A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.uoguelph.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Guelph</a> in Canada has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-the-biggest-threat-to-wild-bees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global warming</a> is increasingly posing a significant threat to bumblebee populations worldwide.&nbsp;



According to the experts, the perils that rising temperatures pose to bumblebee nest viability and larvae development should urgently be taken into account in order to protect these insects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decline-in-bumblebee-populations-nbsp">Decline in bumblebee populations&nbsp;</h2>



“The decline in populations and ranges of several species of bumblebees may be explained by issues of overheating of the nests and the brood. The constraints on the survival of the bumblebee brood indicate that heat is likely a major factor, with heating of the nest above about 35 degrees Celsius being lethal, despite the remarkable capacity of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-increasingly-stressed-over-the-past-century/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bumblebees</a> to thermoregulate,” explained Peter Kevan, an expert in environmental sciences at Guelph.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-optimal-temperature-range-for-bumblebee-nests">Optimal temperature range for bumblebee nests</h2>



Bumblebees, diverse in species and widespread across various climates, have consistently shown an optimal nest temperature range between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius. This similarity across species suggests a limited ability to adapt to rising temperatures outside of their thermal neutral zone, where they can maintain body temperature without expending much energy.&nbsp;



“Excessively <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/death-valley-may-reach-the-hottest-temperature-ever-recorded-this-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high temperatures</a> are more harmful to most animals and plants than cool temperatures. When conditions are cool, organisms that do not metabolically regulate their body temperatures simply slow down, but when temperatures get too high metabolic processes start to break down and cease. Death ensues quickly,” Kevan said.



Through an extensive review spanning 180 years, the researchers have found that bumblebees can survive temperatures up to 36 degrees Celsius and thrive best around 30-32 degrees Celsius, though variations exist depending on species and geographic conditions. However, their innate ability to thermoregulate may not suffice against the escalating challenges posed by global warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collective-health-of-the-bumblebee-colony">Collective health of the bumblebee colony</h2>



The study also emphasizes the concept of the bumblebee colony as a “superorganism,” highlighting that the reproductive success of the colony hinges on the collective health and survival of its members, not just individual bees. High nest temperatures, therefore, jeopardize the entire colony's future by potentially reducing the health and viability of new offspring.



“The effect of high nest temperatures has not been studied very much, which is surprising,” Kevan remarked. “We can surmise that nest temperatures above the mid-30s Celsius would likely be highly detrimental and that above about 35 Celsius death would occur, probably quite quickly.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-elevated-nest-temperatures-nbsp">Elevated nest temperatures&nbsp;</h2>



Parallel findings in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybees-carrying-nectar-avoid-overheating-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">honeybees</a> have shown that elevated nest temperatures can weaken bee queens and result in smaller, less robust worker bees. A similar impact on bumblebees could directly contribute to their decline, suggesting an urgent need for further research.



The scientists advocate for deeper exploration into the understudied areas of bumblebee ecology such as nest morphology, material properties, and temperature regulation strategies. Innovative methods like ground-penetrating radar and flow-through respirometry analysis might reveal how different colonies and species manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humidity-increases-urban-heat-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thermal stress</a>, potentially uncovering broader thermal neutral zones in some species that could confer greater resilience.



“We hope that future scientists may take the ideas we present and apply them to their own research on bumblebee health and conservation,” Kevan concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bumblebee-nests-nbsp">Bumblebee nests&nbsp;</h2>



Bumblebee nests are unique and fascinating structures usually found underground or in dense grass. Unlike honeybees, which build extensive hives, bumblebees often repurpose abandoned rodent burrows or thick grass clumps to create their homes. These nests are less populous, typically housing anywhere from 50 to 400 bees, which is considerably smaller than honeybee hives.



The queen bumblebee initiates the nest by laying the first batch of eggs, which she incubates with her body. As these hatch and mature into worker bees, they take over the duties of expanding the nest, foraging for food, and caring for subsequent broods laid by the queen. The interior of a bumblebee nest contains wax pots built by the workers for storing food and rearing young bees.



These nests have a relatively short lifespan. They are usually active for only a few months each year, from spring to late summer. At the end of the season, new queens are produced, which leave to mate and then find a place to hibernate through the winter.&nbsp;



The original nest is abandoned and generally does not get reused the following year. This cycle highlights the bumblebee's vital role in pollination and the ecosystem, despite their nests being less permanent than those of some other bee species.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frbee.2024.1351616" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Bee Science</a>.



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Rising temperatures are overheating bumblebee nests

A recent study led by the University of Guelph in Canada has found that global warming is increasingly posing a significant threat to bumblebee populations worldwide.&nbsp; According to the experts, the perils that rising temperatures pose to bumblebee nest viability and larvae development should urgently be taken into account in order to protect these insects. Decline in bumblebee populations&nbsp; “The decline in populations and ranges of several species of bumblebees may be explained by issues of overheating of the nests and the brood. The constraints on the...

Researchers from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a> have gathered some of the first scientific evidence that climate change can affect the distribution of pathogens. The team studied the incidence of white pine blister rust in the forests of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. White pine blister rust is caused by a fungus Cronartium ribicola that infects several types of pine trees, including whitebark pine, and has caused serious damage to white pine populations in the United States.&nbsp;



The pathogen was introduced by accident in 1900 and is an invasive species that inevitably causes tree mortality. Part of the life cycle of C. ribicola is completed in secondary hosts, namely currant and gooseberry plants.



In the past, blister rust infections did not occur in high-altitude forests because the pathogen prefers warmer, milder conditions. Consequently, the forests above the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks acted as a refuge from this disease. However, with changing climatic conditions, the pathogen has begun to infect trees that are higher up the slopes.&nbsp;



“Because pathogens have thermal tolerances, we are seeing expansions and contractions in this disease's range,” said study lead author Joan Dudney, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis in the lab of Professor Andrew Latimer. “Climate change isn’t so much leading to widespread increases in this disease but rather shifting where it is emerging.”



The researchers used data from long-term monitoring plots in the National Park forests in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Data spanned the period between 1996 and 2016, which is considered to be a warmer, drier period than normal. Observations from over 7,800 potential host trees were included and, in addition, the scientists measured stable isotope ratios in pine needles.&nbsp;



They found that the optimal climatic conditions for blister rust moved, during the 20-year study period, from lower to higher elevations. The incidence of blister rust decreased by 5.5 percent in the more arid, lower-elevation forests and increased by 7 percent in forests at cooler, higher elevations.



“Our study clearly demonstrates that infectious plant diseases are moving upslope, and they're moving fast,” said Dudney. “Few pines are resistant to what is basically a Northern Hemisphere white pine pandemic.”



The high-elevation refuges where pine trees were protected from pathogens by the inhospitable conditions, are now under threat because of climate warming; conditions there are becoming tolerable to the diseases and pests. Pathogens are expanding their ranges into these higher elevation areas while contracting in the lower areas where the climate is now too warm and dry for their survival.



"It's kind of a race between evolution and climate change," said Professor Latimer. "So far, climate change is winning."



Although it seems inevitable that blister rust will impact severely on white pine populations as the climate becomes warmer, Dudney stated that employing disease prevention methods could help to slow the spread of the disease.&nbsp;



The study is published recently in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.



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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

High altitudes no longer protect pine trees from disease

Researchers from UC Davis have gathered some of the first...

A new study carried out with the support of eight universities and seven environmental organizations in Australia has identified the most endangered plants and animals on the continent. This is the most comprehensive national-scale dataset describing the threats that are faced by Australia’s flora and fauna.&nbsp;



The researchers identified 1,339 species of plants and 456 species of animals that are listed as threatened under the Australian Commonwealth law by habitat loss, fragmentation, degradation, other invasive species, and disease. Among these, ten birds, seven mammals, twenty fish, six reptiles, and one butterfly are likely to become extinct in the next two decades if no major conservation actions are undertaken.



Some of these species are struggling with a large variety of threats. The swift parrot, for instance, is facing no less than 17 different threats, including habitat loss from agricultural processes and logging, invasive weeds, and climate change. Similarly, koalas are severely afflicted by habitat loss from urban development and agriculture, diseases, dog attacks, and many other stressors.&nbsp;



The publication of this dataset in the journal <a href="about:blank">Ecology and Evolution</a> is an important step forward for increasing the efforts to save these endangered animals. 



“Before now we didn’t have comprehensive information on the threats to these species, and more importantly, the severity of those threats,” explained study co-author Dr. April Reside from the&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.uq.edu.au/">School of Agriculture and Food Sciences</a>.



“More accurate conservation efforts are now possible due to the ability to categorize and address these threats facing our at-risk species,” said study lead author Michelle Ward, a doctoral student at UQ’s&nbsp;<a href="https://sees.uq.edu.au/">School of Earth and Environmental Sciences</a>.



“Looking at the data, conservation managers can see that mitigating habitat loss, invasive species, and disease, while also improving fire regimes and curtailing the impact of climate change wherever possible is crucial for curbing species decline.”



The database has already been widely distributed to federal and state governments, as well as conservation groups such as the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>, <a href="https://www.birdlife.org.au/">BirdLife Australia</a>, and the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/">Nature Conservancy</a>. In order to protect these numerous endangered plant and animal species, collaborative action is urgently needed.&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

Action needed to save Australia’s plants and animals

A new study carried out with the support of eight...

A new report from the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">UN</a> says that weather disasters are five times more prevalent today than in the 1970’s and cause seven times more damage. A silver lining to this storm cloud is that weather disasters are now less deadly.&nbsp;



In the 70s and 80s, an average of 170 people were killed each day by weather events worldwide. This number dropped to 40 by the 2010’s.&nbsp;



“The number of weather, climate and water extremes are increasing and will become more frequent and severe in many parts of the world as a result of climate change," <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en">WMO</a> Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement.&nbsp;



"That means more heat waves, drought and forest fires such as those we have observed recently in Europe and North America."&nbsp;



"We have more water vapor in the atmosphere, which is exacerbating extreme rainfall and deadly flooding. The warming of the oceans has affected the frequency and area of existence of the most intense tropical storms,”&nbsp;



The dynamic that is driving the increased financial cost seems to be people moving into areas with a greater risk of extreme weather as the human population grows and the threat of climate change looms. At the same time, better warning technology allows more people to escape with their lives.&nbsp;



Professor Taalas noted that "we are better than ever before at saving lives" with improved multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster management methods. At the same time, however, some of the hardest hit countries are yet to benefit from improved technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"The good news is that we have been able to minimize the amount of casualties once we have started having growing amount of disasters - heatwaves, flooding events, drought, and especially intense tropical storms like Ida, which has been hitting recently Louisiana and Mississippi in the United States," said Professor Taalas.



"But the bad news is that the economic losses have been growing very rapidly and this growth is supposed to continue."



The report analyzed 11,000 weather disasters that have occured since the 1970s, looking at the economic cost as well as the death toll. All of the five most expensive weather disasters happened in the United States, with Hurricane Katrina being the most costly. The United States also bears over one-third of all costs associated with weather, climate and water extremes.&nbsp;



Of the deadliest weather disasters, droughts killed the most people (650,000) followed by storms (577,232). In addition, extreme heat killed 55,736 people during the study period. Weather disasters are only set to get worse, but how much money and lives they cost will depend on how prepared we are.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Weather disasters are getting even worse

A new report from the UN says that weather disasters...

A new study published in the September 1 issue of <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> looks at the impacts of environmental policy, fire, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-drought-will-impact-large-parts-of-the-amazon/">drought</a> and deforestation on Amazon biodiversity.



The researchers used data on vertebrates and plants to create a biodiversity map of the Amazon. The maps were then compared to the occurrence of fires and deforestation since 2001.&nbsp;



The study revealed that 40,000 to 73,400 square miles of Amazon forest and 95 percent of Amazonian species have been impacted by fire in the last two decades.&nbsp;



Forest management laws initiated in the mid 2000’s slowed the destruction, but a reversal of enforcement after the 2019 reversed these improvements. One of the worst years for Amazon biodiversity was 2019.



"Even with policies in place, which you can think of as a brake slowing the rate of deforestation, it's like a car that keeps moving forward, just at a slower speed," said study senior author Professor Brian Enquist of the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. "But in 2019, it's like the foot was let off the brake, causing it to accelerate again."&nbsp;



The research is unprecedented in its broad look at threats to biodiversity in the Amazon.



"Assessments based on remote sensing of burned and deforested areas had been done before, but we haven't had a detailed record of what impact those have on the species diversity of the region," explained study first author Xiao Feng.



"This has been a huge collection of data and an unprecedented informatics effort associated with biodiversity data, and that allowed us to make these interconnections visible."



An important thing to realize about the fires in the Amazon is that they are caused by humans and- unlike much of the western US - are not part of the natural ecosystem.&nbsp;



"Fire is not a part of the natural cycle in the rainforest," said study co-author Crystal N. H. McMichael. "Native species lack the adaptations that would allow them to cope with it, unlike the forest communities in temperate areas."&nbsp;



"Repeated burning can cause massive changes in species composition and likely devastating consequences for the entire ecosystem."



With an unfriendly government in charge, a growing human population, and inevitable changes in climate, more of the Amazon is likely to burn.&nbsp;



Since the 1960s, 20 percent of the Amazon’s forest cover has been lost. It’s predicted that as much as 40 percent will be lost by 2050 unless drastic measures are taken. Slowing the destruction takes a very long time, but destroying conservation safeguards is quick work.&nbsp;



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

The impact of fire on Amazon biodiversity

A new study published in the September 1 issue of...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.712622/full">Frontiers in Plant Science</a> has found that vineyards can use half of the irrigation water normally used by grape crops without compromising crop yields or quality (measured in terms of flavor, color, and sugar content).



The research, led by Professor Kaan Kurtural of the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>, sheds light on how the effects of drought on California’s vineyards can be mitigated in a time of severe water shortages caused by climate change.&nbsp;



“It is a significant finding,” said Professor Kurtural. “We don’t necessarily have to increase the amount of water supplied to grape vines.”&nbsp;



Professor Kurtural and his colleagues studied the correlation between irrigation levels and cabernet sauvignon grape quality at a research vineyard in Napa Valley during two growing seasons, a rainy season in 2019 and a very arid season in 2020.&nbsp;



The research team focused on <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/x0490e/x0490e04.htm">crop evapotranspiration</a>, which is the amount of evaporated water from the vineyard system based on canopy size. They used irrigation to replace 25, 50, and 100 percent of what has been lost by crops through evapotranspiration.&nbsp;



The scientists discovered that replacing only 50 percent of the water through irrigation was the most beneficial in maintaining the grapes’ yield and flavor. In addition, this level of irrigation did not compromise the amount of symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which are crucial for helping grapevines overcome stresses such as water deficits.&nbsp;



Moreover, the lower irrigation level proved to be more environmentally friendly, since the water used to dilute nitrogen application was significantly reduced.



“In the end, drought is not coming for wine,” concluded Professor Kurtural. “There doesn’t need to be a tremendous amount of water for grapes. If you over irrigate in times like these, you’re just going to ruin quality for little gain.”



According to Professor Kurtural, although the research was focused on cabernet sauvignon, the findings can easily be extended to account for most types of red grapes.



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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

Vineyards can still thrive in times of water shortages

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Plant...

New research from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> modeled how the Earth’s surface has changed over the last three million years. This data was combined with climate data and the number of species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-involved-in-more-seed-dispersal-have-evolutionary-stability/">birds</a> and mammals. The research showed that speciation, or the production of new species, speeds up when elevation increases. A similar decrease in elevation seems to have no effect on species - in these cases, climate plays more of a role in speciation.&nbsp;



“Often at the tops of mountains there are many more unique species that aren’t found elsewhere. Whereas previously the formation of new species was thought to be driven by climate, we’ve found that elevation change has a greater effect at a global scale,” explained study senior author Dr. Andrew Tanentzap.



Although scientists have long theorized that mountains played a role in biodiversity and speciation, the degree to which this study confirmed this idea is incredible.



“It’s surprising just how much effect historical elevation change had on generating the world’s biodiversity - it has been much more important than traditionally studied variables like temperature," said study first author Dr. Javier Igea.



"The rate at which species evolved in different places on Earth is tightly linked to topography changes over millions of years. This work highlights important arenas for evolution to play out."



"From a conservation perspective these are the places we might want to protect, especially given climate change. Although climate change is happening over decades, not millions of years, our study points to areas that can harbor species with greater potential to evolve.”



The research is the first of its kind to look at how mountain formation has historically impacted speciation on a global scale. Other studies were focused on the present day or on a specific mountain range. This research pieces the whole world together, showing us another way that stunning life has evolved and giving us perhaps one more tool to protect that biodiversity.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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

Elevation changes affect the speed of evolution

New research from the University of Cambridge modeled how the...

Research funded by the University of Florida’s <a href="https://www.epi.ufl.edu/">Emerging Pathogens Institute</a> has revealed that several Florida palm tree diseases are caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-lights-keep-insects-from-hibernation/">insects</a> traveling from Jamaica. Scientists found that the American palm cixiid, an insect species from the Caribbean basin, can transmit yellowing disease and bronzing disease, which are both lethal to many types of palm trees, especially coconut and date palms.&nbsp;



It was previously assumed that the phytoplasmas (the bacteria causing these diseases) migrated to Florida through infected plants. However, Professor Brian Badher from the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a> suspected that the culprit was in fact the palm cixiid.&nbsp;



To test this hypothesis, Professor Badher and his team analyzed DNA from the insects in Florida and discovered four distinct groups. For comparison, the researchers looked at samples of insect populations from Columbia, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. While the Colombian and Costa Rican insects had different DNA, the insects from Jamaica were very similar to one of the groups in Florida.



“This told us that either the bugs in Jamaica got there from Florida or the bugs from Jamaica got introduced to Florida,” said Professor Bahder. “We followed up by looking at historical data from shipping records and reference insect collections and determined that the insects from Jamaica likely got introduced into Florida and brought the pathogen that causes lethal yellowing in coconut with it.”



Besides being the first study to investigate the epidemiology of palm phytoplasmas in the context of the transmitting insect species, the research also generated important new molecular data that can be used by other scientists to compare the DNA of insect species found in different areas.



“I hope our approach stimulates more integrated studies between entomology and plant pathology and combines historical record-keeping, molecular work, and fieldwork to better understand the epidemiology of certain diseases,” concluded Professor Bahder.&nbsp;



The research is published in the open-access journal <a href="https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PHYTOFR-12-20-0048-R">PhytoFrontiers</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

Insects from Jamaica transmit diseases to Florida palm trees

Research funded by the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute...

International collaboration in Saudi Arabian archaeological research has uncovered previously unknown clues about the history of the region. The new findings include the oldest evidence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-are-unequivocally-to-blame-for-the-climate-crisis/">humans</a> in Arabia, dating back 400,000 years.&nbsp;



The study, led by Dr. Huw Groucutt of the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute</a>, found an interesting pattern. It seems that water sources fluctuated over long periods of time in what is now the Nefud Desert. When pools and streams of water formed, they created corridors for humans to travel, allowing access to previously inaccessible areas.&nbsp;



In one site, human habitation appeared sporadically at 400, 300, 200, 100 and 55 thousand years ago. Each human occupation brought with it a different stone tool culture, documenting the shift in technology over time.



The diversity of the region is highlighted by the difference in tools brought to archaeological sites by people who commingled at the same spots but arrived from different origins. Animal remains emphasize this point. Some animals came more from Africa while others were inhabitants or Arabia itself.&nbsp;



Dr. Groucutt explained the importance of his team’s research and how it changes our perspective. “Arabia has long been seen as empty place throughout the past. Our work shows that we still know so little about human evolution in vast areas of the world and highlights the fact that many surprises are still out there.”



The study shows that humans have always depended on a liveable climate to determine where they lived, even in a region that seems to be one of the most inhospitable on Earth. When water was available, people occupied the site until they were forced to move, a common pattern.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“It’s remarkable; every time it was wet, people were there,” said project leader Prof. Michael Petraglia. “This work puts Arabia on the global map for human prehistory."



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.



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

Climate change pushed humans back and forth across Arabia

International collaboration in Saudi Arabian archaeological research has uncovered previously...

Researchers from Switzerland recently created a highly innovative and eco-friendly energy source: a wooden floor which, when walked on, can produce enough <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/energy-can-be-generated-from-sweaty-fingertips/">energy</a> to power the LED lightbulbs and small electronics from an entire household.&nbsp;



The team transformed wood into a nanogenerator by placing two pieces of functionalized wood between electrodes. Through periodic contacts and separations when stepped on, the wood pieces become electrically charged (a phenomenon known as the <a href="https://www.tribonet.org/wiki/triboelectricity/">triboelectric effect</a>).&nbsp;



However, wood is generally a triboneutral material. It means that wood has no real tendency to acquire or to lose electrons, which limits the material’s ability to generate electricity, explained group leader Guido Panzarasa, a professor in the <a href="https://ifb.ethz.ch/woodmaterialsscience">Woods Material Science Department</a> at ETH Zürich.&nbsp;



In order to make wood capable of attracting and losing electrons, Professor Panzarasa and his colleagues coated one piece of wood with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a type of silicone which gains electrons upon contact, and functionalized the other piece with in-situ-grown nanocrystals called zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8).&nbsp;



Moreover, the experts investigated which species of wood have the most triboelectric potential. They discovered that spruce, a wood species often used for construction in Europe, performed best.



“Our focus was to demonstrate the possibility of modifying wood with relatively environmentally friendly procedures to make it triboelectric,” explained Professor Panzarasa. “Spruce is cheap and available and has favorable mechanical properties. The functionalization approach is quite simple, and it can be scalable on an industrial level. It’s only a matter of engineering.”



Their triboelectric generator constructed with this upgraded wood was able to generate 80 times more electricity than natural wood. Researchers found that a wood floor prototype with a surface smaller than a piece of paper could produce enough energy to power household LED lamps and small electronic appliances such as calculators.



These innovative wood nanogenerators can be used as green energy sources in smart buildings and help mitigate climate change by sequestering CO2 from the environment. “The ultimate goal is to understand the potentialities of wood beyond those already known and to enable wood with new properties for future sustainable smart buildings,” concluded Professor Panzarasa.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/matter/home">Matter</a>.



&nbsp;---



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

Wooden floors can be turned into eco-friendly energy sources

Researchers from Switzerland recently created a highly innovative and eco-friendly...

The Earth faces an ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-harlequin-toads-are-threatened-with-extinction/">extinction</a> crisis. Understanding the threats to biodiversity over the globe can be complicated. Scientists just published a new model revealing the location and threats to biodiversity over the planet in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.&nbsp;



The scientists created six maps elucidating the main threats to amphibians, birds and mammals - logging, agriculture, hunting &amp; trapping, pollution, invasive species and climate change.&nbsp;



Agriculture and logging are common threats in the tropics, while hunting &amp; trapping are the most widespread threat to mammals and birds. 50% of land birds are threatened by hunting &amp; trapping and 73% of land mammals are. Agriculture is the most dangerous threat to amphibians, with amphibians on 44% of global land area being threatened.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Beyond identifying which threats are most prevalent, the research also identified the most vulnerable regions. The study revealed that wildlife in Southeast Asia is particularly threatened, especially in Sumatra and Borneo. Madagascar is another island with vulnerable animals.&nbsp;



The scientists hope this data could provide necessary knowledge for conservation planning now and in the future.&nbsp;



“We are facing a global nature crisis, and the next ten years is a crucial window for taking decisive action to tackle biodiversity loss. Our results reveal the location and intensity of human-caused threats to nature," explained Dr. Mike Harfoot, one of the lead co-authors of the paper, <a href="https://www.unep-wcmc.org/">UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre</a> (UNEP-WCMC).



"This information can support decision-makers at a range of levels in identifying where action to reduce these threats could yield the best results for people and planet. With further work, we will improve this information in terms of accuracy and the breadth of nature considered.”



With the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China coming up next year, this research will have a chance to play an important role in global planning and ideally help save some species.&nbsp;



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

Scientists pinpoint the location of biodiversity threats

The Earth faces an ongoing extinction crisis. Understanding the threats...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/estlcu">Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters</a>, the indoor air we breathe at home, in offices, or classrooms can be polluted with harmful <a href="https://epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas#:~:text=Per-%20and%20polyfluoroalkyl%20substances%20(PFAS,GenX%2C%20and%20many%20other%20chemicals.&amp;text=Both%20chemicals%20are%20very%20persistent,they%20can%20accumulate%20over%20time.">PFAS chemicals</a>. These findings suggest that indoor air is an underestimated source of exposure to dangerous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-bears-threatened-by-toxic-chemicals-in-melting-sea-ice/">chemicals</a>.



PFAS chemicals are well-known health hazards that are often associated with cancer, infertility, and immune system problems. Moreover, they are either extremely persistent in many environments or capable of breaking down into highly persistent elements.&nbsp;



“Food and water are known to be major sources of PFAS exposure,” said Rainer Lohmann, senior author and professor of oceanography at the <a href="https://www.uri.edu/">University of Rhode Island</a>. 



“Our study shows that indoor air, including dust, is another source of exposure to potentially harmful forever chemicals. In fact, for children in homes or schools with old PFAS-treated carpets, inhalation may be even more important than dust as an exposure pathway to volatile PFAS that eventually could biotransform to more persistent and harmful PFAS.”



Professor Lohmann and colleagues measured the concentration of PFAS in the air in nine carpeted kindergarten classrooms, one home, the storage room of a Californian clothing store, two carpet stores from Rhode Island, as well as in two labs, five offices, one storage area, and one elevator at the University of Rhode Island.&nbsp;



They detected PFAS chemicals in all of these locations, several kindergarten and university classrooms having even higher concentrations than the clothing store, where most of the clothes and gear were treated with PFAS. However, the highest concentration was found in two carpet stores.&nbsp;



“PFAS were formerly used as stain and water repellents in most carpets,"&nbsp;explained study lead author Maya Morales-McDevitt. “Fortunately, major retailers including The Home Depot and Lowe’s now only sell PFAS-free carpets. We believe that slowly smaller retailers will do so as well.”



Although families, schools, and workplaces are currently reducing indoor concentrations of PFAS by replacing carpets, many other products, such as clothes, shoes, building products, and furnishing still emit PFAS chemicals in the air.&nbsp;



“As long as they continue to be used in products, we’ll all be eating, drinking, and breathing PFAS,” concluded co-author Tom Bruton, a senior scientist at the <a href="https://greensciencepolicy.org/">Green Science Policy Institute</a>. “We need to turn off the tap and stop all unnecessary uses of PFAS as soon as possible.”



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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

Indoor air is an underestimated source of dangerous chemicals

According to a new study published in the journal Environmental...

While the ecological and aesthetic benefits of green spaces are intuitively obvious, scientists have just begun to understand the different impacts that greening initiatives may have on human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-who-value-their-leisure-time-have-better-mental-health/">health</a>.&nbsp;



Green spaces have already been linked to lower levels of stress and anxiety, and are known to help mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce levels of air pollution. According to new research from the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congress-Home">European Society for Cardiology</a>, greener spaces also make for healthier hearts.



The most recent research looked at medical data from 243,558 US Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older in Miami-Dade County. This information was combined with satellite imagery showing which areas had more vegetation.&nbsp;



Two rounds of data collection - one in 2011 and one in 2016 - were conducted, coinciding with three planting programs undertaken by Miami-Dade County. In addition, the researchers assessed actual heart health and relative risk of cardiovascular disease.&nbsp;



"Higher levels of greenness were associated with lower rates of heart conditions and stroke over time, both when an area maintained high greenness and when greenness increased," explained study lead author Dr. William Aitken. He and his colleagues suspect that multiple factors may account for these observations.&nbsp;



"For instance, people living in greener areas may do more outdoor exercise and might feel less stressed due to being surrounded by nature. In addition, vegetation could provide some protection from air and/or noise pollution.”&nbsp;



Scientists are accumulating more and more evidence which confirms the compounding benefits of green spaces.&nbsp;



“Tree planting and greening of neighborhoods is associated with multiple benefits and offers a relatively low-cost investment to enhance health and well-being in many circumstances," said Dr. Airken. "For the cost of one emergency room visit for a heart attack, trees could be planted in a neighborhood with 100 residents and potentially prevent ten heart diseases in this group.”



For the health and safety of our planet and our people, that’s quite the deal.&nbsp;



The research was presented at <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congresses-&amp;-Events/ESC-Congress">ESC Congress 2021</a>.



---By <a href="mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Green spaces linked to lower rates of heart disease

While the ecological and aesthetic benefits of green spaces are...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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Aerial,Photo,Of,River,In,Amazon,Rainforest,Jungle,In,Peru

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA’s...