Wildfires in the western U.S. have become a growing crisis. They’re lasting longer, burning hotter, and spreading into areas that rarely burned in the past. 



But another danger is rising, beyond heatwaves and droughts. Lightning - sudden, fierce, and incredibly powerful - is becoming one of the biggest wildfire risks.



In the coming decades, scientists warn that lightning will become an increasingly dominant spark for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">wildfires</a>, adding to the already mounting risks across the West.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-is-fueling-more-wildfires">Lightning is fueling more wildfires</h2>



Wildfires need a few things to get going: dry fuel, hot temperatures, low humidity, and a spark. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-is-changing-the-atmosphere-in-surprising-ways/">Lightning</a> is one of the most powerful natural igniters.



In the western U.S., lightning already causes more than two-thirds of the area burned by wildfires. And now, new research shows that number is going to rise sharply due to climate change. 



Warmer air holds more moisture, which means more unstable weather patterns. Those patterns, in turn, set the stage for more lightning.



A recent study has revealed that virtually all of the western U.S. - 98 percent of the region - will have more days with a greater likelihood of lightning-ignited wildfires starting as early as the 2030s. 



For regions already accustomed to such fires, such as Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, the risk is even greater. As early as 2060, those states may have as many as 12 additional lightning-filled days per summer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-model-to-forecast-lightning">A model to forecast lightning</h2>



Traditional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-models-underestimate-sea-ice-melt-and-global-warming/">climate models</a> don’t really track lightning. That’s why a team of researchers led by Dmitri Kalashnikov built their own system to fill in the gaps.



“The first step was to project lightning,” said Kalashnikov, a research scientist at the <a href="https://www.ucmerced.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California Merced</a>. “The typical climate models don’t directly simulate lightning. It’s too small a process.”



The researchers applied machine learning to forecast where lightning would hit based on variables that we can quantify - such as temperature, humidity, and the level of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moisture-in-the-atmosphere-causes-extreme-weather-to-last-longer/">moisture in the air</a>. 



The team merged those results with the Fire Weather Index (FWI), a mechanism that was developed back in 1968 to monitor how probable wildfire initiation and spread is from local weather.



The result is a forecast model tailored to the western U.S., designed to project conditions from 2030 to 2060 - decades earlier than most studies, which typically look only to the end of the century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-lightning-in-the-northwest">More lightning in the Northwest</h2>



The northwestern states of Idaho, Oregon, and Montana are projected to experience the greatest growth in lightning days. But strangely, they may not experience the most rapid expansion in wildfires. 



Although lightning will grow, the conditions favoring fires (such as extreme heat or dryness) are not expected to worsen as quickly in the Northwest compared to other regions.



That doesn’t mean northwestern states are off the hook. Cloud-to-ground lightning, the kind that hits trees or grass directly, is still expected to rise significantly in those areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-lightning-greater-wildfire-risk">Less lightning, greater wildfire risk</h2>



In contrast, the Southwest - including Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico - won’t see as much of a jump in lightning strikes. But the fire risk will still climb. 



This is because even a small spark becomes a big threat when the land is extra dry, the heat is intense, and there’s little rain to cool things off.



The researchers found that these southern states are likely to experience the biggest increases in wildfires caused by lightning, despite the smaller bump in lightning activity. That’s because climate change is pushing up the number of fire-prone days overall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dry-and-wet-lightning">Dry and wet lightning</h2>



Kalashnikov said the next steps could involve separating the kinds of lightning events. “You can’t help but wonder what the future will look like, especially if you dig in and you realize that there’s actually a lot that we don’t understand,” he said.



One key factor will be figuring out how to distinguish between "dry lightning" and "wet lightning." Dry lightning happens without much rain, making it a fire hazard. 



Wet lightning brings <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heavy-rainfall-poses-extreme-risks-in-the-western-us/">heavy rain</a>, which can reduce fire risk but increase flood danger. Understanding that difference could help emergency services respond more precisely to fire threats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfire-risks-are-rising-fast">Wildfire risks are rising fast</h2>



As climate patterns shift, the West isn’t just getting warmer and drier - it’s getting stormier in a dangerous way. Lightning is expected to spark more fires, and fires are expected to find more dry fuel waiting. It’s a feedback loop that could reshape fire seasons in the U.S.



This isn’t about something that might happen a hundred years from now. The changes are coming within the next few decades - some may already be happening. 



And for the people living in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/double-hazard-wildfire-zones-identified-in-the-american-west/">high-risk areas</a>, that means more heat, more smoke, and a greater need for preparation.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025EF006108" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Lightning will ignite even more wildfires as the climate heats up

Wildfires in the western U.S. have become a growing crisis. They’re lasting longer, burning hotter, and spreading into areas that rarely burned in the past. But another danger is rising, beyond heatwaves and droughts. Lightning - sudden, fierce, and incredibly powerful - is becoming one of the biggest wildfire risks. In the coming decades, scientists warn that lightning will become an increasingly dominant spark for wildfires, adding to the already mounting risks across the West. Lightning is fueling more wildfires Wildfires need a few things to get...

The drylands of Africa’s Sahel region are not exactly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/desert-flower-diversity-is-driven-by-pollinators/">deserts</a>. They support numerous free-standing trees that represent an important store of carbon, and provide ecosystem services such as wood for cooking, food for livestock and protection against soil erosion. It is important to monitor the distribution, carbon stocks and density of these trees as the climate changes, but current monitoring techniques do not have sufficient resolution to do this.&nbsp;



Knowledge of tree size and distribution is also important for carbon credit trading, which is likely to become a common means of offsetting the production of greenhouse gases in future. Carbon offset credits allow companies to emit a given amount of CO2 in exchange for the greenhouse gas being neutralized elsewhere, in the form of trees planted or left to grow. But keeping track of how many new trees are planted as a result of trades, globally, and how many are disappearing is extremely challenging.



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>’s Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management and Department of Computer Science, in collaboration with the American space agency NASA, have now pioneered a method that makes it possible to count the number of trees across vast swaths of land and calculate how much carbon is sequestered within each tree. The new method, along with details about its application in the Sahel region, is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05653-6">Nature</a>.



The researchers made use of field data, artificial intelligence (AI) associated with high performance computing, and high spatial resolution imagery to develop their model for mapping several billion trees and their carbon uptake in the Sahel. They analyzed more than 300,000 satellite images of the semi-arid sub-Saharan region north of the equator, and identified 9.9 billion trees. The experts then used AI to train one of NASA's supercomputers to identify all individual trees from the images, using their characteristic appearance&nbsp;– for example, acacias have flat crowns.



On the ground, the researchers characterized the structural parameters of trees from 30 different species (e.g., their height, crown area, density and biomass) as well as measuring the carbon stock stored in each tree’s different components – leaves, wood and roots.&nbsp;



“We have done a lot of fieldwork, weighing trees when they are cut down to collect data on the amount of carbon they contain. We combined this with the satellite images of the number of trees and the size of individual tree crowns and fed it all into a larger model,” explains Professor Rasmus Fensholt, who played a key role in the research.&nbsp;



The researchers used the field data, satellite images and computer model to calculate that the 9.9 billion trees across the Sahel region currently store 840,000,000 tons of carbon. This is lower than carbon stocks in forests on mainland France, for example, which are estimated to be in the region of 2.4 billion tons. However, it is likely that most models currently used in climate simulations underestimate the density and carbon stocks of isolated trees in drylands, and this new method is likely to be far more accurate.&nbsp;



For Jean-Pierre Wigneron, INRAE researcher at the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Interactions Joint Research Unit and co-author of the study, “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 center of the Amazon to our schoolyards. 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.”



According to Professor Fensholt, the new method can also be an important tool for companies when they and others want to pay for their emissions – either in the form of newly planted trees or by paying farmers not to cut down trees on their land.



"There are many indications that carbon credit trading will become more and more extensive in the future – not just for earth's forests, but for billions of trees beyond forests. Therefore, it is critical for us to be able to monitor whether carbon trading reflects the actual number of trees in nature and whether it has a positive effect on climate. This is what we are coming with a solution to," he says.



Besides helping to control the effect of climate credits, the method can also be used to investigate whether various nature restoration projects with trees in regions such as the semi-arid Sahel, are actually going as they should.



“Over the past 10-15 years, considerable resources have been spent on large-scale tree planting projects in arid regions of the world, including those financed by the World Bank. Have they worked? Have the trees survived? Our method can be used to help map this,” says Fensholt, adding that the next research project in the pipeline will be to look at how the number of trees has evolved over past decades.



In the current study, the researchers applied their new method to assessing changes in tree density and carbon stocks in an agroforestry region in Senegal, north of Khombole. When comparing the data on tree density in 2002 and 2021, the new method identified that carbon stocks in the region have almost doubled.&nbsp;



According to the researchers, the database of the nearly 10 billion Sahelian trees is now publicly available. For each tree it includes the wood mass, foliage mass, root mass and carbon stock. This information is essential for scientists, decision-makers, agronomists and foresters working on dryland restoration, but also for farmers, who can use these data to estimate and value the carbon stocks of the trees on the land they farm. In addition, the groundwork for the new method is done and it is ready to be deployed in the near future by public agencies, NGOs and others interested in monitoring tree tallies and their carbon content.



“Our study demonstrates that deep learning techniques can revolutionize the global mapping of individual trees and their biomass. Our artificial neural networks learn to extract complex patterns from large amounts of satellite images, allowing for more accurate and efficient identification of individual trees and subsequent estimation of their biomass,” says Professor Christian Igel from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen.



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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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Details of 10 billion trees help monitor carbon stocks

The drylands of Africa’s Sahel region are not exactly deserts....

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-oceans-absorb-much-more-carbon-than-previously-thought/">oceans</a> play a fundamental role in limiting global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere. However, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a>, intense warming in the future will likely lessen this crucial ability, leading to even more severe climate change.



By using a climate simulation configured to a worst-case emissions scenario, the experts found that the oceans’ ability to soak up CO2 would peak by the end of the century, becoming only half as efficient at absorbing this hazardous gas by 2300.&nbsp;



This phenomenon will be caused by the emergence of a low-alkalinity water that will hinder the capacity of the oceans to absorb CO2. Although the emissions scenario employed in this study is unlikely due to current efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, these findings reveal a previously unknown tipping point which, if activated, will irreversibly exacerbate global warming.



“We need to think about these worst-case scenarios to understand how our CO2 emissions might affect the oceans not just this century, but next century and the following century,” said lead author Megumi Chikamoto, a geophysicist at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> who conducted this study during a fellowship at UT Texas.



Currently, the world’s oceans soak up nearly a third of human-generated CO2 emissions. However, when exposed to extreme climate change that supercharges rainfall and slows ocean currents, the surface of the oceans becomes covered in a warm layer of fresh water which cannot mix easily with the cooler, more alkaline waters below it. As this surface layer becomes increasingly saturated with CO2, its alkalinity declines, along with its ability to absorb more CO2, eventually turning it into a barrier for CO2 absorption, and thus leaving more of the gas in the atmosphere, and consequently accelerating warming.



This finding is a powerful reminder that the world needs to take urgent action to reduce emissions in order to avoid crossing this and other tipping points.&nbsp;



“This paper demonstrates that the climate change problem may be exacerbated by things that are as yet unknown. But the ocean climate feedback mechanism this particular study revealed will open up new avenues of research that will help us better understand the carbon cycle, past climate change, and perhaps come up with solutions for future problems,” concluded senior author Nicole Lovenduski, an oceanographer at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101954">Geophysical Research Letters</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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Global warming may be accelerated by an ocean tipping point

The oceans play a fundamental role in limiting global warming...

3d,Rendering,Of,A,View,Of,The,Planet,Earth,From

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-surface-temps-heat-emits/">Earth’s surface</a> has been sculpted over vast periods of time by climate, tectonics, and the flow of myriad rivers that transported tons of sediments into the oceans. This highly dynamic, constantly changing process is still far from being perfectly understood. However, a team of geoscientists led by the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> in Australia has now designed a detailed and dynamic model of our planet’s surface over the past 100 million years, providing a high-resolution view of how today’s geophysical landscapes were created.



“To predict the future, we must understand the past. But our geological models have only provided a fragmented understanding of how our planet’s recent physical features formed,” said study lead author Tristan Salles, a geoscientist at Sydney.



“If you look for a continuous model of the interplay between river basins, global-scale erosion and sediment deposition at high resolution for the past 100 million years, it just doesn’t exist. So, this is a big advance. It’s not only a tool to help us investigate the past but will help scientists understand and predict the future as well.”



By using a framework incorporating geodynamics, tectonic, and climate forces with surface processes, the experts created a new dynamic model of the past 100 million years at high resolution – down to 10 kilometers – split into frames of a million years each.&nbsp;



“This unprecedented high-resolution model of Earth’s recent past will equip geoscientists with a more complete and dynamic understanding of the Earth’s surface. Critically, it captures the dynamics of sediment transfer from the land to oceans in a way we have not previously been able to,” explained study co-author Laurent Husson, a geologist and geophysicist at the <a href="https://www.isterre.fr/">Institute of Earth Sciences</a> in Grenoble, France.



According to the researchers, better understanding the flow of terrestrial sediment to marine environments is crucial to comprehend current ocean chemistry, which is now changing rapidly due to anthropogenic global warming.



This new model will allow scientists to test different hypotheses about how the Earth’s surface will respond to changing climate and tectonic factors, while clarifying how the transportation of Earth sediment regulates our planet’s carbon cycle over millions of years.



“Our findings will provide a dynamic and detailed background for scientists in other fields to prepare and test hypotheses, such as in biochemical cycles or in biological evolution,” Salles concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.add2541">Science</a>. Animated models of landscape dynamics and photos can be downloaded <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/pv430s8wjok5ljw3gazrt/h?dl=0&amp;rlkey=kiy8q72glsv5fh3l5ip16u2sk">here</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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New model reveals the evolution of the Earth’s surface

The Earth’s surface has been sculpted over vast periods of...

Billions of people in both developed and developing nations benefit daily from wildlife for food, medicine, and energy, as well as for recreation, inspiration and many other critical contributions to human well-being. Unfortunately, the biodiversity crisis - which threatens millions of animal and plant species with extinction - is currently accelerating, severely endangering both wildlife and their important contributions to human life.&nbsp;



In this context, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-draws-attention-to-individual-animals/">World Wildlife Day</a> (WWD), celebrating the beauty, diversity, and invaluable benefits of the flora and fauna that surround us, is an occasion to fight against biodiversity loss and increase conservation efforts globally. WWD - celebrated on March 3 and marking the birthday of the <a href="https://cites.org/eng">Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora</a> (CITES), a multilateral treaty to protect endangered wildlife established on this date in 1973 - is an important reminder to continue fighting against wildlife crime and human-induced species loss which, besides damaging nature, have multiple economic, environmental, and social impacts.



This year, WWD will be celebrated under the theme “<a href="https://www.wildlifeday.org/">Partnerships for wildlife conservation</a>” and aims to honor all forms of collaboration to protect nature, ranging from small groups of individuals posting photographs online to increase awareness of threatened species to large-scale, intergovernmental conservation efforts to protect such species from extinction.&nbsp;



Experts will focus on two main sub-topics related to this year’s theme: 1) creating partnerships to conserve marine wildlife, which is currently facing even more severe problems than terrestrial life, and 2) engaging with the business and finance sectors to acquire funding for protecting wildlife. Although business has long been seen as an exploitative and unsustainable affair, if we are to reverse the massive biodiversity loss our planet is currently facing, successful partnerships for conservation with various businesses is essential both for acquiring sufficient funding to protect wildlife and for ensuring the sustainability of business and industrial operations.



By marking the 50th anniversary of CITES – an organization that currently grants protection to over 37,000 species of animals and plants - this year’s WWD will celebrate the invaluable services this institution provided, and its crucial role in the formation of many partnerships contributing to wildlife and biodiversity conservation. To help safeguard the majestic and diverse non-human life surrounding us, and thus protect the future of life on Earth, UN agencies, private sectors organizations, and non-governmental organizations must intensify their collaboration by sustaining existing partnerships, as well as building new ones.



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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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World Wildlife Day highlights the need to protect nature

Billions of people in both developed and developing nations benefit...

Water <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-will-increase-dramatically-in-a-hotter-climate/">pollution</a> is released into the atmosphere through aerosol droplets from sea spray, according to a new study led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a>. The experts report that these airborne pollutants can potentially reach people on land, hundreds of kilometers from the beach.&nbsp;



"Coastal water pollution (CWP) is an ever-growing global environmental problem and public health threat," wrote the study authors. "Over one hundred thousand cases of illness and tens of thousands of deaths occur annually worldwide due to people entering contaminated waters or eating tainted seafood."



The researchers noted that coastal water pollution at the Mexico-US border between Tijuana and Imperial Beach has persisted for decades and has been officially declared a state of emergency. Rainfall in this region causes untreated sewage to spill over into the Tijuana River, where it flows into the ocean in south Imperial Beach.



The study reveals that the sewage pollution is transferred into the atmosphere in sea spray aerosol that is formed by breaking waves and bursting bubbles. The experts found that the sea spray aerosol contains bacteria, viruses, and chemical compounds.



Lead researcher Professor Kim Prather said the study appears in the midst of a winter in which an estimated 13 billion gallons of sewage-polluted waters have entered the ocean via the Tijuana River.



“We’ve shown that up to three-quarters of the bacteria that you breathe in at Imperial Beach are coming from aerosolization of raw sewage in the surf zone,” said Professor Prather.&nbsp;



“Coastal water pollution has been traditionally considered just a waterborne problem. People worry about swimming and surfing in it but not about breathing it in, even though the aerosols can travel long distances and expose many more people than those just at the beach or in the water.”



The experts used DNA sequencing and mass spectrometry to analyze bacteria and chemical compounds found in coastal aerosol samples from Imperial Beach. They confirmed that these aerosol samples contained bacteria and compounds that originated in the Tijuana River.



The researchers emphasize that people are not necessarily getting sick from sewage pollution in sea spray aerosol. They noted that most bacteria are harmless, and that further investigation is needed to determine exposure levels and infection risks.&nbsp;



“This research demonstrates that coastal communities are exposed to coastal water pollution even without entering polluted waters,” said study lead author Matthew Pendergraft. “More research is necessary to determine the level of risk posed to the public by aerosolized coastal water pollution. These findings provide further justification for prioritizing cleaning up coastal waters.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c02312">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</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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Sea spray releases water pollution into the air

Water pollution is released into the atmosphere through aerosol droplets...

In a recently published book -&nbsp;<a href="http://dennismeredith.com/the-climate-pandemic_514.html">The Climate Pandemic: How Climate Disruption Threatens Human Survival</a> - science writer Dennis Meredith has painted a highly pessimistic picture of our contemporary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-pushed-earth-to-code-red/">climate</a> crisis, arguing that humans may not be able to survive the increasingly negative impacts of climate disruption.



“As horrific as the Covid-19 pandemic has been, its effects pale in comparison to the coming catastrophe from climate disruption,” Meredith wrote. “In fact, the climate pandemic will steadily worsen, even bringing our species to extinction, unless we launch a global revolution to abandon our carbon-dependent energy system.”



Relying upon over 1,700 peer-reviewed scientific articles, books, and reports from governmental and international agencies and scientific organizations, Meredith has explored the science, technology, politics, economy, and psychology of climate disruption. In his view, most of the current climate-rescue policies are vague and naïve, and many plans to limit global warning are not scientifically grounded.



“The benchmark temperatures used in climate policymaking […] are political numbers not scientific numbers,” he explained. “Their scientific provenance is highly dubious. The conveniently round numbers might even be considered scientifically dishonest because scientists don’t really know the consequences of each increase. But for political expediency, they pretend that they do.”



Moreover, although many scientists and policymakers are arguing that decarbonizing the global energy system by increasing renewable energy or capturing CO2 from power plants will reduce or even eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, Meredith is highly pessimistic that this is possible, given the past and current efforts to reach these goals. For him, the Paris Agreement, renewable energy, carbon capture, geoengineering, or nuclear power are nothing more than “unrealistic panaceas” people use to cover the grim realities behind our predicament.



Nevertheless, he still believes that individuals and organizations should work together in trying to mitigate as much as possible the most devastating effects of climate change.&nbsp;



“Some might see the dark future of climate disruption as an excuse to indulge in our most selfish, destructive impulses - continuing to plunder the Earth for our own benefit. However, one hopes that our better angels would prevail; that in the twilight of our species we would instead seek solace in environmental good works - in essence, palliating our planet. As we cycle among the stages of grief, we could give our lives meaning by offering our time, money, and effort to the organizations and causes that work toward mitigating climate disruption,” he concluded.



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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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Climate disruption threatens humanity’s survival

In a recently published book -&nbsp;The Climate Pandemic: How Climate...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/judge-us-reconsider-canadian-lynx-habitat/">Canada lynx</a> are famous for their long, black ear tufts and their amazing ability to hunt almost ghost-like across deep snow. While in the past this predator’s habitat extended from Alaska and Canada south into most of the Northern United States, currently the Canada lynx can only be found in several disjunct populations in Maine, Montana, Minnesota, Idaho, Colorado, and Washington.&nbsp;



However, according to a <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> (WSU)-led recent survey of Canada Lynx occupancy and density in the Glacier National Park in Montana, this region is home to over 50 specimens, residing across most of Glacier’s 1,600 square-mile area, although at lower densities than in the core of their range further north.



“The population in the park is still substantial and exceeded our expectations,” said study senior author Dan Thornton, a wildlife ecologist at WSU. “Our results suggest the park could provide a much-needed climate refuge for the cats in the future.”&nbsp;



Surveying lynx populations usually happens in the winter, when researchers can use bait to lure the animals to live traps. However, since Glacier is a highly difficult region to access in the wintertime, the scientists set up an array of 300 motion-sensitive cameras about a kilometer apart on hiking trails across much of the natural reserve, including some of its most remote areas. The recordings revealed that lynx are currently distributed not only across most of the park, but also at lower elevations. Thus, Glacier could turn out to be extremely important from a conservation point of view, possibly providing this endangered species a haven as climate continues to warm.



“The main question regarding the lynx’s survival is climate change. They are a cold-adapted species that needs deep snow. In Glacier at least, they have a lot of room to move up in elevation as the climate warms,” Thornton explained.



An important methodological innovation of the study was the use of cameras on both sides of trails in order to identify specific individuals based on their distinctive coat markings. “Lynx have pretty subtle markings compared to other cats and only on the inside of their front legs,” said lead author Alissa Anderson, a recent WSU master’s graduate. “So, we set up cameras on either side of the trail to attempt to get pictures of these markings that we could then use to identify individual cats in an area.”&nbsp;



Despite difficulties such as poor lighting, vegetation, or image blur, this method allowed the researchers to link approximately 75 percent of the photographed lynx to specific individuals. Then, by combining the results of the park-wide occupancy survey with density analysis, they estimated an overall population of about 1.28 lynx per 100 square kilometers of terrain. In future studies, the scientists aim to apply similar techniques to survey populations of Canada lynx in other regions, such as the entire Washington state.



“The methodological contribution of this study is really important in the sense that it gives us a better way to get at the number of individual lynx, which is really important for understanding recovery and how a population is doing. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has to develop a recovery plan for the cats so the more information you have on the status of the population the better,” Thornton concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22383">Journal of Wildlife Management</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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Canada lynx may need a climate refuge to survive

Canada lynx are famous for their long, black ear tufts...

Temperatures are rising faster in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-biodiversity-will-get-a-boost-from-rising-temperatures/">Arctic</a> than the global average, and this is affecting seasonal patterns of behavior in many species of animals. For migratory species that breed in the Arctic during summer, this is especially significant since the timing of migration, arrival and breeding is critical. Add to this the fact that migratory species may be experiencing increased anthropogenic pressures along their travel routes, and it becomes clear that times are very challenging for these animals. 



Species may respond by changing the timing of their migration and breeding, by extending their breeding range or altering their migration route. Some migratory species may remain to breed in traditional wintering areas, while others end up becoming vagrants in response to climate change. Mostly, these processes of adaptation take time to become established but a new study on pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) has recorded a relatively rapid adjustment of behavior in response to climate change.



Traditionally, pink-footed geese breed in Svalbard in summer and then migrate southwards, via a narrow corridor along the west coast of Norway, to their wintering grounds in western Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. However, many pressures and disturbances along this flyway over the past decades have made it less and less attractive to the geese. These include organized scaring by farmers at key stopover sites, agricultural crop changes and new hunting regulations that allow more geese to be harvested.&nbsp;



In a new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.065">Current Biology</a>, researchers suggest that in response to these anthropogenic pressures, pink-footed geese have found a new migration route and breeding location which is almost 1,000 kilometers away from their original summer stomping grounds in Svalbard. Each year, more and more geese join the individuals flying to the new summer grounds, including geese of other species. The new population of pink-footed geese now numbers over 4,000 individuals.



“It is extremely fascinating to witness such rapid evolution of new breeding grounds and migratory route by a bird species that is regarded as being very traditional in its behavior and site use,” said Jesper Madsen of Aarhus University in Denmark. “It gives some hope for ‘ecological rescue’ at times of very radical environmental changes due to climate change and, more broadly, global change.”



“We observe a new distinct population of birds in the making, in real time,” he added. “This is very rare to observe. The speed of the development is astonishing.”



Madsen’s team has been studying Norway’s Svalbard population of pink-footed geese for more than 35 years. They’ve kept tabs on the population size and demographic variables, using a systematic marking and resighting program. About 20 years ago, they started getting reports of geese turning up on migration in Sweden and Finland, which were confirmed as members of the Svalbard population.



This long-term population monitoring and Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) program has enabled the researchers to follow the establishment of the new migration route from an early phase. In the 1990s, single individuals or small flocks of pink-footed geese were reported by the goose counting networks in southern Sweden during autumn and spring, and in western Finland during spring. Since the early 2000s, however, observations of flocks have become more regular and numbers have increased in both countries.&nbsp;



The new route takes birds from the wintering grounds in western Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium, via the west coast of Finland, to new breeding grounds on Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Russia. As part of the monitoring program, some birds are fitted with marked neckbands and some with GPS tags, enabling scientists to map the locations of birds and even document nesting behavior in the new breeding areas.&nbsp;



“It was a real surprise to see that half of the marked individuals in Oulu [Finland] migrated northeast to Novaya Zemlya in north Russia,” said Madsen. “From the tagging information we could not only follow their new path but also got indications that females were breeding there. This site is around 1,000 kilometers east of the traditional Svalbard breeding grounds.



“It was also cool to observe that geese from the traditional flyway have turned up on the new route and seemed to have switched. Hence, social learning and following individuals from the new route has been an important phenomenon, which also explains how this development could be so fast.”



In their report, the researchers detail the abrupt formation of the new migration route and population of pink-footed geese over the course of 10 to 15 years. The population has grown over time due to successful breeding and high survival rates, combined with continued immigration of geese from the old route to the new one.



This development has only been possible due to the fact that rising temperatures have made the environment in Novaya Zemlya suitable for geese to inhabit in summer. While the new population is not genetically or demographically isolated yet, the researchers note that it does already qualify as a separate population. The researchers suggest that cultural transmission has enabled the species to colonize a new breeding area rapidly, and to establish a totally new migratory route, including new stopover and wintering sites.&nbsp;



The new route does have some disadvantages, Madsen says. For instance, it’s longer. But the researchers suspect the benefits of the new route and breeding grounds outweigh any downsides. The findings in geese show the importance of social learning when it comes to adapting to a changing planet, Madsen notes, especially in social animals, including birds but perhaps also in hoofed ungulates, wolves, and whales.



“At this time, when climate change and other human activities threaten many species, not least the Arctic ones, social learning can be a behavior that can provide advantages to avoid some negative impacts, at least in the short term,” said Madsen.



The researchers say they hope one day to observe the geese in their new breeding grounds in Russia. For now, they’ll keep an eye on the future development of the new population using GPS-tracking devices and remote sensing of the new environment.



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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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Arctic geese adapt by finding a new migratory route

Temperatures are rising faster in the Arctic than the global...

Blue whales, the largest living creatures on Earth, nearly went extinct due to whaling practices of the 20th century. They remain listed as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-spotted-owl-officially-listed-as-endangered/">endangered</a> under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Due to their low population numbers, scientists are finding more ways to protect blue whales.



In 2018, researchers from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a>, including Dawn Barlow and Leigh Torres, discovered that a population of pygmy blue whales (B. m. brevicauda) in South Taranaki Bight, New Zealand &nbsp;is genetically distinct from other Blue Whale populations.



To be classified as a resident species and gain more protection, the experts needed to show that this unique whale population was breeding in the area.&nbsp;



The researchers placed five underwater microphones, or hydrophones, on the ocean floor. They were able to collect near-continuous data between 2016 and 2018.



“Unlike many other baleen whales, this population stays in this region year-round,” explained Barlow. “That means we can monitor what they are doing from one location. Listening is an effective way to do that.”



“Although no one has actually documented blue whales mating – it is hard to observe that directly – the increase in song during the expected time of mating is a strong indication of breeding in New Zealand waters,” said Torres. “Our study adds more evidence that these are resident New Zealand blue whales.”



The researchers also found a link between environmental conditions and behavior. They found that the 2016 heat wave affected the whales’ feeding behavior and possibly their breeding behavior.&nbsp;



“During the marine heatwave, feeding-related calls were reduced, reflecting poor foraging conditions during that period,” said Barlow. “But we also saw changes in vocalizations in the next breeding period, an indication that they put less effort into reproduction following a period of poor feeding conditions.”



The data is critical to the future protection of blue whales, considering warmer oceans may reduce their reproductive activity.&nbsp;



“We have come so far in 10 years in our knowledge of these blue whales - from not knowing this population existed to now understanding their year-round use of this region for feeding, mating and nursing,” said Torres. “New Zealanders should be excited and proud that their country is home to its own unique population of blue whales. We hope our work helps Kiwis manage and protect these whales.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9770">Ecology and Evolution</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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Warming oceans may reduce blue whale reproduction

Blue whales, the largest living creatures on Earth, nearly went...

New research conducted by the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deforestation-in-the-amazon-hits-new-record-high/">deforestation</a> leads to reduced rainfall across large areas of the tropics. Although people inhabiting these regions have often complained that the climate gets hotter and drier once trees from these areas are cleared, this is the first study to identify a clear link between the loss of tree cover and significant declines in rainfall.



The experts examined the impact of forest loss on rainfall patterns in three areas of the tropics – the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asia – that have recently experienced rapid land-use changes. By using satellite observations from 2003 to 2017, they identified the areas where forests have been cleared, and compared rainfall data from these regions to data from nearby locations where forests have not been lost.



The analysis revealed that tropical forest loss led to reductions in rainfall throughout the entire year, including in the dry season, when any further drying severely impacts plant and animal ecosystems. However, the largest decline in precipitation was observed in the wet season, with nearly 0.6 mm a month reduction in rainfall for each percent of forest cover loss.



“Tropical forests play a critical role in the hydrological cycle through helping to maintain local and regional rainfall patterns,” said study lead author Callum Smith, a doctoral student in Environmental Sciences at Leeds.&nbsp;



“The reduction in rainfall caused by tropical deforestation will impact people living nearby through increased water scarcity and depressed crop yields.&nbsp;Tropical forests themselves rely on moisture to survive and remaining areas of forest will be impacted by a drier climate.”&nbsp;



According to the scientists, the loss of tree cover disrupts the process in which moisture from leaves is returned to the atmosphere through a mechanism called evapotranspiration, where it eventually forms rain clouds.&nbsp;



Besides impacting natural ecosystems, reductions in rainfall are also detrimental to agriculture and hydropower plants and are thus likely to affect not only the healthy functioning of forests, but also local communities. In addition, these declines have a negative impact on biodiversity, increase the risks of forest fires, and reduce carbon sequestration.



These problems will likely get worse by the end of the century, with researchers estimating that, if the rate of deforestation in the Congo was to continue as before, rainfall in the region could be reduced by eight to 12 percent, severely affecting both biodiversity and farming, while threatening the viability of the Congo forests, which are among the world’s largest carbon stores.



“The study shows the critical importance of tropical forests in sustaining rainfall. Although there have been efforts to halt deforestation, the loss of forest cover in the tropics has continued. There needs to be renewed efforts to stop forests being lost and to regenerate lost and degraded areas,” concluded senior author Dominick Spracklen, a professor of Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions at Leeds.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05690-1.">Nature</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&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



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Deforestation in the tropics linked to reduced rainfall

New research conducted by the University of Leeds has found...

Scientists have long known that browsing by large animals such as moose, which consume a high number of plants that would otherwise act as carbon sinks, could be an overlooked source of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/land-carbon-stores-are-increasingly-destabilized/">carbon</a> emissions. Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a> (NTNU) has found that moose can greatly reduce carbon storage in clearcut sites. This reduction in sequestered carbon is equivalent to as much as 60 percent of the annual fossil fuel carbon emissions from a region.&nbsp;



“Moose are an ecosystem engineer in the forest ecosystem, and strongly impact everything from the species composition and nutrient availability in the forest,” said study co-author Gunnar Austrheim, an ecologist at NTNU. “A grown animal can eat 50 kilograms of biomass each day during summer.”



Since moose prefer to eat young deciduous trees such as birch, rowan, and willow, the young saplings that would usually sprout in a forest after a timber company clearcuts an area never get the change to grow and thus bind up CO2 in their trunks, leaves, and roots at maturity. “It was really a surprise to see how much moose can influence vegetation growth, the carbon cycle, and the climate system,” said co-author Xiangping Hu, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/web/indecol/industrial-ecology-programme">Industrial Ecology Program</a> (IndEcol) at NTNU.



“One of the biggest unknowns that we have in our understanding of the climate system and the carbon cycle is potentially the effect of larger animals, and how they interact with carbon storage in vegetation,” added co-author Francesco Cherubini, the director of IndEcol.



“This study gave us a great opportunity to quantify this effect. We have some numbers that we can relate to the regional carbon budget, and which actually show the importance of large animals like the moose.”



Although previous research has found that moose can be of help to the forest industry – since, by thinning out the deciduous trees they reduce the competition to species preferred by the industry, such as pines or spruce – the current findings suggest that these animals may negatively impact biodiversity and the climate. However, the researchers hope to find a right balance between moose numbers and how forested lands are managed in order to limit excess carbon emissions, boost biodiversity, and increase forest productivity.



“I think as we get more of an understanding of how all these different things are interrelated, land managers could come up with an optimal plan. That could be a much needed win-win solution for climate, for biodiversity, and for timber value,” Cherubini concluded.



The study is published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022JG007279">Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences</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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Moose contribute to global warming

Scientists have long known that browsing by large animals such...

Although it is a widespread belief that humans contribute the most to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-linked-to-a-higher-risk-of-stroke/">air pollution</a>, there are also vast amounts of pollutants emerging from natural sources. According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside</a> (UCR), if global temperatures rise by four degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, harmful plant emissions and dust will also increase by as much as 14 percent.



“We are not looking at human emissions of air pollution, because we can change what we emit,” said study lead author James Gomez, a doctoral student in Global Climate and Environmental Change at UCR. “We can switch to electric cars. But that may not change air pollution from plants or dust.”



Plants constantly produce and emit chemicals called biogenic volatile compounds (BVOCs), which give rise, for instance, to the smell of a freshly-mowed lawn or the sweetness of ripe strawberries. While on their own, BVOCs are benign, once they react with oxygen, they produce organic aerosols which, when inhaled, can lead to infant mortality and childhood asthma, as well as lung cancer and heart disease in adulthood.



Two factors projected to continue to increase due to climate – atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature - will both boost BVOC production. However, as the scientists stress, growing plants can still help the environment by reducing the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Moreover, BVOCs from small gardens will not be harmful.



“Your lawn, for example, won’t produce enough BVOCs to make you sick. It’s the large-scale increase in carbon dioxide that contributes to the biosphere increasing BVOCs, and then organic aerosols,” Gomez explained.



The second largest contributor to pollution from natural sources will likely be dust from the Saharan desert which, as the climate warms, will be blown around the globe, leading to hazardous amounts of air pollution in Africa, the eastern U.S., and the Caribbean. Moreover, due to West African monsoons, dust over Northern Africa is likely to further increase.



Since they have a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, both organic aerosols and dust fall into the category of PM2.5 airborne pollutants, which are among the most dangerous pollutants. According to the experts, the increase in naturally sourced PM2.5 pollution is directly proportional with rises in CO2 levels. “The more we increase CO2, the more PM2.5 we see being put into the atmosphere, and the inverse is also true. The more we reduce, the better the air quality gets,” Gomez said. Thus, in order to have a positive effect on future air quality, CO2 emissions will need to decrease sharply.



“The results of this experiment may even be a bit conservative because we did not include climate-dependent changes in wildfire emissions as a factor. In the future, make sure you get an air purifier,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00688-7">Nature Communications Earth &amp; Environment</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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Air pollution will increase dramatically in a hotter climate

Although it is a widespread belief that humans contribute the...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air">Invisible threat in urban air</h2>



City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge">Disturbing connections emerge</h2>



Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters">Timing matters</h2>



The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns">Genetic vulnerability patterns</h2>



Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-implications">Public health implications</h2>



These findings, published in <a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.



As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



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



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.



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



Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.



Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.



Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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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

[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

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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



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

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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

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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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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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