The Mediterranean has long been a crossroads of trade and tourism, yet its deepest pocket, the Calypso Deep, seemed beyond the reach of day-to-day pollution. 



That hope ended earlier this year when researchers reported plastic bags, glass shards, and crumpled cans resting 16,770 feet beneath the waves in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionian_Sea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ionian Sea</a>.



Their survey logged 167 items on the trench floor - 148 confirmed pieces of marine litter and 19 more that almost certainly came from people. 



By any measure, it is one of the densest concentrations of trash ever recorded in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-ocean-buffet-big-fish-are-surprisingly-reliant-on-the-twilight-zone/">dark zone</a> of the ocean.



The discovery arrives as global attention continues to focus on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprise-study-some-scientists-call-for-halting-ocean-plastic-cleanup-efforts/">plastic waste</a>. 



Videos of snagged sea turtles and bottle-strewn beaches have already ignited public concern, but those images barely hint at what sinks far below the reach of sunlight.



Now evidence from Calypso Deep shows that even the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/calypso" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mediterranean’s farthest recesses</a> are filling up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calypso-deep-is-full-of-plastic-waste">Calypso Deep is full of plastic waste</h2>



The team used the submersible <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSV_Limiting_Factor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Limiting Factor</a> to reach the bottom of a kidney-shaped trench roughly 12.4 miles long and 3.1 miles across. 



During a 43-minute trek near the seafloor of the Calypso Deep, cameras captured thousands of objects per square mile, mostly plastic waste discarded by humans.



A single straight-line pass of 2,130 feet was enough to confirm that human trash blankets large stretches of the basin. Most pieces were flexible plastics; glass, metal, and paper rounded out the list. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-trash_Calypso-Deep-region_Mediterranean_study-map_UBarcelona_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-trash_Calypso-Deep-region_Mediterranean_study-map_UBarcelona_1s.webp" alt="(A) General location of the Calypso Deep (box) in the Ionian Sea. PP: Peloponnese Peninsula. (B) Close up and general bathymetry of Calypso Deep (box) and surrounding area. For depth ranges, see color scale. (C) Detailed bathymetry of Calypso Deep with depth contours in meters. The position of the deepest point is indicated by the white dot, while the dive area is indicated by the red dot. Credit: University of Barcelona" class="wp-image-1976573"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(A) General location of the Calypso Deep (box) in the Ionian Sea. PP: Peloponnese Peninsula. (B) Close up and general bathymetry of Calypso Deep (box) and surrounding area. For depth ranges, see color scale. (C) Detailed bathymetry of Calypso Deep with depth contours in meters. The position of the deepest point is indicated by the white dot, while the dive area is indicated by the red dot. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Barcelona</figcaption></figure>



Even without animals caught on camera, the piles raise alarms because deep-sea communities recover slowly from disturbance.



Calypso Deep lies about 37 miles west of the Peloponnese coast inside the Hellenic Trench, a zone of steep, stepped walls prone to earthquakes. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-waste-rides-currents">Plastic waste rides currents</h2>



Weak currents, usually under 0.8 inches per second and rarely reaching 7 inches per second, let debris settle instead of sweeping it away.



“It comes from various sources, both terrestrial and marine. It could have arrived by various routes, including long-distance transport by ocean currents or direct dumping,” explains <a href="https://web.ub.edu/en/web/directori/?accio=SEL&amp;id=v759w8s35bo5v72r&amp;lang=ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miquel Canals</a>, professor at the Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics at the University of Barcelona.



“Some light waste, such as plastics, comes from the coast and escapes to Calypso Deep, just about 37 miles away. Certain plastics, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-bag-bans-have-drastically-reduced-ocean-pollution/">like bags</a>, drift just above the seabed until they are partially or completely buried or break down into smaller fragments," Canals continued.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-trash_Calypso-Deep-region_Mediterranean_litter-photos_UBarcelona_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-trash_Calypso-Deep-region_Mediterranean_litter-photos_UBarcelona_1s.webp" alt="Examples of identified litter items with category attribution per material type (cf. Table 2). (A) Plastic bag, J3. (B) Plastic heavy-duty sack, J36. (C) Plastic sheet, J67. (D) Plastic food container made of hard plastic, J225. (E) Plastic heavy-duty sack, J36. (F) Plastic bag, J3 (G) Cups and lids of hard plastic, J227. (H) Plastic rope &gt; 1 cm in diameter, J49. (I) Paper cartons/Tetrapak (non-milk), J151. (J) Metal drink can, J175. (K) Glass bottle. Note sediment shadow with side scouring downwards of the bottle J200. (L) Plastic drink bottle. Credit: University of Barcelona" class="wp-image-1976569"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Examples of identified litter items with category attribution per material type. (A) Plastic bag, J3. (B) Plastic heavy-duty sack, J36. (C) Plastic sheet, J67. (D) Plastic food container made of hard plastic, J225. (E) Plastic heavy-duty sack, J36. (F) Plastic bag, J3 (G) Cups and lids of hard plastic, J227. (H) Plastic rope > 1 cm in diameter, J49. (I) Paper cartons/Tetrapak (non-milk), J151. (J) Metal drink can, J175. (K) Glass bottle. Note sediment shadow with side scouring downwards of the bottle J200. (L) Plastic drink bottle. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Barcelona</figcaption></figure>



Rivers, wind, and ship traffic all feed the stream of refuse heading offshore. As algae and other organisms cling to floating polymers, the added weight turns buoyant scraps into sinking hazards. The trench’s closed shape then locks the pieces in place.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calypso-deep-as-a-plastic-graveyard">Calypso Deep as a plastic graveyard</h2>



Surface eddies often corral floating trash into the trench. When these eddies form over the Calypso Trench, some debris slowly falls to the bottom, aided by degradation and ballasting processes that increase its density. 



Surface currents can also carry debris northward from the Adriatic Sea through the Strait of Otranto and from waters off northwestern Greece. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-trash_Calypso-Deep-region_Mediterranean_3D-model_UBarcelona_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-trash_Calypso-Deep-region_Mediterranean_3D-model_UBarcelona_1s.webp" alt="(A) 3D model generated from a subset of video frames by reference to a litter item of known size shown in B. The white dashed line in A represents the camera frames along the Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) Limiting Factor moving path, whereas the red dashed line represents the frames counted between two items identified on the seabed. (B) Accumulation of litter items in the inner Calypso Deep with a litter item of known size (12 cm) used as a reference for 3D model generation. Credit: University of Barcelona" class="wp-image-1976567"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(A) 3D model generated from a subset of video frames by reference to a litter item of known size shown in B. The white dashed line in A represents the camera frames along the Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) Limiting Factor moving path, whereas the red dashed line represents the frames counted between two items identified on the seabed. (B) Accumulation of litter items in the inner Calypso Deep with a litter item of known size (12 cm) used as a reference for 3D model generation. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Barcelona</figcaption></figure>



The same circular flows that drive marine life cycles are now channeling waste into permanent graveyards at the very bottom of Earth's deepest bodies of water.



<a href="https://web.ub.edu/ca/web/actualitat/w/a-sea-of-rubbish-ocean-floor-landfills-?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earlier work in 2021</a> showed the Strait of Messina carrying the world’s heaviest load of undersea garbage, confirming that the Mediterranean is especially at risk.



“We have also found evidence of boats dumping bags of rubbish, indicated by piles of assorted waste followed by an almost straight furrow," said Canals, expressing his frustration.



That is why the bottom of the Calypso Deep is littered with humans' plastic waste, and also why the problem will do nothing but continue to worsen.



"Unfortunately, when it comes to the Mediterranean, it is fair to say that ‘not a single inch of it is clean.’”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-do-we-go-from-here">Where do we go from here?</h2>



Unlike beaches and coastlines, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/99-percent-of-the-deep-ocean-floor-has-still-never-been-seen-by-humans/">ocean floor</a> remains largely out of sight, making it difficult to build social and political momentum for its conservation. 



Yet what settles at the bottom can influence marine life, food webs, fisheries, climate feedback loops, and even geological stability.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-mediterranean-nearly-lost-all-of-its-water-6-million-years-ago/">The Mediterranean</a> is an enclosed sea, surrounded by humanity, with intense maritime traffic and widespread fishing activity.



“Scientists, communicators, journalists, influencers - everyone with a platform - must work together. The problem is vast, even if it is not directly visible, and we cannot ignore it," Canals implored.



The trail of refuse from shorelines to Calypso Deep underlines a plain truth: plastics and other debris do not vanish once tossed aside. They ride currents, sink in stages, and ultimately collect in the planet’s most secluded hollows. 



The evidence provided by this research should galvanize global efforts - especially in the Mediterranean - to curb dumping, particularly of plastics, in line with the pending <a href="https://www.globalplasticlaws.org/un-global-plastics-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UN Global Plastics Treaty</a>.



From the North Atlantic’s first recorded litter in 1975 to the record densities documented across the Mediterranean today, the pattern remains the same - human waste reaches everywhere water flows.



We must do more, we must do better, and we must do it now.



-----



Thanks to the leaders of this research team - Miquel Canals of the <a href="https://web.ub.edu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Barcelona</a>, Georg Hanke of the European Commission’s <a href="https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/joint-research-centre_en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Joint Research Centre</a>, François Galgani of <a href="https://www.ifremer.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IFREMER</a>, and Victor Vescovo of <a href="https://caladanoceanic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caladan Oceanic</a>



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X25000852">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a>.



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Scientists make disturbing discovery on the deepest parts of the seafloor: 'Not a single inch of it is clean'

The Mediterranean has long been a crossroads of trade and tourism, yet its deepest pocket, the Calypso Deep, seemed beyond the reach of day-to-day pollution. That hope ended earlier this year when researchers reported plastic bags, glass shards, and crumpled cans resting 16,770 feet beneath the waves in the Ionian Sea. Their survey logged 167 items on the trench floor - 148 confirmed pieces of marine litter and 19 more that almost certainly came from people. By any measure, it is one of the densest concentrations of...

Green,Rice,Seedlings,In,A,Field,Planted,In,The,Morning

As global pressures mount, the natural systems that support human life - from food to water to Earth’s carbon storage systems - are being pushed out of balance.



A new study maps four key ecosystem services - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-chemicals-from-food-production-pass-into-the-human-body/">food production</a>, carbon storage, soil protection, and water - at one-kilometer resolution over 20 years. 



The research shows how the balance between nature’s supply chain and human demand has changed around the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-s-global-supply-chain">Nature's global supply chain</h2>



Ecosystem services feed communities, regulate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-outrun-the-flood-risks-of-climate-change/">floods</a>, store carbon, and keep soils anchored, yet no global analysis has mapped their supply-versus-demand gaps through time. 



Earlier work focused on single nations or short periods, leaving governments to guess how pressures play out at larger scales.



To fill that gap, researchers from <a href="https://english.njau.edu.cn/">Nanjing Agricultural University</a> and the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> merged satellite imagery with multi-model coupling. They then tracked annual changes from 2000 to 2020 for nearly every terrestrial pixel on Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-up-carbon-and-water-down">Food up, carbon and water down</h2>



The headline result looks comforting at first glance: taken together, the four services have leaned toward surplus, mainly because agricultural yields and soil-retention practices improved in many regions. But the good news stops there.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-mystery-emerges-in-the-southern-ocean/">Carbon storage</a> and water yield are becoming problematic, especially around dense megacities or industrial belts. By 2020, 76.74% of land had lost carbon storage, while water deficits spread in drylands and irrigated regions.



Spatial patterns jump off the map. Resource-rich but sparsely populated zones - remote<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/single-degree-temperature-warming-boreal-forests-wreak-havoc/"> boreal forests</a>, high Andean grasslands, northern Australian savannas - still show ample ecological “income” with limited local “spending.”



However, fast-growing population centers in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and coastal China tell a different story. In these regions, soaring demand is outpacing dwindling supply chain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-tips-the-supply-chain">What tips the supply chain</h2>



The team then asked which force tips each ledger - human activity or climate variability? Their attribution analysis reveals a complex picture. 



Food production and carbon sequestration mismatches are mainly human-made, linked to cropland expansion, fertilizer use, fossil-fuel emissions, and land-use change.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ecosystem-service-supply-demand_essd_nature-supply-chain_credit-ESE_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ecosystem-service-supply-demand_essd_nature-supply-chain_credit-ESE_1s.webp" alt="Graphic illustration visualizing the forces behind nature's supply chain and ecosystem service mismatches. Credit: Environmental Science and Ecotechnology" class="wp-image-1970511"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Graphic illustration visualizing the forces behind nature's supply chain and ecosystem service mismatches. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Environmental Science and Ecotechnology</figcaption></figure>



Soil conservation and water yield gaps, by contrast, relate more strongly to precipitation swings and temperature trends that scientists tie to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/">climate change</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-meets-human-pressure">Climate meets human pressure</h2>



Results also show striking complementarity: regions where human pressure lightens often coincide with places where climate impacts intensify, and vice versa.



Improved farming and good weather boosted food supply across 80.69% of the planet’s land area. Yet, carbon sinks shrank in most of those same areas because hotter temperatures accelerated ecosystem respiration.



“Pinpointing where and why nature's services fall short is crucial for smart policy,” said corresponding author Wei Wu, a scientist at Nanjing Agricultural University.



“Our findings show that it's not a matter of climate versus <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-activities-are-weakening-earths-air-circulation/">human activity</a> - it's about their interaction. Recognizing this dual influence is key to crafting effective land-use and conservation strategies in an era of accelerating change.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-guide-for-planners">A guide for planners</h2>



The pixel-level resolution - each square just one kilometer on a side - means national governments can zoom into trouble spots instead of relying on coarse regional averages.



Urban areas with water shortages may boost groundwater or recycle greywater; regions losing carbon might restore forests or soils. Where food deficits appear, agricultural zoning or crop diversification might offset risk.



The scientists argue that blanket policies are likely to miss local nuances. Mountain catchments suffering water-yield declines will need different interventions from lowland deltas losing soil to erosion. 



Because the drivers vary by service and location, the recommended strategies must also vary - “precision conservation” rather than one-size-fits-all.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-food-and-water-planning">Smarter food and water planning</h2>



The team acknowledges that their demand indicators remain relatively coarse - population density for food, for example, or evapotranspiration proxies for water.



The researchers call for future work to incorporate finer-grained socioeconomic data, differentiate industrial from subsistence demand, and include ecosystem beneficiaries such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-are-disappearing-and-its-bad-news-for-plants/">pollination</a> and recreation.



Still, the framework shows how high-resolution remote sensing coupled with machine learning can unpack global patterns once obscured by data gaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-nature-s-supply-chain">Balancing nature's supply chain</h2>



With the planet edging toward climate-system thresholds, the margin for ecological overdraft is shrinking. The new atlas helps decision-makers see where supply and demand are out of balance - and whether humans or climate are to blame.



It also underscores a sobering truth: gains in food and soil security do not offset the twin deficits in carbon storage and water supply.



By mapping those four lifelines pixel by pixel and year by year, the study offers both a warning and a blueprint. Regional surpluses can’t hide shortfalls elsewhere, and no single cause explains the growing patchwork of ecological risks.



Only integrated policies that recognize the intertwined dance of climate change and human footprint stand a chance of keeping nature’s services solvent for the decades ahead.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666498425000511?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Science and Ecotechnology</a>.



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Delicate balance between what nature provides and what humanity consumes is under threat

As global pressures mount, the natural systems that support human...

Mountain glaciers are already vanishing worldwide - and if global warming hits 3°C, even briefly, their recovery will be beyond reach for generations.



That's the stark message from a modeling study led by the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> and the <a href="https://www.uibk.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Innsbruck</a>. The modeling simulations through 2500 show that overshooting 1.5°C melts more ice and locks in higher seas than staying below it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-if-we-go-too-far">What if we go too far</h2>



Earth’s thermometer is edging dangerously close to the Paris ceiling. In 2023, average surface <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-temperature-increase-2023-blew-past-all-climate-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperatures</a> topped 1.5°C for the first full calendar year, and current policies are steering us toward roughly 3°C of warming by late-century.



Engineers and economists often suggest that massive deployment of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-capture-technology-faces-uncertainty-despite-heavy-investment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon-capture technology</a> could, eventually, pull the planet back down to safer temperatures. But what happens to frozen water stored in glaciers during that hot detour?



“Current climate policies are putting the Earth on a path close to 3°C," said corresponding author Fabien Maussion, a scientist at the University of Bristol. "It’s clear that such a world is far worse for glaciers than one where the 1.5°C limit is held.” 



“We aimed to discover whether glaciers can recover if the planet cools again. It’s a question many people ask - will <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-putting-many-unique-ecosystems-at-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a> regrow in our lifetime, or that of our children? Our findings indicate sadly not.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-futures-centuries-apart">Two futures, centuries apart</h2>



The researchers compared two temperature pathways. The first stabilizes at 1.5°C by mid-century and stays there. 



The second allows warming to climb to about 3°C around 2150, then decline - through aggressive negative-emissions programs - to 1.5 °C by 2300, where it holds steady.



In the overshoot world, mountain glaciers lose an additional 16 percent of their present ice by 2200 and 11 percent more by 2500. That’s on top of the roughly 35 percent already expected to melt even if the 1.5°C threshold is never crossed.



Every kilogram of this lost ice becomes meltwater that eventually reaches the ocean, lifting global sea levels further.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-500-year-forecast">A 500-year forecast</h2>



The Bristol team and partners used an open-source glacier model that simulates every mountain glacier outside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland</a> and Antarctica - more than 200,000 of them - based on local topography, historic mass-balance data, and climatic inputs.



For future conditions they tapped a set of overshoot projections supplied by the University of Bern. Modeling through 2500 shows most ice sheets don’t recover, even after global temperatures drop.



“Our models show it would take many centuries, if not millennia, for the large polar glaciers to recover from a 3°C overshoot," said lead author Lilian Schuster from the University of Innsbruck. 



"For smaller glaciers such as those in the Alps, the Himalayas and the Tropical Andes, recovery won’t be seen by the next generations but is possible by 2500.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-mountain-glaciers-stop-giving">When mountain glaciers stop giving</h2>



When glaciers shrink, they first enter a peak-water phase, dumping extra runoff that downstream farms and cities often depend upon during summer dry spells. But once the ice reservoir drains past a tipping point, annual flow diminishes.



If cooling eventually allows regrowth, glaciers begin storing water again, exacerbating the low-flow period - a phenomenon the authors dub “trough water.”



“If glaciers regrow, they start storing water again as ice - and that means less water flows downstream. We call this effect ‘trough water,’ in contrast to peak water. We found that roughly half of the basins we studied will experience some form of trough water beyond 2100,” Schuster said.



The study covers basins from the Andes to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snowfall-drops-in-hindu-kush-himalayas-water-crisis-may-follow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Himalayas,</a> many of which already face seasonal water stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extra-inches-permanent-consequences">Extra inches - permanent consequences</h2>



The extra 11-16 percent slice of lost ice above a no-overshoot future locks in several additional centimeters of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea-level rise</a>.



That margin may sound small, but it compounds with thermal expansion and ice-sheet losses, raising storm-surge risk for hundreds of millions of coastal residents.



Overshoot also harms mountain ecosystems: glacier forefields shift upslope, cold-water habitats shrink, and culturally significant landscapes disappear. Tourism economies tied to iconic glaciers could struggle, even if late-century cooling stabilizes temperatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irreversible-glacier-loss">Irreversible glacier loss</h2>



The overshoot scenario mirrors a "late net-zero" world in which society continues burning fossil fuels well into the 2100s, counting on large-scale carbon capture later. 



But the glacier model shows that waiting carries irreversible costs. Maussion noted that overshooting 1.5°C, even temporarily, locks in glacier loss for centuries. 



"Our study shows that much of this damage cannot simply be undone - even if temperatures later return to safer levels. The longer we delay emissions cuts, the more we burden future generations with irreversible change."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountain-glaciers-need-swift-action">Mountain glaciers need swift action</h2>



The findings are part of the EU-funded <a href="https://www.provide-h2020.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PROVIDE project</a>, which assesses overshoot risks across water, agriculture, and biodiversity.



They bolster the case for immediate, deep emissions reductions rather than banking on future technological rescues. For regions reliant on glacier melt, planners may need to prepare for both short-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flood-fatalities-experts-reveal-the-hidden-health-impacts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flood</a> hazards and long-term water scarcity.



While advanced carbon-removal techniques remain essential for achieving net-zero, some parts of Earth’s cryosphere respond more slowly. The study shows that mountain glaciers, in particular, may not recover even if temperatures later drop. 



In essence, once the ice is gone, it will not return within any timeframe that can protect current societies or ecosystems.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02318-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.



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Mountain glaciers face centuries of irreversible loss if warming surpasses 1.5°C

Mountain glaciers are already vanishing worldwide - and if global...

Honey,Bee,,Apis,Mellifera,,Silhouette,Of,A,Bee,,Anatomical,Structure

This World Bee Day, a troubling message is buzzing through the air - bees and other pollinators face a wave of new and unexpected threats that could cause even more losses in the coming decade. 



War, plastic pollution, artificial light, and even well-meaning climate actions are creating new obstacles for pollinators already under strain.



Pollinators such as bees, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-country-without-butterflies-rapid-decline-in-u-s-populations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">butterflies</a>, moths, bats, and birds are essential to our environment and food production. Nearly 90% of flowering plants and over three-quarters of the world’s major crops depend on them.



Yet these species are already declining at alarming rates due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and invasive species. Now, researchers say even more risks are on the horizon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-scientists-are-saying-about-bees">What scientists are saying about bees</h2>



Experts from the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a> contributed to a new report commissioned by Bee:wild, a science-led global campaign to save pollinators. The report identifies 12 rising dangers that could further endanger pollinators in the next 5 to 15 years.



Professor Simon Potts, lead author and chair of Bee:wild’s Scientific Advisory Board, noted that identifying new threats and finding ways to protect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a> early is key to preventing further major declines.



“By acting early, we can reduce harm and help pollinators continue their important work in nature and food production. Various conservation opportunities already exist and more are emerging," continued Potts. 



"This is not just a conservation issue. Pollinators are central to our food systems, climate resilience, and economic security. Protecting pollinators means protecting ourselves.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bees-and-pollinators-in-war-zones">Bees and pollinators in war zones</h2>



The report outlines a series of surprising new threats to pollinators that extend beyond the usual concerns like pesticides and habitat loss. For instance, war and conflict, such as the ongoing situation in Ukraine, are changing agricultural practices. 



Countries involved in or affected by conflict tend to grow fewer crop types, leading to a lack of diverse flowering plants that pollinators need throughout the season for proper nutrition and survival. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-and-artifical-light">Plastic and artifical light</h2>



Another troubling issue is the discovery of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-are-the-latest-victims-of-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastics in bee</a> colonies across Europe. Testing from 315 honey bee hives revealed the widespread presence of synthetic materials, including PET plastic. 



These microplastic particles are now contaminating hives, raising questions about their impact on bee health and the quality of honey.



Artificial light at night is also proving harmful. Studies show that nocturnal pollinators, such as moths and certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-will-climate-impact-the-beetles-that-protect-our-crops/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beetles</a>, visit 62% fewer flowers in areas with light pollution. 



This drastic reduction disrupts nighttime pollination, which is essential for many plant species and ecological cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-and-pollinator-behavior">Pollution and pollinator behavior </h2>



Antibiotic pollution is emerging as yet another hazard. Residues from antibiotics can contaminate both hives and honey. 



Worse still, they may interfere with pollinator behavior by reducing their foraging activity and visits to flowers, which are critical for pollination and plant reproduction.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-is-wiping-out-bees-and-other-wild-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Air pollution</a> is adding further stress, affecting the growth, reproduction, and overall survival of pollinators. Exposure to polluted air can impair navigation and reduce the chances of bees returning to their hives.



The use of pesticide cocktails - mixtures of various chemicals - is becoming more common, particularly in developing countries. These combinations can be more toxic than individual pesticides, weakening pollinators and making them more susceptible to disease and stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-additional-threats-to-bees">Additional threats to bees</h2>



More frequent and intense wildfires are destroying vital habitats. As these fires become larger and harder to control, they not only remove food sources but also hinder the ability of pollinator populations to recover.



While climate action is critical, some approaches could unintentionally harm pollinators if not carefully managed. For instance, planting fast-growing non-flowering trees for carbon capture could reduce food for pollinators. 



Choosing a mix that includes flowering trees would help balance carbon storage with pollinator support.



Mining for materials like lithium - used in electric car batteries - can damage habitats rich in pollinators. Avoiding these areas and restoring land afterward could reduce long-term impact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-ways-to-support-biodiversity">Smart ways to support biodiversity</h2>



Among the 12 strategies highlighted in the report, five stand out as particularly promising. First, introducing stronger regulations to reduce antibiotic pollution would help protect pollinator and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-farming-and-flower-strips-improve-honey-bee-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bee health</a>. 



Moving toward electric vehicles can significantly reduce air pollution, which in turn benefits pollinators. In addition, breeding new crop varieties that produce more nectar and pollen can improve the diet of pollinators, boosting their health and resilience.



Furthermore, integrating flower-rich habitats into solar parks can transform these spaces into pollinator-friendly areas, supporting biodiversity while generating renewable energy. 



Finally, scientists are developing RNAi-based treatments that specifically target harmful pests without affecting beneficial insects like bees, reducing the need for broad-spectrum pesticides.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-actions-big-difference">Small actions, big difference</h2>



Other opportunities include protecting stingless bees, which are vital to tropical ecosystems. This can be done by creating urban gardens, re-wilding spaces, and preserving natural habitats.



There's also growing interest in using artificial intelligence to monitor and track bee and other pollinator health and behavior more efficiently. Even AI tools to monitor pollinator populations could all make a big difference.



Dr. Deepa Senapathi is head of the Department of Sustainable Land Management at the University of Reading and co-author of the report.



“Meaningful action to protect bees is not a ‘nice-to-have’ future aspiration - practical solutions that we can implement now already exist and more are emerging. The most promising opportunities are ones that tackle multiple problems at once," said Dr. Senapathi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reversing-bee-and-pollinator-decline">Reversing bee and pollinator decline</h2>



According to Dr. Senapathi, focused and determined action could significantly slow and even reverse pollinator decline while creating environments that benefit both nature and people.



“It will take effort from everyone to address these threats. We need to maintain, manage and improve our natural habitats to create safe spaces for pollinators," said Dr Senapathi.



"But policy changes and individual actions must work together so everything from gardens and farms to public spaces and wider landscapes can all become pollinator-friendly habitats.”



Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Board Member of Re:wild, which helped launch Bee:wild, offers a hopeful reminder in the report’s foreword.



"The choices we make today will shape the future - not only for pollinators, but for all life on Earth. Together, we can ensure that these remarkable species continue their vital work, sustaining the natural world that sustains us all,” she said.



The full report, Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Conservation of Global Pollinators, is available <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1odhszqh-5-LJsJgidagHte_OW57Ke09x/view" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. 



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Rising dangers threaten the survival of bees and pollinators

This World Bee Day, a troubling message is buzzing through...

Hydrogen is essential for fertilizer production and is increasingly promoted as a clean fuel for decarbonizing industry and shipping.



Yet almost all of today’s hydrogen - about 90 million metric tons a year - comes from reforming oil and gas, releasing roughly 2.4 percent of global CO2 emissions in the process. Blue and green hydrogen remain too expensive to scale rapidly, despite advances in carbon capture and clean electricity production.



A new review highlights a third option: tapping naturally occurring hydrogen produced by geological processes over millions of years. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-for-clean-hydrogen">Hunting for clean hydrogen</h2>



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>, <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/">Durham University</a>, and the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a> calculate that Earth’s continental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-first-crust-already-had-chemical-traits-of-modern-continents/">crust</a> has produced enough hydrogen over the past billion years to meet humanity’s projected needs for at least 170,000 years.



Microbes have consumed much of it, and some has leaked away, but the rest could still form recoverable accumulations. To find it, scientists say geologists must pursue hydrogen like helium or gas - though it diffuses and reacts more easily.



“We have successfully developed an exploration strategy for helium, and a similar ‘first principles’ approach can be taken for hydrogen,” said co-author Jon Gluyas, a professor at Durham University. 



The review outlines the critical elements of such a strategy and identifies where current knowledge is solid or still developing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-hydrogen-form">How does hydrogen form?</h2>



Hydrogen forms through several crustal reactions. One of the best known is serpentinization, where water reacts with iron-rich minerals underground, oxidizing iron and releasing molecular hydrogen. 



Other pathways include radiolysis - where decaying uranium splits water molecules - and organic shale maturation, which can generate hydrogen alongside hydrocarbons. 



Production rates vary widely by region, depending on temperature, pressure, rock type, and the availability of liquid water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-holding-hydrogen-underground">Holding hydrogen underground</h2>



After formation, hydrogen must migrate through fractures and porous rock layers until it meets a geological trap that prevents further escape.



Traditional seals like rock salt or claystone can work, but because hydrogen molecules are so small, maintaining containment over geological time may require exceptionally tight caps. Even a perfect seal is not enough if microbes lurk in the reservoir.



“We know, for example, that underground microbes readily feast on hydrogen," said co-author Barbara Sherwood Lollar of the University of Toronto. 



"Avoiding environments that bring them into contact with the hydrogen is important in preserving hydrogen in economic accumulations.” 



Sherwood noted that high temperatures, salty brines, or low nutrient levels can slow microbial consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-targeting-deposits-in-earth-s-crust">Targeting deposits in Earth's crust</h2>



The review challenges speculation that mantle-derived hydrogen, sometimes touted as limitless, could be a major target. Analyses of isotopic fingerprints and gas ratios show that most mature accumulations originate from crustal rocks, not from deep-Earth plumes.



The good news is that suitable crustal settings are common: ancient cratonic shields, younger rift basins, iron-rich volcanic belts, and faulted sedimentary basins all provide the right mix of source, pathways, and potential traps. 



Some systems are geologically young, forming hydrogen within the past few million years, while others date back hundreds of millions.



Scientists have found encouragement in real-world hints. A village water well in Bourakébougou, Mali, accidentally tapped a stream of 98 percent hydrogen in 2012. Similar incidents have been reported in Kansas, South Australia, and the Pyrenees.



Drilling for water, oil, or minerals has accidentally revealed many deposits - hinting that targeted exploration could find much more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-searching-for-accumulated-hydrogen">Searching for accumulated hydrogen</h2>



Turning theory into drill bits will require integrating geophysics, geochemistry, microbiology, and reservoir engineering.



Study lead author Chris Ballentine from the University of Oxford offered a culinary analogy. “Combining the ingredients to find accumulated hydrogen in any of these settings can be likened to cooking a soufflé - get any one of the ingredients, amounts, timing, or temperature wrong and you will be disappointed.”



“One successful exploration recipe that is repeatable will unlock a commercially competitive, low-carbon hydrogen source that would significantly contribute to the energy transition - we have the right experience to combine these ingredients and find that recipe.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-significant-hydrogen-fields">Identifying significant hydrogen fields</h2>



To pursue that recipe, the research team has launched <a href="https://www.snowfoxdiscovery.com/">Snowfox Discovery Ltd</a>., aiming to identify “societally significant” hydrogen fields.



Early priorities include mapping iron-rich rock belts intersected by deep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/">groundwater</a>, quantifying how fast different microbial communities devour hydrogen, and testing seal integrity for a highly diffusive gas.



Seismic imaging and magnetotelluric surveys could reveal subsurface alteration zones where hydrogen-generating reactions are ongoing. Meanwhile, isotopic tracers will help distinguish fresh hydrogen from ancient residues or from contamination by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-methane-emissions-threaten-earths-habitability/">methane</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-step-toward-greener-fuel">A step toward greener fuel</h2>



If abundant, natural hydrogen could bridge blue and green hydrogen as a low-carbon feedstock during infrastructure scale-up.



However, extraction must avoid repeating the environmental mistakes of fossil-fuel development. Regulators will need to set standards for monitoring leaks, safeguarding groundwater, and managing co-produced gases.



Even partial success would diversify the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clean-energy-biodiversity-wildlife-habitats-delicate-balancing-act/">clean energy</a> portfolio and relieve pressure on renewables to shoulder all hydrogen demand. 



With the window to limit global warming rapidly closing, exploring Earth’s hidden hydrogen could buy valuable time - and illuminate a new frontier where geology and the energy transition meet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-025-00670-1">Nature Reviews Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Clean hydrogen source could power Earth for 170,000 years

Hydrogen is essential for fertilizer production and is increasingly promoted...

Carbon credits have become a popular tool for offsetting the environmental impact of air travel. 



Every flight we take adds to the growing cloud of greenhouse gas emissions hovering over the planet. The aviation industry now emits more carbon dioxide than many individual nations. 



To soften the environmental blow, some airlines offer passengers the option to “offset” their emissions - usually by paying into forest protection schemes. 



The promise is simple: fund the preservation of trees, and they’ll absorb enough carbon to balance out your flight. But does it really work? A new study says not always.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-concerns-about-carbon-credits">Concerns about carbon credits</h2>



Researchers from <a href="https://www.bu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston University</a> and the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force recently examined how forest carbon credit systems are run and regulated in North America. 



These programs are often part of the voluntary carbon market, where companies and individuals can buy credits to compensate for their emissions. But the study found that the protocols behind many of these credits are weak - and in some cases, entirely ineffective.



“There’s been a lot of appetite for these credits so corporations can meet their sustainability goals, but some of the credits that have been sold have been found to be dubious at best,” said Lucy Hutyra, a BU College of Arts &amp; Sciences Distinguished Professor, and chair of Earth and Environment.



“This paper is not about whether the system is broken, let’s just scrap it; it’s looking at what works well, what doesn’t, and how we can improve it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flaws-in-the-current-system">Flaws in the current system</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-carbon-credits-are-not-tied-to-forest-preservation-as-claimed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest carbon credits</a> come in different forms. Some are part of mandatory systems; others are voluntary. At the cheaper end, they involve paying landowners to keep forests standing. 



On paper, each credit is a promise to absorb one ton of carbon dioxide somewhere to make up for one ton emitted elsewhere. But it’s not always that simple.



The researchers evaluated 20 forest carbon credit protocols and gave each one a score based on how effectively it guarantees climate benefits. Most didn’t score well. 



Only one protocol received a “satisfactory” rating - and it hasn’t even been used yet. None earned a “robust” rating or higher.



“Our results show that the protocols used to generate credits are a critical weak link in the forest carbon market system,” said BU alum Rebecca Sanders-DeMott, the Clean Air Task Force's director of ecosystem carbon science. 



“Without significant improvements, the integrity of the forest carbon market will remain at risk,” she stated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essential-role-of-forests">Essential role of forests</h2>



Forests play an essential role in absorbing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-co2-could-push-temperatures-much-higher-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric carbon</a>. But depending on how a credit scheme is managed, the benefits may be overstated. 



One example is the use of “buffer zones,” which are extra preserved areas intended to act as insurance in case something happens to the main forest area, such as a wildfire or disease outbreak.



“In the current system, the buffer pool risks are very conservative, very low estimates of risk,” said Hutyra. “The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-wildfire-season-is-longer-peaks-earlier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfire</a> risk in one part of California could be really quite different than another part.”



They propose the establishment of larger buffer zones and detailed, location-specific risk maps to better reflect real-world threats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-credits-need-improvement">Carbon credits need improvement</h2>



In addition to managing risk better, the study highlights four other areas where the carbon market could improve. 



It lists 22 total recommendations - half are relatively simple to implement, like reassessing project risks every five years. The rest are more complex.



One major issue is something called “leakage.” If you protect one area of forest from development, but that simply pushes deforestation or construction to another location, you haven’t achieved a true reduction in emissions.



“The net effect is no actual change in the land <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-sinks-are-a-powerful-weapon-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sink</a>, in real emissions to the atmosphere,” Hutyra explained.



To fix this, they suggest national and global tracking of land use changes and stronger incentives to support truly climate-positive outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-carbon-credits">What’s next for carbon credits </h2>



The research team is now focused on getting their recommendations into the hands of those who can make a difference. 



The Clean Air Task Force is preparing an easy-to-read version of the report, organizing webinars, and reaching out to groups who manage carbon credit protocols.



Even without strong federal interest in regulating these markets right now, the researchers are hopeful that their work will help steer voluntary efforts in a more effective direction.



“Global energy demand is rising and, while decarbonizing our energy systems is critical, it will take time - decades, in fact. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are already being felt and are accelerating. Forests, which have long served as vital <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-forests-with-many-tree-species-are-more-effective-at-carbon-storage/">carbon sinks</a>, are under increasing threat," said Sanders-DeMott.



"By taking these recommendations seriously, carbon market actors can help restore confidence in carbon markets and unlock the full potential of forests to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, buying us time as we scale the technologies we need to ensure a high-energy, zero-emissions future.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF005414" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Forest carbon credits are failing, so what needs to change?

Carbon credits have become a popular tool for offsetting the...

Methane is the planet’s second-largest human-influenced climate driver after carbon dioxide. Its levels are climbing faster than at any time in the observational record.



The latest update of the <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/methanebudget/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Methane Budget</a>, covering 2000-2020, shows that atmospheric levels reached 1,931 parts per billion in January 2024. That's more than two and a half times their pre-industrial value.



Despite this worrying trajectory, researchers argue that cutting methane could deliver big climate dividends at lower cost than equivalent CO₂ reductions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-methane-matters">Why methane matters</h2>



Methane's potency stems from three key characteristics. It absorbs more infrared radiation than CO₂, stays in the air for about a decade, and is rising sharply in concentration. That combination means aggressive methane cuts can slow near-term warming more quickly than CO₂ mitigation alone.



“Methane itself has contributed about 0.5°C of warming during the 2010s, accounting for two-thirds of the warming linked to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-carbon-dioxide-travels-in-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a>,” said co-author Sergio Noce, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.cmcc.it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CMCC Foundation</a>.



With 2023 global temperatures already 1.45 °C above pre-industrial averages, rapid action on methane could help keep mid-century climate targets within reach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-methane-s-origins">Tracing methane's origins</h2>



About two-thirds of annual global methane emissions come from human activities like fossil fuel use, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ai-can-help-reduce-methane-emissions-from-cows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">livestock</a>, rice farming, and waste management. The remaining one-third to nearly one-half comes from natural systems - wetlands, wildfires, thawing permafrost, and even insects.



“These natural methane emissions are particularly significant, accounting for around 35% to 45% of total annual emissions, according to various estimates that make up our updated budget,” Noce explained.



Together with Simona Castaldi, a professor of ecology at the <a href="https://www.unicampania.it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli</a>, Noce accounted for biogenic sources not directly linked to human activities, with special attention to tiny but prolific contributors: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/termites-play-an-unexpected-role-in-rainforest-revival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">termites</a>.



“Within this broader context, our research focused specifically on termites, which represent a smaller but noteworthy portion of these natural emissions," Noce said. 



"Despite their small size, these tiny organisms produce a substantial amount of methane through their life processes, highlighting their role in the overall methane budget."



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



The Global Methane Budget is compiled by the <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Carbon Project</a>. It now involves about 70 scientists who merge atmospheric measurements, ground inventories, process models, and satellite retrievals.



The current release is the third major update, ensuring policymakers and researchers are working with the freshest numbers.



“Keeping track of methane emissions and maintaining a vigilant watch over their trends is crucial for effective climate action,” Noce said. 



“Understanding the sources and fluctuations of methane emissions allows us to implement targeted mitigation strategies and monitor their effectiveness.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-methane-from-space">Watching methane from space</h2>



One leap forward comes from new orbital eyes. Noce noted the recent advancements in satellite technology, such as MethaneSAT and CarbonMapper, provide valuable tools for real-time monitoring of methane sources.



"This can help identify major emitters and enhance our ability to create effective policies.”



These instruments can spot plumes from individual pipelines, landfills, and well pads, enabling regulators or companies to plug leaks quickly. 



Early trials suggest that a relatively small set of facilities accounts for a large slice of anthropogenic methane releases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-fix-that-pays">Climate fix that pays</h2>



Several analyses suggest that cutting methane offers equivalent warming benefits at a lower marginal cost than deep CO₂ reductions. 



This is largely because many abatement options - such as capturing gas that would otherwise leak or vent - are cost-effective and often pay for themselves.



The <a href="https://www.iea.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Energy Agency</a> estimates that the oil and gas sector could reduce its global methane emissions by up to 70 percent with existing technologies, often turning the captured gas into profitable product.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-action-fast-impact">Fast action, fast impact</h2>



Because methane reacts quickly in the atmosphere, any reductions translate into a noticeable temperature slowdown within a decade. That makes methane strategies an attractive complement to long-term CO₂ decarbonization.



Consistent monitoring enables swift action against warming, helping protect the environment and support long-term sustainability.



International agreements such as the <a href="https://www.globalmethanepledge.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Methane Pledge</a>, launched at COP26, aim for a 30 percent cut in human-caused methane by 2030. Accurate budgets and real-time satellite surveillance will be essential for verifying progress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-remaining-uncertainties">The remaining uncertainties</h2>



Despite improved datasets on global methane emissions, gaps remain. Wetland responses to climate change, the exact scale of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-is-becoming-a-source-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">permafrost thaw</a> emissions, and the resilience of natural sinks all introduce uncertainty.



The budget’s multi-method approach - combining bottom-up inventories with top-down atmospheric inversions - helps reduce uncertainties. 



However, ongoing field campaigns and improved process models are still needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-unified-front-on-a-potent-gas">A unified front on a potent gas</h2>



The new Global Methane Budget highlights both urgency and opportunity: methane is rising fast, but affordable solutions are available. The findings highlight methane’s key role in climate change and the need for coordinated scientific action to address it.



With coordinated monitoring, swift leak repair, and targeted agricultural practices, the world could curb a significant slice of near-term warming - buying precious time for the deeper, more expensive task of driving CO₂ to net zero.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/17/1873/2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth System Science Data</a>.



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Cutting methane emissions could quickly slow global warming

Methane is the planet’s second-largest human-influenced climate driver after carbon...

Glaciers are melting faster than at any other time in recorded history, and the consequences extend far beyond iconic vanishing ice.



A recent review synthesizes more than 160 studies. It warns that the loss of glacial ecosystems is triggering planet-wide ripples across ice, water, land, and the countless organisms that depend on them.



The analysis was conducted by an international team that includes researchers from the University of Wollongong (<a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UOW</a>) and the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Antarctic Survey</a>. 



The research highlights a looming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/">biodiversity</a> crisis in some of Earth’s most specialized environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-store-climate-secrets">Glaciers store climate secrets</h2>



Study co-author Sharon Robinson is a fellow at UOW’s School of Science and Deputy Director of Science Implementation at <a href="https://arcsaef.com/">Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future</a> (SAEF). 



“Glaciers are one of the most valuable tools we have for understanding the health of our planet,” said Robinson.



Ice cores preserve air bubbles and chemical clues, revealing thousands of years of past climates, eruptions, and temperature shifts.



Yet these same glaciers are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shrinking</a>. Global forecasts suggest that by mid-century, the world will lose roughly one-third of present glacial mass. As meltwater pours into rivers and oceans, physical and biological systems are jolted out of long-held equilibria.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystems-losing-life">Ecosystems losing life</h2>



“Glaciers and glacially influenced ecosystems host unique biodiversity spanning all kingdoms of life, but glaciers are retreating as the global climate warms, threatening specialist species, ecosystem functions, and stability,” Robinson said.



Microbial mats, mosses, cold-adapted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/">insects</a>, and hardy vertebrates - all honed over millennia to thrive in frigid, nutrient-poor settings - now face habitat shrinkage or outright disappearance.



“Glacier retreat drives changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functions across countless different habitats," Robinson noted. "Glacial ecosystems worldwide contain thousands of microorganisms, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-newcomers-overtake-native-species">Newcomers overtake native species</h2>



When ice withdraws, bare rock and sediment open new habitats for life. Pioneer species - those first colonizers - often flourish in the short term.



But the study reveals a troubling trend. As temperatures rise, generalist species outcompete the specialists that once defined these ecosystems in Glaciers.



Glacial ecosystems lose their unique biodiversity over time as generalist species gradually replace specialized microbes and organisms. 



"This ecological turnover reduces the distinctive biological signature of glacial landscapes and may permanently erode global biodiversity," Robinson said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-melt-reshapes-rivers">Glacier melt reshapes rivers</h2>



Beyond local habitat loss, accelerated melt reshapes regional hydrology. Normally, glaciers act as slow-release reservoirs, feeding rivers through dry seasons and buffering communities against drought. 



Rapid melt sends surges of freshwater that disrupt ecosystems, raise <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-cities-will-spend-over-3-trillion-dollars-damages-from-sea-level-rise/">sea levels</a>, and threaten water supplies.



“Given that three-quarters of Earth's freshwater is stored in glaciers, rapid retreat will lead to the disappearance or considerable disruption of many aquatic ecosystems and species. This includes food supply, foraging areas, and mating grounds and could lead to local extinctions,” Robinson said.



“The future of mammals who use glaciers as refuges or as places to nest is also uncertain. Essentially, the distinctive functions performed by glaciers may be eroded, leading to long-time impacts on the planet's delicate ecosystem.”



Changes in meltwater flow can also alter ocean currents and weather patterns far from the ice, linking glacial retreat to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-in-2024-what-have-we-learned/">extreme climate events</a> and fisheries collapse worldwide.



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



The review stresses that scientists still lack detailed knowledge of how newly ice-free landscapes evolve over decades. Which pioneer species establish their habitats there? How quickly do nutrient cycles stabilize? Which functional traits help or hinder survival? 



Filling these gaps is crucial for forecasting biodiversity outcomes and crafting conservation plans.



“We need to understand the impacts to be able to inform management conservation practices and policies, which could mitigate the devastating changes taking place in the glacial landscape,” Robinson said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-push-to-save-glaciers">Global push to save glaciers</h2>



Recognition of these far-reaching impacts prompted the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations</a> to declare 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. 



The initiative aims to raise awareness of glaciers’ roles in climate regulation, hydrological cycles, and socio-economic stability.



The researchers hope the initiative will spur funding for long-term monitoring and strengthen international collaboration on adaptation strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-glaciers-signal-climate-crisis">Melting glaciers signal climate crisis</h2>



Glaciers are melting symbols of planetary change, but they are also living ecosystems teeming with organisms found nowhere else.



As ice retreats, it sets off a domino effect - from species loss to weather shifts - stressing the need to protect the cryosphere.



The new synthesis makes clear that protecting glaciers is not just about saving ice; it is about preserving the intricate web of life - and the climatic services - that ice sustains.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-025-00049-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Reviews Biodiversity</a>.



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Melting glaciers are putting many unique ecosystems at risk

Glaciers are melting faster than at any other time in...

Plants in the Alps are now springing to life sooner than they did just a few decades ago. A new study shows that over the past 25 years, vegetation in mountain regions has begun growing about six days earlier on average after snowmelt than it used to.



The research, led by Michael Zehnder of the <a href="https://www.slf.ch/en/%C3%B9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF</a>, points to a clear driver: rapid warming following the disappearance of seasonal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snow</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-speeds-up-alpine-spring">Warming speeds up alpine spring</h2>



“On average, as a result of climate change, the ambient temperature is almost two degrees Celsius warmer after the disappearance of snow cover than it was 25 years ago,” Zehnder said. 



The warmth accelerates growth, quickly turning snow-covered slopes into green alpine meadows. While that might seem like a small shift in timing, it marks a substantial change in the rhythm of alpine life. 



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-spring-flowers-can-save-bees-and-boost-pollination/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a> is reshaping mountain ecosystems,” Zehnder said. From flowers to farming, the pace of spring is picking up across elevations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alpine-life-feels-the-change">Alpine life feels the change</h2>



The changes in plant timing go beyond scientific curiosity. They touch various aspects of daily life in alpine regions.



For instance, “alpine farming might also start earlier in the future,” Zehnder noted, suggesting that warmer, greener pastures could prompt earlier seasonal grazing. 



Hikers and tourists may also experience spring in the alpine region earlier than in past decades, potentially altering the timing of peak visitation.



But perhaps most consequential is what this shift could mean for alpine biodiversity. Some plants quickly respond to warm temperatures. Others rely on internal clocks or light levels, waiting for longer days before growing.



Some plants don’t begin growing right after the snow disappears. Some species wait for longer daylight, while others sprout quickly in response to rising temperatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-clocks-at-different-heights">Different clocks at different heights</h2>



The study uncovered important variation across elevations. Near the treeline, around 2,000 meters above sea level, vegetation required more cumulative warmth to begin growing when snowmelt came early. 



In other words, the earlier the snow disappeared, the more warming days plants seemed to need before responding.



But higher up the slopes, plant communities showed more consistency. Even when snowmelt occurred early, these high-altitude plants appeared to rely on a fixed number of warm days before growth kicked in.



These subtle differences could have long-term consequences for how mountain vegetation evolves. 



Species that respond quickly to warmth may expand their range or outcompete those tied more rigidly to other cues. Over time, that could change not only which plants dominate specific locations but also the entire structure of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpine-ecosystems-are-thrown-off-balance-by-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alpine ecosystems</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-the-mountain-spring">Monitoring the mountain spring</h2>



To measure these changes, Zehnder analyzed data from 40 stations that are part of the <a href="https://www.sensalpin.ch/en/measuring-networks/imis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intercantonal Measurement and Information System</a> (IMIS), a Swiss weather and snow-monitoring network. Each station includes an ultrasonic sensor that tracks snow depth throughout the year.



“This way we receive data without having to be in the field ourselves,” Zehnder explained. Because those sensors work in summer, they detect subtle ground cover changes as snow melts and vegetation appears.



Zehnder used machine learning to train a model that distinguishes snow-covered ground from plant-covered ground using sensor data. With this model, he was able to pinpoint when each location made the transition from winter white to spring green over a 25-year period, from 1998 to 2023.



Still, to know which species were growing at the monitored sites, Zehnder had to go into the field himself. That meant trekking to remote IMIS stations at altitudes ranging from 1,700 to 2,700 meters above sea level. 



“Researchers cannot tell from the IMIS station data which plants are growing under the sensors,” he noted, so direct observation was essential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-picks-the-favorite-plants">Climate picks the favorite plants</h2>



Zehnder emphasized that not all Alpine plant species will benefit equally from earlier snowmelt and rising temperatures. 



“It’s important, though, to understand how different plant communities will have different responses to even earlier snowmelt in the future and who the winners and losers will be,” Zehnder said.



The shift in timing is likely to favor species that respond directly to warmth over those that wait for longer days. As these dynamics play out, the makeup of alpine meadows may transform, potentially reducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-pressure-has-a-hidden-impact-on-plant-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant diversity</a> in some locations.



Combining environmental data, fieldwork, and machine learning, the study reveals how climate change is shifting alpine life’s timing. With snow melting earlier and spring arriving sooner, the alpine region - like many of the world’s mountain ranges - are on the move.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Alpine spring begins earlier, speeding up plant growth

Plants in the Alps are now springing to life sooner...

When glaciers melt, they release water that carries sulfate-rich minerals previously trapped in the ice. This sulfate flows into streams and wetlands, increasing its concentration in watersheds.



As sulfate accumulates, it creates conditions that can trigger the production of toxic methylmercury, posing risks to ecosystems and wildlife.



Methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin, forms in waterlogged, sulfate-rich wetlands and enters water systems. It accumulates in fish, moves up the food chain to birds, and eventually reaches people who consume contaminated wildlife.



"Very little research has looked at methylmercury production in high-elevation wetlands," said Hannah Miller, a PhD student at <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CU Boulder</a> and lead author of a recent study.



"This leaves important knowledge gaps regarding how much is being produced in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mountain</a> wetlands and how this may change with ongoing climate change."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-mercury-turns-toxic-in-wetlands">How mercury turns toxic in wetlands</h2>



Methylmercury production from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a> melt sulfate only occurs within a specific range in wetland soils. If glacier-derived sulfate levels are too low, the conversion process doesn’t start; too high, and it stalls.



The ideal range - 0.60 to 1.4 milligrams per gram of dry soil - creates optimal conditions for mercury to transform into its toxic methylated form.



Miller’s team pinpointed this “Goldilocks zone” after testing soil from peatlands, alpine meadows, and riparian zones. Above the treeline, methylmercury levels barely budged. Below the treeline, peatlands pulsed with microbial activity, converting mercury to its toxic form.



"We also found in our experiment that moderate sulfate additions to the subalpine peatlands resulted in the greatest production of methylmercury within the soils," Miller said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peatlands-as-mercury-hotspots">Peatlands as mercury hotspots</h2>



In the lab, Miller pumped different sulfate concentrations into soil samples. The response? Peatlands with moderate sulfate additions churned out the most methylmercury.



But there’s a catch. Wetlands above the treeline don’t have much vegetation. Fewer plants mean less carbon-rich material to feed the microbes that convert sulfate to methylmercury. But in the subalpine peatlands, dense vegetation and waterlogged soils create the perfect storm.



Sulfate-reducing bacteria thrive in these oxygen-starved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-could-run-out-of-water-if-glaciers-continue-to-melt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environments</a>. They grab onto sulfate, munch through carbon, and churn out methylmercury as a byproduct. And as glaciers keep melting, more sulfate keeps coming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-glaciers-spread-sulfate">Melting glaciers spread sulfate </h2>



Sulfate doesn’t stay put. It migrates downstream, riding currents and seeping into soils. In the past 30 years, sulfate levels in Boulder’s watershed have shot up by 200%. That spike mirrors a global pattern.



Glacier-fed streams in the Andes, Alps, and Himalayas show similar trends - up to a 2000% increase in sulfate concentrations. As these minerals flow, so does the risk of methylmercury contamination.



"It's a really interesting climate-driven signal that is starting to get more attention," Miller said. "And while increasing sulfate concentrations have direct implications for ecosystems, they can also have indirect impacts, including changing how mercury is transformed within wetlands."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mercury-moves-through-food-chains">Mercury moves through food chains</h2>



Methylmercury doesn’t just stay in the soil. It slips into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-threaten-global-water-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a>, where fish absorb it through their gills. Small fish pass it to bigger fish. Birds swoop down, eat the fish, and the toxin moves up the food chain.



"In semi-arid mountain ecosystems, poorly developed soils and limited water bodies make it easy to think there is a lower risk for mercury contamination," noted Miller.



"But our findings show there is a risk, particularly in subalpine peatlands, and raise important questions about how this toxin may impact the communities and wildlife that rely on that water source now and in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sulfate-isn-t-the-only-player">Sulfate isn’t the only player</h2>



Sulfate takes the spotlight, but it’s not alone. Iron, carbon, and water levels also play crucial roles in the methylmercury cycle.



In Boulder’s watershed, dry conditions could limit the spread of peatlands, reducing the areas where methylmercury thrives. But increased precipitation could do the opposite - more wetlands, more methylmercury.



Miller’s study also hints at the role of iron. Sulfate additions alone triggered methylmercury production, but iron concentrations could magnify or mitigate that effect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-glaciers-rising-mercury-levels">Melting glaciers, rising mercury levels</h2>



Glaciers worldwide are melting, releasing sulfate-rich minerals into nearby streams and wetlands. This surge in sulfate is not limited to Boulder but is occurring in mountain watersheds globally. 



As sulfate levels rise, so does the risk of toxic methylmercury formation, impacting ecosystems far beyond Colorado.



Glacial melt in Peru’s Andes has turned once-pristine wetlands into mercury-contaminated hotspots. The European Alps and the Himalayas face similar risks as warming temperatures increase sulfate runoff. 



As glaciers recede, more sulfate spills into wetlands, driving methylmercury production and threatening ecosystems globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-mercury-in-wetlands">Controlling mercury in wetlands</h2>



Monitoring sulfate is one thing. Mitigating its impact is another. Restoring wetlands, managing runoff, and regulating upstream mining could reduce sulfate flow. But Miller and her team aren’t stopping there.



"This research is timely, given the confluence of global changes, including climate warming, changes in the supply of reactive elements, and the occurrence of wildfires that are threatening sensitive high-elevation ecosystems," said Eve-Lyn Hinckley, co-author and CIRES Fellow.



Glaciers keep melting, releasing more sulfate into streams and wetlands. This ongoing process fuels methylmercury production, posing increasing risks to ecosystems. 



The outcome hinges on monitoring efforts and proactive intervention to manage these toxic threats.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/add8a5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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Mountain wetlands are turning into mercury hotspots

When glaciers melt, they release water that carries sulfate-rich minerals...

Earth’s soils are a powerful carbon reservoir. In fact, soils contain more than twice as much carbon as the atmosphere holds. As temperatures climb and weather patterns shift, the storage or release of soil carbon becomes a critical piece of the climate puzzle.



Scientists have long focused on the melting permafrost, where rising temperatures thaw frozen soil and unleash carbon into the air. But in subtropical and tropical regions, where vast stores of organic carbon also sit, the key driver of carbon release has been less clear.



Some research has pointed to shifts in rainfall as the main culprit. Other studies identified temperature as the bigger influence.



Dr. Vera Meyer, a scientist at the MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, is the lead author of a recent investigation.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-type-of-microbes-found-earths-deep-soil-critical-zone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microbes</a> that break down organic matter are generally more active under warm and humid conditions, so the carbon content in tropical soils responds very quickly to climatic changes. Some studies report a main influence of changing hydroclimatic conditions, while in others temperature plays the main role,” said Dr. Meyer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-changes-in-soil-carbon">Studying changes in soil carbon </h2>



To sort this out, the research team decided not to analyze soil directly. Instead, they studied what the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/energy-trades-could-resolve-longstanding-nile-river-disputes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nile River</a> had washed out to sea over thousands of years.



The Nile drains a massive area that stretches across subtropical and tropical parts of northeast Africa. As it flows, it picks up organic material from the land and eventually deposits it into the Mediterranean. 



To study how soil carbon changed over time, the researchers turned to a sediment core collected from the seafloor near the Nile Delta. This record holds layers of material built up over thousands of years and offers a timeline that stretches back to the last ice age.



“The age of the organic material delivered by the Nile essentially depends on two factors: how long it was in the soils, and how long it took to be transported in the river. The advantage of our approach is that long time scales can be investigated, in this case the last 18,000 years since the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">last ice age</a>,” said Enno Schefuß, also from MARUM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-release-from-soils">Carbon release from soils </h2>



The results surprised the team. It turned out that changes in rainfall and runoff didn’t significantly affect how old the soil carbon was. Temperature, on the other hand, had a big impact.



As the Earth warmed after the last ice age, the age of carbon in the Nile sediments dropped sharply. This meant that warmer conditions had accelerated the breakdown of soil organic matter. 



Microbes had gotten to work more quickly, releasing carbon dioxide in the process. This spike in decomposition was far stronger than what current carbon cycle models had predicted.



“The fact that the models underestimate carbon release from soils so strongly shows us that we need to revise the sensitivity of soil carbon in our models,” said study co-author Dr. Peter Köhler from AWI Bremerhaven.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-major-factor-in-climate-predictions">Major factor in climate predictions </h2>



Most people don’t think of soil as something that affects the air we breathe, but it does. Soils are one of the planet’s largest natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-farming-practices-boost-soil-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sinks</a>, storing huge amounts of organic matter. 



When this material breaks down, carbon dioxide is released - and that has direct consequences for the climate.



In subtropical and tropical regions, this breakdown can happen faster. Warm temperatures and moisture help microbes become more active, speeding up the process. That means these soils can quickly go from storing carbon to releasing it.



Scientists have started to pay closer attention to this shift. How soils respond to temperature changes is turning out to be a major factor in climate predictions. Yet many climate models still underestimate just how sensitive these soils are.



The study of Nile River sediments helps fill in some of these gaps. By tracking how soil carbon changed over thousands of years, researchers are getting a clearer picture of just how much influence soils can have on our future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-warning-for-the-future">A warning for the future</h2>



This isn’t just a story about ancient climates. The same temperature-driven feedback that happened thousands of years ago could be repeating itself today - with serious consequences.



As the planet continues to heat up, tropical and subtropical soils may once again start releasing more carbon into the air. If our models are underestimating this effect, we may also be underestimating how fast <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-pool-of-global-soil-carbon-alters-climate-change-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a> could accelerate.



The research was supported by the Cluster of Excellence “Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface,” based at MARUM at the University of Bremen. 



The team is working to better understand how carbon travels through the ocean floor system, from land to sea - and what that means for our future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59013-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Global warming may trigger rapid release of soil carbon

Earth’s soils are a powerful carbon reservoir. In fact, soils...

Around six hundred million years ago, our planet almost lost the invisible shield that keeps its surface hospitable. Earth's magnetic field, generated by whirling molten iron deep below our feet, faded until it was so weak it was barely detectable.



At the same moment, oxygen flooded the oceans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-was-plentiful-for-early-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere</a>, and curious soft-bodied creatures began sliding across the seafloor. The coincidence has fascinated geologists and biologists for decades.



Fresh measurements from ancient crystals now reveal just how close Earth came to a magnetic stall. They also strengthen the suspicion that a waning field set the stage for the rise of complex life. 



The new data trace a dramatic drop in magnetic intensity and help explain why the field later rebounded, saving Earth from becoming a dry, radiation-blasted rock like Mars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-ancient-magnetic-field">Earth's ancient magnetic field</h2>



To read the planet’s magnetic diary, researchers collected grains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-mantle-may-contain-a-wealth-of-green-metals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pyroxenite and gabbro</a> from South Africa, Brazil, and Canada.



Each mineral contains microscopic iron needles that froze in alignment with the ambient field when the rocks cooled. 



By reheating single crystals in a carefully shielded furnace, the team coaxed out tiny magnetic signals that record field strength at the time of eruption.



After analyzing hundreds of crystals, <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rochester</a> geophysicist John Tarduno and colleagues saw a clear pattern. 



“In general, the field is protective. If we had not had a field early in Earth history, water would have been stripped from the planet by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-storms-experts-identify-the-mysterious-source-of-solar-wind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar wind</a> (a stream of energized particles flowing from the Sun toward Earth),” Tarduno explained.



“But in the Ediacaran, we had a fascinating period in the development of the deep Earth when processes creating the magnetic field … had become so inefficient after billions of years that the field almost completely collapsed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-very-weak-magnetic-field">Very weak magnetic field</h2>



Crystals dated to 591 million years ago indicate a magnetic field about 30 times weaker than today - the most feeble long-term value ever measured. 



Follow-up samples show the enfeebled state persisted for at least 26 million years.



Before and after that window, rocks more than 2 billion years old and younger than 565 million years record a field as sturdy as the modern one, revealing just how exceptional the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ecosystem-behavior-earth-first-sea-creatures-stirring-water-drove-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ediacaran lull</a> was.



During the low-field stretch, solar wind could punch far deeper into the atmosphere. Charged particles stripped away lightweight hydrogen, a process that left relatively heavy oxygen behind. 



The timing lines up with multiple geochemical markers that show a sharp increase in oxygen levels, supporting the idea that the weakened shield helped push Earth past a threshold needed for the development of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-capture-a-turning-point-in-the-evolution-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">large, mobile animals</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thinner-armor-richer-air">Thinner armor, richer air</h2>



The atmospheric link also finds support from geobiologist Shuhai Xiao of <a href="https://www.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a>. 



“The <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/earths-magnetic-field-origin-structure-and-impact-on-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetosphere shields the Earth</a> from solar wind, thus holding the atmosphere to the Earth. Thus, a weaker magnetosphere means that lighter gases such as hydrogen would be lost from the Earth’s atmosphere,” Xiao explained to CNN.



As hydrogen escaped, oxygen concentrations rose, allowing metabolism-hungry organisms to branch out.



Tarduno agrees that other processes - such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-oxygen-discovery-deep-ocean-no-photosynthesis-baffles-scientists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthetic microbes</a> - were certainly at work.



“We do not challenge that one or more of these processes were happening concurrently. But the weak field may have allowed oxygenation to cross a threshold, aiding animal radiation (evolution),” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetic-field-and-earth-s-core">Magnetic field and Earth's core</h2>



Rock records also solve a puzzle about when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-is-not-solid-it-is-shape-shifting-time-for-textbooks-to-be-rewritten/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s inner core</a> began to form. Once field strength hit its nadir, it bounced back quickly.



“The observations appear to support the claim that the inner core first nucleated soon after this time, pushing the geodynamo (the mechanism that creates the magnetic field) from a weak, unstable state into a strong, stable dipolar field,” noted Peter Driscoll of the <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carnegie Institution for Science</a>. 



A solid seed at the center released extra heat, turbocharging convection in the outer core and restoring the magnetic screen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-seafloor-pioneers">Strange seafloor pioneers</h2>



While the field flickered, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-first-animals-were-very-picky-about-where-they-lived/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ediacaran seas</a> hosted life forms unlike anything alive today.



Disk-shaped <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rewrite-the-textbooks-life-on-earth-did-not-arise-due-to-increased-oxygen-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dickinsonia</a> spread as wide as 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) across the mud; quilted fronds waved gently in the currents; and slug-like Kimberella scraped microbial mats for food.



These pioneers vanished before the Cambrian period began, around 539 million years ago, but their brief reign proved that multicellular bodies could flourish once oxygen climbed to breathable levels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-if-it-happens-again">What if it happens again?</h2>



Not every expert is convinced the magnetic dip directly influenced the course of evolution.



“It is hard for me to evaluate the veracity of this claim because the influence that planetary magnetic fields might have on climate is not very well understood,” Driscoll cautioned. 



Untangling all the variables - solar activity, mantle chemistry, biological innovation - will take years of careful detective work.



For now, the crystal record points to a simple narrative: Earth’s shield weakened, gases escaped, oxygen levels increased, and life took a bold new turn.



By tracing that chain of events, scientists gain insight into how planets and biospheres interact, a lesson that will guide the search for living worlds far beyond our own.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01360-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications, Earth and Environment</a>.



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Complex life emerged on Earth 591 million years ago, scientists think they finally know how and why

Around six hundred million years ago, our planet almost lost...

Seagrass meadows are a hidden treasure of Florida’s coastal beauty, often overlooked in favor of beaches and mangroves. Yet beneath the surface, these underwater fields quietly support marine life, stabilize shores, and protect coastal communities. 



Along Florida’s Nature Coast, seagrass meadows are not just surviving - they’re thriving. A recent study reveals that seagrass ecosystems in this region have remained remarkably healthy and undisturbed for thousands of years - and this resilience is rare.



Globally, seagrass meadows are in trouble. Since 1879, nearly 30% have vanished. Between 1990 and 2009 alone, seagrass beds declined by an estimated 7% each year. Unlike many regions where seagrass meadow loss is the norm, Florida’s Nature Coast has become a rare refuge for these vital ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-past-seagrass-meadows">Lessons from past seagrass meadows</h2>



Researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida</a> set out to understand how these meadows have endured. The common problem they faced is that we don’t really know what an untouched ecosystem looks like anymore.



“Nothing is really pristine today, because humans have altered all of Earth’s environments, but this is about as good as it gets,” said Michal Kowalewski, senior author of the study.



One major hurdle is the lack of long-term environmental data. “Most of the contemporary biological data we have postdates the Industrial Revolution,” Kowalewski explained. 



“If you think about any type of real-time instrumentation that collects physical and chemical information about an environment, or if you think about the rigorous bio-inventory surveys, all of those things are from the last 50 to 100 years at most.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-clues-beneath-seagrass-meadows">Fossil clues beneath seagrass meadows</h2>



In other words, humanity has been altering nature far longer than we've been systematically observing it. Luckily, Earth itself keeps a record - in the form of fossils.



This is where conservation paleobiology steps in. Scientists use the recent fossil record to reconstruct past ecosystems. 



Seagrasses, unfortunately, don’t leave fossils. Their soft tissues decompose quickly. But the animals living in seagrass meadows - especially shell-bearing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mollusks-evolution-shishania-aculeata-spiny-armor-no-shells-500-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mollusks</a> - do leave lasting traces.



Kowalewski and his team have shown that mollusk fossils are reliable indicators of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem health</a>. When mollusks thrive, it’s a good sign that the surrounding environment is in good shape, too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-florida-s-nature-coast">Studying Florida's Nature Coast</h2>



For their study, the team sampled 21 sites across six estuaries along the Nature Coast. Using PVC hoses, they collected sediment from the seafloor, sifting through centuries of accumulated material.



“We collect sediment samples while scuba diving, and then we sieve those samples and extract all that we find in it,” Kowalewski said. “The samples are dominated by dead material, because it has accumulated there over many centuries. Typically, for every live bivalve or snail, we find thousands of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-are-very-reliable-fishing-grounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dead specimens</a>.”



Identifying and cataloging these specimens took years. But when the data was analyzed, the results were clear: mollusk diversity had barely changed in millennia. This suggests that the seagrass meadows they inhabit have remained stable, too.



“Only rarely do we find historical evidence that can make us optimistic about the current state of a local ecosystem,” Kowalewski said. 



“Most conservation paleobiology studies tell depressing stories about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-heat-shrinking-habitats-insects-face-hidden-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shrinking habitats</a>, declining biodiversity and diminishing ecosystem services. For once, at least, this is not the case. What’s thrilling to me is we can show this system is still in very good condition, which makes it even more important to protect it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-model-for-seagrass-restoration">A model for seagrass restoration</h2>



This discovery is more than just a pleasant surprise. It provides a valuable reference point for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/without-tackling-climate-change-coral-restoration-efforts-are-insufficient/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration efforts</a> elsewhere. Healthy seagrass meadows are disappearing, but Florida's Nature Coast shows us what these ecosystems should look like.



Elsewhere in Florida, seagrass has not been so fortunate. In Tampa Bay, nearly half of the seagrass was lost between 1950 and 1980 due to urban growth and pollution. 



Although restoration efforts brought some recovery by 2018, recent declines have been noted again. On the state’s east coast, surveys show that up to 60% of seagrass has vanished in parts of the Indian River Lagoon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-nutrient-pollution">Hidden nutrient pollution</h2>



Most of these losses stem from nutrient pollution. Runoff from farms and cities feeds algae and bacteria, creating dense blooms that cloud the water. This “marine cloud” blocks sunlight from reaching the seagrass below, starving them of the light they need to survive.



The Nature Coast has so far escaped this fate. In 2020, it was designated an aquatic preserve, helping protect its relatively undeveloped watersheds.



Study co-author Thomas Frazer is a dean at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science.



“There’s not a lot of development in those watersheds, particularly from the area around Weeki Wachee all the way up into the Panhandle, so the effects of excess nutrient delivery are not as pronounced as is in other places that have suffered as a consequence,” said Frazer.



However, this does not mean the threat has passed. <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1969992&amp;action=edit" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algal blooms</a> are now an annual event in many parts of Florida. Even Nature Coast seagrasses may be affected if water quality declines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-and-moving-species">Climate change and moving species</h2>



Climate change adds another layer of complexity. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-and-extreme-rainfall-study-reveals-a-missing-link/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rising temperatures</a> are pushing temperate and subtropical species northward. Florida’s Gulf Coast, backed against the Panhandle, offers little room for further migration.



“There’s nowhere for them to go,” Frazer said. As marine life shifts, seagrass ecosystems may face new challenges. 



A single blade of seagrass is home to countless organisms - hydroids, bryozoans, sea squirts, bacteria, and algae. 



Normally, grazing fish and invertebrates keep these communities balanced. But if these grazers disappear or new species disrupt the balance, the health of the meadow could suffer.



“We’re already seeing range extensions of mobile fauna,” Frazer added. “A number of fishes, for example, are moving up north along the Gulf Coast, and they may either eat seagrass or consume grazers that help keep seagrasses clean of organisms that live on them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-seagrasses-matter-so-much">Why seagrasses matter so much</h2>



Seagrasses are ancient. They’ve been around longer than the dinosaurs and their benefits to both marine and human life are immense. Rachel Carson captured their importance in her 1955 book The Edge of the Sea. 



“Thrusting their roots into the sand and shifting coral debris, the seagrasses achieve a firmer attachment than the rootless algae do; where they grow thickly, they help to secure the offshore sands against the currents, as on the land the dune grasses hold the dry sands against the winds," she wrote.



Seagrasses stabilize the seabed, prevent erosion, and are vital for marine biodiversity. Despite covering just 0.2% of the ocean floor, they are responsible for 50% of marine carbon burial. They provide food for sea turtles, manatees, and fish. For countless species, seagrass meadows are essential nurseries.



“They provide very important nursery habitat,” Frazer said. “In Florida alone, more than 80% of the fish caught by commercial fisherman and recreational anglers spend some part of their life history in those seagrass beds.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-seagrass-meadows">Protecting seagrass meadows</h2>



Frazer noted that seagrasses serve as a front line for storm protection. Their dense underwater meadows reduce wave energy by up to 40% in shallow waters, acting as natural storm barriers.



Florida’s Nature Coast now holds the largest seagrass meadows bed in the Gulf of Mexico. With careful management and ongoing conservation, it has the potential to stay that way.



While much of the world races to restore what’s been lost, the Nature Coast reminds us of a simple truth: sometimes, the best thing we can do is protect what we already have.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v760/p71-86/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Ecology Progress Series</a>.



Image Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank



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Seagrass meadows still thrive on Florida's Nature Coast

Seagrass meadows are a hidden treasure of Florida’s coastal beauty,...

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

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes 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



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.

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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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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