Lake Alakol has a way of catching you off guard. One moment the eastern Kazakh steppe looks endless and austere; the next, a glassy inland sea flashes jade and indigo against pale desert grass. 



The water smells faintly briny, the wind pushes hard from the northwest, and swallows write quick loops over the breakers. Even without postcard fame, the lake feels unforgettable.



Locals have long trusted these salty swells to soothe eczema, achy knees, and winter-rough hands. Doctors in nearby Koktuma see a steady stream of visitors every June hoping the minerals can do what ointments never quite manage. 



Science is still sorting out those claims, yet the setting alone - dry air, sun, and the hush of open land - works a kind of quiet magic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salt-silence-and-healing-water">Salt, silence, and healing water</h2>



Lake Alakol lies in a closed basin about 1,000 square miles wide, fed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urzhar_(river)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Urzhar</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_(river)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emil rivers</a> and cut off from every ocean. Whatever pours in stays until the sun lifts it back out; salt and other minerals remain behind. 



Over centuries that constant loop raised salinity to roughly half that of the Atlantic, enough to keep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-pushing-freshwater-fish-toward-the-poles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">freshwater fish</a> away but gentle enough for bold swimmers. 



The lake usually skins over for about two months at winter’s end, then cracks apart in early spring, leaving floating shards that sparkle like broken bottles.



Its surface size changes from year to year. A rainy spring can push the shoreline several hundred yards outward; three dry summers in a row pull it back. 



Those swings tinker with salt levels and with the algae that tint the water turquoise or rust red. People used to call that chameleon quality “the water’s mood.” 



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.esa.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a>, peering down with Sentinel-1 radar, now see the same shifts as color bands on monthly composites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lake-alakol-captured-by-satellites">Lake Alakol captured by satellites</h2>



ESA analysts stacked three passes from March, April, and May 2025 and assigned them blue, green, and red. 



Where the images overlap, the ground shows up charcoal or silver; where things change - ice breaking, soil drying, crops greening - new hues flare. 



Alakol itself glowed mostly blue, proof that March ice still gripped much of the lake during the first scan. To the south, Aibi Lake in China’s Xinjiang region blushed pink where retreating water exposed salt flats in May.



The radar picture also picked out a fan-shaped burst of fields west of Alakol. Meltwater racing off the Dzungarian Alatau drops sand and silt as soon as it hits the plain, building fertile triangles perfect for wheat, onions, and apricots. 



Farmers here work narrow plots, each stage of growth marking the fan with another shade. What looks abstract from orbit translates on the ground to young rows, shoulder-high stalks, and the buzz of irrigation pumps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-also-love-lake-alakol">Birds also love Lake Alakol</h2>



Every spring, a sheet of feathers sweeps in from the south. Dalmatian pelicans cruise in first, their bills bright as fresh pumpkins. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/youll-never-guess-what-flamingos-are-doing-with-their-feet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greater flamingos</a> follow, legs stilted, shoulders hunched like old men in pink coats. 



For rare relict gulls - slate-gray wings, white eye crescents - Lake Alakol is one of the few safe nesting spots left on Earth. The birds crowd onto Ul’kun-Aral-Tyube Island, bickering over pebbly ground and guarding nests from sly foxes that swim across at night.



<a href="https://www.unesco.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNESCO</a> folded the lake system into its <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/mab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Man and the Biosphere Programme</a> back in 2013, noting its slot on the Central Asian Flyway. 



Ramsar added a wetland designation as well, which nudged Kazakhstan to fence off breeding zones and limit boat traffic near the islands each breeding season. 



Success shows up not in spreadsheets but in sound: a dull roar at dawn when thousands of wings clap the air at once.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-on-the-shore">People on the shore</h2>



Traders riding Silk Road spurs once skirted these banks, swapping Sogdian silver coins for Chinese silk bolts beneath flapping yurt doors. 



Now tourists roll in on overnight trains from Almaty, step onto the platform at Koktuma, and blink at the sudden blue horizon. They rent bikes, buy salted perch for lunch, and post sunset shots that make the water look liquid copper.



Development remains modest - guesthouses, cedar-scented saunas, a scattering of cafés - but every new pier cuts habitat a little finer. Regional officials talk of zoning rules, stronger waste controls, perhaps a cap on shoreline construction. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lake-alakol-is-at-a-crossroads">Lake Alakol is at a crossroads</h2>



Hot summers already push evaporation higher, and climate forecasts warn that snowpack in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzungarian_Alatau" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dzungarian Alatau</a> could shrink by mid-century. 



If the inflow weakens, the lake’s salt will climb, and the delicate dance of microbes, brine shrimp, and birds could stumble.



Lake Alakol’s story reads like a lesson in balance. Mineral water glints under a hard sun, birds rest on speckled islets, farmers coax green rows from fan-shaped soils, and visitors float in water dense enough to lift them like corks. 



None of those pieces can be pulled free without tugging the others loose. Stand on the shingle at dusk, feel a cool spray on your face, and the message is plain: salt and silence can endure only if we let them.



Zoom in and see more <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/05/Earth_from_Space_Alakol_the_multicoloured_lake" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">details of this magnificent lake by clicking here...</a>



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The most colorful lake in the world also has special healing powers

Lake Alakol has a way of catching you off guard. One moment the eastern Kazakh steppe looks endless and austere; the next, a glassy inland sea flashes jade and indigo against pale desert grass. The water smells faintly briny, the wind pushes hard from the northwest, and swallows write quick loops over the breakers. Even without postcard fame, the lake feels unforgettable. Locals have long trusted these salty swells to soothe eczema, achy knees, and winter-rough hands. Doctors in nearby Koktuma see a steady stream of visitors...

Caribbean,Sea,Surface,Summer,Wave,Background.,Exotic,Water,Landscape,With

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-making-the-ocean-more-acidic/">Plastic</a> pollution is all over the place these days. Billions of tons of it are jammed into landfills or float around in the sea, gradually breaking down into smaller and smaller fragments but never truly disappearing. This represents one of the most serious environmental problems of our time, and one that is not going to go away unless we change our use of plastics or develop new materials that are biodegradable.&nbsp;



And that’s just what scientists at the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California San Diego</a> have being doing over much of the past decade. The interdisciplinary team, including biologist Stephen Mayfield and chemists Michael Burkart and Robert “Skip” Pomeroy, have developed polyurethane foams that are made from algae and other biological sources, and that are consequently biodegradable by natural decomposers (bacteria and fungi) in the environment. The experts have used these foams in the manufacture of shoes, including flip-flops, the world’s most popular form of footwear, and have already tested their decomposition in terrestrial environments. Once buried in the soils, the shoes began to degrade within just 16 weeks.



Now, in new research, the team has tested whether these polyurethane foams made from bio-based monomers will decompose when immersed in seawater. Working with study coauthor Samantha Clements, a marine biologist and scientific diver at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the researchers fixed samples of their foams and shoes to the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier and monitored how they changed, physically and chemically, using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.



The pier’s location provided a unique opportunity to test materials in the natural nearshore ecosystem, which is the exact environment where castoff plastics often end up. In 2010, researchers estimated that 8 billion kilograms of plastic enter the ocean in a single year, with a steep escalation predicted by 2025. Upon entering the ocean, plastic waste disrupts marine ecosystems, washes ashore as litter, or migrates to central locations where it forms trash gyres such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which covers an area more than 1.6 million square kilometers.&nbsp;



In a previous interview in 2020, Pomeroy referred to the current production and waste management problems that started around 60 years ago with the development of plastics and said, “If you could turn back the clock and re-envision how you could make the petroleum polymer industry, would you do it the same today that we did it years ago? There’s a bunch of plastic floating in every ocean on this planet that suggests we shouldn’t have done it that way.”&nbsp;



The results of the current study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, showed that the polyurethane material attached to the pier was soon colonized by an assortment of marine organisms and started to degrade in as little as four weeks.&nbsp; The decomposers, mostly bacteria and fungi, broke the material down into its original monomers (chemical building blocks) which they then used as a source of nutrients. When the researchers identified the microorganisms that were capable of consuming the polyurethane samples, they found them to be species commonly found throughout the natural marine environment.&nbsp;



“No single discipline can address these universal environmental problems but we’ve developed an integrated solution that works on land – and now we know also biodegrades in the ocean,” said Mayfield, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and director of the California Center for Algae&nbsp;Biotechnology. “I was surprised to see just how many organisms colonize on these foams in the ocean. It becomes something like a microbial reef.”



The researchers will continue in their quest to develop renewable and sustainable monomers made from biological sources in order to produce polymers for different applications in future. Their research also continues to investigate the processes involved in biological decomposition and the chemical substances produced as a result. The experts state that people are beginning to understand the enormity of the plastic pollution problem and to seek alternatives that are less damaging to the natural world.



“Improper disposal of plastic in the ocean breaks down into microplastics and has become an enormous environmental problem,” said Mayfield. “We’ve shown that it’s absolutely possible to make high performance plastic products that also can degrade in the ocean. Plastics should not be going into the ocean in the first place, but if they do, this material becomes food for microorganisms and not plastic trash and microplastics that harm aquatic life.”



Check us out on <a cashx-data-position="1575" href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and <a cashx-data-position="1576" target="_blank" href="http://earth.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>



By <a cashx-data-position="1696" href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a cashx-data-position="1697" href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Biodegradable plastic shoes break down in ocean water

Plastic pollution is all over the place these days. Billions...

Since they produce fruit all year round, fig trees are essential components of tropical forests, ensuring that there is sufficient food for forest birds and mammals, even during periods when other plants do not bear fruit. However, in order to be able to provide this crucial ecological role, fig trees need to be pollinated by fig <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wasps-are-undervalued-as-predators-and-pollinators/">wasps</a> – a type of insect measuring two to three millimeters in length, living an average of two to three days, and often flying ten or more kilometers to get from a ripe tree to a flowering one.



Unfortunately, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.uu.se/">Uppsala University</a> in Sweden has now found that rising temperatures caused by global warming have a negative impact on these important pollinators, significantly reducing their lifespans. The experts collected ripe figs from five different species of fig trees - Ficus obtusifolia, Ficus citrifolia, Ficus popenoei, Ficus insipida, and Ficus maxima – and opened them in the lab. The wasps which had developed inside the figs were kept in climate chambers at different temperatures, and counted every few hours. The analysis revealed that all five pollinator fig wasp species lived shorter lives at higher temperatures.



“We found that all tested pollinator wasp species had a significantly shorter lifespan in 30, 32, 34, and 36°C compared to the current diurnal mean temperature of 26°C. At 36°C pollinator median lifespan decreased to merely 2–10&nbsp;h (6%–19% of their median lifespan at 26°C),” the study authors reported.



Besides rising temperatures shortening the lifespan of the wasps, the massive deforestation across the tropics is increasing the distance between fig trees, which also makes pollination more difficult. Hopefully, fig wasps will be able to avoid higher temperatures by adapting their behavior, such as flying at night when it is cooler.



“Unless wasps can adapt, such a dramatic reduction in lifespan is expected to reduce the number of pollinators that successfully disperse to flowering fig trees, and may therefore jeopardize both fruit set and eventually survival of the mutualism,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9311">Ecology and Evolution</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

Rising temperatures shorten the lifespan of fig tree pollinators

Since they produce fruit all year round, fig trees are...

Even if no human being has set foot on Mars yet, the Red Planet is already littered with over 15,000 pounds of trash from the 18 human-made objects that have been sent to the planet over the past five decades. According to Cagri Kilic, a postdoctoral fellow in Robotics at the <a href="https://www.wvu.edu/">West Virginia University</a>, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-pieces-of-debris-threaten-the-space-economy/">debris</a> currently found on Mars comes from three main sources – discarded hardware, inactive spacecraft, and crashed spacecraft.&nbsp;



Every mission on Mars requires a module protecting the spacecraft – which includes a heat shield to protect the craft when passing through the planet’s atmosphere, as well as a parachute and landing hardware to ensure a smooth landing on the planet’s surface. As it descends, the craft discards parts of the module, which can land in different locations, and can break down into smaller pieces when hitting the ground, which are further dispersed by Martian winds. Over the years, a great quantity of such small, windblown litter has been found across the planet’s surface.&nbsp;



In addition, the nine inactive spacecraft currently abandoned on Mars make up the second type of debris, although “these might be better considered historical relics than trash,” according to Dr. Kilic. Finally, crashed spacecraft and their pieces are another major source of trash.



“When you add up the mass of all spacecraft that have ever been sent to Mars, you get about 22,000 pounds (9979 kilograms). Subtract the weight of the currently operational craft on the surface – 6,306 pounds (2,860 kilograms) – and you are left with 15,694 pounds (7,119 kilograms) of human debris on Mars,” Dr. Kilic reported in <a href="https://theconversation.com/mars-is-littered-with-15-694-pounds-of-human-trash-from-50-years-of-robotic-exploration-188881">The Conversation</a>.&nbsp;



This massive amount of litter currently spread on Mars poses risks to current and future missions on the Red Planet. For instance, the Perseverance teams are documenting all debris they find in order to make sure that none of it will contaminate the samples that the rover is collecting. Moreover, NASA engineers have recently investigated whether Perseverance could get tangled in debris from the landing, but have concluded that the risk is rather low.



However, according to Dr. Kilic, the “real reason debris on Mars is important is because of its place in history. The spacecraft and their pieces are the early milestones for human planetary exploration.” Yet, whether trash could be considered or not a valuable historical artefact remains a topic for debate.&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

Mars littered with over 15,000 pounds of trash

Even if no human being has set foot on Mars...

According to a new study led by <a href="https://www.eurac.edu/en">Eurac Research</a> – a private research center from Bolzano, Italy – global snow cover has been steadily declining over the past four decades. On average, there are 15 fewer days that snow remains on the ground - with peaks of up to 20 or even 30 fewer days in Canada’s western provinces - and snow coverage has decreased by a total of four percent.&nbsp;



This study is a follow-up of an initial analysis of global snow cover published in 2020, which provided evidence that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-cover-in-the-alps-could-soon-be-cut-in-half/">snowfall</a> has declined in 78 percent of mountain areas over the past two decades. By extending the start of data collection to 1982, the author of both studies Claudia Notarnicola, the deputy director of Eurac Research’s <a href="https://www.eurac.edu/en/institutes-centers/institute-for-earth-observation">Institute for Earth Observation</a>, has shown that “with a few exceptions, data on both the extent and duration of snow cover are clearly decreasing.”



To investigate these trends, Notarnicola took a hybrid approach, combining MODIS satellite data time series from 2000 to 2020 with state-of-the-art mathematical models.&nbsp;



“I chose a highly attested NASA global model as the basis and then refined it. In fact, for the period when the data from the model and the more precise satellite images overlapped, I was able to better calibrate the model thanks to so-called ‘artificial neural networks,’ a computational system that falls under the aegis of artificial intelligence,” explained Notarnicola.&nbsp;



“The analysis of the harmonized time series over 38&nbsp;years indicates an overall negative trend of −&nbsp;3.6% ± 2.7% for yearly snow cover extent and of −&nbsp;15.1&nbsp;days ± 11.6&nbsp;days for snow cover duration.”



According to Notarnicola, the few existing counter-trends are not very encouraging. For instance, although the eruption of the El Chichon volcano in Mexico in the early 1980s caused a slight cooling which counteracted the decrease in snowfall, this phenomenon had not lasted long.&nbsp;



“In general, over these 38 years of analysis there are also some cases of increases in both coverage and snow days, specifically in parts of Central Asia and some valleys in the United States,” Notarnicola added. “There are no consensus explanations for these phenomena, but they could be other effects of climate change, for example variations in currents and winds or specific microclimatic conditions. In any case, these are a few exceptions in a very negative global context,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16743-w">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.&nbsp;&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

Snow cover has decreased in recent decades

According to a new study led by Eurac Research –...

Colorful,Pink,And,Purple,Calla,Flowers,Composition

According to horticulture expert Paul Alder, several common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/houseplants-can-instantly-reduce-indoor-air-pollution/">houseplants</a>, such as the daffodil, Aloe Vera, or English Ivy contain toxic chemicals which can cause kidney stones, swelling of the throat, and vomiting in adults, and are almost impossible for children or pets to break down, often leading to irreparable damage if consumed.



One of the most dangerous houseplants is the elegant calla lily, which has a curved bloom and can be found in a variety of colors. However, this plant contains calcium oxalate crystals which cannot be broken down by the human body, and can lead to renal or liver failure, particularly in children and pets.&nbsp;



Another toxic plant for pets is the bird of paradise, a beautiful plant with brightly colored flowers resembling the head of a feathered bird, which contains hydrogen cyanide – an extremely dangerous substance for cats and dogs, causing vomiting, drowsiness, and even death. Similarly, the Sago palm – a slow-growing subtropical plant native to Japan and Southern China – contains a toxin called cycasin, which causes liver damage and death if consumed by pets.



Parents should take particular care in keeping their children away from the philodendron plant, which is currently very common in indoor gardens. Although it is not fatal, eating its leaves can cause nausea, burning skin, swelling of the throat, vomiting, and diarrhea, particularly in young children. Even more dangerous is the English Ivy, an evergreen perennial climbing vine which stays green all year round. Just touching this plant’s leaves or sap can cause skin irritation, swelling, and shortness of breath.



Even the innocent-looking daffodil, a beloved springtime flower, harbors toxins such as lycorine, a chemical which can be lethal if ingested in large amounts. And regardless of its name, the Peace Lily can be extremely toxic for cats and other small animals, injuring their tissues if touched or ingested – a phenomenon observed also in the case of the medicinal plant Aloe Vera, which can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, while lowering blood sugar levels in both children and pets.



Other houseplants that can be dangerous include the Easter Lily, a springtime flower which can irritate the mouth and throat of children if ingested, the Monstera deliciosa, a beautiful, low maintenance plant that causes stinging sensations if touched or eaten, or the Pothos, an easy to care for evergreen plant which leads to burning sensations in the mouth, throat, and tongue.



According to Alder, these beautiful but dangerous houseplants could be replaced by other non-toxic ones, such as the Areca Palm, the Pilea Ivy, the Haworthia Zebra, or the White Orchid.&nbsp;&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

Common houseplants can poison children and pets

According to horticulture expert Paul Alder, several common houseplants, such...

Image,For,3d,Floor.,Underwater,World.,Turtle.,Corals.

Although <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-coral-reefs-and-why-are-they-important/">coral reefs</a> cover less than one percent of the Earth’s surface, they are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet. Moreover, they are providing a habitat for about 25 percent of all marine life, and are supporting over one billion people with food, income, and coastal protection.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, nearly 75 percent of coral reefs are currently threatened by climate change and human activities. Without sustained efforts to protect them, an estimated 99 percent of these reefs will vanish by the end of the century.



However, according to a new study led by an international team of experts, coral reefs could adapt to climate change if given the opportunity to evolve.&nbsp;



“Evolution happens when corals that have already adapted to new environmental conditions breed with corals that have not yet adapted,” explained study co-author Malin Pinsky, an associate professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources at <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a>. “As ocean temperatures rise, we need to keep corals in hotter waters healthy and protected so they can reproduce and spread their heat tolerance to other coral reef areas.”&nbsp;



Thus, the researchers advocate for a conservation approach which protects coral reefs at local, regional, and global scales in ways that allow heat tolerance to spread.&nbsp;



“The best part about these results is that they underscore the importance of our actions at local scales - we don’t have to just sit back and watch coral reefs suffer as our climate changes,” said study lead author Madhavi Colton, the former executive director of the <a href="https://coral.org/en/">Coral Reef Alliance</a>. “This study provides guidance on how to design local conservation solutions that will have real, lasting impacts well into the future.”&nbsp;



“We simply cannot afford to lose coral reefs,” added study co-author Helen Fox, the conservation science director at the Coral Reef Alliance. “It is imperative that we do what we can to save coral reefs now because we will be faced with combined global economic, humanitarian, and biodiversity crises if we do not,” she concluded.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01854-4">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Coral reefs can survive, if given the chance to evolve

Although coral reefs cover less than one percent of the...

A new study published by the <a href="https://www.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a> is the first global survey of lake colors. While this may not seem like an important topic, color is directly tied to the ecological health of a lake and is intimately influenced by the climate. Since the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-water-quality-will-suffer-from-climate-change/">climate</a> has been changing, so has the algae and sediment content of lake water, shifting the color from blue to brownish.



To be clear, less than a third of all lakes are naturally blue in color. These are mostly deep lakes found in cool, high latitude environments with winter ice cover and high precipitation. Worldwide, 69 percent of lakes are already green-brown.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“No one has ever studied the color of lakes at a global scale,” said Xiao Yang, remote sensing hydrologist at Southern Methodist University. “There were past studies of maybe 200 lakes across the globe, but the scale we’re attempting here is much, much larger in terms of the number of lakes and also the coverage of small lakes. Even though we’re not studying every single lake on Earth, we’re trying to cover a large and representative sample of the lakes we have.”



To complicate things, lake colors can change seasonally with algae growth. The researchers categorized the lakes by the color most frequently shown over seven years.&nbsp;



The experts also looked at how changing climate might impact the future color of lakes. Lakes in the Rocky Mountains, northeast Canada, northern Europe and New Zealand are likely to turn from blue to green-brown in the future.&nbsp;



“Warmer water, which produces more algal blooms, will tend to shift lakes towards green colors,” said Catherine O’Reilly, an aquatic ecologist at Illinois State University. “There are lots of examples of where people have actually seen this happen when they studied one individual lake.”



The scientists say that while studies of lake health have been carried out on local and regional levels, lake color is a good metric for global scale lake health measurements. This method is also a way to look at the health of remote lake ecosystems.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022GL098925">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Many blue lakes are expected to turn green and brown

A new study published by the American Geophysical Union is...

Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are a type of small whale that inhabit the Arctic Ocean. Also known as the unicorns of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-marine-heatwave-persists-in-the-mediterranean-sea/">sea</a>, narwhals are mysterious creatures. However, researchers with <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/">Hokkaido University</a> and Greenland Institute of Natural Resources have begun to uncover some of their secrets.



The experts analyzed 83 days' worth of data from a satellite-tagged animal to study the whale's daily diving behaviors. Prior to this study, scientists believed that narwhal diving and surface resting behavior was irregular.



"While animal-borne ocean sensors continue to advance and collect more data, there is a lack of adequate methods to analyze records of irregular behavior," said study first author Evgeny A. Podolskiy.



However, this idea was abandoned when a new method of analysis was used. The researchers applied mathematical equations of the chaos theory to the movements and patterns that were previously difficult to detect.



"Our approach is relatively simple to implement and can map and label long term data, identifying differences between the behavior of individual animals and different species, and also detecting perturbations in behavior caused by changing influences," explained the study authors.



The researchers found that the tagged whale would rest close to the ocean surface mid-day, but when they did dive during that period, the dives were very deep. At dusk, the narwhal would take shallower dives, but these dives were more intense, perhaps due to hunting squid. The experts also noticed that more sea ice restrictions seemed to compel more extreme diving.&nbsp;



The narwhal is a charismatic species but also one of the most vulnerable to our changing climate since it depends on sea ice. As the ice melts, they become more exposed to the open ocean. Consequently, there is increased conflict with humans via hunting and oil extraction. Also, the opening of sea ice allows the natural migration of predators such as orcas deeper into the arctic.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The authors hope this study will encourage other scientists to use the methods developed in this research to assist in narwhal preservation. The chaos theory could also be applied to other endangered animals in the Arctic.



The study appears in the journal <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/blog/clarifying-the-chaos-of-narwhal-behavior/">PLOS Computational Biology</a>.



Image Credit: Carsten Egevang



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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

Chaos theory may help protect narwhals

Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are a type of small whale that...

Aerial,View,Of,A,Rib,Boat,With,Snorkelers,And,Divers

While many parts of Europe struggled with record-breaking temperatures this summer, it was not only the continental mainland that was affected. According to <a href="https://eo4society.esa.int/projects/careheat/">CAREHeat</a> (deteCtion and threAts of maRinE Heat waves), a new project funded by the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA), the Mediterranean Sea also suffered an intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-reduce-the-oceans-ability-to-absorb-carbon/">marine heatwave</a>, with sea surface temperatures reaching 5°C higher than average.



Marine heatwaves are massive rises in sea temperatures over an extended period of time, which negatively impact marine ecosystems, threaten marine biodiversity, and lead to significant losses for fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism industries. Moreover, such high water temperatures can also cause extreme weather events, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, and can increase the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, and wildfires.



As global ocean temperatures continue to increase, marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent, widespread, prolonged, and intense. Thus, predicting their occurrence and duration, and better understanding their impact on marine ecosystems, is essential. CAREHeat – an ESA-initiative started in March 2022 - uses near-real time sea surface temperature data available from the&nbsp;<a href="https://marine.copernicus.eu/">Copernicus Marine Service</a> to identify marine heatwaves, assess their status and trends, and clarify their impact on marine life.&nbsp;



In the context of this project, scientists detected a particularly extreme heatwave event that started in the second half of April, 2022, and stretched across the central and northwestern Mediterranean Sea. In these regions, sea surface temperatures spiked rapidly, rising from 16°C to 22°C&nbsp;in less than ten days. In the Ligurian Sea (an arm of the Mediterranean), the maximum intensity of the heatwave was reached on July 21, with a 5°C increase above normal temperatures.&nbsp;



Although it partially subsided, the heatwave in the Mediterranean is still present now in September. “We are still observing an averaged sea surface temperature anomaly of around 2°C, which intensified in the northwest Mediterranean where the anomaly is higher than 4°C,” said Rosalia Santoleri, the CAREHeat Project Coordinator.



The research team will continue to monitor the evolution of this unprecedented heatwave in order to clarify how the temperature signal propagates below the sea surface, which are the drivers of this extreme event, and what impact it has on Mediterranean ecosystems.&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Extreme marine heatwave persists in the Mediterranean Sea

While many parts of Europe struggled with record-breaking temperatures this...

Ancient Palmyra was once a prosperous city in the Syrian Desert. However, after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/roman-activities-cooled-climate/">Roman Empire</a> conquered it in 272/273 CE, the city became a relatively insignificant settlement, a shadow of its former self. Now, an interdisciplinary team led by <a href="https://international.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a> is beginning to question the role climate change may have played in the downfall of Palmyra.



"We can now see that food security, always the main concern for a large urban center situated in a highly inhospitable environment, was gradually reduced with a deteriorating climate and a growing population of the city. The timing of this nexus matches exactly the time of the reign of Zenobia and of that of her husband, Odaenathus, marked by social shifts, militarisation, the rapid conquest of neighbouring lands and the dramatic conflict that led to the demise of Palmyra," said Dr. Iza Romanowska, one of the authors behind the research.



To conduct the study, the research team reconstructed the area around Palmyra that would have supplied basic foods and used computer models along with knowledge provided by ancient historians, archeologists, and complexity scientists. The goal was to determine how much food the city could have produced during various periods.&nbsp;



The experts found that as Palmyra's climate became hotter and drier, less food was produced. By the middle of the third century, there was likely not enough food to feed the population. This time period coincides with the Roman invasion.



"While there have been numerous studies looking at Palmyra's history, social composition and infrastructure, it is thanks to the innovative new approach that we are able to look at the history of this important city and the whole region from an entirely new angle. By combining computational modelling with a wide range of archaeological data processed by humanities researchers with deep historical knowledge we are able to consider the circular economy and its long-term sustainability and resilience," said study co-author author Rubina Raja.



The researchers believe their study provides a framework to determine if other cities have suffered a similar fate as Palmyra. Moreover, they hope we can use the ancient city as an example to direct us in a different direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"This kind of study showcases that many challenges which our societies face today had equivalents in the past," said study co-author Eivind Heldaas Seland. "Contrary to the often-repeated trope that humans never learn from history, we can and we should learn lessons from the past."



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0273241">PLoS ONE</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

Climate change contributed to the downfall of Palmyra

Ancient Palmyra was once a prosperous city in the Syrian...

A new study led by the <a href="http://www.icm.csic.es/ca">Institut de Ciències del Mar</a> (ICM-CSIC) has found that plastic pollution contributes to ocean acidification. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-on-water-trapped-on-plant-leaves/">Plastic</a> pollution and acidification are two of the biggest issues threatening the ocean today. 



The increase in ocean acidity is making it difficult for organisms that calcify, such as corals, to maintain their skeletons. Every year, up to 13 million tons of plastic reach the sea, and it is estimated that there are around 250,000 more tons floating throughout the ocean. The study reveals that as sunlight degrades plastic, dissolved organic carbon compounds are released. These organic chemical compounds lead to a drop in pH levels.&nbsp;



"Thanks to this study we have been able to prove that in highly plastic-polluted ocean surface areas, plastic degradation will lead to a drop of up to 0.5 pH units, which is comparable to the pH drop estimated in the worst anthropogenic emissions scenarios for the end of the 21st century," said study first author Cristina Romera-Castillo.



The sun’s ultraviolet light leads to plastic degradation, causing the plastic to break into smaller pieces. Some of these particles, known as microplastics, are less than 5 millimeters in length.



When exposed to sunlight and erosion, the plastic is "aged." This exposure results in an increased release of chemical compounds into the water and causes a lowering of the water’s pH.



The chemical compounds released by plastic can come from the plastic itself or additives that give plastic color or resistance. Some of these compounds are organic acids, which is why they contribute to the pH drop.



For this study, the researchers exposed new and aged plastic to temperature and solar radiation. The water pH and the amount of dissolved organic carbon released by microplastics were also analyzed.



With only six days of exposure to sunlight, aged plastics released a large amount of dissolved organic carbon compounds - which led to a significant decrease in water pH. Experiments using new polystyrene, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and biodegradable plastic fragments did not show a substantial drop in pH.



"These results show that aged plastic affects acidification much more than new plastic, which is very worrying, since most of the plastic found in the sea, whatever type it is, is degraded," concluded Romera-Castillo.



The study is published this week in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969722057825">Science of the Total Environment</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plastic pollution is making the ocean more acidic

A new study led by the Institut de Ciències del...

Shallow reefs and the diverse creatures that inhabit them are changing due to rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-may-be-the-oceans-biggest-enemy/">ocean</a> temperatures. Researchers in Australia have been tracking these changes for over a decade. Their findings illustrate how warming waters impact tropical and temperate reef fish communities differently.



“Reefs provide a ton of benefits to people, from food, livelihoods, recreation, physical protection from storms, and I dare say even happiness and inspiration,” said study lead author Rick Stuart-Smith, a marine ecologist at the University of Tasmania.&nbsp;



“We specifically considered the fishes that live on reefs, as these are important for many of those aspects, and also help maintain the natural ecological function of the reefs.”



The Reef Life Survey was created by the authors to collect data to better understand how Australia’s reefs are changing. For this study, the survey data was combined with two reef monitoring programs amongst the longest running in the world.&nbsp;



“The combination of these datasets provided a more comprehensive picture of what is happening on reefs than would be imaginable for any other continent.” said Stuart-Smith.



The research teams looked at impacts such as habitat change, coral bleaching and temperature change and found that impacts varied depending on location. Fish on temperate and subtropical reefs showed signs of temperature change, while tropical reef fish were more affected by habitat change.&nbsp;



The experts also examined how a loss of coral and kelp resulted in less unique fish populations. Northeastern Australia showed evidence of habitat degradation leading to fish populations of generalist species, rather than niche species adapted to specific habitats.



The research team is hopeful for more coordinated local research to evaluate global trends.&nbsp;



“Climate change clearly has a huge impact on marine biodiversity, with changes we observed around the Australian continent over short time scales indicating that much larger changes are likely over the next half century as ocean warming progresses,” wrote the researchers.



The study is published by Cell Press in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.067">Current Biology</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reef fish populations are altered by rising temperatures

Shallow reefs and the diverse creatures that inhabit them are...

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



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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.

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 



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from <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



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.

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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <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



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.

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

[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



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

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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