy-superbloom-in-the-california-desert/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">superblooms</a> - rare bursts of flowers in the desert that follow heavy rains.



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



Superblooms are nature’s way of showing off. They happen when a rare combo of perfect weather conditions - like heavy rains after a long drought - triggers wildflowers to explode across a landscape in crazy, vibrant color. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/superbloom_carrizo-plain-national-park_california_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/superbloom_carrizo-plain-national-park_california_1s.webp" alt="Wildflower super bloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument - one of the best place to see wildflowers in California" class="wp-image-1963388"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wildflower super bloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument - one of the best place to see wildflowers in California. Click to enlarge.</figcaption></figure>



Think entire valleys carpeted in orange poppies, purple lupines, and yellow goldfields, stretching as far as the eye can see. 



These blooms don’t just pop up anywhere; they’re most famous in arid places like California’s deserts, where wildflowers lie dormant in the soil, waiting years - sometimes decades - for just the right moment to wake up and party.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-citizen-science-and-the-joy-of-flowers">Citizen science and the joy of flowers</h2>



Angel said one of the most rewarding parts of her research is seeing how much people love flowers. 



“I have social media alerts on my phone,” she added, sharing how she stays updated on wildflower sightings around the world.



As flowers continue to signal the pulse of the planet, new technologies are helping us pay closer attention - from the ground, the air, and even from space.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.70127" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecosphere</a>.



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NASA tracks changes in seasonal flower cycles and migration patterns from the air

Flowers are more than just a sign of spring -...

In the heart of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, lies a fascinating geological wonder - the Great Blue Hole. This vast, circular sinkhole bears an uncanny resemblance to a giant oceanic eye gazing up at the sky.



Nestled in the turquoise waters of the atoll, about 43 miles from the coast of Belize, this dark circular pit is surrounded by coral and contains sediments that tell a story about centuries of storms.



The Great Blue Hole began as a limestone cave on a dry island. During the last ice age, its roof collapsed, leaving it open to the elements. 



Today, this underwater cave plunges to a depth of 410 feet, spans 980 feet, and is one of the most fascinating places to scuba dive.



As glaciers melted and sea levels rose, the cave filled with water, turning it into a natural vault of sediment that has quietly recorded the passage of time.



In the summer of 2022, a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.goethe-university-frankfurt.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goethe University Frankfurt</a> led a mission to explore this hidden archive. 



Funded by the German Research Foundation, the researchers brought a drilling platform out to sea and extracted a 30-meter-long sediment core from the bottom of the Great Blue Hole.



The analysis, carried out by researchers from the universities of Frankfurt, Cologne, Göttingen, Hamburg, and Bern, has given new insight into storm history and climate change in the southwestern Caribbean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storm-record-written-in-sediment">Storm record written in sediment</h2>



Roughly 7,200 years ago, the limestone island that once held the Great Blue Hole was overtaken by the sea. Since then, layers of sediment have quietly accumulated at the bottom of the underwater cave.



These layers act like a natural time capsule, offering a window into 5,700 years of storm activity. Each layer records the passing of time, just as is found in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/californias-weather-extremes-found-in-600-year-old-tree-rings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree rings</a>.



“Due to the unique environmental conditions – including oxygen-free bottom water and several stratified water layers – fine marine sediments could settle largely undisturbed in the Great Blue Hole,” said Dr. Dominik Schmitt, a researcher in the Biosedimentology Research Group at Goethe University Frankfurt.



“Inside the sediment core, they look a bit like tree rings, with the annual layers alternating in color between gray-green and light green depending on organic content.”



But not all layers are the same. Some are made up of coarser, lighter-colored particles. 



These event layers, called tempestites, formed when powerful waves from hurricanes and tropical storms swept coarse material from the atoll’s outer reef into the hole. 



“The tempestites stand out from the fair-weather gray-green sediments in terms of grain size, composition, and color, which ranges from beige to white,” Schmitt added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-climate-patterns">Long-term climate patterns </h2>



The team identified and dated 574 individual storm events that were preserved in the sediment core. This detailed storm record stretches far beyond the reach of written or instrumental history, which only covers about 175 years. 



The results offer a unique look into long-term climate patterns and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-propose-adding-a-category-6-to-the-current-hurricane-intensity-scale/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hurricane</a> behavior in the region.



The data paints a clear picture: storm activity in the southwestern Caribbean has steadily risen over the past 6,000 years.



“A key factor has been the southward shift of the equatorial low-pressure zone. Known as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-rains-will-shift-northward-in-the-coming-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intertropical Convergence Zone</a>, this zone influences the location of major storm formation areas in the Atlantic and determines how tropical storms and hurricanes move and where they make landfall in the Caribbean,” Schmitt said.



The researchers also discovered a connection between sea surface temperatures and storm frequency. Warmer waters matched up with periods of increased storm activity. 



“These shorter-term fluctuations align with five distinct warm and cold climate periods, which also impacted water temperatures in the tropical Atlantic,” Schmitt noted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-warning-from-the-storm-record">A warning from the storm record</h2>



Historical averages suggest that the Great Blue Hole experienced between four and sixteen major storms per century. However, the sediment record shows that nine storms have already occurred in just the past 20 years.



“Our results suggest that some 45 tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-fueled-unexpected-and-deadly-storms-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storms</a> and hurricanes could pass over this region in our century alone. This would far exceed the natural variability of the past millennia,” said Prof. Eberhard Gischler of Goethe University Frankfurt.



The team emphasizes that natural climate changes alone cannot explain this dramatic increase. Instead, they point to human-driven global warming. 



The rise in ocean temperatures and the growing strength of La Niña events are creating the perfect conditions for more frequent and more intense storms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-sediment-core-with-a-message">A sediment core with a message</h2>



The Great Blue Hole, once thought to be a quiet underwater marvel, is now telling a louder story - one of climate shifts and increasing storm risk.



As the sediment layers continue to build, so does the urgency to address the accelerating pace of extreme weather. 



This research reminds us that history, especially the kind written in mud and sand, still has much to teach us.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads5624" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Sediment in the Great Blue Hole reveals an alarming storm record

In the heart of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, off the...

Humans are good at using the things that the natural world has to offer. Trees are used for their timber and fruits, bees and other insects pollinate our crops, and mountains bring us peace. But what happens when nature is pushed too far? 



As the planet heats up and extreme weather becomes more frequent, we may soon find ourselves counting the real cost - not just in lost trees or damaged trails, but in disappearing livelihoods and shaken communities.



Imagine Colorado’s wildflower meadows scorched by wildfire, or a strawberry field yielding less because heat drives away pollinators. These aren’t just <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental losses</a>; they impact economies, families, and entire ways of life. 



As extreme weather becomes more frequent, scientists are asking a new kind of question: How do we measure what we’re about to lose? A recent study led by <a href="https://www.colorado.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CU Boulder</a> researchers brings new tools to that conversation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-extreme-weather-harms-nature">How extreme weather harms nature</h2>



In a paper published in Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution, ecologist Laura Dee and her team introduced a computer model that looks at extreme weather with a fresh perspective.



The model connects environmental damage with economic and social consequences. It’s designed to predict what could happen if violent storms, fires, or floods hit ecosystems that people depend on.



The study’s example is striking: a forest in Minnesota could lose up to 50% of its timber income if a severe windstorm strikes.



“With climate change, there’s an urgent need to incorporate the impacts [that] extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-must-reconnect-with-nature-now-to-save-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> like mega-fires and hurricanes have on the benefits nature provides,” said Laura Dee, the paper’s first author and associate professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.



“This research is an important step toward anticipating impacts to ecosystem services so that we can adapt management strategies accordingly.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-ecosystem-services">Understanding ecosystem services</h2>



The model focuses on what scientists call “ecosystem services,” which are the direct and indirect benefits that people derive from natural processes.



These include water purification by tree roots, crop pollination by insects, and carbon storage in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-grip-on-co2-is-slipping-what-it-means-for-us-all/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forests</a>. They also include less obvious values, like the joy of hiking or the cultural significance of a mountain lake.



Traditionally, climate models have treated environmental changes as gradual - things that happen slowly over time. But extreme weather doesn’t follow a smooth path. Wildfires, hurricanes, and floods hit fast and hard, causing damage that lingers long after the skies clear.



Dee’s model fills this gap by focusing on sudden disturbances and how they ripple through both ecosystems and economies. It doesn’t just track what gets damaged - it also accounts for how people value what is lost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-forest-put-to-the-test">A forest put to the test</h2>



To demonstrate how the model works, the researchers applied it to a mixed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-must-live-in-harmony-with-nature-to-create-a-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest</a> in northern Minnesota. They studied how various tree species - each with different levels of wind resistance and market value - respond to intense windstorms.



For instance, white cedar trees are sturdy against strong winds but bring in less profit. Balsam firs are weaker but sell at a higher price.



The simulation showed a striking result: depending on storm strength, timber value could drop by between 23% and 50%. And timber isn’t the only thing at risk. Hiking, birdwatching, and camping opportunities also take a hit after such damage, further reducing the forest’s value to surrounding communities.



Dee said that researchers and land management officials could use the model to evaluate the impacts of any disturbances, from drought to invasive species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-extreme-weather-to-protect-nature">Reducing extreme weather to protect nature</h2>



Dee’s work doesn’t stop with predicting wind damage. Her research group at CU Boulder also looks at fire management. Specifically, they study how prescribed burns - intentional fires set under controlled conditions - can reduce wildfire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tackling-the-dual-crises-of-climate-and-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risks</a>.



The new model supports these efforts by identifying areas where controlled burns could offer the greatest benefits. This includes not only reducing the risk of massive wildfires but also protecting other ecosystem services like clean water and carbon removal.



“Nature’s contributions to people have not typically been valued and are usually left out of key decision-making processes when developing land management policies and strategies,” Dee said.



By offering a clearer picture of what’s at stake, this model helps planners make smarter choices about which lands to protect and how.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wake-up-call-for-economic-systems">A wake-up call for economic systems</h2>



This isn’t just about trees and trails. It’s about how we prepare for a future where nature’s disruptions affect jobs, housing, and national economies. 



On March 5, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization reported that over 150 record-breaking weather events occurred across the globe last year. The pattern is not only repeating - it’s accelerating.



Dee believes our economic models must change to reflect this new reality. Traditional indicators like Gross Domestic Product don’t account for the value of clean air, stable forests, or functioning watersheds. But as these systems grow more vulnerable, leaving them out of the equation could become a costly mistake.



“If we fail to consider the growing risks from extreme weather events, we could lose more than we realize,” she said.



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



What if planning for the future required not just spreadsheets and projections, but listening more closely to forests, rivers, and skies? Dee’s model is a reminder that nature’s value goes far beyond dollars. 



When we account for it properly, we make better decisions - not just for the environment, but for ourselves.



Extreme weather doesn’t wait. It strikes hard and fast. And with tools like this new simulation, we can at least be ready to measure the fallout and prepare. Because in the age of climate uncertainty, knowing what we stand to lose is the first step in making sure we don’t lose it.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02626-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Extreme weather is pushing nature toward a breaking point

Humans are good at using the things that the natural...

It's easy to think that older forests, with their diverse and well established trees, are better at storing carbon. Many assume that, as trees grow and ecosystems mature, they naturally become more effective at soaking up carbon from the atmosphere. 



A new study from scientists at the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a> Biological Station challenges this assumption, however, and suggests that the reality is much more complicated.



The research team, which included more than 100 scientists over several decades, found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-forests-with-many-tree-species-are-more-effective-at-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon storage in forests</a> depends more on what's happening within the ecosystem than how old it is. 



Factors like the structure of the forest canopy, the types of trees and fungi present, and how nutrients move through the soil all play a bigger role than previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-at-two-centuries-of-change">Looking at two centuries of change</h2>



The research was conducted at the U-M Biological Station in Pellston, Michigan. This historic field site, founded in 1909, spans over 10,000 acres and has long served as a hub for studying northern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-rich-tree-diversity-adapt-better-changing-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest ecosystems</a>. 



Scientists used data from a wide range of forest stands on the property. Some were untouched remnants from the 1800s, while others had been logged or burned at different points in the 20th century.



At the heart of the study was a massive dataset that had been built over decades. It included information from the station’s 150-foot AmeriFlux tower, which tracks carbon dioxide, water, and energy flows between forests and the atmosphere.



Additional data covered everything from soil respiration and microbial activity to leaf litter, root growth, and nutrient cycling.



Luke Nave was the study's lead researcher and a faculty member at Michigan Technological University.



"Time is not what drives <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-release-carbon-faster-than-we-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon cycling</a>," said Nave. "Time is more of a playing field, and the rules of the game on that field are things like canopy structure, tree and microbial community composition, and soil nitrogen availability."



"That means that changes in things like structure, composition and soil nitrogen are what control forest carbon trajectories, whether those changes happen quickly or slowly, and whether we are influencing those changes through management or letting them happen on their own terms."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-long-term-carbon-research">The power of long-term carbon research</h2>



One of the study’s strengths lies in its use of both historical and current data. 



With so much emphasis on real-time monitoring, the researchers were able to paint a detailed picture of how carbon moves through forest ecosystems - and how that movement has changed over time.



"It's exciting to see the results of this study. It was a lot of work and many years in the making," said Jason Tallant, data manager and research specialist at the University of Michigan Biological Station.



"At the U-M Biological Station, we put a lot of effort into data curation and digitization. It's nice to see the carbon synthesis research team leverage our historic data sets and crunch real-time <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-modeling-study-reveals-new-insights-into-carbon-sequestration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sequestration</a> information to illuminate what's happening in our forests and inform future management."



The project brought together a wide range of measurements, including fungal community studies, root production, carbon pool tracking, and soil enzyme activity. All of these factors helped the team understand how different pieces of the ecosystem influence carbon storage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-forest-management">Rethinking forest management</h2>



The takeaway from this study is clear: managing forests means more than just letting them grow old. 



If we want forests to help mitigate climate change, we need to pay close attention to their structure and species makeup, both above and below the ground.



"With the rates of change we're now seeing in things like climate, forest health and disturbance, and tree species composition, management will have to contend with more challenges and constraints all the time. What was true a decade or two ago can't be assumed as truth at this point," Nave commented.



"A good example for folks who know the territory is on the Burn Plots - the 1998 burn is a thriving young stand of post-clearcut aspen, and the 2017 burn is a regeneration failure. You might not think that 19 years is a long time to a tree, but it is in today's world."



"Researchers and managers who take a whole-ecosystem perspective like we did in the paper will have an easier time understanding what has changed over the last few decades and what we can do about it to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-forests-which-tree-species-can-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustain forests</a>."



This study reminds us that forests are dynamic systems, and treating them as such is essential for their health and their ability to store carbon. 



Simply counting the years isn't enough. Understanding what happens within those years is what really matters.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.70001">Ecological Applications</a>.



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Older forests do not necessarily store more carbon

It's easy to think that older forests, with their diverse...

Ocean currents swirl, surge, and shift across vast blue territories. Once clean and free, they now carry drifting human waste - on its way to find a settling place.



One of these destinations is the <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/great-pacific-garbage-patch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Pacific Garbage Patch</a>, an enormous stretch of floating plastic located between Hawaii and California. Larger than the state of Texas, it has become a symbol of the ocean’s pollution <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weakening-ocean-currents-could-cost-trillions-of-dollars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crisis</a>.



But it’s not alone. Similar garbage patches exist all over the globe. Invisible highways of water link distant shores, pulling in bottles, nets, and microplastics. Cleaning the circulating water has proven difficult and expensive.



Fuel costs, environmental risks, and the sheer scale of the problem leave many efforts stuck in trial stages. But now, a group of scientists might have found a smarter way - by looking down from space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-currents-that-clean-for-us">Ocean currents that clean for us</h2>



A recent study in Ocean Science offers a new idea: stop chasing the trash, and let the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/critical-ocean-current-may-be-more-stable-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> bring it to you. 



Using satellite data and knowledge from years of tracking ocean currents, scientists have identified areas where debris naturally gathers. These hotspots form through specific current patterns and making use of these could help clean the seas more efficiently.



"With this information, we can let the currents do the work. Instead of boats slowly trawling and burning fuel, they can hold their position and keep the nets steady at a location where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-circumpolar-current-speed-increasing-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">currents</a> funnel and aggregate drifting objects, which will theoretically save cleanup crews time, money and fuel," explained <a href="https://www.psi.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Planetary Science Institute</a> research scientist Rodrigo Duran.



Instead of deploying sweeping boats over long distances, crews could position nets at fixed points. The currents, not engines, would collect the waste. This method could reduce fuel usage, lower emissions, and cut down on operational costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ocean-clean-up">The Ocean Clean Up</h2>



The lead author of the study is Luca Kunz, a graduate student from the University of Hamburg.



The project received support from <a href="https://theoceancleanup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ocean Cleanup</a>, a nonprofit in the Netherlands that is developing plastic removal technologies. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-duran" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rodrigo Duran</a>, the U.S.-based co-author, explains how ancient physics ideas now help decode ocean behavior.



"Sir Isaac Newton was the first to solve trajectory problems while trying to understand celestial bodies orbiting within a gravity field. But, he was thinking in terms of how Earth orbits the sun," Duran said.



"Over the following centuries, new tools and ideas were used to solve these kinds of extremely complicated problems. However, it wasn't until the last couple of decades that these tools were adapted to surface <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-broke-records-for-450-straight-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> currents and wind, which bring an additional level of complexity. It's not like the equations of gravity, which remain predictable for a very long time. The ocean is always changing."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traps-and-why-they-matter">TRAPs and why they matter</h2>



To study these unpredictable currents, the researchers analyzed more than 20 years of satellite observations. They also used data from “drifters” - floating devices that move with currents and log their paths.



From this data set, the team identified 3.5 million Transient Attracting Profiles, known as TRAPs.



TRAPs are not fixed garbage patches. They are temporary zones where currents merge and pull in floating objects. These zones are created when two or more eddies - circular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atlantic-ocean-currents-slowing-as-water-temperature-rises/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">current</a> systems - interact in specific ways.



Each eddy can stretch between 60 and 180 miles (96 and 290 kilometers) wide. When combined, they form a larger area, up to 60 miles (96 kilometers) across, that holds drifting material for several days.



These regions don’t last forever. On average, TRAPs stay active for about six days before dissolving or shifting. Still, that window offers a valuable opportunity for targeted cleanup.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geometry-of-stability">Geometry of stability</h2>



Among the many TRAPs identified, some stand out for their efficiency. The research team found that the most stable and common configuration involves four eddies positioned in a special arrangement. 



If imagined on a grid, counterclockwise eddies sit in the top right and bottom left. Clockwise eddies spin in the top left and bottom right.



"This is almost 60% of cases," Duran said. "These are common because they are the most stable."



This balance helps the TRAP hold its shape and function more reliably. It offers a predictable way to plan cleanup strategies. Rather than reacting to ocean chaos, scientists can work with nature’s patterns and set traps in advance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-garbage-broader-possibilities">Beyond garbage: Broader possibilities</h2>



While the focus of the study was on cleaning ocean waste, the applications don’t stop there. Knowing where the ocean pulls material can help in emergencies or scientific predictions. The same method could guide rescue missions, track oil spills, or monitor airborne hazards.



"An obvious example would be search and rescue of missing people," Duran said, "or maybe a cargo ship loses their cargo. This can even be used for atmospheric data. When volcanoes erupt or wildfires break out, airports need to know whether to redirect flights. It's a very exciting time."



These insights give agencies tools to act quickly and precisely. By reading the invisible pull of the ocean, we gain not just cleanup opportunities, but also protection and preparedness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-working-with-nature-to-clean-oceans-nbsp">Working with nature to clean oceans&nbsp;</h2>



The collaboration behind this research unites institutions from Germany, the U.S., and the Netherlands. With the <a href="https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hamburg</a> leading the data science, and The Ocean Clean Up pushing forward practical solutions, the project blends theory and action.



Rather than relying solely on expensive equipment, this approach embraces simplicity and efficiency. Nature's own movements offer guidance. If we can learn to predict and use them, we may finally be able to manage what we’ve dumped into the sea.



The path ahead remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: the ocean is not a passive victim. It moves, it organizes, and now - with the right science - it might help us repair what we’ve broken.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://os.copernicus.org/articles/20/1611/2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Science</a>.



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Ocean currents may soon clean up waste, thanks to space tech

Ocean currents swirl, surge, and shift across vast blue territories....

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <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

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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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

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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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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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier 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 the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says 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



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.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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