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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



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

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

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/">Australian National University</a> (ANU), Pacific island nations underwent severe depopulation from introduction of diseases as a consequence of contact with European vessels. These declines caused by the introduction of new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/project-aims-to-limit-pathogen-spread-from-pet-amphibians/">pathogens</a> in immunologically-naïve populations are much higher than previously thought.



The scientists used aerial laser scanning data to map residences on the main island of Tonga, together with archaeological data, to estimate how population fluctuated due to the contact with Europeans during the 19th century. The analysis revealed that, while prior to the arrival of the Europeans, there were between 100,000 and 120,000 inhabitants in the Tongan archipelago, the introduction of new pathogens led to a massive population decline of between 70 and 86 percent.&nbsp;



According to the researchers, the islands of Polynesia are often seen as “natural laboratories” in which population size and growth are fundamental components of models that examine the development of Oceanic societies. As in many parts of the world – such as the Americas - the population of Pacific Islands suffered severe declines after contact when Europeans introduced new pathogens.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This improved understanding of the past has allowed us to show a significant population decline from 50,000-60,000 to 10,000 during a 50-year period on the main island of Tongatapu in the Kingdom of Tonga,” said study lead author Phillip Parton, a doctoral student in Archaeology and Natural History at ANU.



“Because this number is so much larger than anything anyone had previously considered, I used shipping and missionary data to check my estimates and found they were plausible. Obviously, this shows a big reassessment of the impact of globalization in the 19th century. As in many parts of the world, the population of Pacific islands suffered severe declines after contact when Europeans introduced new pathogens,” he concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103610">Journal of Archaeological Science</a>.



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

Europeans carried deadly pathogens to the Pacific islands

According to a new study led by the Australian National...

In our bodies, genetic codes describe the ways in which amino acids get assembled into chains known as peptides, which then form the building units of proteins. The formation of peptide bonds is one of the most important biochemical reactions and, in our cells, it is catalyzed (sped up) by enzymes in order to produce essential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-cells-message-each-other-using-rna-and-escort-proteins/">proteins</a> quickly. But how did the very first proteins get assembled, before there were any living cells or enzymes to assist the process?



Earth did not always harbor life. In fact, for around 500 million years there was no life at all. But sometime around 4 billion years ago, something in the environment changed, and systems with biological properties began to emerge. Although amino acids of many different types were present before this, they were now able to assemble themselves into peptide chains, and later into proteins. Scientists have pondered how the chemistry of the early Earth may have facilitated the origin of these proteins, and have come up with many theories. However, there has been little experimental laboratory support for these ideas.&nbsp;



If, as scientists have theorized, life on Earth began in the oceans, then amino acids – which were considered to be abundant in these times – would have joined together by means of peptide bonds while surrounded by a watery medium. But the formation of a peptide bond between two amino acids requires the removal of a molecule of water, a process known as dehydration synthesis. Chemists have always thought this was rather unlikely to occur in a wet, aqueous or oceanic environment, especially without the presence of any catalyst to speed up the reaction.&nbsp;



New research from scientists at <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/">Purdue University</a> has now uncovered a mechanism whereby peptide bonds may form in the absence of a catalyst, even when the amino acids are surrounded by water.&nbsp; They say that the key to this process is that it took place within droplets of water, where the edge of the droplet comes into contact with the surrounding air.&nbsp;



“This is essentially the chemistry behind the origin of life,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chem.purdue.edu/people/profile/cooks">Graham Cooks</a>, the&nbsp;Henry Bohn Hass Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry in Purdue’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.purdue.edu/science/">College of Science</a>. “This is the first demonstration that primordial molecules, simple amino acids, spontaneously form peptides, the building blocks of life, in droplets of pure water. This is a dramatic discovery.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



Cooks, an expert in mass spectrometry and early Earth chemistry, and his team have spent more than 10 years using mass spectrometers to study chemical reactions in droplets containing water.&nbsp;They say that “water isn’t wet everywhere.” In fact, where a water droplet meets the atmosphere, incredibly rapid reactions can take place, transforming free amino acids into the building blocks of life. Places where sea spray flies into the air and waves pound the land, or where fresh water tumbles down a rapid, would have provided suitable conditions for the evolution of life’s first proteins.&nbsp;



“The rates of reactions in droplets are anywhere from a hundred to a million times faster than the same chemicals reacting in bulk solution,” Cooks explained.&nbsp;&nbsp;



This rapid rate of reaction within microdroplets would do away with the need for catalysts or enzymes to speed things up, and make the synthesis of proteins possible in watery environments. This may be the mechanism that underlies the formation of complex molecules, such as proteins, in the chemical environment of early Earth. Understanding how this process works has been the goal of decades of scientific research. The secret of how life arose on Earth can help scientists understand why it happened and inform the search for life on other planets, or even moons.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Understanding how amino acids may have built themselves up into proteins within small droplets of water revolutionizes scientists’ understanding of chemical synthesis. This same understanding could now be applied by synthetic chemists to speed up the reactions critical to discovering and developing new drugs and therapeutic treatments for diseases.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“If you walk through an academic campus at night, the buildings with the lights on are where synthetic chemists are working,” Cooks said. “Their experiments are so slow that they run for days or weeks at a time. This isn’t necessary, and using droplet chemistry, we have built an apparatus, which is being used at Purdue now, to speed up the synthesis of novel chemicals and potential new drugs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



The research is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2212642119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

Did the building blocks of life form inside of water droplets?

In our bodies, genetic codes describe the ways in which...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-can-survive-if-given-the-chance-to-evolve/">Coral reefs</a> all over the world are currently imperiled by a variety of factors, such as mass bleaching events due to climate change or ocean acidification. In order to protect the reefs, some scientists, resource managers, and conservationists have argued that restoring populations of algae-eating fish (such as the parrotfish) could promote the recovery of distressed reefs – a theory known as “fish-mediated resilience.”



However, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> (U-M) that analyzed long-term data from 57 coral reefs around the French Polynesian Island of Mo’orea, such a strategy may not be sufficient, since fish do not efficiently regulate coral reefs over time.&nbsp;



“This paper very well might radically change how we think about the conservation of coral reefs,” said study co-senior author Jacob Allgeier, an assistant professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at U-M. “People have been saying for years that we can protect coral through fisheries management, and our work on Mo’orea reefs shows that this is unlikely to work - there are too many other things going on. There is functionally no measurable effect of fishes on coral cover over time.”



During the 2006-2017 data-collection period, Mo’orea coral reefs were negatively impacted by two major events: a devastating outbreak of the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, and a direct hit from the Cyclone Oli in 2010. These events allowed scientists to study the degradation and subsequent recovery of the Mo’orea reefs, and examine which factors contributed to their successful recovery.&nbsp;



“We found no evidence that the substantial variation in fish community biomass and diversity had any influence on how sites recovered from disturbances,” reported study lead author Timothy Cline, a former postdoctoral fellow at U-M. “Instead, we suggest additional location-specific attributes are critical in recovery, and the fish community is just one component of a suite of variables that must be considered.”



The theory of fish-mediated coral reef resilience has led to calls on moratoriums on fishing for algae-eating fish – a well-intentioned but misguided management strategy with major implications for the millions of people who depend on coral-reef fisheries for sustenance and income. According to these new findings – which identify a multitude of threats to coral reefs, including predatory species, nutrient pollution, ocean acidification, overfishing, coral bleaching, and sedimentation – it would make more sense to support strategies which promote the conservation of diverse habitats and coral reef types at different stages of degradation.



“We do need to manage fisheries in these ecosystems, but instead of things like wholesale restrictions on parrotfish, we should consider management efforts that promote sustainable harvest throughout the food web to disperse the impacts of fishing,” Professor Allgeier concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01882-0">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Restoring fish will not be enough to protect  coral reefs

Coral reefs all over the world are currently imperiled by...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coal-reserves-botswana/">Coal</a> ash is the residual material from burning coal in order to generate electricity. This type of ash is known to contain dangerous metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, selenium, and molybdenum, many of which have been linked to the development of cancers and other diseases.&nbsp;



A team of researchers from <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a> and the <a href="https://www.appstate.edu/">Appalachian State University</a> has performed an analysis of sediments from five North Carolina lakes near coal-burning power plants (Hyco Lake, Mayo Lake, Belews Lake, Mountain Island Lake, and Lake Sutton), and discovered that coal ash pollution of surface waters has been more persistent and widespread than previously thought. According to the researchers, the contaminants are not locked into the lake sediments and could easily enter the aquatic food chain.



“The bottom sediments of a lake represent a complete history of what has fallen into the lake water and settled to the bottom,” said study senior author Avner Vengosh, a professor of Environmental Quality at Duke. “Using our age-dating methods, we were able to go back in time, in some cases even before the coal plant was built, and reconstruct the history of the lakes.”



The coal ash reached lakes by three possible routes: atmospheric emissions of coal ash which settled in nearby lands and were brought into the lakes by their watershed; extreme weather events such as tropical storms and hurricanes that flooded and flushed the nearby coal ash impoundments into the nearby lakes; or ordinary flows of effluents from the coal ash ponds that reached the lakes as part of their routine operation.



“While previously we thought that lakes and groundwater are being contaminated by leaking or effluents discharge from of coal ash ponds, the new findings indicate that we have underestimated the environmental impact of coal ash. We thought that the majority of the coal ash is restricted to coal ash ponds and landfills. Now we see it’s already in the open environment,” Professor Vengosh explained.



“At several of the sites, it appears that coal ash was initially just dumped into the nearby lake,” added study co-author Ellen Cowan, a professor of Geology at the Appalachian State University. “Over time, when the Clean Air Act was enforced and scrubbers were added to the coal plant smokestacks to catch fine particulates, we see changes in the coal ash with higher proportions of small particles.” Unfortunately, these tiny particles contain the highest concentrations of toxic substances, making contamination even worse for the lakes. &nbsp;



“We did a very detailed examination of five lakes, but there are numerous lakes or open water reservoirs next to coal plants not only North Carolina, but all over the country. The phenomenon that we discovered probably applies to many other sites across the US and all of them are going to be vulnerable to more extreme weather events and flooding that we know is coming from global warming,” Professor Vengosh concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c04717">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</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

Coal ash found in North Carolina lake bottoms

Coal ash is the residual material from burning coal in...

City trees are good for us. Research has shown that they improve our physical and mental health, clean the air, store CO2, and cool local temperatures. But comparatively little is known about urban <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-overheating-in-warmer-rainforests/">forests</a> as ecosystems, particularly in regard to their spatial composition, species diversity, tree health, and the abundance of introduced species.&nbsp;As climates change it is important to understand some of these variables in order to protect urban trees and their associated animal and plant communities, and to plan appropriately for the planting of new trees in urban areas in future.



A new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.77891">eLife</a>, has attempted to fill this gap by collecting and analyzing data on 5.6 million trees in 63 of the largest U.S. cities that maintain tree inventories. The data included the trees’ locations, species and individual health. The researchers also determined whether the species were naturally occurring (‘native’) or introduced to the area, using information from the Biota of North America Program (BONAP), which documents the distribution of plants on the continent.



“Many studies show that urban forests help humans – they save money, clean the air, and more – but few have assessed city tree biodiversity, which protects forests from being wiped out by disease or climate change. More diverse forests also confer greater mental health benefits for humans and support more wildlife,” said Dakota McCoy, a Science Fellow at Stanford University in Stanford, California, USA. McCoy is a co-lead author on the study alongside Benjamin Goulet-Scott, Higher Education and Laboratory Coordinator at Harvard Forest, Harvard University’s ecological field station in Petersham, Massachusetts.



The researchers found that, on average, only 46 percent of urban trees were naturally occurring in the area where they were planted, with the rest being introduced species. Furthermore, introduced species were more common in hotter, drier cities, while the wetter, cooler cities were home to more native species. Newer cities also tended to have more naturally occurring trees, suggesting that changing practices by city arborists may already be impacting the biological structure of urban forests.



Although all trees, whether introduced or native, perform vital ecosystem services in our cities, naturally occurring tree species are more important in creating diverse, resilient ecosystems.&nbsp;



“Naturally occurring tree species support richer local ecosystems and provide essential food and habitats for birds and butterflies,” said Goulet-Scott. “But cities are harsh environments for trees, and we often choose street trees from a short list of hardy species, which may be introduced or naturally occurring. We could see that cities with more introduced trees had similar mixes of tree species and less ecosystem diversity across cities as a result.”&nbsp;



In order to understand the spatial distribution of urban trees, the scientists designed new tools to analyze clustering and the abundance of introduced species.&nbsp;They found that, in 47 of the 48 cities with sufficient data, the urban trees were commonly clustered into single-species groups. This human practice may make the trees more vulnerable to insect pests and enhance the rapid spread of diseases such as the infamous Dutch elm disease.&nbsp;



When considering urban forests in Washington, DC, the team also found qualitative socioeconomic disparities in the locations and diversity of trees. Wealthy neighborhoods had more trees and a greater variety of species than poorer areas. The authors say that future analyses of urban forests should factor in neighborhood socioeconomics. Additionally, they suggest that citizen science initiatives could be used to document bird, insect and plant diversity in urban forests in order to understand how well they support biological communities in the urban setting. &nbsp;



In conclusion, the authors state that, compared to past research that focused on canopy cover and species richness of trees in urban settings, their new analytical techniques show the importance of understanding spatial composition and the abundance of introduced species. They hope that their work will help city managers to design future plantings to maximize resistance to pests and the effects of climate change.&nbsp;



“We hope our work will empower local decision-makers to select and plant city trees that build resilience against climate change and possible outbreaks of pests and viruses, as well as maximize the health benefits trees provide all city dwellers,” said senior author John Kartesz, Director of the Biota of North America Program.&nbsp;



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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

Urban forests benefit from diverse native tree species

City trees are good for us. Research has shown that...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/">University of Portsmouth</a> have produced a major map of lightning strikes on the British Isles. The researchers combined three detection systems to map lightning distribution across the UK and Ireland over the last 12 years. Study lead author Leah Hayward hopes the lightning map will help reduce the risk when people are faced with extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-overreact-to-warmer-weather-and-stop-producing-fruit/">weather</a>.&nbsp;



“The overall driver of this research was to combine three different technologies to allow us to produce a more detailed picture of when and where lightning occurs most," said Hayward. "Using multiple datasets has the advantage of allowing us to identify occasions where there is more uncertainty which is represented by larger differences in spatial or temporal distribution between the datasets.”



“In some circumstances thunderstorms can be difficult to forecast, but if you have some awareness of when the risk is greatest you can anticipate this and make a plan. For example, if you’re heading out on a mountain expedition and you know the highest risk time of day for your region, you can avoid being on the peak or a ridge and hopefully have descended before this time. It’s common sense really, but we hope this new research will arm people with stronger data and information than ever before."



Hayward noted that thunderstorms can also produce intense bursts of rainfall that often cause flash flooding, especially in urban areas. She said this type of hazard can be really expensive in both monetary and human terms.&nbsp;



"If councils are prepared for regional variations in the time of year this type of weather is likely to occur, they can make sure for example that all the drains are clear to reduce the danger and also implement contingency plans for rail and road users.”



By separating the data into seven geographical regions, the experts found that these areas of the British Isles have different summer thunderstorm seasons. For example, coastal regions of southern England experienced more lightning flashes from May to July, while inland parts of southeast England had the most lightning activity from April to August.



The researchers also discovered that in Scotland, coastlines that face the northwest have a second peak in lightning and thunderstorm activity in the winter.



“We tend to think of lighting and thunderstorms happening over the summer, but combining the datasets showed this isn’t solely the case. We also found that lightning is more likely to strike in the afternoon in inland areas of the south of England, but in coastal regions it also peaks in the early morning or overnight," said Hayward.



“This study shows there is important work still to be done investigating the variation in thunderstorm activity in the UK and Ireland, despite these areas experiencing a relatively low level of lightning and thunderstorm activity in comparison with mainland Europe and other parts of the world.”



The paper is published in the <a href="https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.7680">International Journal of Climatology</a>.



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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

Lightning map reveals weather patterns in the British Isles

Experts at the University of Portsmouth have produced a major...

Exposure to poor air quality worsens COVID-19 patient outcomes, according to a new study from the USC <a href="https://keck.usc.edu/">Keck School of Medicine</a>. To understand how air pollution affects those who are vaccinated, the researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychological-distress-increases-the-risk-of-long-covid/">COVID-19</a> patients across Southern California.&nbsp;



The research builds on <a href="https://keck.usc.edu/exposure-to-air-pollution-can-worsen-patient-outcomes-from-covid-19/">earlier findings</a>, which helped establish the link between air pollution exposure and COVID-19 severity. The study compared air quality monitoring data with patient medical records, and found that regardless of pollution exposure, vaccines can reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations.



“Fully vaccinated people had almost 90% reduced risk of COVID hospitalization, and even partially vaccinated people had about 50% less risk,” said study co-first author Dr. Zhanghua Chen.



According to the results of the current study, however, pollutants are still harmful even among the vaccinated. For those who were unvaccinated, exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over the short or long term increased the risk of hospitalization by up to 30 percent. For those who were partially or fully vaccinated, the hospitalization risks were slightly lower, but the difference was not statistically significant.



“These findings are important because they show that, while COVID-19 vaccines are successful at reducing the risk of hospitalization, people who are vaccinated and exposed to polluted air are still at increased risk for worse outcomes than vaccinated people not exposed to air pollution,” said study co-author Dr. Anny Xiang, a senior research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s (KPSC) Department of Research &amp; Evaluation.



The researchers analyzed medical records from KPSC patients. Across the health care network, 50,010 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 in July or August of 2021 when the Delta variant was circulating, and many of these individuals had been vaccinated.



The estimated air pollution exposure was calculated for each participant based on residential addresses. The experts looked at average PM2.5, NO2, and ozone (O3) levels during the one-month and one-year periods before each patient received a COVID-19 diagnosis.



“We investigated both long-term and short-term air pollution exposure, which may influence COVID-19 severity through different mechanisms,” said Chen.



Pollution over the long term is linked to cardiovascular and lung diseases, which are in turn linked to more severe COVID-19 symptoms. In the short term, air pollution exposure may worsen inflammation in the lungs and could alter the immune response to the virus.



The findings suggest that air quality must be improved to reduce severe cases of COVID-19. This spring, the Biden Administration launched the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/17/fact-sheet-biden-administration-launches-effort-to-improve-ventilation-and-reduce-the-spread-of-covid-19-in-buildings/">Clean Air in Buildings Challenge</a> to install high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filters in schools and other public buildings.



The study is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202206-1123LE">American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine</a>.&nbsp;



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

Improving air quality could reduce severe cases of COVID-19

Exposure to poor air quality worsens COVID-19 patient outcomes, according...

The,Exoplanet,In,Evolution.,Volcanic,Activity,On,The,Surface,Of

According to new computer simulations conducted by experts from the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a>, Earth-like exoplanets with oceans, continents, and beaches along the boundaries could be much more common than previously thought, especially in the vicinity of red dwarves. Thus, ongoing and future exoplanet survey missions could likely discover multiple Earth-analogues before the end of this decade.



Scientists define “habitable zones” as the range of orbits around a star where the temperature is right for an exoplanet to have liquid water on its surface. However, this does not necessarily mean that there is life – or even water – on such <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diamond-rain-may-be-common-on-giant-icy-planets/">planets</a>.&nbsp;



On Earth, the oceans and the continents play vital roles in the geochemical carbon cycle that helps maintain a temperate climate in which liquid water and life can exist. Such a combination of favorable conditions is unlikely to exist on many exoplanets, even in habitable zones around the most common type of stars, such as the red dwarves. This is due to the fact that there is a distinct difference in the water content of rocky materials found in the inner and outer parts of the protoplanetary disks where planets form, most of the times leading to the formation of planets with either too much or too little water.



However, by taking into consideration water produced from the interactions between the still molten surface of a young planet and its primordial atmosphere, the scientists found that a wide range in the final water content of exoplanets is likely. Within that range, several Earth-sized planets in habitable zones should have the appropriate amount of water for a temperate climate.



“We estimate that 5–10 percent of the planets with a size of &lt;1.3R⊕&nbsp;orbiting early-to-mid M dwarfs have appropriate amounts of seawater for habitability. Such an occurrence rate would be high enough to detect potentially habitable planets by ongoing and near-future M-dwarf planet survey missions,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-022-01781-1">Nature Astronomy</a>.



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.



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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

Many exoplanets could have enough water to be habitable

According to new computer simulations conducted by experts from the...

A new study conducted by an international team of climate and lake scientists has found that global warming will make <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-will-have-major-consequences-for-lakes-worldwide/">lake</a> ice much less safe during this century. According to the experts, this will likely affect Indigenous communities in the Arctic, as well as regional economies in which people depend on ice roads as a means for fast and relatively cheap transportation and supply during winters. Moreover, thinning future ice conditions will also threaten unique lake ecosystems which have adapted to recurring frozen lake conditions over tens of thousands of years.



The scientists used one of the most comprehensive future climate change model simulations to date - the <a href="https://www.cesm.ucar.edu/projects/community-projects/LENS2/">Community Earth System Model ver. 2 Large Ensemble</a> – to determine at which levels of warming unsafe ice conditions will be reached with regards to transportation and recreational activities such as ice-fishing or ice-skating.



“Our results demonstrate that the duration of safe ice over the next 80 years will shorten by two-three weeks depending on the future warming level. In regions where lakes are used as ice roads to transport heavy goods and supplies, the number of days with safe ice conditions will decline by more than 90 percent, even for a moderate warming of 1.5°C above early 20th&nbsp;century conditions,” warned study corresponding author Lei Huang, a former postdoctoral fellow at the <a href="https://ibsclimate.org/">IBS Center for Climate Physics</a> (ICCP) in Busan, South Korea.&nbsp;



“According to our computer model simulations, many densely populated regions in the mid-latitudes are projected to experience a large deterioration in safe ice conditions for recreational activities,” added study lead author Iestyn Woolway, an expert in Ocean and Climate Sciences at <a href="https://www.bangor.ac.uk/">Bangor University</a>. “Already a 1.5°C warming above early 20th&nbsp;century conditions can lead to more than 60 percent loss in the duration of safe lake ice. This will negatively impact local communities that rely on the ice recreation industry.”&nbsp;



Since our planet has already warmed by 1.2°C since the beginning of the Industrial Age, it is urgently needed to implement proper regional adaptation strategies in affected communities to mitigate economic losses and to avoid loss of lives.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EF002907">Earth’s Future</a>.



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.



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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

Safety on frozen lakes declining due to climate change

A new study conducted by an international team of climate...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a>, experts have analyzed a potential connection between air pollution and stroke, including subsequent cardiovascular events. The results suggest that air pollution plays a substantial role in the progression of stroke.&nbsp;



The team analyzed data in the UK biobank database for over 300,000 people with no previous history of stroke or heart disease. The participants were followed for an average of 12 years. The researchers looked at exposure to air pollution based on where the individuals lived at the start of the research.



During the study period, nearly 6,000 people had a stroke, 2,985 people developed cardiovascular diseases and 1,020 people later died. Participants with exposure to high levels of air pollution were significantly more likely to have a first stroke, post-stroke cardiovascular disease or death.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers found that for each five micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) increase in fine particulate matter, the risk of transitioning from being healthy to having a first stroke increased by 24 percent. Shockingly, the risk from being healthy to dying increased by 30 percent.&nbsp;



Particulate matter consists of liquids or solids suspended in air. Fine particulate matter, PM2.5 includes fly ash from coal combustion. Those who had a stroke during the study had an average exposure of 10.03 µg/m3 of PM2.5, compared to 9.97 µg/m3 for those who did not have a stroke. Nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide pollutants were also associated with an increased risk of stroke and death.



“More research is needed, but it’s possible that decreasing exposure to heavy levels of air pollution could play a role in reducing the progression of stroke,” said Dr. Hualiang Lin of Sun Yat-sen University School of Public Health.



“People can reduce their exposure by staying indoors on heavy pollution days, reducing their outdoor exercise, wearing masks to filter out particulate matter and using air purifiers.”



It’s important to note that the results do not prove that air pollution causes stroke, as they only show an association. The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.neurology.org/">Neurology</a>.



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.



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

Air pollution linked to a higher risk of stroke

In a new study published by the American Academy of...

Research from <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> shows that bird diversity in forests surrounded by urban areas is less than that in comparable rural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-overheating-in-warmer-rainforests/">forests</a>. To carry out the research, the scientists examined 459 naturally wooded areas near or in 32 cities in southern Sweden.&nbsp;



“Our study demonstrates that you cannot surround nature with urban development and believe that it will remain as it is, there is going to be a negative effect," said William Sidemo Holm, who worked on the study during his time as a doctoral student.



In woodlands near a city center, there were on average 25 percent less bird species compared to woodlands outside the city. Likewise, there were approximately half as many endangered species inside the urban woods.&nbsp;



The scientists emphasize they were looking at natural woodland areas inside cities, not in urban parks. In fact, this is one of the first studies to compare similar natural areas along an urban gradient.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This way we know that the results are not driven by differences in the actual habitats, which in this scenario was natural forest. Instead, it was the surrounding environment that was different," said Sidemo Holm.



It was already known that urbanization has a negative impact on biodiversity, but this study is important in showing the impact of cities even on protected natural areas in their midst.&nbsp;



“Our results highlight the importance of taking surrounding nature into account in urban planning. Above all, it is important to avoid the expansion of cities adjacent to protected environmental areas where there may be endangered species - we found that these are particularly sensitive to urban surroundings," said Sidemo Holm.



“Our conclusion is that it is important to preserve natural forests both in the cities and outside them in order to maintain local diversity."



While the study may drive greater protection for urban dwelling birds and other creatures, the scientists still believe more research would be of greater benefit.&nbsp;



“In the future, it would be particularly interesting to investigate whether coherent green infrastructure in cities, or between city and countryside, can increase the opportunities for bird species in the city to find the necessary resources," said Sidemo Holm.



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16350">Global Change Biology</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

Bird diversity suffers in urban environments

Research from Lund University shows that bird diversity in forests...

The fight for the survival of baby sea turtles begins long before hatching. The conditions of the beaches where eggs are laid play a critical role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutan-mothers-are-actively-involved-in-helping-offspring-learn/">offspring</a> survival.&nbsp;



Some factors include sand moisture content, sand color, and slope angle. Human activities have been known to influence these factors and can have devastating consequences for endangered species of sea turtles.&nbsp;



Researchers with <a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/">King Abdullah University of Science &amp; Technology</a> (KAUST) were curious about potential sea turtle activity in a group of 1,150 islands in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. While these islands may be potential nesting sites, very few of them have been surveyed, and those surveys were conducted decades ago. As a result, any potential damage caused by future development projects would be challenging to track.



The researchers sought to explore these islands to see if any of them provide nesting habitats for sea turtles. They visited 35 of the islands in search of tracks, nests, and eggshells, all signs of sea turtle nesting.&nbsp;



The experts found two hawksbill nests on Abu Gisha. They also found three hawksbill turtle nests and two green turtle nests on the island of Um Mesk. Rabigh, a beach on the mainland, however, contained no evidence of nests.&nbsp;



"This was expected because it is next to a foraging reef that turtles migrate away from to breed," explained Scott.



The researchers took measurements and samples from the sites to compare them to known nesting areas, including Ras Baridi, the largest nesting area in the red sea.&nbsp;



The hope is that policymakers could use this information to design management plans for future development and help us understand how climate change might affect these charismatic species.&nbsp;



"Seeing nests and tracks where they had never been recorded before confirmed our suspicion that nesting occurs along the whole Red Sea coastline," said Scott. "A wide-scale survey of all the islands off the Red Sea coast to look for nesting evidence and migration corridors will help us identify priority areas."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/13408/">PeerJ</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

New turtle nesting sites discovered in the Red Sea

The fight for the survival of baby sea turtles begins...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Ocean heat influences regional climate

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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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