The,Changing,Seas,Of,The,Florida,Keys.,Growing,Corals,And

Sea levels have risen and fallen since Earth first held oceans. Until recently, scientists could only measure these shifts over million-year increments. 



Now, researchers from Utrecht, the UK, and the United States have mapped sea level changes across much shorter timeframes - spanning thousands of years and covering the last 540 million years.



Published in&nbsp;the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the study combines paleoclimate data, sediment records, and orbital modeling.



"Taking these rapid sea level variations into account is important for understanding the structure of the subsurface and the applications to green energy resources," said Dr. Douwe van der Meer, guest researcher at <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Utrecht University</a> and lead author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-sea-level-rise">Measuring sea level rise</h2>



Sea level changes depend on two main factors: plate tectonics and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/land-exposed-by-melting-glaciers-transforms-into-a-greenhouse-gas-emitter/">land ice</a>. Tectonics control the shape of ocean basins. Ice determines how much water fills them. 



Previously, scientists could detect 200-meter (656 feet) swings in sea level over million-year periods using fossil and rock records.



"In time steps of about a million years, you can derive an average sea level for as far back as there are fossils, about 540 million years," said Van der Meer.



"That varied by as much as 200 meters. We suspected that sea level could go up and down enormously in much shorter periods as well, but there is not enough data to make those shorter time steps."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-orbit-affects-sea-level">Earth’s orbit affects sea level</h2>



To track faster <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/a-simple-guide-to-understanding-sea-level-rise/">changes</a>, researchers used a clever method. They matched sediment records with Earth’s orbital cycles, called Milankovitch cycles, that change climate on scales of 20,000 to 400,000 years. These wobbles trigger glacial and interglacial phases, which affect sea levels.



"We see alternations, especially when the global climate is cold, and there is ice on the poles," said Van der Meer. 



"Then, the rhythmic wobbling of Earth's spin axis creates ice ages that last only tens of thousands of years, during which the sea level can go up and down by as much as 100 meters (328 feet)."



This new approach calculated how much ice volume could change due to orbital variations. Then, the researchers estimated how those changes would affect sea level during the last 540 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenhouse-vs-icehouse-worlds">Greenhouse vs. icehouse worlds</h2>



During warm, ice-free periods like the mid-Cretaceous, sea levels stayed relatively stable. In contrast, colder times like the late Carboniferous or modern ice age showed huge sea level swings.



Modeling showed that orbital cycles in the icehouse phases could cause sea levels to shift by over 328 feet within a few thousand years.



During the Permo-Carboniferous, for example, global temperatures may have ranged from 17°C (62.6°F) during interglacials to 10°C (50°F) during glacials. 



Such shifts drove large expansions and retreats of ice sheets, influencing sediment layers and fossil patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-sea-level-rise-helps-planning">Past sea level rise helps planning</h2>



Knowing when and how sea levels changed helps scientists better understand Earth’s climate and geography. These findings can also improve models for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geothermal-energy-is-cheap-and-clean-and-having-its-moment/">geothermal energy</a>, hydrogen storage, and radioactive waste disposal.



"High or low sea levels, it's all happened before in the geological past," said Van der Meer.



Sandstone, laid down during low sea levels, makes a good reservoir for storing gases or heat. Claystone, formed during high sea levels, can seal these reservoirs. Mapping these layers globally can help in safe subsurface use.



"If we know that at a certain time global sea level was high, we also know that a relatively continuous layer of claystone would have been deposited," said Van de Meer.



"We can use that information to create a global layer map of sand and claystone, which helps us in the safe use of the subsurface."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-sea-level-rise-patterns">Ancient sea level rise patterns</h2>



The researchers tested their new model against known sedimentary records. For the Silurian, their orbital-scale sea level variation estimates - around 230 feet - match compiled data from five paleo-continents.



Similar matches appear in Cretaceous and Devonian records, with fluctuations ranging from 50 to 230 feet.



The model shows especially large short-term sea level swings during the late Ordovician, Permo-Carboniferous, and the past few million years. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/earth_sea-level-history_graphic_credit-EPSL_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/earth_sea-level-history_graphic_credit-EPSL_1s.webp" alt="Paleogeographic reconstructions. A) Last Glacial Maximum (∼20 ka), an example of maximum glacial extent, low global mean sea level and more exposed continental shelf. As a result of changing continental ice-cover, glacio-eustasy results in changes in eustasy and flooding of continents. B) Present-Day, as example of an Interglacial with relatively high sea level. Long-term sea level reconstructions do not consider short-term changes in sea level due to orbital-scale variations. Credit: Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2025)" class="wp-image-1978010"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Paleogeographic reconstructions. A) Last Glacial Maximum (∼20 ka), an example of maximum glacial extent, low global mean sea level and more exposed continental shelf. As a result of changing continental ice-cover, glacio-eustasy results in changes in eustasy and flooding of continents. B) Present-Day, as example of an Interglacial with relatively high sea level. Long-term sea level reconstructions do not consider short-term changes in sea level due to orbital-scale variations. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2025)</figcaption></figure>



In contrast, during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jurassic-rocks-reveal-new-details-about-earths-climate-system/">Jurassic</a> and mid-Cretaceous, the shifts were much smaller, generally under 164 feet.



Some older reconstructions show higher variability, up to 328 feet, even during greenhouse phases. The new study argues that such large estimates may be inflated and not supported by physical models or isotope data.



Instead, this new work provides more grounded estimates using physics-based ice models, stratigraphy, and isotope geochemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-climate-and-geology-research">Future climate and geology research</h2>



This approach can help resolve long-standing questions about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-climate-shift-sheds-light-on-future-global-warming/">ancient climates</a>, sedimentary patterns, and biodiversity changes. It also offers new tools for identifying reliable storage sites in the subsurface.



The authors suggest refining the method with non-linear models and more paleoclimate simulations. For now, their work marks a turning point in how we study ancient sea levels.



It is not just about history. It is a guide to understanding our dynamic planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X25003243?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth and Planetary Science Letters</a>.



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New model reveals dramatic swings in Earth's sea levels

Sea levels have risen and fallen since Earth first held oceans. Until recently, scientists could only measure these shifts over million-year increments. Now, researchers from Utrecht, the UK, and the United States have mapped sea level changes across much shorter timeframes - spanning thousands of years and covering the last 540 million years. Published in&nbsp;the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, the study combines paleoclimate data, sediment records, and orbital modeling. "Taking these rapid sea level variations into account is important for understanding the structure of the...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> has found that even small aquatic organisms such as mussels play a crucial – yet often underappreciated - role in protecting and building <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-ecosystems-are-important-carbon-sinks/">coastal ecosystems</a>. These animals serve as “ecosystem engineers” - organisms that directly or indirectly drive habitat construction and control the availability of resources for other organisms.



“As sea levels rise, coastal ecosystems have to adapt and evolve to changing conditions,” said study lead author Sinéad Crotty, an expert in Ecosystem Restoration and Environmental Engineering at Yale. “This study shows that small and innocuous animals that live within an ecosystem can play a critical role in helping coastal systems persist in the face of climate change.”



For instance, mussels (Geukensia demissa) help keeping rivers and streams clean by absorbing heavy metals and filtering harmful silt and particulates as they breathe and feed in aquatic ecosystems. Moreover, their shells provide habitat and nesting sites for a variety of insects, small fish, and plants. Finally, through their feeding process, they also deposit large amounts of material on marsh surfaces, thus helping marshes grow through a process called “accretion,” which refers to the natural action of sand, soil, and silt washing up to the land from rivers or the seashore.



The experts designed a series of experiments to examine mussels’ impact on accretion from small, local scales to whole landscape scales, with the largest one involving the relocation of over 200,000 mussels from one landscape to another and measuring changes to the marsh elevation over a period of three years. “We found that, in reality, the effects of mussels are far greater than predicted by the models, and occur at large, landscape scales,” Crotty reported.



Since similar trends are likely to occur with other fauna engineers, such as worms or bioturbating crabs, including these ecosystem engineers in future modeling and ecosystem management is crucial as sea levels continue to rise.&nbsp;



“This study can help us think through how we prioritize certain marsh areas for protection. Given that mussels are disproportionately important in driving accretion and other ecosystem functions, we should prioritize their protection, or outplanting, as a means to promoting all of their associated benefits,” Crotty concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36444-w">Nature Communications</a>.



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



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Aquatic animals protect coastal ecosystems

A new study led by Yale University has found that...

Diving birds such as puffins and penguins face a higher risk of extinction compared to non-diving birds, according to a study from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a>. The researchers explained that a highly specialized foraging strategy makes these birds less capable of adapting to changing environments.



"Given the new evolutionary pressures being applied to the world's biodiversity by climate change, understanding if highly specialized taxa are evolutionarily ‘trapped’ in their current niches is of great interest," wrote the study authors.



Dr. Jane Younger and Joshua Tyler studied the evolution of diving in modern waterbirds. They set out to investigate how diving has impacted the morphology of these birds, how the species evolved to increase diversity, and the risk of extinction among waterbirds.&nbsp;



"We show that diving has been acquired independently at least 14 times within waterbirds, and this acquisition is apparently irreversible, in a striking example of asymmetric evolution," said the study authors.



The experts determined that body size evolved differently among waterbirds depending on the type of diving they did. They also found that diving traits were not reversed by evolution.



"Three key diving techniques are employed within waterbirds: wing-propelled pursuit diving (e.g. penguins), foot-propelled pursuit diving (e.g. cormorants) and plunge diving (e.g. gannets)," explained the researchers.&nbsp;



The study revealed that wing divers and foot divers tend to have larger body sizes adapted for swimming. On the other hand, plunge divers tend to be more constrained in their body size, as they were better adapted for flying than swimming.



“Our work shows that rather than being a random process, there are predictable patterns to evolution," said Tyler. “Waterbirds were grouped together as being highly related following genetic analysis of the bird family tree in 2015, so I wanted to investigate how evolving to be able to dive had affected their body shape, niche adaptation and evolutionary diversity."



“For example, penguins are highly adapted for their environment - they have a torpedo body shape that helps them swim fast, but they don’t fly and they can’t move that well on land."



“This means they can’t easily adapt to other environments or types of diet. In contrast, plunge divers like gulls are more generalists - they eat anything from fish to Cornish pasties - and we found they are exploding in diversity."



“Our data show that the specialist birds are in more trouble in terms of future extinction, and may be evolving into an evolutionary dead end.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.2056">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



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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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Diving birds face a greater risk of extinction

Diving birds such as puffins and penguins face a higher...

Germination represents the first big step in a plant’s development. It involves a transition from the embryo state, inside the seed, to a fragile, small seedling that is exposed to the environment. A dormant embryo inside a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-needed-for-seed-dispersal-are-the-first-victims-of-deforestation/">seed</a> is protected from environmental conditions by a sturdy coat, whereas the seedling is far more vulnerable. The timing of this change is critical if the tender new seedling is to survive, but how exactly is this controlled?



Newly formed seeds are unable to germinate but, after a while (a few days or months), they acquire the ability to begin this transition to seedling, as long as the environmental conditions are favorable. However, even after they have ‘awakened,’ seeds can still choose not to germinate. For example, a non-dormant seed that is suddenly subjected to excessively high temperatures (&gt;28°C) can block its own germination to prevent the potentially fatal consequences; this allows for very fine control of the timing of germination.



This mechanism of repression by temperature (thermo-inhibition) enables a seed population to delay germination, even if there is only a small increase in temperature (1 to 2°C) that threatens the seedlings’ chances of survival. However, it is not known how a seed detects this change in environmental temperature or how it prevents germination.



In order to understand the detection mechanism that allows seeds to trigger thermo-inhibition, a group of researchers, led by Luis Lopez-Molina, professor at the Department of Plant Sciences of the Faculty of Science of the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/">University of Geneva</a> (UNIGE), has investigated the phenomenon in Arabidopsis thaliana. This is a species of plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family (cabbage, kale, broccoli) and used as a model in many research projects. They have published their findings in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36903-4">Nature Communications</a>.



The researchers first considered the mechanisms whereby young seedlings manage to respond to temperature changes, to help them pinpoint how seeds may accomplish this feat. Indeed, in seedlings a slight increase in temperature results in more rapid stem growth. This adaptation is similar to the one observed when a plant finds itself growing in the shadow of another: it lengthens to escape the shadow in order to expose itself to the sunlight which is more favorable for photosynthesis.&nbsp;



In seedlings, these variations are detected by a protein called phytochrome B that is sensitive to both light and temperature. This protein normally acts as a brake on plant growth in seedlings. An increase of 1 to 2°C tends to inactivate phytochrome B, making it less effective at preventing growth.&nbsp;



However, the role of phytochrome B in thermo-inhibition of seed germination was not known.&nbsp;The experts began by dissecting some Arabidopsis thaliana seeds to separate the two tissues inside the seed: the embryo (which will grow into the young plant) and the endosperm (which provides nutrition for the seed during dormancy and germination). They found that separated embryos were unable to prevent themselves from growing when temperatures were too high, whereas intact embryos showed thermo-inhibition. This indicated to the researchers that some factor within the endosperm was controlling the seeds’ ability to delay germination when it was too warm.&nbsp;



“We found that thermo-inhibition in&nbsp;Arabidopsis&nbsp;is not autonomously controlled by the embryo but implemented by the endosperm, revealing a new essential function for this tissue,” explains Urszula Piskurewicz, researcher at the Department of Plant Sciences of the UNIGE Faculty of Science, and first author of the study. ‘”In other words, in the absence of endosperm, the embryo within the seed would not perceive that the temperatures are too high and would begin its germination, which would be fatal.”



Further investigation of genetic factors, as well as experimentation with mutant plants, indicated that phytochrome B in the endosperm of a seed is indeed involved with this ability to delay germination. High temperatures were found to lower phytochrome B signaling in the endosperm, leading to changes in the production and release of abscisic acid into the embryo. This had the result of preventing growth of the embryo and germination of the seed.&nbsp;



Thermal inhibition of germination is a new example of the ways in which climatic variations can influence certain cyclic phenomena in plant life, such as growth and flowering. It is important to understand the mechanisms involved in this phenomenon, particularly as Earth’s climate warms and the germination of crop seeds may be affected.



“This trait is expected to have an impact on species distribution and plant agriculture and this impact will be greater as temperatures increase worldwide,” reports Luis Lopez-Molina, the study’s last author. A better understanding of how light and temperature trigger or delay seed germination could indeed help optimize the growth of plants exposed to a wide range of climatic conditions.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Seed germination is controlled by an internal thermometer

Germination represents the first big step in a plant’s development....

The last full moon of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere – known as the “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-worm-moon-tonight/">Worm Moon</a>” – will reach peak illumination at 7:42 A.M. E.T. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. This year, the Worm Moon will coincide with another spectacular planetary phenomenon: the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in the western sky right after sunset.&nbsp;



For many years, it was thought that the name of this full moon was given by Native American tribes to refer to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms up with the arrival of spring. However, according to the <a href="https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-march">Farmer’s Almanac</a>, this name may also be linked to a different type of “worms” – the beetle larvae – that start to emerge from the thawing bark of trees, as well as other winter hideouts during this period of the year, as testified in the 1760s by Captain Jonathan Carver, who learned about this alternative meaning when visiting the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes.



While some other names this full moon is known by also refer to the appearance (or reappearance) of certain animals at the end of winter – such as the Eagle Moon, the Goose Moon (Alonquin, Cree), or the Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe) – yet others point to different signs of the season, including: the Sugar Moon (Ojibwe), marking the time when the sap of sugar maples begins to flow; the Wind Strong Moon (Pueblo), referring to the strong winds characteristic of this period; or the Sore Eyes Moon (Dakota, Lakota, Assiniboine), highlighting the blinding sunrays reflecting off the melting snow.&nbsp;



In Christianity, this moon is known as the Lenten Moon if it occurs before the spring equinox – and corresponds with Lent, the traditional period of fasting preceding Easter - or the Paschal Full Moon if it occurs after the spring equinox. In the Hebrew tradition, it is related to the celebration of Purim, a religious holiday marking the Jewish people’s deliverance from a royal death decree around the fourth century BCE, in Hinduism it is linked to the feast of Holi (also known as the Festival of Colors), celebrating the victory of good over evil and the beginning of spring, and in Buddhism, it corresponds with Māgha Pūjā, celebrating a gathering of the Buddha with 1,250 of his first disciples that symbolizes the creation of an ideal, exemplary community.



Although the Worm Moon will be the most visible if the skies are clear, stargazers who get a bit of rain on Monday or Tuesday night might also get a glimpse of a moonbow, a phenomenon similar to a solar rainbow that is produced by moonlight when it is refracted through water droplets in the air. Since moonbows are only visible when a full moon is low in the sky, they may be visible after sunset, when the sky is dark.



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



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Tonight's Worm Moon marks the beginning of spring

The last full moon of the winter season in the...

In a recent study, a team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.monash.edu/">Monash University</a> in Australia has found that only 0.18 percent of the global land area and 0.001 percent of the world’s population are exposed to levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) deemed safe by the <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a> (WHO). While daily levels of these dangerous pollutants have reduced in Europe and North America during the two decades to 2019, in Australia, New Zealand, Southern Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean they have increased, with over 70 percent of days globally witnessing potentially hazardous levels.



The experts combined traditional air quality monitoring observations, satellite-based meteorological and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-will-increase-dramatically-in-a-hotter-climate/">air pollution</a> detectors, and statistical and machine learning methods to more accurately assess PM2.5&nbsp;concentrations worldwide.&nbsp;



“In this study, we used an innovative machine learning approach to integrate multiple meteorological and geological information to estimate the global surface-level daily PM2.5&nbsp;concentrations at a high spatial resolution of approximately 10km ×10km for global grid cells in 2000-2019, focusing on areas above 15 μg/m³, which is considered the safe limit by WHO (the threshold is still arguable),” explained senior author Yuming Guo, a professor of Global Environmental Health and Biostatistics at Monash.



The analysis revealed that, regardless of a slight decrease in high PM2.5 days globally, over 70 percent of days still had PM2.5&nbsp;concentrations higher than 15 μg/m³ by 2019, with areas in southern and eastern Asia witnessing such dangerous concentrations in more than 90 percent of days.&nbsp;



While the annual average concentration between 2000 and 2019 was 32.8 µg/m3 globally, the highest concentrations were found in eastern Asia (50.0 µg/m3), southern Asia (37.2 µg/m3), and northern Africa (30.1 µg/m3), and the lowest ones in Australia and New Zealand (8.5 μg/m³), Oceania (12.6 μg/m³), and southern America (15.6 μg/m³).



The researchers also discovered that unsafe PM2.5&nbsp;concentrations exhibited different seasonal patterns, with northeast China and north India facing high concentrations in winter, and eastern areas in northern America being exposed to more air pollution in summer.&nbsp;



According to Professor Guo, this study is important since it provides a deep understanding of the current state of outdoor air pollution and its possible impacts on human health. “With this information, policymakers, public health officials, and researchers can better assess the short-term and long-term health effects of air pollution and develop air pollution mitigation strategies,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00008-6">The Lancet Planetary Health</a>.



—



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



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Almost no place on Earth is safe from air pollution

In a recent study, a team of scientists led by...

Chinstrap,Penguin,,Antarctica,,January,2019

On February 21, 2023, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-sea-ice-levels-are-at-their-lowest-on-record/">Antarctic sea ice</a> extent dropped to its lowest level since satellite observations began 45 years ago, marking the second year in a row with an ice area below two million km2. These worrisome findings raise the question of whether this change is merely a brief anomaly – since sea ice in the Southern Ocean is known to be highly variable, both seasonally and interannually – or an early sign of a transition to a long-term decline comparable to the current situation in the Arctic.



After the 2022 minimum of 1.924 million km2, massive heatwaves in mid-March contributed to further declines – particularly in East Antarctica and coastal areas – and since late May, the pace of seasonal ice growth had slowed dramatically, mostly due to anomalous northerly and northwesterly winds in parts of the eastern Pacific, western Atlantic, and central Indian Oceans that transported warm air southwards. Later in the year, the seasonal ice melt continued to increase in response to a stronger seasonal warming anomaly, culminating in the seasonal minimum of 1.788 million km2 measured in February.



According to an analysis published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.34133/olar.0007">Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research</a>, this new record low could be a sign that Antarctic sea ice might enter a new regime, involving “a robust transition from long-term increasing Antarctic sea ice to decreasing sea ice, in which anthropogenic forcing outweighs natural variability.”



“Concern about a tipping point is enhanced by the fact that the latest generation of climate and earth system models projects a large decrease in Antarctic sea ice associated with increased greenhouse gases during the 21st century,” the authors explained.



If sea ice continues to dwindle at such a rate, Antarctica will likely witness more frequent climate extremes and severe instability of its ice shelves, phenomena that will disastrously impact the local food chains and wildlife populations, and have major global consequences such as sea level rise and carbon cycle feedback.



“The question is, has climate change reached Antarctica? Is this the beginning of the end? Will the sea ice disappear for good in the coming years in the summer?” asked Christian Haas, head of the Sea Ice Physics Research Section at the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/">Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research</a> in Germany.&nbsp;



However, since until now Antarctica’s response to climate change has been highly different from the Arctic’s, it is not yet clear how Antarctic sea ice will evolve during the following years. “The downward trend in sea ice may be a signal that global warming is finally affecting the floating ice around Antarctica, but it will take several more years to be confident of it,”&nbsp;concluded Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist at the <a href="https://cires.colorado.edu/">Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences</a> (CIRES).



—



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



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Antarctic sea ice hits a new record low this year

On February 21, 2023, Antarctic sea ice extent dropped to...

Researchers from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> recently published a paper which suggests that “greening” - the amount of leaves that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-plants-adapt-to-rapid-warming-and-drought/">plants</a> can produce - will significantly impact how much carbon dioxide plants can capture and store.



“As we work to anticipate the future climate, a big question is: What’s going to happen to vegetation, one of the largest stores of carbon on Earth? We know temperatures will rise and the growing season will be longer in most places, but there are a lot of unknowns about how that will affect how carbon is cycled between plants and the atmosphere. Our new results allow us to be more confident about what those changes will be," said study co-author Josh Gray.&nbsp;



Although climate change has led to more greening in some areas, it leaves other places vulnerable to “browning.” This process is caused by high temperatures which negatively impact photosynthesis and promote more carbon release.



“An earlier spring might be good for plant productivity because you have a longer period of carbon uptake,” said study first author Xiaojie Gao. “However, a longer autumn might make the situation worse. In autumn, plants tend to emit carbon.”



The researchers used satellites that measured infrared light to determine leaf biomass.



“Healthy green leaves are sort of like infrared mirrors,” said Gray. “So, they look really ‘bright’ to satellites in these wavelengths. With a few tricks, we can calculate an index that is the combination of how bright a place is in infrared and red wavelengths, and corresponds to how many leaves are in a place.”



The experts discovered that leaf biomass might have a larger impact on carbon uptake than the length of the growing season.



“There are some places where we have more leaves than we used to have, particularly at the higher latitudes,” Gray said. “There are also some places where spring might be coming early, and fall might be coming late. These changes are all affecting the amount of photosynthesis that is going on, but the amount of leaves plants are producing has a stronger association with carbon uptake than changes in growing season length. In other words, we found that greening trends were more important pound for pound than an extension in the growing season for carbon uptake.”



The research team believes satellites will play an essential role in future research and hope their research will help inform climate predictions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022GB007462">Global Biogeochemical Cycles</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Earth greening affects carbon uptake by plants

Researchers from North Carolina State University recently published a paper...

By analyzing the genetic makeup of grapevines, a team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.ariel.ac.il/wp/en/">Ariel University</a> in Israel has found that the harsh <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-disruption-threatens-humanitys-survival/">climate</a> during the Pleistocene period resulted in the fragmentation of wild ecotypes. This process paved the way towards the domestication of grapevine about 11,000 years ago in the Near East (Israel) and Caucasus.&nbsp;



In order to identify the genetic changes that occurred during the domestication and evolution of grapevines in Eurasia, the experts sequenced the genomes of 3525 grapevine accessions (2503 domesticated (V. vinifera) and 1022 wild (V. sylvestris)).&nbsp;



The investigation revealed that the Israel wild grapevine population (Syl-E1) is the source for the domestication of grapes, which afterwards dispersed into many areas of Europe with early farmers, introgressed with ancient wild western ecotypes, and - by the late Neolithic - diversified into unique western wine grape ancestries. Thus, although the precise timeline for these processes is not yet clear, hybridization with local V. Sylvestris seemed to be common in creating extant European wine grapes.



“Our findings provide important insights into the domestication and evolution of grapevine, which is a religiously, culturally, and economically important crop,” said study co-author Elyashiv Drori, an expert in Molecular Biology and Oenology at Ariel.



“The indigenous grapevine population we have collected in the last 12 years, containing both wild and domesticated subpopulations, have central importance in this research. The Israeli wild grapevines (Syl -E1) were found to be the source of domestication for all the cultivated group of table grapes (CG1), which includes the Israeli domesticated grapevines. This initial group of grapevine varieties then were dispersed to eastern and western Europe, to form most of the known wine grapes.” &nbsp;



“This is a research breakthrough in the field of the beginning of agriculture as well,” added co-author Ehud Weiss, a specialist in the domestication of crops at Bar Ilan University. “The accepted view was that annual crops, like wheat, barley, and legumes, were domesticated some 10,000 years ago, while perennials were domesticated thousands of years later. Current research changes this view and demonstrates these transitions occurred simultaneously, and moreover, with the same species, some 1,600 kilometers apart – a phenomenon we have never met.”



Since vineyards worldwide are currently threatened by climate change and a variety of emerging diseases, these findings could help develop new strategies to protect and sustain the wine industry in the future. By studying in greater detail the main features of Israel’s indigenous grapevine and what allowed it to develop in the dry and harsh climatic conditions of ancient Levant, the researchers hope to discover a repository for resistance genes that could be used to protect extant grapevine species.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.add8655">Science</a>.



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



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Grapevines first domesticated in Israel 11,000 years ago

By analyzing the genetic makeup of grapevines, a team of...

In urban areas, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-majority-of-urban-trees-are-threatened-by-climate-change/">trees</a> and other greenery provide many benefits. For instance, their leaves and needles play a fundamental role in filtering air pollutants and reducing exposure to dangerous airborne substances that are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, it is not yet clear which species of trees purify the air more effectively.&nbsp;



To clarify this issue, a research team from the <a href="https://www.gu.se/en">University of Gothenburg</a> in Sweden has collected leaves and needles from eleven different tree species from the Gothenburg Botanical Garden’s arboretum and analyzed which pollutants they have captured. The investigation has focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a type of pollutants emerging mostly from traffic.



“Our analyses show that different tree species have different abilities to absorb air pollutants. Conifers generally absorbed more gaseous PAHs than broadleaved trees. Another advantage of conifers is that they also act as air purifiers in winter, when air pollution is usually at its highest,” reported study co-author Jenny Klingberg, a postdoctoral fellow in Biology and Environmental Sciences at Gothenburg.&nbsp;



While needles continue to absorb air pollutants for several years – which leaves, for obvious reasons, cannot – broadleaved trees were found to be more efficient at cleaning the air of particles, due to their larger surface area to which these particles can attach.



“The various species differed more than we expected. Larch, which is a conifer that sheds its needles each autumn, was best in test. Larch trees absorbed the most particle-bound pollutants, but were also good at capturing gaseous PAHs,” Klingberg added.



However, since needles and leaves cannot significantly break down pollutants (even if sunlight can start the process), the soil beneath the trees can become contaminated when they shed and decompose, placing soil ecosystems at risk. Fortunately, the pollutants do not seem to impact trees’ photosynthesis.&nbsp;



“Leaf chlorophyll content is just as high in the most polluted areas of Gothenburg compared with trees that grow in less polluted environments. But this likely looks different in cities with even worse air quality,” explained lead author Håkan Pleijel, a professor of Applied Environmental Science at Gothenburg.



These findings suggest that authorities should not simply start filling city streets with trees but rather combine different tree species to optimize air purification, while also taking into account other functions and benefits particular trees may have. Finally, while trees and greenery can definitely contribute to better air quality in urban settings, the most important measure remains reducing emissions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109681">Ecological Indicators</a>.&nbsp;



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



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Which trees are best at purifying the air?

In urban areas, trees and other greenery provide many benefits....

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01603-w">Nature Climate Change</a> has found that, by the end of this century, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-will-cause-widespread-impacts-sooner-than-expected/">sea level rise</a> may disproportionately affect several Asian megacities – such as Chennai, Kolkata, Yangon, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Manila - as well as western tropical Pacific islands and the western Indian Ocean.&nbsp;



Scientists have long known that increases in ocean temperatures will lead to sea level rise, since water expands when it warms and melting ice sheets release more water into the ocean. However, studies have also indicated that such rises in sea levels will vary regionally because changes in ocean currents will direct more water to certain coastlines (including northeastern U.S.).



A notable aspect of this study is that it incorporates naturally occurring sea level fluctuations caused by El Niño or changes in the water cycle (a process called “internal climate variability”). By combining computer models estimating how the global climate may change in a high-emissions scenario with a specialized statistical model, the experts examined the extent to which these natural fluctuations might amplify – or, in some cases, reduce – the impact of climate change on sea level rise along certain coastlines.



The analysis revealed that, in some regions, internal climate variability could increase sea level rise by 20 to 30 percent more than climate change alone, thus leading to an exponential spike in extreme flooding events. In Manila, for instance, while coastal flooding events are predicted to occur 18 times more often by 2100 due to climate change alone, they could occur 96 times more often from a combination of both climate change and internal climate variability.



According to the researchers, although the complex and unpredictable interactions in our planet’s climate system create significant difficulties in reliably estimating sea level rise, it is critical for society to be aware of the potential of extreme sea level rise in order to develop effective adaptation strategies.



“The internal climate variability can greatly reinforce or suppress the sea level rise caused by climate change. In a worst-case scenario, the combined effect of climate change and internal climate variability could result in local sea levels rising by more than 50 percent of what is due to climate change alone, thus posing significant risks of more severe flooding to coastal megacities and threatening millions of people,” concluded study senior author Aixue Hu, a meteorologist and oceanographer at the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR).&nbsp;



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



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Sea level rise will disproportionally affect Asian megacities

A new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change...

In a new study led by <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a>, experts report that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fireworks-release-toxic-metals-that-can-harm-human-cells/">fireworks</a> should be replaced with cleaner drone and laser light shows to prevent "highly damaging” impacts. Lead author Professor Bill Bateman noted that fireworks remain globally popular despite the overwhelming evidence that they negatively impact wildlife, domestic animals, and the environment.



“Fireworks create short-term noise and light disturbances that cause distress in domestic animals that may be managed before or after a firework event, but the impacts to wildlife can be on a much larger scale,” said Professor Bateman.



“The annual timing of some large-scale firework events coincides with the migratory or reproductive movements of wildlife, and may therefore have adverse long-term population effects on them. Fireworks also produce significant pulses of highly pollutant materials that also contribute significantly to the chemical pollution of soil, water, and air, which has implications for human as well as animal health.”



To investigate the potential harm caused by firework displays, the researchers reviewed the ecological effects of Diwali festivities in India, Fourth of July celebrations across the United States, and other events in New Zealand and Europe.&nbsp;



The review confirmed that fireworks affect wildlife in the long-term. For example, the experts found that sea lions along the coastline of Chile have changed their breeding season as a result of New Year’s fireworks. In California, July firework displays are associated with a decline of Brandt’s cormorant colonies. Furthermore, Spanish festivals have been linked to lower breeding success among house sparrows.



Professor Bateman said that firework bans at sensitive periods for wildlife migration or mating periods could limit these ecological impacts.



“Other than horses, for which there is some evidence that they can be gradually familiarized with flashes of light, there is very little that can be done to address the disturbing impact of noise from fireworks on animals and wildlife,” said Professor Bateman.



“The future of firework displays may be in the use of safer and greener alternatives such as drones, eco-friendly fireworks or visible-wavelength lasers for light shows."



“There is growing evidence that these community events can be managed in a sustainable way and it’s clear that out-dated firework displays need to be replaced by cleaner options that are not harmful to wildlife and the environment.”



The study authors noted that firework residues also contribute significantly to chemical pollution of soil, water, and air, which has implication for human as well as animal health.&nbsp;



"Modern technological alternatives to traditional fireworks - both ‘eco-friendly’ fireworks, and reusable drone and laser-based light shows - provide safer, ‘greener’ alternatives that also present a sustainable way forward for maintaining cultural traditions without perpetuating their adverse impacts," wrote the researchers.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/PC22040">Pacific Conservation Biology</a>.



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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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Fireworks have long lasting impacts on wildlife

In a new study led by Curtin University, experts report...

A study published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-hazardous-materials">Journal of Hazardous Materials</a> has recently described a new fibrotic disease in seabirds. Instead of being caused by infectious agents such as viruses or bacteria, “plasticosis” is caused by small pieces of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastics-can-be-passed-from-mothers-to-unborn-babies/">plastic</a> that the birds ingest from their environment, leading to inflammation of their digestive tracts. Over time, repeated or persistent inflammation can cause digestive tissues to become scarred or deformed, which impacts the birds’ digestion, growth, and ultimately survival.



“While these birds can look healthy on the outside, they’re not doing well on the inside,” said study co-author Alexander Bond, a senior curator at the Natural History Museum in London. “This study is the first time that stomach tissue has been investigated in this way and shows that plastic consumption can cause serious damage to these birds’ digestive system.”



The researchers discovered this disease in flesh-footed shearwaters on Lord Howe Island, an island located 600 kilometers off the coast of Australia. These birds consume large amounts of plastics from the sea after mistaking it for food. Repeated ingestion of plastics leads to scarring of the proventriculus – the first chamber of the birds’ stomachs – and, as plastic exposure increases, the tissue becomes increasingly swollen until it begins to break down.



“The tubular glands, which secrete digestive compounds, are perhaps the best example of the impact of plasticosis,” Bond explained. “When plastic is consumed, these glands get gradually more stunted until they eventually lose their tissue structure entirely at the highest levels of exposure.”



The condition causes birds to be more vulnerable to infections and parasites, and diminishes their ability to absorb some vitamins. In addition, plasticosis can also cause the stomach to become hardened and less flexible, making it less effective at digesting food. This can be extremely harmful particularly for young birds and chicks – which often consume food containing plastic particles fed to them by their parents – sometimes making them starve to death as their stomachs fill up with plastic they cannot digest.&nbsp;



Although, so far, this disease is only known to affect the digestive system, scientists suggest that it may also have an impact on other parts of the body, such as the lungs.



Until now, this disease has only been documented in a single bird species. However, given the amount of plastic pollution worldwide, it is likely that it affects other species too. Further research is needed to assess the prevalence of this condition, while measures to curb plastic pollution should be urgently taken in order to safeguard the health of a variety of animal species, including humans.



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



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New disease found in seabirds is caused by plastic consumption

A study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials has...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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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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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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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



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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



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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



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Ocean heat influences regional climate

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